If you are planning to buy a waterfront property in the Kawarthas, Haliburton or Muskoka you have come to the right place!
We are an independent boutique brokerage specializing in waterfront properties across cottage country and differentiate ourselves from other brokerages along three key services as described below.
We have a firm belief in the power of data and use our robust and accurate in-house valuation model to evaluate waterfront properties that meet your search criteria to ensure they are reasonably priced.
When we meet with you at cottages that pass the initial screening process, we discuss in detail the pros and cons of the property, the lake and the broader area. If you decide to submit an offer, we provide sound and data-supported advice on an offer price, as well as guidance on appropriate conditions and other protections to include in an offer.
We closely track waterfront price trends across both the western Kawarthas and broader cottage country markets and update our price trends charts on a weekly basis. Feel free to reach out to me and I’d be happy to send you my latest charts.
We look forward to working with you!
David Donais Broker of Record and Owner
NOT LIKE OTHER BROKERAGES
Explore our unique services below
SOUND ANALYTICS
There is great uncertainty over the future direction of waterfront prices as the positive impact of rate reductions in the past year may be offset by the initiation of the trade war by the United States. It has therefore never been more important to underpin offer or list price decisions with objective and relevant analytics. In my previous career as a risk management executive at a major Canadian financial institution I was hard-wired to never provide an opinion that was not grounded in data, and I have kept that same mindset at our brokerage. I relentlessly (and joyously!) collect, analyze and extract relevant nuggets of information from sales data and, leavened with wisdom arising from our dominant market share of waterfront listings in the western Kawarthas, present this information to clients so that they can make informed offer or list price decisions.
As we are a boutique-style brokerage you can expect premium service. We will never be pushy or subject you to a hard sell. When you call our brokerage I answer the phone. When you email us we respond promptly. You will always have only one point of contact throughout the buying or listing process. When we represent you in your purchase the relationship does not end on closing day – we can recommend tradespeople and provide advice on other issues. When you list with us we keep you updated on market activity until your property is sold. We own and operate our premium photography equipment and take great care in showcasing your property. We provide timely and credible responses to questions from buyers and their agents.
For cottage buyers there is nothing more important than having an agent who has expertise in waterfront properties. There is a minefield of risks to navigate including weeds, volatile water levels, septic systems, zoning bylaws and road access, that can severely compromise your investment. Our buyer agents have extensive knowledge of these issues, which are common across the Kawarthas, Haliburton and Muskoka, and can provide appropriate guidance. Have a look at the overviews I have provided for many of the lakes in our core region – you’ll be amazed at the variety! You can also review my annual updates of market value statistics and commentary for these lakes – up-to-the minute data is available upon request.
My family has been on Balsam Lake since 1956 and due to a divorce circumstance, the cottage was required to be sold in 2025. As a Canadian residing in the States, it was a very complicated, cross border real estate sale mandated by a US court.
From prepping the cottage for sale while I was out of the country all the way through to closing the transaction, David and Melissa were always on top of things. After the MLS listing went live on a Friday night in May 2025, I was stunned that in the next two days there were half a dozen showings, three offers over asking, and an accepted offer within 48 hours!
There are many competent realtors in Ontario and Canada for that matter – and then there’s Kawartha Waterfront Realty run by David Donais and Melissa McCormack. Through the years I have known many many realtors that serve our area and I am here to tell you that they really do stand above the rest. When I think of my experience with David and Melissa, I keeping coming back to the idea they are the “realtor’s realtor” – that is, real estate professionals who are highly respected by the community and their peers, possessing deep domain knowledgeable and experience. It would not be surprising to learn that other real estate agents and brokers sometimes choose David and Melissa to handle their own personal real estate transactions or those of their family members because of their expertise and integrity.
At the end of the day, this is a Firm of the highest regard that possesses:
• Vast knowledge and experience in the local (waterfront) real estate market.
• Mastery of strategy and tactics in contract negotiations.
• Deep understanding of construction quality and property issues.
• A strong track record of success, often as a top producer.
• High ethical standards that go beyond the basic licensing requirements.
With hesitation, I strongly recommend David and Melissa and their Kawartha Waterfront Realty organization.
James Crandell ~ Balsam Lake
Working with Kim has been an amazing experience. Truly there is no one we would rather work with. Attentive, honest and knowledgeable doesn’t even scratch the surface, and the level of after-purchase care and advice Kim has given has been top tier. As fist time buyers Kim showed us what to look for, inspecting properties thoroughly on our behalf, whether it be foundation issues, fireplaces, plumbing, roofing, heating etc. Kim knows it all, and was able to provide solid, concise and honest analysis of every property we viewed. We are thrilled with our cottage, and the overall experience as first time buyers has been smooth and enjoyable. We would work with Kim again in a heartbeat and cannot recommend her services highly enough. She is always prompt with correspondence, always professional, always punctual, and is just a great person in general.
James and Mallorie ~ Baptiste Lake
We worked with Mason for over a year to find a cottage. Mason was informative, helpful and patient during our long search. We looked at over 30 cottages in many areas north of Toronto. Even though some were not in the Kawarthas, Mason was more than willing to check them out with us or at one point spent an entire day looking at cottages without us to send back details and pictures. We looked at the cottage that we bought a total of four times. Mason never got impatient with us nor our attention to details and comparisons. Mason was willing to point out the pros and cons of each cottage that we saw, discussing the trade offs of cottage ownership!
In the end, we found the perfect cottage! Mason was very diligent during the close of the cottage to ensure it met all the contractual and personal expectations. The agency went above and beyond to make the cottage easy to move into and have all issues dealt with before our arrival (including a cleaning lady). Upon our arrival as new owners we opened the fridge to find a nice bottle of champagne from the agency, which was an amazing touch!
