Buying a Home in Chatham-Kent: What Local Buyers Should Know

Pick the community before the house

Chatham has the largest housing stock, the hospital and most services. Wallaceburg and Blenheim trade some amenities for lower prices. Erieau and Mitchell's Bay are lakeside and seasonal in character. Ridgetown, Tilbury, Dresden and Thamesville are small-town living with a commute attached.

Drive the commute you'd actually be making, at the time you'd actually be making it, before you commit.

Rural properties: wells, septics and drainage

Outside the settlement areas, homes typically run on a private well and septic system. Both should be inspected and tested as a condition of the offer — water potability and flow rate for the well, a full septic inspection including tank and bed.

Ask about municipal drain assessments as well. Agricultural drainage is a real cost line in Chatham-Kent and it transfers with the property.

• Well water potability and flow test
• Septic tank and leaching bed inspection
• Municipal drain assessments and any outstanding charges
• Flood mapping, especially near the Thames and the lakeshore

Budget for closing costs

Beyond the down payment, plan for Ontario land transfer tax, legal fees, title insurance, the home inspection and any well or septic testing. There is no municipal land transfer tax in Chatham-Kent, which is a meaningful saving compared with Toronto.

First-time buyers should confirm eligibility for the provincial land transfer tax refund with their lawyer.

Work with someone who knows the county

Local agents know which streets flood, which subdivisions are on municipal services and what a fair price looks like in each community. Real estate offices and agents serving Chatham-Kent are listed in the CKNow directory.