When the pandemic hit, some Canadians traded pavement for trails and outdoor pools for lakes.
Now, after experiencing rural cottage living for some time, many have discovered it may not be for them. A new report from Royal LePage is predicting as many people head back to cities.
Denise Johnston, a real estate agent based in the Ottawa Valley, says the desire to live in rural areas is starting to subside.
"People that did move out to the country have maybe now spent a good year, including a winter, looking at what's involved in living out in the country," Johnston told CTV's Your Morning on Monday.
Some of the challenges Johnston said cottage-life entails include septic systems, wells, travel on snow-covered roads, and wear and tear on vehicles. In addition, she said, with back-to-work mandates some may not be able to work remotely anymore.
"I think within the next year is when we're going to start to see people heading back towards the city," Johnston said. "Especially when they do have to come back to work."
A report by Royal LePage released on March 28, expects the aggregate price of a single-family home in Canada's recreational housing market to fall 4.5 per cent to $592,005 this year compared to 2022.
This drop, Johnston says, is impacting her clients selling their properties.
For people looking to make the switch from city to country living, Johnston says making sure they understand the differences is important.
"They need to think about things like cell phone service," she said. "When I take a client out to a cottage I always say to them 'Pull your cell phone out, look at how many bars you've got.' Because the provider that you're with now may not be the best one out here."
To hear more about cottage life and real estate tips, click the video at the top of this article.
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