In search of a country house

24.08.2008 22:01 Home - Source: Home Envy

I had no desire to own a vacation property of my own on the day I first visited Jill Kantelberg's country house. After all, I work full time, I have two busy children and an active social life, and I love city living. For the life of me, I could not imagine wanting to run back and forth between two homes like so many of my friends and clients do. Although these weekend escapes, in places like Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay, and Lake Rousseau sound idyllic, the demands of running a single home seem sufficient to me. So, innocently I accepted Kantelberg's invitation to visit her new country home in the spring of 2002 and minutes after I arrived my smug contentment vanished. It was an epiphany. BAM! I suddenly got it - the reason so many strive to own a cottage or country house. This is a destination for spontaneous escape with all the comforts of home. What could be better?

I have frequented Kantelberg's store, Kantelberg Antiques, for years. Kantelberg has a keen eye and I expected (quite rightly) that her home would be gorgeous. Set on 200 acres, the Northern European style home is a sprawling 4,000 sq. ft. The rooms are generous in size; a grand foyer boasts 11' ceilings and a 30 x 40 sq ft. living room, dining room, and kitchen make up the great room. If not for the fact the house is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows, it might be mistaken for a Norman chateau - so grand is the rustic retreat. And, obviously Kantelberg is familiar with the adage 'You'll never know how many friends you have until you buy a country house', because she's incorporated a guest wing with three bedrooms, situated to one side of the main structure.

This sprawling getaway is located somewhere in Ontario...ok, the Niagara Escarpment, but that's as much as I'll say. Yes, I'm purposefully vague; I've been sworn to secrecy. "You'd understand if you had a place of your own. You'd cringe every time some journalist (no offence, Kimberley) mentions the location. It drives more and more buyers to the area." So, as I was saying, the property, located on the Niagara Escarpment, can be found after driving miles and miles off a main (if you can call a dirt road a main road) road to the end of a forested ridge. The varied landscape revolves around a picture-perfect pond and the place is so peaceful and quiet that a ringing cell phone sounds absurd - fortunately, there isn't much reception.

Months later, the trip to Kantelberg's home continued to lure me into fantasy (I could do this) and I phoned her to inquire after the name of her real-estate agent. Like finding an interior designer, this is a resource that is best secured by word-of-mouth recommendation. I phoned Ginny MacEachern, the Royal LePage veteran Kantelberg recommended, and declared myself to be "just looking". Since MacEchern has more than 29 years experience in country-home sales, she was quick to grasp that "just looking" is a euphemism for "I'm not sure how I can afford this but let's pretend." Nevertheless, she took me in hand and after more than two years "just looking", I am now determined to find a country property for myself. Not to worry, I intend to share these patiently acquired insights with you, my faithful reader.

First of all, it turns out that finding a country house (or a cottage, I presume) is more elusive than finding a parking spot on Avenue Road or bringing the Stanley Cup back to Toronto. In the past 24 months, although I have visited more than 20 properties with my family in tow, none is precisely to my liking; none is "perfect". One had a chicken farm too near and the smell was repugnant. Another was a monument to knotty pine, not at all to my liking. Still another was utterly primitive and the owners were asking over 1 million dollars for it. Finally, one sounded really promising as it boasted a waterfall! After 20 minutes of hiking we discovered the waterfall was more of a water-trickle and its location, deep in the woods, left something to be desired.

Although MacEachern tells me repeatedly, "perfect doesn't exist," I nevertheless persevere with a "wish list" that is ever-more finely tuned. The property must:

• be located within two hours of Toronto.
• have a coffee house and bookstore nearby; I require some civilization.
• have a pond that is larger than a puddle and smaller than a great lake.
• have a swimming pool, or a suitable location in which to build one.
• have a home that is either, a) sufficiently clean and hospitable enough to live in during the year it will take to plan and build the new house, or b) be dilapidated. Some buyers dream of a century home, but I want a modern house and do not want to destroy what someone else might lovingly restore.
• contain a garden filled with sunshine; one shade garden in the city is sufficient.

