Beware of Short-Term Property Rental Bylaws

I recently read an online news article pertaining to short-term cottage rentals in Wasaga Beach which is worth passing on to my readers.  A spokesperson for the website www.atthecottage.com  feels a bylaw passed in 2003 but seldom enforced will affect cottage rentals and hence tourism in the popular beachfront community.  
The issue of short-term rentals is nothing new to the area as the Blue Mountains has been grappling with short-term condo and chalet rentals in close proximity to Blue Mountain Resorts and other area ski clubs for years.  Often, property buyers in the area place their condos and chalets in formal rental programs or list them with real estate brokerages in order to generate revenue to offset their ownership costs.  Many of these properties sit vacant for a good portion of the year any so this practice makes perfect sense.  As with anything however, a few bad actors can spoil the situation and all too often a rented chalet, cottage or condo becomes an out-of-hand party that causes havoc in an otherwise quiet neighbourhood.    What constitutes a "short-term" rental?  Typically the rental period is less than 30 consecutive days. More often than not, short-term rentals in the area are only for a week or a weekend with a family coming up to ski, golf or to simply enjoy the area as a whole.  Out-of-town and even local kids have been known to pool their resources in order to rent a property for the weekend in order to have a party which otherwise would not be allowed in their parent's homes. With texting and online social media, these parties can quickly swell in numbers with the rental property taking the brunt of it.  Upon visitng one of my condo listings a few years ago, I discovered it had been the scene of a bachelorette party the night before and the place was littered with amongst other party favours, plastic penis whistles. 
  Many condominium developments in the area frown on short-term rentals fearing they will compromise the use and enjoyment of adjoining units belonging to neighbours.  Subsequently the rental issue has been addressed in the condominium corporation's rules and regulations.  But what about neighbourhoods comprised of single family homes?  That's where the local municipalities have and continue to take issue with short-term rentals by passing bylaws prohibiting them. 
  For those thinking about purchasing a recreational property "anywhere" with the intent of renting it out either through a formal rental program  or even on their own, it's best you consult a REALTOR®
 in order to determine if there are any restrictions that could thwart your plans.  For addtional municipal informtion regarding short-term rentals in the Blue Mountains click here.