Your Kawarthas Mortgage Agent

Financing in the Kawarthas isn’t like financing in the city. A three-bedroom in Lindsay is straightforward. A seasonal cottage on Pigeon Lake with a drilled well, a holding tank and a private road is not. Lenders treat these properties very differently, and the right lender can mean the difference between 5% down and 20% down, or between an approval and a decline.

As a Level 2 Mortgage Agent with DLC National Ltd., I work with 100+ lenders, including those that understand cottage, waterfront and rural property. I’ll tell you how a lender is likely to view the property before you make an offer, not after.

The Kawarthas Market Right Now

In August 2026 there were 107 home sales in Kawartha Lakes, at an average sale price of about $683,000. That’s slightly higher than in August 2025 (Central Lakes Association of REALTORS®). Year-round homes in Lindsay usually sell below that average, while waterfront homes and cottages on the larger lakes often sell well above it.

Cottage and Waterfront Mortgages

Lenders sort cottages into two groups:

• Type A (year-round): heated, winterized, on a year-round road, with a permanent foundation and a working kitchen. These can be financed with as little as 5% down, much like a regular home.
• Type B (seasonal): not winterized, accessed by a seasonal road, or using lake water or a holding tank. These need at least 10% down, and Sagen is the only mortgage insurer that covers them. Many big banks won’t finance them at all.

Water-access-only islands, properties with unusual sewage systems and homes on a shoreline road allowance often need a specialty or private lender. I’ll check these details with you early, and I’ll make sure your offer includes conditions for a water test, a septic inspection and insurance. Read more on my rural and cottage mortgage page.

Kawartha Communities I Serve

Lindsay is the hub. It has the most year-round homes, new subdivisions, Ross Memorial Hospital and Fleming College’s Frost Campus. Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls sit on the Trent-Severn Waterway and attract cottage buyers and retirees. Omemee, Little Britain and Pontypool are popular with commuters who want quicker access to Highways 7, 35 and 115.

Retiring or Moving Up North

Many of my Kawarthas clients are selling a GTA home and buying here, often mortgage-free or with a small mortgage. If your income will come mostly from pensions or investments, some lenders qualify you more easily than others. If you want to buy before your city home sells, bridge financing covers the gap. For homeowners 55 and older, a reverse mortgage can free up equity without monthly payments.

Mortgage Services in the Kawarthas

Teach or work for the Trillium Lakelands District School Board or the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board? My Teachers Mortgage Program offers preferred rates, up to $750 in rebates, and lenders that count supply and contract income.

Kawarthas Mortgage Questions

Can I rent out my cottage and still get a regular mortgage?

Occasional rentals are usually fine. If the property operates as a full-time short-term rental business, many lenders treat it as commercial or won’t count the income. Tell me how you plan to use it, and I’ll match you with a lender.

Can I finance winterizing a seasonal cottage?

Often, yes. A purchase plus improvements mortgage or a construction draw can cover insulation, heating and a year-round water supply. That can move the cottage from Type B to Type A.

Do lenders finance the full acreage on a rural property?

Most lenders value the house plus a set amount of land, often 5 to 10 acres. If the property has a lot more land, I’ll look at lenders with flexible rural policies.

Kawarthas at a Glance

• City of Kawartha Lakes population: about 79,000 (2021 Census)
• Average sale price: about $683,000 (August 2026, Central Lakes Association of REALTORS®)
• Main town: Lindsay, home of Ross Memorial Hospital and Fleming College’s Frost Campus
• Water: the Trent-Severn Waterway and lakes including Sturgeon, Pigeon, Balsam, Cameron and Scugog
• Getting there: Highways 7, 35 and 115, about 90 minutes from Toronto

Other Areas I Serve