House Proud – Search For Cottage was a Moving Experience. Sun Media

Buying a cottage by the water is simply out of reach for many people.  But what if you could find one at about half the going rate?  

That’s exactly what Jeff and Laurie did.  It was part luck and part dogged determination that led them to a house a few kilometres outside of their favourite summer destination on the shore of Lake Huron.  The home’s owner just wanted to get rid of the 1970’s ranch and was willing to part for a fraction of its value if someone was willing to move it.

“Cottages in that area start at $300,000 and go up if you want to be within 10 kilometres of the lake.  So I just googled “house to move” and sure enough a Kijiji ad showed up in a small town 35 kilometres away.   It was just posted that morning and when I called somebody had already called.  But I said, “We’re coming up” and we got there first.  I said “We’ll take it” but the owner was a decent guy and said he had to go with the first caller.”

That deal fell through about a month later and Jeff and Laurie immediately took ownership.   Although he won’t disclose the actual price, Jeff says you could not buy a home of any size, in any shape, anywhere for such a small amount.

Next, the couple needed to find a mover.  Jeff went back to google.

“The guy we found moves a lot of houses and he told us everything we needed to do, which wasn’t a whole lot.  We made the purchase subject to the mover’s approval and he checked the house out and said it was okay. We had to find people to unhook the electrical and the plumbing, the heat, all of that. The mover jacked it up on beams and moved it to the road.  Everyone, every contractor we had out to the site remarked on what good shape the home was in.  We knew we had a good one.”

Prior to the move, the moving company had to get permits from the Ministry of Transportation and line up a police escort.  There was a cruiser front and back for the slow-speed trek to the parcel of land they had purchased.  A foundation had been meticulously measured and built and the site prepared for the arrival of the oversized load.

“The funniest moment came when we were on a paved road toward the lake and a dog was sitting on the front lawn of a house as we went by.  The dog actually did a second take, like; did I just see a house go by?  It was hilarious.  It only took about an hour to do the trip that normally takes 15 minutes.  It was faster than I thought it would be.”

With the home/cottage in place, the next step was making it fit into its new surroundings.

“The challenge is because we’re not in a cottage neighbourhood now.  It’s actually full of really nice homes and we need to spruce it up to fit in with the area.

Jeff stresses the need for investigation when you’re in unfamiliar territory.

“We had a quote to put up the siding for $22,000. I researched the materials and they came to about $2200.  So you have to do your research and know the going rates.”

While the prices of existing lakefront properties continue to climb, this couple has created their bit of paradise for about half of what it would otherwise cost.

“A little bit of it comes down to luck”, says Jeff.  “Finding a place is the hardest part.”   But if you’re patient and persistent, life at the lake can be within reach.