Photo caption: Private community beach and boat launch at CottageClub Ghost Lake.
To learn more about CottageClub’s Final Phase Lot Selection Event and to register as a VIP for the end of Spring event, Sign Up Here.
Photo caption: Fifth and final phase of lots at CottageClub.
The release of the final 55 lots at CottageClub Ghost Lake brings the total for the community to 348 lots.
Starting at $219,000, fully serviced cottage sites in the final phase range from 4,600 to 7,300 square-feet including several walkout lots
Photo caption: Private community beach at CottageClub has amazing views of the Rocky Mountains.
To learn more about CottageClub’s Final Phase Lot Selection Event and to register as a VIP for the end of Spring event, Sign Up Here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Recreational property market heating up
CottageClub Ghost Lake well-positioned as prices skyrocket in Canmore and other markets
May 31, 2021 – Ghost Lake, AB – Real estate experts have been saying for a few months now – despite COVID-19, or maybe because of it – the local recreational property market is heating up. Now hard evidence from several research reports including one just released on May 18, shows demand is outpacing supply in many regions across Canada in the recreational property market and Alberta is set to capitalize on this trend.
“We are seeing more interest from Ontario buyers in property between Calgary & Banff than ever before as prices are skyrocketing in Ontario, but we are also getting more interest from Albertans who are being priced out of areas like Canmore or Sylvan Lake,” says Don Stengler, project manager, CottageClub Ghost Lake, who is launching the popular lakeside community’s fifth and final phase early this summer.
The 2021 RE/MAX Recreational Property Report, released May 18, lists Canmore’s average non-waterfront recreational property sale price at a lofty $1,360,594. The average Canmore 1000 sq ft condo runs around $611,000. With work-from-home conditions, demand has spiked and prices of non-waterfront properties in Canmore have increased by 26 per cent since 2019. CottageClub is located on the shores of Ghost Lake just 30 minutes from Canmore.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), meanwhile, reports there were only four single family homes built in Canmore in the first quarter of 2021, with another two builds underway. The website www.realtor.ca reveals there were only 17 total listings for pre-owned single-family homes in Canmore and the lowest listing was priced at just under $875,000.
These results echo the Royal LePage Canadian Recreation Property Report 2021, released in March, where 91 per cent of recreational real estate experts in Canada reported lower inventory than typical for respective regions as demand continues to outpace supply.
This reports also forecasts a 15% increase in house prices for Canadian recreational property in 2021.
“Compared to other Alberta markets,” says Moe Jarrah, a realtor for Century 21 Bravo, the sales and marketing partner for the highly anticipated final phase of the four-season, amenity-rich, gated lakeside community, “CottageClub is an outstanding value and you can’t beat the 30 minute drive west from Calgary.”
To learn more about CottageClub’s Final Phase Lot Selection Event and to register as a VIP for the end of Spring event, Sign Up Here.
A search in Invermere, BC, showed zero waterfront properties currently for sale and a single lake-view home listed at $899,000. Seven-hours drive from Calgary away in the North and Central Okanakan, waterfront prices average well over $1 million, while in Sylvan Lake, according to the RE/MAX Report, $1,130,000 is the average sale price of a waterfront property.
According to the RE/MAX Report, affordability is the top buying criteria for 41 per cent of Canadians who are in the market for a recreational property, followed by proximity to water or waterfront, amenities and good Wi-Fi, which bode well for CottageClub’s sales event in early summer for the fifth and final phase.
The release of the final 55 lots at CottageClub Ghost Lake brings the total for the community to 348 lots. Starting at $219,000, fully serviced cottage sites in the final phase range from 4,600 to 7,300 square-feet including several walkout lots. Some Phase 4 lots remain, listed from $149,000. Mountain and lake views and a few walkout lakefront lots are still available. All lots come with natural gas lines, 100 Amp power, water lines, internet fiber already in place and no time commitment to build.
“There’s really nothing like it in the province,” says Don Stengler, development manager, CottageClub. “With the amenities, the pricing, the building flexibility and the security of a family-friendly atmosphere, CottageClub is a throwback to the good old days when kids wandered around, played and biked freely.”
The 92-acre community boasts an abundance of desirable amenities, including: private boat launch; tennis and pickleball courts; a rec centre with gym, pool, library, kitchen,bbq’s, wood pizza oven and dining hall; community gardens; observatory, pathways, parks and playgrounds and multiple beaches with hammocks. On the lake swimming, paddle boarding and boating are permitted, making water sports like windsurfing, sailing and waterskiing popular pastimes. The Bow River & Ghost River are both suited to kayaking, canoeing, rafting or just floating down stream in a tube.
It is possible to buy the lot now and build a home later. For those who choose to build right away they can use their own builder or one of CottageClub’s preferred builders, so long as they follow architectural guidelines. Many buyers, says Stengler, are opting for full basements and either a full or partial second storey.
To learn more about CottageClub’s Final Phase Lot Selection Event and to register as a VIP for the end of Summer event, Sign Up Here.
CottageClub is minutes from world-class amenities like Banff National Park, Kananaskis, Nakiska Ski Resort, Lake Louise Ski Resort & Sunshine Ski Resort, Canmore, and championship golf courses. It is in close proximity to hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails. The community is located between Banff & Calgary on Highway 1A along the shoreline of Ghost Lake, a 1,866-acre freshwater lake with views across the lake looking west framed by the Rocky Mountains.
“One thing that has come out of the pandemic,” says Jarrah, “is that many people, of all ages, have re-evaluated their lifestyles. For folks at or nearing retirement, the time has become now, rather than waiting another few years. For younger people, the ability to work remotely and have a more natural lifestyle is very appealing. Combine that with low interest rates and it’s no wonder many Canadians are choosing to seek properties with more space, easy access to nature, and a better work-life balance either for full-time or vacation living.”
The community has the Bow River on its south border and the Ghost River flows past CottageClub from the north. The community is a master planned development from Lamont Land, a land developer since 1991 with a reputation for innovative planning solutions, responsible land development and creating new communities for homebuyers of varying lifestyles and budgets.
Given the market conditions, says Jarrah, the time to act is now. Anyone interested in CottageClub should register for the Phase 5 preview by calling 403-214-0292 or emailing C21cottage@gmail.com.
For more information on CottageClub Ghost Lake click here.
Media contact:
Scott Henderson, 403.921.2001
scott.henderson@dhzmedia.ca
To learn more about recreational and investment properties, see the Calgary Herald.