So you’re looking for a cottage?

Here are some things you need to know BEFORE you buy.

Having a cottage is a dream that’s becoming reality for more and more people as they forsake the turmoil of the city for the peace and quiet of rural real estate. Whether a tiny cabin that’s a project to be completed over the coming years or a luxurious all-season retreat, the cottage is becoming a true second home. As in any real-estate purchase, diligence is the key to assuring that your dream doesn’t become a nightmare. The best surprise is no surprise, especially if you have little or no experience with a rural and/or remote lifestyle. Make sure you investigate thoroughly what is involved. Be aware how different it will be from city life where we take for granted having everything available from water and electricity to corner stores and repair shops.

When you are looking for a cottage property, some considerations include:

Can the property be used year-round? Some municipalities regulate which properties can be occupied only seasonally. Even if you can, could you get to the property in winter ‹ does the municipality regularly plough roads, for example?

Is there potential for a land claim or other ownership dispute? Find out if there are any First Nations land claims, expropriations or crown-lands management changes under consideration or actually before the courts. If you are considering a cottage on land leased from the crown, try to find out if there are any policy changes regarding length of lease under discussion.

Do you know your shoreline and foreshore rights? Different jurisdictions have different laws on the ownership of shorelines and beaches and what access the public must have to the shore. There is increasing regulation of docks and mooring buoys ranging from whether you can build a new dock at all or expand an existing one to what time of the year building can take place. In addition, check on whether the shoreline, whether ocean, lake or river, is stable or if erosion is occurring. If itąs a potential concern, is the property-owner responsible or are there government programs in place?

Is getting there half the fun, or no fun at all? Driving a car, or even a boat, to the property is usually a given. Will that eventually be a situation that could force you to give up the cottage? Are there alternatives such as public transportation, land and/or water taxis or even airplanes? And on the topic of transportation, what about building materials, equipment such as fuel tanks and everyday supplies such as groceries? Itąs an added expense to have to transport everything by boat or plane.

Are doctors and hospitals an issue now or will they be in the future? The availability of appropriate medical facilities could determine the suitability of a cottage’s location.

Have you looked into financing and taxation? Obtaining a mortgage on a cottage property may not be as straightforward as on a house, especially if it’s remote, so check with your financial institution for their requirements. Remember that the cottage is not your principal residence, so you will be subject to capital gains if you sell it.

Living out in the country makes you rethink the “basics”! Water and Sewage are essential

considerations for cottage-owners. Living on rural properties may include owning, maintaining and relying on your own water and septic systems. For city-dwellers who are used to taking these amenities for granted, this may result in a rather steep learning curve.

Keep your own well or hook up to the public system? That may be the question. Choosing a

water supply is an extremely important decision. As rural areas become more built up, municipalities may extend water and sewer systems outward and try to get everyone to hook in to help pay for the services. That may or may not be to an owner’s advantage, especially if you have good water and a properly maintained well. On a public system you have regular water bills and no control over the quality of the water. In rural areas long pipelines can mean stale water, low pressure and other problems. More services can also mean more growth and a higher cost of living in the area.

Water Water Everywhere, but is there more than a drop to drink?

Living well with a well! The most common private source of drinking water is a well although water can also be drawn from a lake, river, stream or cistern. If you’re going to own a cottage with its own well, you need to understand a little about this essential element. A well is a hole from which groundwater is drawn. It can simply be a hole dug in the ground and lined with bricks or concrete to keep the sides from caving in or it can be a length of pipe driven into the ground up to a depth of 50 ft. Deeper wells are either bored (up to 100 ft.) or driven (up to 1,000 feet.)

Where does the well water come from? Rain or snow seeps into the ground, in time it trickles down to a layer of rock or other material that is watertight and collects there, creating a saturated area called an aquifer. The upper limit of the Aquifer determines where the water table is and the water table is the source of water for your well. The water table can be lowered by a lack of rain or by removing water faster than it can be replaced by precipitation. If the water table drops below the level of your well, you have no water!

