Short-Term Rental Controls

Besides the obvious "lifestyle" advantages to be enjoyed via property ownership in the southern Georgian Bay area, local property owners often engage in some form of rental activity to help defray their ownership costs.  Rental opportunites in the area include formal rental programs available throught the likes of Blue Mountain Resorts and the Village at Blue, renting a property out for the entire ski season typically December through April for those that may head south for the winter and lastly short-term rentals ie: a week or weekend here and there.
  Often when speaking with potential buyers for the first time, they will mention the possible intent of renting their chalet, condo or other property out when not being utilized personally, not realizing that some stipulations may exist that could impact their ability to do so.  Some condominium corporations in the area have rental limitations in their rules and regulations for example and more recently, the Municipality of the Blue Mountains annouced plans to implement a potential licensing process to manage short-term rentals throughout the municipality.
  What is a short-term rental?  Typically these are rental periods for less than 30 consecutive days.  For example, a party may rent a chalet or condo for a weekend, then the following week another tenant(s) arrives for a 5 or 6 days.  In many instances these types of rentals have become problematic in certain neighoburhoods with reports of excessive noise and drinking, improper parking, garbage being strewn about and so on.  Obviously such behaviour from short-term tenants affects residents that live full time or vacation at their properties and this in turn can impact property values.
  Both the Ontario Municipal Board as well a recent court ruling have cleared the way for the Blue Mountains to draft a bylaw that would govern short-term rental housing thoughout the municipality.
  For those persons considering the purchase of a property regardless of the location and renting the property out to offset your ownwership costs is part of the plan, make sure that you and or your REALTOR® conduct the proper due diligence either prior to submitting an offer or as one of your conditions before firming up your purchase. For further information please do not hesitate to "contact me."