Loading live listings
Set up an alert and we will email you when a new Southwestern Ontario cottages listing goes live, or ask Rob or George about homes coming up.
Browse Southwestern Ontario cottages by home type
Distance is the first filter for most of our clients, so here are distances from our office in west London, as the crow flies: Port Stanley on Lake Erie about 31 km, Port Burwell about 51 km, Grand Bend on Lake Huron about 57 km, Bayfield about 77 km and Goderich about 96 km.
If you are still deciding between the two big lakes, here is a closer look at Lake Huron versus Lake Erie for a cottage.
When we search for cottages, we include every home listed as waterfront on Lake Huron or Lake Erie, anywhere in the area we cover. Looking at one shore at a time, we go wider and also take in the shoreline villages and townships, since many cottages sit a street or two back from the water. The listing itself will tell you whether a property is truly waterfront, has deeded or shared access, or is simply close to a beach, and we confirm that on the survey before an offer.
Your local conservation authority. Under Ontario Regulation 41/24, the province-wide rule, development in regulated flood, erosion and dynamic beach hazard areas needs the authority's permit. Which authority depends on the watershed the lot drains to: on Lake Huron that includes the Ausable Bayfield and St. Clair Region authorities, and on Lake Erie the Kettle Creek and Lower Thames Valley authorities among others. We confirm the right one for each property.
Bluff shorelines deserve special care. The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority warns of significant bluff erosion, particularly after high water like that of 2020. On a bluff-top cottage, ask how far the house sits from the edge, what the authority's mapping shows, and whether any slope or shoreline protection work was permitted.
Many cottages run on a private well and a septic system. Ontario's septic systems are regulated under the Building Code, and permits are issued by the municipality or the local health unit, so ask the seller for permit and pumping records and have the system inspected. For the well, Ontario's online well record map can show how it was constructed, and Public Health Ontario tests well water for bacteria through local health units. Build those checks into the conditions of your offer.
Insurance is the other early call: shoreline location can affect coverage and cost, so speak with your insurer before you firm up an offer. If you are financing, tell your lender early that the property is a cottage or seasonal home so the approval matches it; our mortgage pre-approval request is a good place to start.
Something else? Ask Rob or George directly.
Lake Erie. Port Stanley is about 31 km from our west London office as the crow flies, compared with about 57 km to Grand Bend on Lake Huron.
Not always, but often. Under Ontario Regulation 41/24, development inside a regulated hazard area needs the authority's permit, while some low-risk work is exempt. Check the authority's mapping for the specific lot first.
Yes. Public Health Ontario tests private well water for bacteria through local health units. It does not test for chemicals, so consider a private lab for those.
Across both shores together, yes: we count only homes listed as waterfront. When you look at Lake Huron or Lake Erie on its own, we also include homes in the shoreline villages and townships, often a street or two back.
On bluff shorelines, yes. The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority warns of significant bluff erosion, particularly after high water like that of 2020. Setback and slope condition matter.
Call Rob or George directly, or send a message and one of them will get back to you. A home evaluation is free and prepared by a person, never a formula.