Paradise Vacation Properties, based in Peterborough, Ontario, is a company dedicated to developing luxury lakefront properties with exceptional views, layouts, and all the amenities that come with a first class experience. For Chris Morrissey, the company’s founder and president, creating those properties is not just a business – it’s a lifelong calling shaped by curiosity, experience, and an appreciation for enduring craftsmanship. Chris’s appreciation for quality began at a young age. “I started working in construction when I was in high school,” he recalls. “I worked for a couple of builders, and then bought my first home when I was 24.” That first property – a waterfront home with a boathouse and a rental unit above it – sparked a passion for renovation and design that he carried with him even as he pursued another career path. For 25 years, Chris worked as a licensed financial advisor, balancing his professional life with a side passion for buying and flipping homes. His father’s involvement with rental properties had exposed him to the business side of real estate from a young age, but it wasn’t until years later that he decided to merge his financial acumen with his construction background. Inspired by HGTV star Scott McGillivray and his focus on purpose-built vacation rentals, Chris decided it was time to turn his vision into a full-time pursuit. That first project – a custom-built vacation rental – proved to be the launchpad for Paradise Vacation Properties. “We built and managed our own vacation rentals through Vrbo,” Chris says, referencing the online marketplace that connects property owners with people looking for short-term accommodation. “Our first property was recognized as a premier rental property, and that really set the tone for the standard I wanted the company to maintain.” NOVEMBER 2025
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