Haliburton Highlands: The Destination of Choice
With quality lakes in abundance, Algonquin landscapes around every corner, improved WIFI and many ways to get to Haliburton County from the GTA, Haliburton is the 'NEW' destination of choice!
Buyers are attracted to the Haliburton Highlands. It is less developed and crowded, and offers a more relaxed pace of life than Muskoka. A 3-bedroom winterized cottage on a motorized lake in Haliburton, average is $500,000.
The privacy, clean lakes, quality communities, hospitals, schools, firehalls, shopping and addition of upscale eateries and dining facilities, check off the boxes for Buyers. With a strong arts community and year-round recreational opportunities, Haliburton has become a popular year-round destination.
More buyers are seeking recreational and investment properties, whether for family time, personal relaxation or cottage rental opportunities, especially Millennials. They are making money and looking to get into the real estate market. Recreational cottages are becoming their primary investment, as they purchase in cottage country while they continue to rent in the GTA. When they aren't using the cottage, they have a strong revenue stream from the rentals. Baby Boomers are flocking to retirement homes in cottage country, leaving the busyness of the city behind, while at the same time Generation Xers are well positioned to become the wealthiest generation — above Boomers — within the next few years and have more disposable income to spend on a vacation property. While first-time buyers may struggle, older millennial move-up buyers have more options in the mid to upper-tier price point. As their housing needs adjust over time, they will continue to be the largest share of home buyers for the next decade. Millennials account for 45 percent of mortgages, compared to 17 percent of Baby Boomers and 37 percent of Generation Xers.
In 2018, 355 waterfront cottages were sold in the Haliburton Highlands, from $95,000. – deeded lake access to 2.1 million on Soyer's Lake. There's something for everyone in Haliburton.
Haliburton… your adventure awaits.
| Year | Properties sold | Avg. waterfront sale price | # of vacant waterfront sales | Highest sale price | # of $1M+ sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1018 | $422,829 | 104 | $1,755,500 | 18 |
| 2017 | 926 | $507,204 | 92 | $3,300,000 | 29 |
| 2018 | 781 | $539,871 | 77 | $2,113,000 | 25 |