Ask about dry weather . A prudent purchaser will make local inquiries about water supply and ask if wells in the area tend to run out of water in dry weather. In some areas, water will come from a spring but springs can dry up with too much use or too little rain. Past history is a good indicator.

It’s a whole system! A properly constructed and maintained private water system can provide adequate amounts of safe drinking water and operate economically. In addition to the well its self there must be a whole system of pumps and pipes to get the water to the cottage. Many systems include filters of varying sophistication, as well as water conditioners. Like other mechanical devices around your home they will need regular maintenance from time to time. When you own the cottage, you’ll own the water system, so you’d better check it out!

Protect the source! Carefully manage activities near the water source. Keep contaminants away from sinkholes and the well itself. If you rely on a lake, stream or river for your drinking water, check out your water rights with the local municipality. You may have to apply for water rights, but having them gives you a say in activities and developments that may affect your drinking supply.

Too many showers? Yes, there is such a thing! The volume of water available can determine the luxuries you can have, such as daily showers or full bathtubs, how much laundry can be done and if a dishwasher is feasible. Rationing water can be a fact of life; can you live with it?

The color of water! While water from a deep well is often safe because the soil through which it has flowed removes toxins, it can also have picked up an undesirable color, odor or taste from organic matter in the soil or from minerals such as iron, sulphur and manganese. These minerals often have associated bacteria with them that are not a danger but can be a nuisance, staining fixtures and appliances and corroding pipes and water heaters.

Does it pass the test? Testing of well water should be a condition in any offer of purchase, and you should expect to test water at least annually after purchase to check for coliform bacteria. If other contamination, such as pesticides, is suspected, water should be tested more often. Some health departments test for free, but there are many private labs as well which charge a minimal amount for the basic tests. Testing for pesticides or chemical contaminates is much more expensive.

What do you do if the water gets a failing grade? Many problems with water can be solved with the use of disinfectants or filters. More serious situations will probably require professional help or ultimately finding a new source of water by drilling a new well, which can be very expensive. Forewarned is forearmed!

There is lots of information available about private wells and water systems, research before you buy!

More than you ever wanted to know about septic systems!

Flush with care ! In the city, we simply pull the plug or flush away with little thought to what happens to that water and other material. In the country, it’s the cottage-owner’s responsibility and being aware of the potential problems and costs associated with a septic system is essential.

What exactly is it? A septic system must be able to dispose of water and sewage in such as way that the soil on the property can disperse it without adversely affecting ground water and in turn, the environment and other people. It includes a line connecting the c cottage plumbing to the septic tank, which then allows for settling of solids and provides initial treatment of the sewage. Piping and distribution boxes then direct effluent to a leaching system which disperses the effluent throughout the surrounding natural soils, also referred to as the septic field. The field must be large enough that the soil does not become over-saturated. Keep hazardous chemicals out of septic systems.

Where exactly is it? If you don’t want to play Russian Roulette by digging up random portions of your lawn or garden hoping the next hole exposes your septic system, ask for drawings showing the actual location.

Septic questions you need answered BEFORE you buy:

Ask for maintenance records, including how often it has been pumped out, who the contractor was and how he can be contacted.

Ask how the system has performed in the past.

Look over the entire area of the system to check for evidence of sewage overflow, such as saturated ground and a nasty odor.

Look at how the natural conditions might affect the ability of the property to disperse water. Is it flat? Is it in a depression that would collect rainwater runoff? Are there nearby wetlands on the same plane?

Determine if there is room for enlarging the system should that be necessary.

Ask the municipal health department to review the property’s file. Has it been inspected recently and with what results?

Does the department have concerns about the system? Is it meeting current guidelines and what may be required in future.

Talk to the company that has serviced the system in the past to verify the details of the system.

Hire your own consultant, someone who is familiar with septic system design, maintenance and repair.

