Owning a cottage might seem far off in your future plans, but renting a cottage can be very attainable and doesn’t have to be far from home.
“This is going to be the busiest fall ever. I think its’ because people are not travelling to other places. People are working from home and some schools are doing school remotely. There are people experiencing cottage country this year that haven’t in the past. We find there’s a definite trend with cottage renters becoming cottage owners. They often try cottage life in different regions, and as they swing it, they become part of the cottage community and become owners,” explains William Wallace, Owner of CottageVacations.com.
The pandemic has forced many people to consider alternative travel plans over the last several months, and cottage renting has been a popular and safe choice for families.
“You’ve got your own place, and you can purchase your own food. A family can get away inexpensively. It’s a great idea, and it brings people into the township,” says Murray Brown, Owner of Severn/Muskoka Cottage Rental Agency in Ramara Township.
The summer and fall of 2020 has been extraordinarily busy for many cottage rental agencies because the same families are returning to their favourite cottages.
“Cottage rental is attractive to people, especially to those who really enjoy it and come back again. It costs way more to stay in a hotel or resort, especially per person,” informs Bill Dewey, Owner of WRD Cottage Rental Agency in Haliburton.
A cottage is like a home away from home with the perks of being on water and surrounded by nature.
“With people working remotely it truly offers the opportunity for having a home on the lake. We have families that come up year after year without the huge capital cost of investing. Our cottage owners are not investors. They’re giving us a few weeks a year in order to allow them to afford to keep their cottage for generations to come, while sharing a home on the water and sharing an experience with others,” explains Wallace.
Dewey advises to talk to people in the cottage agency industry who’ve been doing it for a long time to avoid unexpected surprises when you show up at a cottage rental.
“Half our bookings are repeat families – word of mouth through the family and through new owners. It’s not the Airbnb party guys. We’re bringing families up to have incredible experiences. The problem is [cottage rental agencies] are getting painted with the same brush. How do you regulate it?” enlightens Wallace.
Cottage renters often become part of the fabric by becoming part of the cottage country, says Wallace. “You truly get a taste of the day in a life. If people can only make it up a couple weeks in the summer, rental might be a more reasonable option for them.”
Cottage renting is all about family and making memories for life. Try something new and experience the unique hospitality of cottage renting.
LOCAL LINKS
CottageVacations.com – Cottage Rental in Muskoka
cottagevacations.com
Severn/Muskoka Cottage Rentals
severnmuskokacottagerentals.com
WRD Cottage Rental Agency
ontariocottagerental.com
