Buying a home, cottage or piece of land in Muskoka can look pretty simple from the outside.
Find a property you love. Make an offer. Start planning.
But anyone who has spent time buying, selling or building in Muskoka knows there can be a lot more to the story.
For the first episode of Out of Office, Steven Gallant of Legacy North Construction Management sits down with Andrew Keith of Team Muskoka Realty to talk about buying, building and living in Muskoka.
It’s a conversation about real estate, construction, cottage life and some of the things people should be thinking about before making a major investment in cottage country.
The beer of choice. Tread Lightly from Muskoka Brewery right here in Muskoka!
Welcome to Out of Office
Out of Office is a new podcast from Legacy North Construction Management featuring conversations with the people who live, work, build and do business across Muskoka, Simcoe County and cottage country.
It isn’t strictly a construction podcast.
We’ll be sitting down with real estate professionals, builders, designers, business owners, tradespeople, local personalities and other interesting people to talk about everything from building and real estate to business, community and life up north.
And occasionally, we’ll do it over a local beer.
For Episode 1, that meant cracking open a Tread Lightly from Muskoka Brewery with Andrew Keith.
From Selling Boats to Muskoka Real Estate
Before moving into real estate, Andrew spent years in the marine industry selling boats.
During the episode, he talks about how different the two sales experiences can be.
Buying a home or cottage is incredibly personal. It isn’t simply about making a sale or getting someone to sign on the dotted line.
It can mean understanding how a family wants to spend their summers, whether they want road or boat access, how much privacy they’re looking for, which lake suits their lifestyle and what they ultimately want from their property.
For Andrew, that means taking a more patient approach.
It’s less about pushing someone toward a transaction and more about helping them find the right property.
Buying Land in Muskoka? Look Beyond the Listing
One of the biggest themes in our first episode is something we talk about regularly at Legacy North:
If you’re buying property with the intention of building, involve your builder early.
A beautiful piece of land doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be simple or inexpensive to develop.
Access, topography, granite, setbacks, septic requirements, servicing, excavation, drainage and the location of the building envelope can all influence what you can build and what it will cost.
The cheapest property isn’t always the cheapest property to develop.
That’s why we encourage clients to walk a potential property with us before they buy whenever possible.
Understanding the land before designing the home can lead to better decisions from the very beginning.
What Does It Cost Per Square Foot to Build in Muskoka?
We also tackle one of the most common questions in custom home construction:
“How much does it cost per square foot?”
It’s an understandable question, but it doesn’t always provide a very useful answer.
Two homes with exactly the same square footage can have dramatically different construction costs depending on architecture, finishes, site conditions, excavation, access, windows, mechanical systems and dozens of other decisions.
In Muskoka, the property itself can also have a major influence on the overall project.
That’s why understanding the complete scope of a project matters more than relying on a generic square-foot number.
Lake Rosseau or Lake Joseph?
Not everything was serious.
We gave Andrew five seconds to answer some important Muskoka questions.
Lake Rosseau or Lake Joseph?
Waterfront or 100 acres?
Old Muskoka cottage or new build?
Boat-access three acres or an island with 60 feet of waterfront?
You’ll have to watch the episode to hear his answers.
Watch Out of Office Episode 1
Episode 1 of Out of Office: Tread Lightly Before You Buy is available now.
We talk Muskoka real estate, buying vacant land, building a custom home or cottage, construction costs, waterfront living and some of the lessons Andrew has picked up along the way.
You can find Out of Office on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio.
Grab a drink. We’re officially Out of Office.
Thinking About Building in Muskoka?
If you’re considering purchasing land, building a custom home or cottage, or simply trying to understand what’s possible with a property, bring Legacy North into the conversation early.
We’d love to hear about your vision and help you understand the property before the plans begin.
Visit Legacy North Construction to learn more about your restoration and building needs.