Add your photo to the comment section.

Off the top of my head, I wouldn't care. It's like when you are thinking about boats. The two happiest days of your life are when you buy the boat, and when you sell the boat. If there's any way you can put a cute sitting area near that area, with a fire pit sort of thing, at least facing the water... people are going to be able to envision it pretty well. Most of us just like to look at the water, not everybody wants to get in it. And this is coming from somebody who lives a half mile from the place where people put their boats in the water.

Sorry, forgot the photo:

I tend to agree with Rob. What would a dock cost?

I really stand behind what I said now. Just let them know that there is a place for a dock in your listing. But all of this is just my opinion.

Once you talk to a realtor you will get better advise. Most people looking for water front will expect a dock. The fact that you don't have one and the other place they are thinking about does....you lose. As with most things price often wins so if you price your place accordingly it may be ok.

Talk to a realtor. Normally, making an improvement (rather than a repair of something damaged or non-functioning) in advance of trying to sell a property isn't worth the money spent.

If I were in the market for a waterfront cottage, I'd want a pier out into the water. Not necessarily a dock for a boat, but enough to sit out there and gaze down at the fishys (like we used to do at Grandpa's cabin). I would downgrade my offer accordingly, or chose a similar cottage with an existing pier.

I'd want to build my own dock(or not)

" Most people looking for water front will expect a dock. "

Well, that's not true at all!! I live in a large beachfront community and docks are very rare....almost nonexistent. Waterfront buyers are looking primarily for views. Docks are a very secondary consideration.

Docks are important if you have a boat but the dock would depend on the sort of boat you have which means you could put in a dock and it would be wrong for their boat. Still the best advice is to ask the local realtor.

Nope. Let the new owner choose what type they wish to install, if at all.

As a shopper, I would want one already there.

Thanks, all.......this is an interesting variety of answers.

I was just thinking how you should have done a poll!

😉

As a lake home owner, I would want a dock. And not a wooden one. It would definitely impact my decision to buy, especially if there were two competing properties. However, I'm not sure of the market in your area, so the suggestions to consult a realtor are spot on. On the lake we live on, houses sell very quickly despite condition or what I would consider livability. I don't know if a dock would impact the sale or not. If you are not planning to sell right away, keep your eye out for used docks. We actually bought a nice dock from neighbors that were selling it, so win win for us.

Like sleeperblues and others, we live on a lake. I think a dock would be a nice to have but not a deal breaker. Around here, lakefront homes sell quickly, regardless of those amenities.

I would first put it on the market and see what happens.

Maybe I’m wrong but it looks like you could walk a kayak or canoe down there.

Is it popular for speedboats?

Years ago we had a second home on a creek. The dock was usable but very old. We had to eventually replace it. Knowing we would have to eventually replace it didn’t deter us.

Houses becoming available on this road was rare.

As a shopper, it wouldn’t sway me one way or another if the dock isn't there and I wanted to purchase your cottage. It might be a tie-breaker if there was another contender similar to your cottage with a dock at a comparable price.

You have a nice setting with the land portion of the dock, so there is that. I am not as familiar with floating docks. Are those available pre-built?

Your property is beautiful! I‘d love to have a dock as a buyer.

Many areas no longer allow you to build wooden docks anchored in the lake. They must be rolling docks or floating docks. Removable.

I love looking at the water but have no need and little desire to be on or in it. So if I was in the market for a cottage on the waterfront it would make no difference having a dock.

I wouldn’t put in a dock. In my opinion, generally those who can afford to buy a cottage in Ontario - especially within 3 hours of Toronto - can afford to buy a dock, so I doubt it would be a deal breaker. I think it would be a bonus having no dock for the new purchaser because they can decide what size they need (within District/Township regulations) and not feel that they may have paid for a brand new dock which may not meet their needs.

Maybe I’m wrong but it looks like you could walk a kayak or canoe down there.

Is it popular for speedboats?

You definitely can - the walkable entry ("beach") is about 3.5' wide. That's how I walk in to swim ;) I have never seen a speedboat on the lake, just kayaks or a few putt-putt outboards used by some local residents for fishing. We do get a whole lot of snowmobiles in the winter, though.

I agree with the others saying to sell it without a dock. Let the buyers determine what type dock to build if they want one. They might want a simple dock like the one you sold to your sister or they might want a more elaborate covered dock with a boat lift if they have a pontoon boat or large speed boat.

I assume in your area that docks need to be brought on-shore during the winter to prevent the ice from tearing them apart. That may also limit what type and size of dock that can be built.

Does your lake's water depth fluctuate over the seasons? If it's very shallow, to where a boat motor could be damaged when let down, then problem solved. If it's very deep, then it's more conducive to a dock.

At Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, which is a "boating" lake, all docks much be permitted and approved by the licensing entity, Ameren. To have already gone through that process, gotten the inspections and license, and then putting in the dock, is a huge selling factor for lakefront owners. Even a decrepit dock is better than none, because once in place, it's much easier (and less expensive) to go through Ameren to replace it, rather than request permission to put in a new one. A new, single well dock, can cost $50,000 and more.

However, I've just seen your post that you don't see speedboats on your lake. That certainly affects the dynamics, and I probably would not add one.

I had two adjacent cottages with 370 ft. frontage on Lake Catchacoma in the Kawarthas.

One came with a nice floating dock that disappeared one winter. Never replaced it.

The other cottage came with a dock on which the former owner had decapitated himself riding his out-of-control snowmobile. I never went near that dock and sold both cottages as is. I wasn't the slightest bit interested in boats, docks or snowmobiles. (But I still miss those cottages. Dumbest real estate move I ever made!)

" the former owner had decapitated himself riding his out-of-control snowmobile. "

Oh, Lord - how horrible.

And his passenger, a guy in his early 20s first time on a snowmobile, jammed in behind him under the dock, passed as well.

Fortunately, that was a weekend I skipped. The driver's gf searched for a few days to see if there were any bits that the first responders had missed when they retrieved his helmeted head.

When I re-roofed our cottage, a young helper knew the story well. His sister had been dating the young victim, was mad at him going up that weekend rather than staying in TO and so regretted that her last words with him had been unkind.

Ne sait jamais. (You never know.)

Be sure and let us know what the realtor said, what you decided to do and the sale goes!!

arcy, it will be a couple of months before I contact a realtor, but I'll post back and let you know.

In Minnesota (nickname land of 10,000 lakes), most people expect docks, I believe. But also in Minnesota (where it snows and can get to -40 in the winter), the docks are all pulled out in the fall, put back in in spring. I would thinkk there would have been a huge lawsuit against the person who left the dock in. But looks ike the person killed was the owner.

Sometimes, the grand kids sit on our dock and fish from it. And of course, it has a boat moored to it in the summer.

I guess it depends on the size of the lake--an enormous lake where the point is to have a lakehouse AND a big boat, some might be disappointed at the lack of a dock. A smaller lake, where most people just put kayaks in, a dock would probably seem like more of an option than a 'must-have.'

I think the view is more natural and picturesque without a dock in the way. Plus, it's likely that you would not get back what you spent putting one in.

Where I live, say for instance that you have a crappy kitchen. Real estate speak for that is, "Opportunity to create your dream kitchen." This is an opportunity for someone to create their dream dock. Build a little bargaining room into your offering price so the buyer can feel like they are getting a discount to use toward building a dock.

I know nothing of this stuff, but that being said, if I were looking to buy, if it didn't have a dock, I'd just want to know if there was approval for one. If so, then I'd rather build my own.

If I wanted a dock in your area, it would either have to be easily pulled in the winter… or none. Your view is beautiful and that is what I would want.