I’m often contacted by people looking for that original, authentic cottage as they want the experience of building their own dream – whether that’s restoring, renovating or starting all over. The realty is that’s these cottage properties are we becoming rare as most families have seen the benefit of simple renovations on resale price. Often termed “lipstick on a pig”, quick, cheap cottage renovations can often hit the check boxes that encourage bigger offers in bidding wars. Unfortunately, successful bidders quickly learn that the workmanship wasn’t up to par, and that they need to re-do the recent updates….
So…. An untouched seasonal cottage is a rare thing and perfect for those with bigger ideas. Buyers aren’t paying for sub-par waterfront property renovations; instead, we’re actually able to see the structure, faults and all. It allows for an honest evaluation and for buyers to bid with ‘eyes wide open’.
Such was the case with my Stoney Lake island listing – a beautiful private island with the original seasonal cottage structure. While an update in the 70’s included a septic system, the cottage structure has remained more or less original. The island was 3+ acres – an absolutely stunning property with both deep and shallow water frontage. Best of all…a western facing ‘down the lake’ view that rivals any on Stoney Lake. Simple….unbelievable.
I listed the cottage on August 5th – the owner was from out of province and had finally made the difficult decision to sell. It had been in their family for over 50 years. They asked I complete the process quickly as they wanted to sell and close before years end.
Listing a waterfront cottage can be a challenge as buyers need to be transported to the property. Experienced waterfront property Realtors® understand this requirement and can make arrangements. As the selling Realtor®, I arranged with a local marina for taxi service as well as had my own water taxi service.
I established an effective marketing strategy – drone videos footage was an absolute must. I assembled my team and we moved quickly, creating a custom video within one week. The property was listed, with offers being held. I did extensive online marketing, using the channels and skills from my ad agency experience. Here’s the video link
https://youtu.be/EyUt6PV22IQ
The result? Multiple offers, over asking, at a time when the market was softening. My client was thrilled as the experience was smooth and stress free. Digital signatures and compensating for time zones…and the client decided upon the winning bid. A new era begins on Stony Lake…
Perfect Guest Bunkie
