This has been in the works for a while, but I didn't want to say anything in case it didn't work out.
In case nobody noticed, I have been absent from the forum for a bit over a week. (Of course you noticed, there has likely been about 1/2 the normal amount of useless chatter on here with me gone...)
Anyway, we were gone because we spent a whole lot more this week than I will EVER spend on an old car.
This is officially ours, as of Wed morning. It's 3 1/2 hours east of us, a bit east of Kenora Ontario. I have been a lake guy all my life (second love next to cars) and the cabin we have been sharing as a family since before I was born is gettng spread awful thin, so we decided it was time for our own. What a beautiful area, and although we didn't test it yet, they tell us the trout are a decent size and very good to eat.
Here is one of the first pics of the whole happy family with our new place that we hope to see quite a bit of in the summer...
-- Edited by Carl Stevenson at 11:11, 2008-12-21
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Congratulations on the purchase of your cottage. They are a great place for the kids to be in the summer. We have owned one for 9 years now and are thinking of selling. We find it is a lot of work to maintain two properties and we don't use it anywhere near as much as when we first bought it. Are yout property taxes paid to a municipality or to the province of Ontario ? I am asking this because by the end of 2008 all properties in Ontario not paying taxes to an organized municipality will be subject to a "Market Value Assesment" meaning they will be taxed for what they are worth. Previously many cottages in unorganized townships were paying very little taxes as low as $50.00 per year. A lot of people have built year round homes on lakes in unorganized townships to avoid the taxes and now Big brother is catching up here in Ontario. We are paying $1000 a year property taxes for a cottage assesed at $ 46,000. Have fun and enjoy the remainder of the summer at your new cottage. Al
Sorry for the bad news but I thought it would be better if you were prepared for this rather than get surprised with an unexpected big tax bill. I am sure by looking at the picture and seeing the age of your kids that your family will use and enjoy the cottage for many years to come. Does it have hydro to the cottage? Outhouse ? Which Lake? If we do sell our cottage that money will be used to buy something in Florida for our future full time retirement. Al
Regardless of whatever anyone may have already told you, take the time to give whatever woodburning appliances, clearances and chimneys a good inspection and cleaning before stoking them up!.
Looks like you could hide a lot of car parts under that deck!?
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I like real cars best...especially the REAL real ones! ----------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry for the bad news but I thought it would be better if you were prepared for this rather than get surprised with an unexpected big tax bill. I am sure by looking at the picture and seeing the age of your kids that your family will use and enjoy the cottage for many years to come. Does it have hydro to the cottage? Outhouse ? Which Lake? If we do sell our cottage that money will be used to buy something in Florida for our future full time retirement. Al
At least it is not a shock as we had heard rumblings for a few years already that it would happen.
There is no hydro there. Propane fridge and stove, generator and maybe a little bit of solar soon enough. It came all inclusive, as the lady lost her husband they have no children, so nobody to give any of the stuff to.
Also, there is an older outhouse and a very new, very, very nice new outhouse with a pretty nice composting toilet in it. There is even a sink beside the toilet!
It is on a small lake north of the Trans Canada about 1/2 hour east of Kenora. It is one of those million small lakes that show on the map but the names never show on the maps.
We told the kids that this will have to be their inheritance, and not to expect to inherit much cash. Personally, I would be just fine inheriting 1/2 a cabin like our kids have the opportunity to do. Instead, I inherited a 13% share in a cabin near Kenora, and that makes it tough to spend much time there when so many others share the same place (we run it like a time share) . That is why we did this on our own, to make the inheritance worthwhile for our kids where only 2 of them will have to share it.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Regardless of whatever anyone may have already told you, take the time to give whatever woodburning appliances, clearances and chimneys a good inspection and cleaning before stoking them up!.
Looks like you could hide a lot of car parts under that deck!?
Thanks for the advice. We met the lady tonight who we bought it from (it was a deal through an agent, so we had only spoken on the phone before today). She told us the woodstove is installed totally to spec, and also I see the chimney cleaning apparatus is there waiting for us.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
As a matter of fact, there is some meat in the freezer. Come on over. Would you like directions?
The neighbour has a key, he can let you in...
The BBQ is full, and theirs a little bit of gas left for the boat. A couple we talked to caught a 21 pound trout last year or the year before, so you should have lots to eat if you go fishing!
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Carl, that interior shot is a classic, very very nice indeed. Now I just pulled the following from the Royal Lepage web site:
"The poll found that within the next three years, six per cent (6%) of Canadians are planning to purchase a cottage/recreational property, while another eight per cent (8%) would consider the purchase. Currently, ten per cent (10%) of Canadians own a cottage/recreational property, and of those, only 17 per cent are likely to sell their recreational property within the next two to three years"
That 10% of Canadians owning a cottage is an interesting fact. It seems to me that summer cottages are a way of life in this country, it just that nearly everyone has been to a cottage that's been a big part of thier life.
Is cottage life a Canadian thing or do other nationalities have cottages too? Anyone know, just seems to be totally Canadian concept to me. Anyone have an opinion?
There are many areas in the US where it is popular to have a "cabin" (different terminology, same concept), mostly in the NE, NW and in the states close to the Canadian border. I have friends in Colorado and they all have "cabins" in the mountains, most close to a ski resort. Interestingly, the cottage I'm going to on the weekend when Todd is having the get together is on a lake where approximately 70% of the cottages are owned by Americans. I think this is much more prevalent in the eastern part of Ontario and the Maritimes than it is in Muskoka but I think there are also a fair number in Georgian Bay as well (ie. Pointe au Baril). Carl, how is it in the Lake of the Woods area? I always understood there were a fair number of Americans there as well. Whatever the case, I don't think 10% of Americans own what we consider a "cottage" but many own a second vacation home in places like Arizona and Florida.
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
I only know one family from Michigan where we are on Georgian Bay -Lafontaine, But my Dad's place at Parry Sound / Pointe au Baril was heavily used by Americans although I am not sure about ownership.
Here's another thing I pulled off the web today:
Visa survey shows Canada number one foreign destination for Americans
I agree with the statement about the "classic" look. Not to offend any of you rich guys, but my cottage idea is like we bought, not a mansion on a lake. I love the close-to-camping idea of a cottage.
Lake of the Woods has many Americans as well as Albertans and a number of celebrities, sports stars, etc there.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Sorry for the bad news but I thought it would be better if you were prepared for this rather than get surprised with an unexpected big tax bill. I am sure by looking at the picture and seeing the age of your kids that your family will use and enjoy the cottage for many years to come. Does it have hydro to the cottage? Outhouse ? Which Lake? If we do sell our cottage that money will be used to buy something in Florida for our future full time retirement. Al
oh well... 
