Homes of the Month: Rural edition
According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, sales through its multiple listing service in January 2015 were down 2.0 per cent compared with a year ago, with 15 of the country's 26 largest urban areas posting flat or declining sales. With this many urban areas seeing declines, what is the market like in rural areas? Trading downtown postal codes for back country roads, CTVNews.ca's Shannon Maguire takes a look at rural properties currently on the market across Canada.
Mobile, NL
Price: $599,900
Land size: 5.3 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 3, 2
Floor Space: 2,582 sq. ft.
MLS Notes: Over five acres of land with view of the ocean in Mobile, Nfld., on the southern shore. This bungalow boasts cedar shakes and high quality wood with lots of natural light. There are endless trees on the edge of the East Coast Trail. Hardwood floors throughout with Newfoundland slate and ceramics. Privacy galore offers ideal surroundings for artists, bird watchers, hikers, etc. The property is wheelchair accessible with separate entrance. The large private deck offers plenty of sun from morning until late evening at rear of house as well as a side deck with a view of Green Island. A separate two-story house on the property has been used as a guest home for the last number of years. Enjoy country living on this spectacular property, only one half hour drive to downtown St. John's.
Gladys Burke / Realty Management Inc. o/a Burke Realty
Forest Glade, N.S.
Price: $795,000
Land size: 80 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 6, 3
Floor Space: 4,480 sq. ft.
MLS Notes: This custom home on over 80 private acres offers a million dollar estate in Annapolis County famed for orchards, vineyards and just five minutes from the Bay of Fundy. Offering more than 4,000 square feet of living space, this two-storey residence also boasts a detached coach house with double oversize garage plus two large equine stalls and a workshop barn. This home features locally harvested materials and custom craftsmanship. It has fireplaces throughout the living space. The home's facade is maintenance-free vinyl siding. The house also features stacked-rock stone walkways. The grounds are landscaped with rock gardens, maple, apple, cherry and plum trees, as well as arbors featuring grapes, blueberries and blackberries. The surrounding five acres is mostly rolling pastureland, all of it fenced. From the windows and decks of the home you will enjoy private vistas, sightings of bald eagles, hawks, and songbirds.
Lorie Farley and Alexandre Bouchard / Viewpoint Realty Services Inc.
Havelock, Que.
Price: $888,900
Land size: 150 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 3, 2
Floor Space: 1,800 sq. ft.
MLS Notes: Located on picturesque Covey Hill Rd this 150-acre farm borders the U.S. The property consists of about 70 acres of maintained wood lot on forestry plan, 62 acres of tillable land and 17 acres pasture. There are functional outbuildings for about 30 cattle, along with six horse stalls, a 60 foot riding ring, six shelters and heated water bowls. The Victorian home boasts an impressive timber frame extension (2005), and original charm with all of the modern luxuries.
Michael Hadley / RE/MAX DU HAUT RICHELIEU Inc.
Oxford Mills, Ont.
City: Oxford Mills, Ont.
Price: $740,000
Land size: 98 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 4, 2
Floor Space: 3,600 sq. ft.
MLS Notes: This four-bedroom, 1837 stone hobby farm sits on 98 acres. It features over $100,000 of upgrades, including new kitchen, bathrooms and four-season solarium. Set well back, it boasts deep window wells and a newer addition. Additional features include an in-ground heated pool, large deck and double garage and additional covered parking for two. The property boasts a hay barn, a newer horse barn with five/six stalls and room for three more, feed/tack room, four paddocks, a sand ring and two shelters. There are also two hayfields as well as walking/riding trails. Also included is a large greenhouse with 12 raised beds for vegetables, and perineal gardens front and back of property.
Michele Rowe / Keller Williams VIP Realty
Janetville, Ont.
Price: $774,900
Land size: 49 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 3, 3
Floor Space: Approx. 2,000 sq. ft. main floor
MLS Notes: Nestled amongst the rolling hills of Manvers, this equestrian farm is perfect to begin your equine business or expand a current one. Complete with a 16-stall barn, indoor arena (72 feet-by-200 feet) and outdoor sand ring, this facility will meet all of your needs. Three fenced paddocks and a hay field round out the property. Located atop a picturesque hill is an all brick bungalow with a steel roof and newer windows. This home offers a great layout with three main floor bedrooms and three baths. The living room is the perfect place to relax after a day outdoors, with its vaulted ceilings and cozy feeling. Added features include paved drive, new deck in 2012, above ground pool, main floor family room and a huge unspoiled basement.