Candlelight or electric light? Avoid an electrifying situation! Another service which city dwellers take for granted is electricity. A cottage may be far from a power utility so prospective purchasers must decide how basic they want life to be. Are candles, oil lamps and a wood stove okay, or do you want to produce your own electricity by means of a generator? Solar and wind power are increasingly affordable options and it is even possible to have your own small hydro plant given the right conditions. Be aware that having fuel transported a long distance is costly, especially if it is coming by barge.

Can you insure your cottage? Insurance on a cottage property involves a few differences from your city coverage. Here’s what you need to know:

Is it within a fire hydrant protection area? The further the fire protection area is away from your place, the more you will pay for insurance. Insurance should be for replacement cost since you are insuring the buildings, not the land.

How much will it cost for liability insurance. To protect you against things like people coming onto t he property and falling into a hole in the ground for which there were no warning sign. Rural properties often have hidden surprises, not all of them pleasant.

How long will the property be empty without anyone doing a site inspection? To satisfy your insurance company you may need to arrange for a caretaker, or at least, someone to check the cottage from time to time. Is there anyone available?

Vandalism? In the country? You bettcha! This can be a problem with an isolated property and

insurance for vandalism damage can be expensive. Here are some precautions you might have to consider to minimize vandalism at your cottage:

Use motion-detector lights and timers that turn lights on and off at random times

Take the wheels off ATVs or trailers or invest in wheel locks

Take valuables home or keep them out of sight

Mark your property so it can be identified if stolen and recovered

Join the rural citizens’ patrol or Cottage Watch program

Alarms are generally not useful, but the stickers may keep intruders away.

For more information about cottage vandalism in the area contract the local Crime Prevention Association.

Summer’s over! What does that mean to the cottage owner? It’s the end of the season. You’ve had great fun all summer but it’s time to shut down the cottage. What’s involved?

Starting the year with a broken water system is no fun. ALL the water must be out of the system, from the lines to the pumps to the toilet bowls and showerheads. RV antifreeze, which is not poisonous, is insurance against the little bit of water that will inevitably remain in the traps and toilets.

Add antifreeze to washers, dishwashers, coffee makers and icemakers anything that may have a little bit of water left in it.

As far as the septic system itself goes, little needs to be done because the tank is buried. Just donąt have it pumped out in the fall.

Dry out and cool down the inside of the home to prevent condensation.

Leave the blinds open. If possible, leave a fan going to provide air circulation. Leave everything as open as possible, including fridge and freezer doors.

Block the fireplace with wood and close the flue to prevent animals from getting in.

Remove all food so as not to invite in rodents. Mice are bad enough, but beware of bigger animals such as mink and marten or ( gulp) bears.

Seal bedding in plastic containers with cedar.

Turn off the main breaker unless you have exterior motion lights, etc.

Cancel the phone service or remove the phone to prevent phone fraud.

Stop all fuel (oil) deliveries and the like.

How thoroughly you perform these tasks can make a big difference to next year’s enjoyment of your cottage:

In Conclusion:

In many ways, buying a cottage can be even more of a commitment than your city house. But remember, it will all be worthwhile as you watch the sun set over the lake or awake to the sound of silence broken only by the haunting cry of a loon or an eagle’s strident call.

Additional Information:

http://www.cottageplan.com

http://www.inspect-ny.com/septic/buyguide.htm

http://www.mfuture.com/us_buyers/index_include.cfm

http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/wot/whatdo.html

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/whatdo.html

http://www.cadvision.com/Home_Pages/accounts/rutat/qanda.htm

http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Projects/ES/WS/groundwater.html

http://www.orcbs.msu.edu/AWARE/pamphlets/water/wellwater

http://www.ngwa.org

Cottage Water Systems. Author: Max Burns. Published by Firefly Books

Builderąs Guide to Wells and Septic Systems. Author: R. Dodge Woodson. Published by McGraw Hill

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Dock Manual. Author: Max Burns. Published by Storey Books

Docks & Projects. Author: Ann Vanderhoof. Published by Firefly Books