Anyone even slightly interested in the cottage country real estate scene will know: Northern Ontario has seen wild action in its resale and rental spheres this past year, and the area isn't expecting a slow-down anytime soon.
As such, when the opportunity arises to snag space in Muskoka for under $2 million, ears perk up; such is the case for 1002 Murphy Road, fresh to the Mactier market.
Listed for $1,899,000, the 5-acre property is being sold by a Toronto-based developer who, frankly, hasn't had the opportunity to dive into the north-situated project due to more local developments he's been focused on. This means that whomever snags up this (large chunk of) space will be able to get creative with it, putting down $1.9k to create their dream vacation home.
For anyone who's been seriously daydreaming about a cottage country escape through the last 12 months, we can't stress the potential that lies in this opportunity deeply enough.
To be frank, it's not often one could acquire five acres of lot with 483 feet of shoreline along Lake Joseph for less than $2 million. In fact, a 4.5 acre lot with similar shoreline footage, also on Lake Jo, sold for more than $6 million just three months ago. That sale too, as is true with this one, meant the work and cost of building was still to come!
READ: 2021 Could See the Tightest Muskoka Real Estate Market in Years
When it comes to starting from scratch upon a plot of Muskoka property, fantasies about the end result are easy to be swept up by. Based on past sales activity we've seen running in the region, we can envision this empty lot being home to anything from a timberframe lodge to a multi-bed estate to a custom-cut cottage creation.
Benefits specific to this property include those aforementioned 480+ feet of shoreline, which, in addition to being natural and sandy, lead into a waterfront that drops to a comfortable depth for swimming and boating -- boating which can begin at the dock of the property's future two-storey boathouse.
Indeed, the acreage has been assessed, and no EPA issues have been detected that would interfere with the building of a two-storey boathouse on the property's right side (when facing the lake). A build like this would serve as an upgrade to the one-storey boathouse which stood on the property's left side, before its current seller paid to have it removed.
Where plus-sides of the property's dry land are concerned, the lot's mostly-level, gently-sloping terrain means the area is child-friendly, all while maintaining mystique via the surrounding treed forest and personal, private beach. Regardless of the time of year, the property is accessible, which means even after summer days drift away to summer nights, autumn and winter moments can be savoured in your custom lake house, too.
Just imagine: Christmas dinner paired with Lake Jo views.
Specs:
- Address: 1002 Murphy Road, Mactier
- Lot Size: 5 acres
- Price: $1,899,000
- Taxes: $9,000 /yr
- Listed by:Ross Halloran, Roger Kolbuc, Sotheby's Realty
Earlier this year, we warned cottage-lovers that Muskoka’s wild real estate ride was only getting, well, wilder... and this sentiment remains true. "Anything worth having is worth fighting for," we said at the time, and while there's sure to be plenty of cottage country opportunities hitting the table this year that are worth the extra effort, this listing begs the question: why drop the gloves if you don't have to?
This Lake Jo treasure could be your saving grace, making your first introduction to cottage country just as easy, breezy, and restorative as the time you spend there will be.
