Considering a move to the East Coast? Why not right next door to one of Nova Scotia’s most iconic lighthouses?
Steps from Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, a three-bedroom, one-bathroom property hit the market at the beginning of April for $1.2 million—a steal compared to Toronto prices. The 17,000 sq. ft. lot features 131 feet of granite shoreline overlooking St. Margaret’s Bay. The property’s house and shed are believed to date back centuries.
“The county of Halifax did an assessment on the property because of its age, and they have it pegged at being built in 1560. Now, there’s nobody around to corroborate that,” says Tim Harris, the realtor handling the sale. “But I have seen some old pictures of the house with the original lighthouse building before there was ever a restaurant or it was a tourist attraction. So, I’m sure it dates back to at least the 1700s.”
The Westhaver family bought the property in the 1980s, and they lived there until a few years ago. The house is dated and would require fixing up, but its bones are solid. It features exposed wood beams and a stone boulder base. According to Harris, it’s built on a solid granite part of the Canadian Shield.
The property is located in one of Nova Scotia’s most unique communities. Twenty-five kilometres from Halifax, Peggy’s Cove is a protected area under the Peggy’s Cove Commission Act. The provincial government passed the act in 1962 to prohibit development and preserve the area’s rugged beauty. Today, it’s still an active fishing village with approximately 30 permanent residents. But each summer, Peggy’s Cove is swarmed by thousands of tourists.
To preserve the character of the community, Harris says the new owners won’t be allowed to tear down or expand the footprint of the house. The interior, however, is open to renovations. He adds that the owners will also be able to build decks on the house’s exterior.
Due to the tourist traffic that comes through Peggy’s Cove, Harris says the new owners could apply to change the property’s residential zoning to commercial. “We have enough t-shirt stores from the airport to downtown Halifax. It’s not going to be that,” Harris says. “But I could see it being a seasonal café with a nice, large deck off the south end, looking directly at the lighthouse and the ocean.”
In recent years, more commercial enterprises have cropped up in the area. Harris says John Campbell, the owner of the Sou’wester, a neighbouring restaurant, was welcoming to the idea of additional businesses.
Since placing the property on the market, Harris says he’s had a few phone inquiries, but no serious bids.
“The market was established in the last two years,” he says. “Several smaller buildings in the area have sold upwards of $700,000 or $800,000, and they’re being renovated for other tourist and artistic purposes. We’re hoping that this may go the same direction.”
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