Hey y’all! I’ve lived in southern Ontario for my entire life, but I’m planning to move up north with my wife in a year or so. We want to have a log house built on a forested 5+ acre lot, probably somewhere in the rough vicinity of Gravenhurst.
I’ve vacationed up north lots, but of course, vacationing is different from daily life. As for work up there, I’m a computational and structural biologist, and will be doing contract work for coding plus small in vitro experiments. Got a client lined up already.
So I’m curious – as a suburban girl with no experience living rurally in a small town like Gravenhurst, what do I need to know?
Also… do country diner regulars get discounts? XD
Gravenhurst is north of Toronto, but to Northerners, it’s not the north. I have not been back in decades, but you will find people to be more conservative in their outlook.
Fair enough! I have no real sense of the northern 90% of my own country, I’m embarrassed to say. XD
Would you mind elaborating on your remark about them being a bit more conservative? I realize that rural places tend to be more conservative by default, but I’m wondering whether that means center-right mind-your-own-business conservatives, or the kind that are a bit more… upfront.
Full disclosure, I’m trans and so is my wife, so it is indeed something we have to keep in mind.
Just a heads up, Northerners would consider Gravenhurst as Southern Ontario.
Hahaha that isn’t northern Ontario and it’s an incredibly expensive area as it’s basically prime cottage country for wealthy Torontonians. If a small town has bougie options you know it is likely part of cottage country. You need to look further north if you want to save money and actually live in the north.
Fair enough! It’s north to me, but not truly north, I do realize that. I don’t want to go much further than there, though, so that I can still easily come down to visit family back home.
I know the cost is higher, but we have a budget of just under $1 million in cash, so we should be okay.
It’s further south than Ottawa even haha
“I want a log house on a 5+ acre lot”. Ok, have you looked at land prices around Gravenhurst? Gotten an estimate from a builder? This area is very much within the Toronto-buyer sphere of influence so prices are going to be higher than you expect.
Yes and yes. I have a budget of around $1 million in cash, but I’ve been told it can be done in some areas for more like $800,000.
“I would also like access to vinyasa yoga, local kombucha, and a place that can do a killer oat milk matcha latte…and a pony…thank you” /s
I’d just like access to a peaceful quiet forest and a cozy home. I’m a simple girl~ uwu
