Although winter is a big part of life in Canada, some things – like buying a home, can be a little more difficult when temperatures drop below freezing.
Buying a home during the winter is a unique experience, but it’s not impossible. In fact, buyers who are brave enough to start their home search during the winter will even have a few advantages up their sleeve.
In this blog, we’ll go over a few key tips for anyone searching for a country home in colder temperatures.
Seeing Potential Through the Snow
If you close your eyes and picture your dream home, there’s a good chance it’s not completely covered in a blanket of snow – at least in your imagination. That being said, if you’re touring different properties during the winter, you could run into this.
This won’t be such a big deal when it comes to the home itself, however, it can be harder to evaluate the surrounding land and property if it’s completely snow-covered. The last thing you want to do is make an offer without getting an accurate idea of how the property will look without snow. At the same time, you don’t want to accidentally write off your perfect home because you can’t see past the snow.
So how can you get a better sense of a rural property’s year-round potential? There are a couple of ways you can do this. The first is to ask the seller for recent photos of the property where there’s no snow on the ground. While not perfect, it can give you a partial idea of how the yard, gardens, or surrounding fields will look during spring or summer. Another strategy (if you can pull it off) is to schedule a follow-up showing a few days or weeks later when the forecast calls for warmer weather.
Looking for more catch-all advice on buying a rural home? Read these blogs next!
- Moving Out of Toronto? Here Are 5 Tips For Transitioning to Life in a Smaller Town
- Where Are The Best Rural Homes In Ontario?
- 5 Things to Know Before You Buy a Country Home
Use Winter Conditions to Your Advantage
Touring potential homes during the winter can get cold. However, it can also give you insight into what living there will be like during the coldest months of the year.
Think of it this way – winter can place a lot of stress on a home. When you tour potential homes after the temperature drops and the snow falls, you can see in real time how well (or not so well) properties handle the elements. So what should you look out for?
Exploring the Exterior
On the outside of the house, check the roof for clues. Look for icicles or uneven snowmelt, which could signal poor insulation or ventilation issues. Pay attention to drainage and eavestroughs too! If there’s a thaw, notice where the water pools. Poor drainage can mean trouble in the spring.
Do the walkways and driveway feel icy or slippery? You’ll be on the hook for keeping these surfaces safe and free of snow and ice so be mindful of how they look and what it may be like to maintain them.
Interior Elements
There are also plenty of insights to be gathered from a home’s systems. For instance, heating costs can skyrocket in the winter, especially in older rural homes. Have a look at the furnace and consider whether it’s energy efficient, how old it may be, or when it was last replaced.
Work With the Right Expert
No matter the time of year, if you’re thinking about buying a home in the country, it’s incredibly important that you choose to work with a real estate agent who specializes in rural properties and communities.
Beyond just seasonal factors, owning a home in the country is unique! An expert agent can give you a full picture of the quirks of rural life, like wells, septic systems, and zoning regulations.
Curious about life in our neck of the woods? Explore these other blogs for helpful insights about buying a home in Durham Region and the Kawartha Lakes.
- 5 Reasons to Move to Lindsay
- Why Artists Are Flocking to Port Perry
- 5 Things to Love About Waterfront Living
Buying With Puckrin & Latreille
If you’re looking to buy a home in the country, there’s no better resource as you navigate your buying journey than a local, rural homes specialist – that’s where we come in.
With more than 175 years of combined experience in our local market, we know everything there is to know about country homes in Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes. Whatever you’re looking for, be it a working farm, waterfront cottage, or simply a charming place to raise a family, we can help you find it.
Searching for the perfect place to call home? We can help. Call 905-985-7300 to reach our team or email us at hello@liveplayinvest.com.
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