Prince Edward County Cottages and Second Homes

Start with the right local authority

Do not buy on the assumption that an existing short-term accommodation licence will continue after a sale. Ask the County for current eligibility and transfer rules for the address. A village home, rural farmhouse and shoreline property can have different servicing and planning issues.

Local authority or regional resource. Ask for current zoning, permitted use, servicing and any applicable shoreline or rental requirements for the exact address.

What the County is like

Prince Edward County sits on a limestone island in Lake Ontario, joined to the mainland by bridges near Belleville and Trenton and a ferry at Glenora. It is farm country turned wine country, with Sandbanks Provincial Park, the Bay of Quinte and small towns like Picton, Wellington and Bloomfield. Locals call it the County.

Most County properties are houses and farmhouses on paved, ploughed roads rather than classic Shield cottages. Waterfront here means Lake Ontario, the Bay of Quinte, West Lake or East Lake, and the shoreline is flat limestone or sand instead of granite.

Popular areas

• Wellington and West Lake: close to Sandbanks and the dunes.
• Picton: the main town, with the hospital, shops and the harbour.
• Bloomfield and Hillier: the heart of wine country.
• South Marysburgh and Milford: quieter, with long Lake Ontario shoreline.
• Bay of Quinte shore: calmer water and a shorter drive to Belleville.

How lenders see County properties

Because so much of the County is on year-round roads with winterized houses, most properties fit the year-round second home category. With mortgage insurance from Sagen or Canada Guaranty, that can mean as little as 5% down on the first $500,000 and 10% on the portion above it, at a price below $1,500,000, as long as you or your family use it yourselves.

If the plan is to rent it out most of the year, a lender will treat it as an investment property, and second-home insurance does not cover rentals. That usually means at least 20% down and qualifying without counting on rent. Our second home vs investment property guide explains the difference.

Buying tips for the County

• Ask the County directly about rental licences before you make an offer that depends on rent.
• Many County homes are on wells and septic. Test the water and inspect the septic.
• Older farmhouses can need work. See our renovation mortgage guide.
• Lake Ontario shoreline can be exposed to wind and high water. Ask about shoreline protection.
• If you might move there full time, a principal residence mortgage can open better options.

Talk to Jeff and Emily

Looking at a place in the County? We can tell you how a lender will see it, second home or rental.

Or call or text 416-628-9682

Book a call

Before counting rental income

Confirm the current municipal rules for this address, including zoning, licensing, transferability, occupancy and accommodation tax. Do not assume a seller’s use or licence can continue. Review the rental planning guide and run the rental cash-flow estimate with a no-rent fallback.

Put a name to the water

The Ontario lake directory searches provincial monitoring records by lake and source township. Use the recorded site and observation date when comparing readings. Monitoring is not a swimming advisory, valuation or guarantee for a particular waterfront.