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Dan and myself have had the luxury of having a cottage on the Nottawasaga River since we were young. Although we were only children, I can still remember how different Wasaga Beach was back then. The one thing that hasn’t changed and that will continue to remain the same is the Nottawasaga River. There is nothing quite like waking up every morning, looking out your back window and seeing the tranquility of the river flowing by your back door.

I decided to focus the attention of this weeks blog on the Nottawasaga River not only because it holds a place dear to my heart but because it has been the centre of my existence for the past few years. I now have the luxury of looking out my own back window and feeling those same feelings I felt as I child all those years ago. Aside from the joys living on the river has provided me, I now have many friends, family and clients who call riverfront properties home as well.

Before I dive into the exciting statistical analysis of river front properties in Wasaga Beach I would like to highlight some of the enjoyments that come from owning a river front property. River front properties have riparian rights which many waterfront properties do not. We not only get to enjoy the ambience that the river offers visually but we also get to use the water in a sense that most don’t. The feeling of coming home after work, walking down to the water, jumping on your seadoo or in your boat and heading out to the bay is second to none. I’m sure I can speak for many when I say it would be hard to go back to living in a world where this was no longer an option.

On to the fun stuff! As per Geowarehouse there are approximately 900 properties that have riverfront directly on the Nottawasaga between the mouth of the river and the last lot on Knox Rd. To break it down even further, there are just over 500 properties East of the Schooner Town Bridge (near McDonalds) and approximately 400 properties West of the Bridge on the Oxbow part of the River. The areas generally cater to two different demographics. Those on the Oxbow get serene tranquility with mature lots and additional privacy while those east of the Bridge have access to the prime boating portion of the river. According to the 2016 Census, there were just over 12,000 private dwellings in the Beach. This means as of today, these riverfront lots already likely account for less than 10% of the dwellings in Wasaga Beach. As development and growth continues in Wasaga this percentage will slowly become less and less.

What can we deduce from these stats? As always, it comes down to the most basic of economical applications – supply and demand. If you are lucky enough to have ownership of a riverfront property in The Beach you are a stakeholder in a capped supply. Wasaga Beach, in my opinion has a bright future and will continue to grow in demand in the years to come. This demand will be met by the increase in new housing and construction which Dan touched on last week. The benefit of a capped supply is the supply can never be increased to meet demand. With the exception of intensification which would result in detached homes being replaced by condominiums the supply will remain the same.

To sum things up, your current (or future) riverfront property offers much more than just the enjoyment of being on the water in a growing community but it also has the potential to become an unparalleled investment.

The Kore Team are not only thoroughly experienced with the sale of waterfront properties but are also stakeholders in this niche community of property owners. If you have any questions or are interested in purchasing a waterfront property give us a call.

– Nick

Photo Credit – Nick Kardos

Seadoo Credit – J.B