Kevin L. Avery and Katelyn Lowes / Century 21 Pinnacle Realty Ltd. Brokerage - 127
West Perth, Ont.
Price: $899,900
Land size: Almost eight acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 4, 2
Floor Space: 3,000 sq. ft.
MLS Notes: Often mentioned in conversation as 'Perth County's prettiest home,' Stone Gables Farm is almost eight acres situated between Stratford and Mitchell on a paved road. It is just five minutes to Mitchell, 12 minutes to Stratford and 15 minutes to a professional quality golf course. The signature fieldstone gothic Ontario farmhouse is finished in the classic Scottish style with minimal use of mortar and utilizing large, hand-squared granite stones. A 19th Century work of art. The house has been lovingly restored in an architecturally sympathetic manner over the last 17 years. There is a beautifully restored post and beam barn with in-floor heated shop finished in a re-creation of an old style planning mill. The 600-foot laneway ensures peace and privacy, lined with mature maple trees.
Jason McCann / RE/MAX a-b Realty Ltd.
Clearview, Ont.
Price: $979,000
Land size: Approx. 100 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 4, 3
Floor Space: 2,159 sq. ft.
MLS Notes: This four-bedroom farmhouse boasts a property that is sure to appeal to the horse enthusiasts and hobby farmers alike; with approximately 100 acres of land (70 arable, 25 forested, 5 paddocked), a serene 2.5 acre spring-fed pond, 9 stall bank barn, round pen, access to riding trails, and a 3 car detached garage with in-law suit, the possibilities are endless.
Michael Stuart Webb / Sutton Group Incentive Realty Inc. Brokerage
St. Thomas, Ont.
Price: $749,000
Land size: 17.19 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 4, 4
Floor Space: Over 1,214.5 sq. ft., main floor only
MLS Notes: A 17 acre hobby farm with development potential on the city's edge. A true oasis, this four-bed, four-bath home features a horse barn with attached paddocks and large double detached garage, plus a one and a half attached garage. A stream runs through the back of the property providing a perfect sanctuary for ducks and chickens. Some of the homes features include a main floor master bedroom with ensuite and a living room with vaulted ceiling and wood burning fireplace insert. The fireplace heats the home, reducing oil usage to a minimum. Large, bright family room has patio doors across deck to allow for total view of this amazing property. The fully finished lower level could be used as an in-law or rental suite. Additional features include an in-ground pool, fish ponds, fruit, maple and pine trees plus more. $30,000 in recent upgrades including: horse shelter, flooring, lighting, upper bath redone, front door, paint, back roof, fencing and more.
Heather Gifford, Lorne Siefert, Pauline Siefert and Liam Ceccacci / Royal LePage Landco Realty, Brokerage
Labroquerie, Man.
Price: $899,000
Land size: 45 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 5, 3
Floor Space: 3,280 sq. ft.
Amit Bindra / Century 21 Bachman & Associates
Edenwold, Sask.
Price: $684,900
Land size: 152 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 5, 2
Floor Space: 1,292 sq. ft.
Chris Parrott / RealtyOne Real Estate Services Inc.
Rural Lloydminster, Sask.
Price: $725,000
Land size: 36.98 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 4, 3
Floor Space: 1,466 sq. ft.
Karen Lapointe / RE/MAX of Lloydminster
Rural Foothills, Alta.
Price: $688,888
Land size: 2.39 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 1+1, 3
Floor Space: 1,735.16 sq. ft.
Grace Yan / Sotheby's International Canada
Rural Parkland County, Alta.
Price: $699,900
Land size: 10 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 4, 3
Floor Space: 1,545.7 sq. ft.
Ron G. Pollock and John A. Connor / RE/MAX Excellence
Westbridge, B.C.
Price: $749,000
Land size: 25 Acres
Bedrooms, Baths: 3, 3
Floor Space: 3,400 sq. ft.