Rice Lake: Trent Hills and Otonabee-South Monaghan

[Dave2]

There are actually two tax sales here:  One on the south and east side of the lake (Trent Hills) November 4 and One coming up on the North Side (Otonabee-South Monaghan) (November 18)

Trent Hills staff are certainly diligent and this is the fourth one this year (maybe they should go for 5). 
Took drive by yesterday (nice fall leaf colours).  The majority of which are typical checkerboard out in the country. (gee why did't I buy the swampland that got no bids last time; I could keep working on buying the whole swamp)

The valuable one is #1 which is a vacant building lot in the Town of Campbellford.  This is just across the road from the trent River / Canal system and if you could build a dock it might have real potential.  I assume it is on town services but this and confirmation you can build need verification. 

I assume it will be redeemed but if not by a week before the tax sale I will start looking closer.  Don't expect it to go cheap if it properly checks out.

Unlike Trent Hills; Otonabee-South Monaghan has not had a tax sale for several years and it looks like this one will have the potential of a big party. Might even drag out PFM and Frank to dear old eastern Ontario. 

Otonabee-South Monaghan covers much of the north shore of Rice Lake and it looks like there are waterfront ones included. 

Dave 2

[Jayz]

OSM is already on OTS. None of those waterfront lots on the island seems buildable according to those docs.

[Pfm1011]

"The valuable one is #1 which is a vacant building lot in the Town of Campbellford.  This is just across the road from the trent River / Canal system and if you could build a dock it might have real potential.  I assume it is on town services but this and confirmation you can build need verification." 


Not sure its worth that much as there is a junkyard behind it

[Dave2]

Not sure its worth that much as there is a junkyard behind it


Compared to checkerboard other lots listed  probably has best potential but I agree how much needs much more analysis.  The majority of which are typical checkerboard out in the country. (gee why did't I buy the swampland that got no bids last time; I could keep working on buying the whole swamp)

I won't even start that for another 10 days.   If you remember last one in this town had over 40 documents on title.  

Jayz:  Re Rice Lake have to check it out.  There is a protected area (i.e. swamp) not to far from a number of those properties and depends where they are relative to it.  Unfortunately for some of them that means a boat trip.

Dave  

[Pfm1011]

 Unfortunately for some of them that means a boat trip.

Its Rice lake..cant you just walk across?

[Dave2]

 Unfortunately for some of them that means a boat trip.

Its Rice lake..cant you just walk across?

PFM;  Not all of are like you who can walk on water but that is why you are # 1

In general be VERY VERY careful with Otonabee-South Monaghan.  Most waterfront has an OVERRIDING zoning designation that is over 3 decades old which I have never of before called "Private or Public Park."  What it means is the people who owned cottages in the area froze further development 3 decades ago even inspite of the core zoning.  With 3 decades of precedent I don't think even the OMB will tackle this one. 

The reason why its in the tax sale is that the current owners can't do anything with it.   

[Pfm1011]

Not all of are like you who can walk on water but that is why you are # 1

I was referring to the shallow water ..and tall weeds

[Dave2]

Not all of are like you who can walk on water but that is why you are # 1

I was referring to the shallow water ..and tall weeds

Don't be shy.  You deserve being number one along with Frank and one other individual called Rob. Personally Rob is one who I personally think is one of the unsung heros of this board.  Anytime I have asked him to clean up what I will refer to as "garbage" (usually by private message) he does a great job. 

You see PFM you just don't want to give away your secret.  All you ask to walk on water is minus 20 degrees fahrenheit temperature for a few days.  Sorry I have given away your secret and now I will pay the price by not getting invited on  board your yacht with the pretty girls that Jayz keeps when he visits property that he wants to inspect without nosy neighbours getting in the way..

[Dave2]

I have some new information but don't want to post publically because will tip off board lurkers.  Legitimate members can contact me by private post.

[netpred]

I went out for a drive today to see some of these. The vacant parcels off County Road 28 are not on a public road. Access is by what appears to be a private drive. Most of the land off this road appears to be wet. Some bog, but a lot is water covered. So, no road and swamp. My guess is that you would need road frontage to obtain a permit. Don't bid blindly on these.

Wood Duck is a parking lot for Island residents. It is posted and currently serves as boat storage. I understand that the islanders have a right of way that will survive a tax sale. Again, check this one out carefully before building.

Didn't bother to look at any of the island lots at all.

Was this a waste of time? Not really, it turns out that about half or more of the properties I check out are garbage (and I only check out the promising ones). You can't find the good ones unless you actually get out and have a look. Besides, it was a beautiful day for a drive.

[Dave2]

Wood Duck is a parking lot for Island residents. It is posted and currently serves as boat storage. I understand that the islanders have a right of way that will survive a tax sale. Again, check this one out carefully before building.
Didn't bother to look at any of the island lots at all.

With the high quotes we are getting if you don't investigate carefully you can easily get burned. The in town property for Trent Hills that was redeemed had a bid of $76,000 on it.

The long island is not a checkerboard but a very carefully thought out legal subdivision agreement. While I did not pull the original plan way way back; the intent was that lots would be sold on the perimeter and the land in the center would be a park for the landowners.  As part of the agreement some of these lots were reserved as access lots from the water for the access to the island park in the center. (this is the biggest island in Rice lake).  It is these access lots and part of the interior park that are up for grabs on the tax sale.    I have been asked privately if you bid for these lots and got ready for a fight.

Personally I don't think you will win and it will cost you a fortune. (Count on over $100,000)  The neighbours will have quit claim rights given the length of time the access has been in use.  

Personally I think there is an underlying intent for the town here.  We had a similar case in Cobourg a couple of years ago. My belief on the Wood Duck and the island properties, was that the town hopes that they will not be redeemed and the land will revert to the town.  After about 3 hours reading of the original subdivision agreement; these lots were reserved for access to the public park which is in the interior of the island. They were and are zoned open space with right of access allowed (i.e. you can not legally exclude tresspassers.)  I believe that the town intends to use them for public purposes as they have a rezoning coming up.  

The original agreement reserves them to island lot owners.  Of course the town can rezone once they own the land.    They have a periodic rezoning coming up.  I wonder if they would drop a sentence or two.    

NOTE AS WELL YOUR LIABILITY IF SOMEONE IS INJURED AND DECIDES TO SUE YOU AS THE LANDOWNER FOR WHICH YOU CANNOT EXCLUDE THEM.