But Ms. Alexander takes a different view. One of the benefits of taking your time is that you can get a feel for the community at different times, for example, checking out the water levels in different seasons. If your version of heaven involves a book and a drink on the dock you'll want to make sure you don't receive the rude surprise of finding that your lake is overtaken by noisy speedboats every July. If you want action, don't go to the small lakes. And, even more important, find out what your water source is, for example, a well or an intake pipe from the lake or river, says Mark Rashotte, an agent in Belleville, Ont.
Water is so darned important.
Make sure the quality and quantity are good. Before leaping into a purchase, it's a good idea to find a lodge in the area or try renting a cottage to get a feel for whether you like the lake. If you rent first, it will help you get a sense of the commuting time and whether the traffic on the way up and back is going to outweigh the time at the cottage, Ms. Alexander adds. She says most people cite a two-hour commute as their outside estimate of a decent commuting time. On top of the commute, the work involved in maintaining a cottage may not be worth it for someone who isn't able to spend a lot of time at the property, she suggests.