Get outdoor ready at Ottawa Cottage Life and Backyard Show

Cottage real estate market CTV's Tyler Fleming has more on the Cottage Life and Backyard Show and the cottage real estate market in eastern Ontario.

Get ready for the spring and summer at the Ottawa Cottage Life and Backyard Show this weekend at the EY Centre.

Nearly 200 exhibitors are here to showcase docks, innovative products, decor and style. There are builders, contractors, arts and crafts, food and entertainment, water toys and more.

Whether it's a pristine plot for a new build, a fully-furnished rental, or a quaint cabin ripe for renovation, you can explore the many listing at the Cottage Real Estate Centre which also helps to connect realtors with buyers.

Cottage sales experienced a roller coaster ride during the pandemic, with demand soaring initially before experiencing a temporary decline; however, Royal LePage forecasts a surge in prices this spring, attributed to stabilized interest rates and inflation.

In Ontario's Land-O-Lakes region, realtor Larry Zajdlik of Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty Brokerage says property sales are quickly picking up pace. The area, with its thousands of lakes, offers a range of options from cozy cabins to expansive waterfront estates.

"We are getting more listings than we traditionally have and I think there's going to be an equilibrium, a tipping point, where everything sort of flies off the shelves in the coming months," says Zajdlik. "Cottages, it's a pretty magical allure, I think. Covid taught people to gather their families together, and an appreciation of family and friendship and that attraction is evident in the market."

Zajdlik notes that it's a good time to lock down a summer property, as an expected dip in interest rates could see a surge of buyers which could mean over-asking bids.

"The price here ranges from $500,000 to in excess of $3.3 million," he says. "And our region specifically has traditionally been undervalued and represents good value for our customers."

The Ottawa Cottage Life and Backyard Show runs until Sunday.

For tickets and information, visit https://shows.cottagelife.com/ottawa-cottage-life-backyard-show/