Well first off you probably will not be getting that house in the Muskokas or even the Kawarthas for under 200k. Your concern about work is well founded as you are in a trade where there is plenty of competition and the locals hire their own kin for jobs.Now you can work for cottagers and city folk but a lot is seasonal while they are up there.If your good and I am sure you are, you should be making a killing in the GTA in your trade.People tend to forget the long term costs with moving out the city for instance College or University for their kids in later years.