OTTAWA REAL ESTATE BLOG
Not Only Millennials Want Walkable Communities
A walkable community is well-planned, compact and designed for people to walk to work, school, parks restaurants and activities as a form of everyday transportation. According to a National Association of Realtors survey, more and more buyers want to live in walkable communities. The study found that fully 12% more Millennials, the generation born between the […]
Inexpensive Ways to Make Your Home Green
In this bhgrelife.com post, we learn just how easy it is to join the green movement and become an eco-warrior. For example, by improving the energy efficiency around home, you reduce consumption, conserving the planet's resources and saving money at the same time. Installing a programmable thermostat lowers consumption and, surprisingly, a fully loaded […]
9 Bad Habits That Are Killing Your Appliances
What's the worst thing you could do to your appliances? Bob Villa has a slide show for that. He talks about how NOT to treat his various pieces of cooking equipment, and it might make him sound like an old man but I think we can all learn from this lesson in bad-mouthsmanship! I'll […]
Your Complete Guide to Pest-Proofing This Fall
To prevent an onslaught of pests from occupying your house as the weather cools, simply follow the National Pest Management Association guidance presented in this post from Bob Villa. Seal cracks in the exterior envelope, especially where utility pipes enter, with silicone caulking. Fill larger gaps inside your home with steel wool. Pests avoid the […]
How to Stage Your Home for Fall Showings
This Zillow.com post by Nathalie Wise suggests that the time and cost of staging your home can result in higher sale prices and less time on the market. Remove clutter, store items that could distract viewers and move furniture away from walls to make your spaces appear larger. Clear counters and deep clean everywhere […]
8 Deer-Resistant Elegant Evergreen Shrubs to Plant This Fall
Shrubs bestow privacy, a sense of enclosure and a splash of colour during winter. In this houzz.com post, Brian Barth gives hope to discouraged homeowners who are tired of watching the local deer population feast on their shrubs. Needle-bearing shrubs like the juniper will survive deer grazing, but they can lack artistic appeal. […]
Winter Lawn Care: 4 Steps to Protect Your Turf
In the fall, homeowners may be surprised to discover that lawn care is much more important than it was during spring. Fall seeding ensures optimal root growth and mulching over raking leaves will help maintain a healthier appearance for your outdoor space all season long! Fall can have you fooled into thinking there's not too […]
How Will Real Estate Markets React To The Liberals’ Election Victory?
The Liberal Party's successful election campaign included a promise to stimulate the economy by increasing infrastructure spending with deficit budgets. How will these changes effect the country's real estate market? Until details are released, the exact consequences are difficult to determine, but some possibilities have emerged. Foreign Investment We don't know what […]
6 Misperceptions About Home Staging
In this insightful Realtor Magazine post, interior decorator and professional stager Patti Stern explodes six myths about home staging. The Cost of Staging For example, some sellers consider staging too expensive. In reality, it actually saves you money because 95 percent of staged homes sell in 11 days or less and sell for […]
Home Improvements – Do It Yourself Or Hire A Professional?
Completing a DIY project can be tremendously fulfilling and financially rewarding. But, bite off more than you can chew, and you might be looking at some major expenses to fix the damage or, even worse, a catastrophic incident. Before grabbing your toolbox, accomplish a quick risk-reward analysis. Then, determine if you have the skills and […]
4 reasons to buy a home before the end of the year
Does cooler weather mean that you should cool down your house hunt? Absolutely not! Sellers who have homes listed during the colder months are usually motivated to sell and list prices are typically lower in December...but wait...there's more! Traditionally, housing markets cool down at year end, but this Business Insider post suggests taking advantage of […]
How Will Legalized Pot Affect Canadian Real Estate Markets
No matter what you think about the ethics or morality of legalizing marijuana, Justin Trudeau's Liberal government has promised to do just that during their first term. The fact is, we started down that path when medical marijuana was legalized. So, how will this impact real estate markets in Canada? The Colorado Housing […]
Market Update | Ottawa Real Estate Stats October 2015
Here are the latest statistics from the Ottawa Real Estate board. Statistics are useful in establishing trends but should not be used as an indicator of an increase or decrease in value of specific properties. If you are curious about the value of your home and/or specific neighbourhood statistics please contact us anytime, we would love […]
Home Buyers: To Inspect, or Not To Inspect
To Inspect, or Not To Inspect You've just purchased your dream home and your salesperson is recommending an home inspection before signing the final conditions. Is it worth $400-500? Now is the time to ignore your emotional attachment to the property, and make this a business decision. The answer is, "Absolutely!" The inspection is a […]
Income Properties: What You need to Know about Buying an Investment Property
"Don't wait to buy land, buy land and wait" - Will Rogers Income Properties: Are you Ready? Owning a rental property may seem like a licence to print money. Interest rates are low, the Ottawa Real Estate Market is stable ...what could be easier? Buy a property, lease it, collect cheques and plan your […]