Eager to make sure I know exactly what I'm getting into, Kantelberg warns me, "going from raw country property to finished country house is neither a swift nor painless process." Building permits, water assessments, escarpment approval, hydro positioning, and unforeseen building delays are only part of the challenge. Having read A Year in Provence (delightful) and Under the Tuscan Sun (dreadful), I feel that I am more than prepared to meet the challenge. After all, English is at least a common language in Ontario.

Besides, whether or not I am "prepared" for the experience of building my dream house is beside the point, because I have yet to find the property. It's not for lack of trying. MacEachern has faithfully taken me out in all kinds of weather. We shoveled snow that was nearly thigh-high, (yes, thigh-high, and I'm tall!), we nearly drowned in a torrential down pour, and I thought I would faint from heat exhaustion as we walked the boundaries of one hilly and deeply-forested property. Along the way, owing to MacEchern's patient guidance, I've learned a few "rules" for surviving the country house search.

Rule # 1: Unless you are a local (born & raised), you are a City Slicker and that is something mildly shameful. Your ignorance as a city slicker is evident even to small children (provided they are not city slickers too). An example, while visiting a property in the winter, I shyly confided to MacEachern that I needed to use the loo. With no sympathy she pointed me towards an outcrop of bushes. Though I delayed as long as I could, eventually I caved and took her suggestion, creating a new and robust source of amusement for my children.

Rule # 2: You must decide whether you are a nestler or a percher. Nestlers prefer to be huddled near the land, often surrounding by rocky out-croppings or lush forest. Although nestlers are sheltered from some of the most primitive weather, they may be susceptible to mosquito as well as other insect invasions and their long- distance views are somewhat limited. Perchers, in contrast, enjoy commanding views of the land as they are set up high. This kind of raw exposure makes them more vulnerable to inclement weather and continuous wind but protects them from all but the hardiest bugs and insects.

Rule # 3: Never meet the owners. A charming owner will take you in hand and point out the first foundation stone laid by her great grandfather, the exact location of a beloved pet's burial, the new conservatory built for her daughter's wedding, and the garden path that won first prize in the country-garden walk. These details make it nearly impossible to raze the house and build the house of your dreams.

Rule # 4: Find out what plans, if any, for future building exist beside or in proximity to the property you are considering for purchase. We came very close to buying a property that was nearly perfect when we discovered that the adjacent land had been approved for a six-home subdivision. Suddenly, the peaceful country location seemed very crowded. I remember a trip to Tuscany where the smell from a neighboring farm was so repulsive the homeowner finally explained that his neighbor, who lived upwind, added pigs to his farm when a dispute over grape vines arose.

Rule # 5: If at all possible, spend the weekend in the area or at least one overnight. The secluded land you love during the day may be too primitive for you in the evening...or you may discover the "city lights" from the neighboring villages are a "jolting" contrast from your bucolic daytime view. It's also a good idea to see the property in more than one season.

Rule #6: Have the water tested before you buy (or build). Many properties still exist with completely serviceable dug wells; however, the water quality can be unpredictable due to run off from nearby farming or agricultural properties.

Rule #7: Determine as much as possible how the road conditions are in the winter. Many lanes and roads experience multiple closures in the winter. Will you have someone blow your lane out or will you do it yourself? Do you have an alternate route back to the city or will you be happy to be "snowed in"?

Rule #8: Decide how much you want to spend before you make an offer and hold firm. Like purchasing at auction, it's good to determine if you can fluctuate by 5%-10% before the negotiating begins.

Rule #9: Define the parameters of your search by determining how far you are willing to drive each way on weekends.

Finally, trust your instincts. This is a logical and an emotional decision and you'll want to rely on that immediate, visceral reaction. Despite the challenges of finding my own country property, I'm confident I'll know it when I see it. And, I'll make sure there are lots of extra bedrooms for all those friends who suddenly turn up.

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