For buyers
Buying a Muskoka home with the land and water questions answered
A Muskoka purchase involves more than the building. Shoreline, septic, access and the way you plan to use the property all shape the cost, so we work through them before you make an offer.
The process
How a purchase runs, step by step
Buyers get into trouble when they skip ahead: viewing before the budget includes the taxes or writing an offer before the septic and access questions have answers.
- Step 01
Set the budget from the full cost
Start with the monthly payment you are comfortable carrying, then add Ontario land transfer tax, legal fees and a cushion for the first repairs. Kirby will help you write these down before any viewing, and the land transfer tax calculator on this site shows the provincial figure for a given price.
- Step 02
Decide how you will use the property
Seasonal use and year-round use raise different questions about heating, insulation, water supply and winter access. Say early which one you have in mind so the properties you view match it. The assessment records show seasonal dwellings under their own codes, so ask how a property is classified.
- Step 03
Narrow the towns and shorelines
Muskoka is made up of several towns and townships, each with its own services, taxes and permit rules. Kirby will go through the community guides with you and help you pick two or three places to look at first.
- Step 04
Ask the land and water questions
How do you reach the property by road or by water? Who owns the shoreline in front of it? Is there a septic system, and when was it last pumped or inspected? Is there a dock, and what approvals does it have? The list further down this page is the one to bring to each viewing.
- Step 05
Write the offer around what you learned
Conditions can cover a septic inspection, a well water test, a survey, a building inspection and a check of the road or water access. Kirby will explain which conditions fit the property in front of you and go through the comparable sales behind any offer price.
- Step 06
Close with your lawyer
Your lawyer handles title, the transfer and the closing costs. Kirby keeps track of every condition and date, and arranges a final visit so you can confirm the property is as agreed before closing.
What you can expect
What Kirby will do for every buyer
Say so when a property raises a question
If access, septic or shoreline status is unclear, Kirby will name it and point you to the municipality, a lawyer or an inspector who can answer it.
Be clear about what is known
The guides on this site cite their sources and say when a rule needs to be confirmed with the body that administers it.
Write the numbers down
Your budget, your closing costs and the comparable sales behind any offer price, on paper, so nothing important depends on memory.
Before you offer
Questions to put to every property
Bring this list to each viewing and ask the seller, the municipality and your lawyer for answers in writing where you can.
- Is access by public road, private road or water only, and who maintains the road or the landing?
- Is there a shore road allowance or a Crown shoreline reserve between the lot and the water? Ask the municipality and your lawyer.
- What kind of septic system is on the property, where is it, and what records exist for it?
- Is the water supply a well, a lake intake or a municipal service?
- Is the dwelling built for year-round use or for seasonal use, and how does the assessment record classify it?
- Which docks, boathouses or shoreline structures exist, and what approvals apply to them?
- Which municipality sets the permit rules, and what does its building department say about planned changes?
- What are the current property taxes, and when did the assessment last change?
For more detail, read the waterfront and cottage guide, the shore road allowance article and the closing costs article. New to buying? See the first-time buyer guide and the land transfer tax calculator.
Start here
Which community?
Each community guide describes the lakes, roads and services of one place, drawn from municipal and provincial sources. Reading the two or three you are drawn to before we talk makes the first meeting more useful.
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No. 01 Huntsville
A lake town with Mary Lake, Lake Vernon and Fairy Lake, its own transit, a hospital site and Arrowhead Provincial Park. Explore Huntsville -
No. 02 Port Sydney
A community in the Town of Huntsville with a Corridor 11 bus stop and a beach shoreline project. Explore Port Sydney -
No. 03 Bracebridge
A town with McKay Lake and Wood Lake, its own transit, a hospital site, 61 listed park facilities and the Bracebridge Bay Trail. Explore Bracebridge -
No. 04 Gravenhurst
A lake town with ten named lakes, 13 parks, six beaches, municipal trails and Muskoka Airport. Explore Gravenhurst -
No. 05 Baysville
A Lake of Bays village with a public launch, docks, a beach and a library branch Explore Baysville -
No. 06 Dwight
A community at the north end of Lake of Bays on the Highway 60 corridor, with a library branch Explore Dwight -
No. 07 Windermere
A Lake Rosseau community with public wharves, two parks and no library or paramedic station of its own Explore Windermere -
No. 08 Port Carling
A village between Lake Rosseau and Lake Muskoka with public docks, three parks, a trail, a library and a paramedic station Explore Port Carling -
No. 09 Rosseau
A Muskoka Lakes community where the Township rules for docks, boathouses and septic apply Explore Rosseau -
No. 10 Bala
A village where Lake Muskoka meets the Moon River, with public docks, five parks and a library branch Explore Bala
Buyer questions
How is a buyer agent paid in Ontario?
It is set out in writing in a buyer representation agreement, including how much and who pays it. Kirby will go through that agreement with you clause by clause before you sign.
What does Ontario land transfer tax cost on a Muskoka purchase?
Ontario charges 0.5% up to $55,000, 1.0% from $55,000 to $250,000, 1.5% from $250,000 to $400,000 and 2.0% above $400,000. A 2.5% rate applies above $2,000,000 where the land has one or two single family residences. Confirm the figure for your price with your lawyer.
Can a first-time buyer get a land transfer tax refund?
Ontario states a maximum refund of $4,000 for eligible first-time buyers. The buyer must be at least 18, live in the home as a main residence within nine months and neither the buyer nor a spouse can have owned a home anywhere in the world. A claim is due within 18 months after registration.
Who maintains a septic system?
The district states that a rural property likely has a septic system and that the owner maintains it. Ask for pumping and repair records, and ask your lawyer and the municipality what inspection or approval rules apply to the property.
Do I need a survey for a waterfront property?
A survey shows the lot lines and what sits between the lot and the water. Shore road allowances are under municipal jurisdiction and Crown shoreline reserves are a separate category. Ask your lawyer which searches and surveys suit the property.
What should I budget for besides the price?
Land transfer tax, legal fees, title insurance, adjustments, moving costs and early repairs. For a property with a septic system or a dock, add the cost of inspections and any work they turn up. Kirby will help you put these in writing at the start.
Can you tell me what is for sale right now?
Contact Kirby for current listings. This site does not carry a listings feed, so a conversation is the way to see what is available and which properties match your list.
Not advice. This page is general information about how Kirby works with buyers. It is not legal, tax, septic, mortgage or investment advice. Speak to a lawyer, an accountant and a mortgage professional about your own circumstances. Ask the municipality about permits and septic rules.
Representation. Ask Kirby to explain the written representation agreement and how compensation works before you sign anything.
Talk to Kirby about your plans
No pitch and no pressure. Tell Kirby the situation and he will tell you plainly whether he is the right person for it.