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Making the move to Muskoka

Tues., April 10, 2018

For generations, city dwellers have seen Muskoka as an idyllic weekend retreat or the perfect retirement destination. However, more and more GTA residents are cutting their ties with the city and choosing this locale and lifestyle for year-round living.

Central to Muskoka is Bracebridge, a lively and picturesque town on the Muskoka River less than two hours from downtown Toronto. During the spring and summer months, it’s one of the best places to spend the summer in Canada. The town and the surrounding area are both alive with adventure and offers a relaxing oasis for vacationers, a great place to enjoy swimming, boating, golf, hiking and resort-style living. In autumn, the area is bursting with colour and plenty of fall fairs and activities. And in winter, it’s a wonderland of outdoor fun that includes skating, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

The greatest appeal of Bracebridge is that owning a home is a dream within reach. (Contributed)

Muskoka is seen as an idyllic weekend retreat or the perfect retirement destination. (Contributed)

The town and the surrounding area are both alive with adventure. (Contributed)

Bracebridge is a lively and picturesque town on the Muskoka River less than two hours from downtown Toronto. (Contributed)

Houses in this community offer the quiet charm of being surrounded by nature. (Contributed)

Bracebridge is a great place to enjoy swimming, boating, golf, hiking and resort-style living. (Contributed)

Voted one of the 10 most historic downtowns in Ontario, downtown Bracebridge is bustling with dozens of shops and more than 40 restaurants. There are many other rich amenities for residents and vacationers: beaches, cruise lines, waterfalls, parks and trails, camps, clubs and sports organizations, farmer’s markets, a library and public transit, schools including Georgian College, art shows, galleries and studios.

Bracebridge also boasts the well-equipped South Muskoka Memorial Hospital, the multi-million dollar Bracebridge Sportsplex and the neighbouring Rene M. Caisse Memorial Theatre featuring live theatre, music and dance performances.

The greatest appeal of Bracebridge is that owning a home is a dream within reach. Unlike city living, prospective buyers have a wide range of affordable housing to choose from within and around the town and nearby lakeside, riverside and countryside properties. Some retirees are choosing to move into their cottages full time, but many are electing to sell their city home and sometimes also a remotely located cottage for a more accessible property in town.

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The lifestyle suits more than just retirees. Many prospective buyers with young families are looking for affordable homes and an active, relaxed way of life out of the city. They are increasingly relocating and working in the Bracebridge area or are able to work remotely.

There’s great appeal to a new-build home in Bracebridge, a community that offers the natural beauty and the total relaxation of the Muskoka lifestyle year-round against one of the most picturesque backdrops in Canada. Buyers enjoy the luxury of affordable single-level and two-storey properties on wide lots, a rarity in the GTA. Many of these homes can be customized to suit the buyer’s needs and tastes, with much more square footage both inside and out than they could ever dream of in the city.

Houses in this community offer the quiet charm of being surrounded by nature but also the conveniences of living in Bracebridge, which makes it the perfect community for both empty nesters and growing families. Best of all, when the weekend comes, there’s no need to fight traffic to get to Muskoka to enjoy your free time — you’re already there!

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