Downsizing to The Bluffs at Huron near Goderich

About The Bluffs at Huron near Goderich

The community's website lists it in the Goderich area and describes it as a place to own a new bungalow and retire on Lake Huron. It says residents live seven minutes north of Goderich in an adult community of homeowners with a clubhouse. Parkbridge operates and markets it, and the site says future phases are anticipated to be developed by QuadReal or its affiliates and operated by Parkbridge. The website is the source for this page. Nothing here is an endorsement.

Messages made through this site go to agents on the operating team at eXp Realty. You can contact the community's sales team directly as well.

Homes and layout at The Bluffs at Huron

The website describes new bungalow homes. A bungalow keeps living space on one level, which matters if you are leaving a house with stairs. We are not stating home sizes, lot dimensions or prices. Ask for floor plans, the measured area, what is included in the base home and what is an upgrade. The site refers to a final release, Phase 9. Ask what is still available and when it will be ready. Our guide to condo, townhouse or house compares the main choices.

Amenities and clubs

The website names a clubhouse and a lakeside setting on Lake Huron. It also mentions a seasonal programme for new homeowners. Ask what the clubhouse offers, who runs the programming and whether any activity is charged on top of your site rent.

Land lease terms, age rule and rent

The website lists land lease. In a land lease community you buy the home and rent the land under it. Part X of the Residential Tenancies Act covers mobile home parks and land lease communities. It defines a land lease home as a permanent dwelling on leased land and, under section 156, gives the tenant the right to sell the home without the landlord's consent. The Landlord and Tenant Board publishes a brochure on land lease communities.

The 2027 rent increase guideline is 1.9 percent. It requires 90 days written notice and 12 months between increases, and it does not apply to a unit first occupied after November 15, 2018. Because this is a newer community, ask Parkbridge in writing whether the guideline applies to your site and what increases have been charged. Do not assume.

• What is the monthly site rent, and what does it cover: water, sewage, snow removal, roads, the clubhouse?
• Is there a separate property tax charge, and how is it billed?
• What happens to the site tenancy when I sell, and who can approve the next buyer?
• Who owns and maintains the roads and services in the community?
• Does the lease limit pets, vehicles, additions, sheds or short-term guests?

On age, the site describes an adult community of homeowners and gives no age number. Ontario has no equivalent of the US HOPA exemption, so ask what the rule is, where it is written and how it applies to a younger spouse or an heir. Our 55+ communities guide has a longer checklist. A lawyer should read the lease and the purchase agreement before you sign.

Getting around the Goderich area

We have not confirmed transit service, distances or drive times beyond the community's own description that Goderich is seven minutes south. A rural lakeside setting usually means you drive for most errands, so test the trips you make most. If you expect to stop driving someday, read getting around Ontario after 65.

Health care near The Bluffs at Huron

The website does not describe care services. For hospital and urgent care options, check the website of Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in Goderich for its current services and hours, and ask your family doctor or the local health unit about primary care. Aging in place or moving can help you decide how far from services you are comfortable living.

Flooding, shoreline and insurance

A Lake Huron setting raises questions about high lake levels, storm surge and erosion. The province's pages on managing Great Lakes water levels and floods list high lake levels and storm surge as flood causes. We have not mapped this address. Ask the local conservation authority whether it lies in a regulated area, and check the flood hazard mapping page. A standard home policy typically excludes storm surge, and overland flooding is optional cover. Because you own the home, you insure it. See flood and storm insurance when downsizing.

Taxes and local government

Ask which municipality and county levy tax on the home and how it reaches you. Land lease homes are taxed differently from land you own, and an operator may bill it with the rent. Ask for a recent bill. Land transfer tax applies to a purchase of this kind only if the rules say so, so ask a lawyer. Read land transfer tax in Ontario and costs and money, and see life lease and land lease homes.

Questions to ask before you buy here

• May I see the lease, the community rules and the current rent in writing?
• Which phase is the home in, and when was it first occupied?
• What is the resale process, and does the operator charge anything?
• How are services such as water and sewage provided and billed?
• What is the age rule, and where is it written?
• What happens to the lease if a spouse dies or moves to care?

If you want help coordinating this purchase with your current home, contact us.