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Revisiting Previously Unaffordable Neighbourhoods

Imagine you’d been keeping your eye on a desirable neighbourhood over the years. You had hoped that one day you could buy a home there. But, then you saw prices creeping up — to a point where they became unaffordable.

“Oh well,” you’d thought. “I guess we won’t be moving there!”

That scenario is familiar to many homeowners. In fact, you too may have been keeping your eye on a neighbourhood you’d love to get into but have decided it’s become too expensive.

If that’s so, it might be worth taking a second look.

The real estate market changes. One year an area might be a red-hot seller’s market with prices soaring. The next year, things may have cooled, and prices stabilized.

That means the desirable neighbourhood you’ve been coveting might, today, be more affordable than you think. Prices might have become more reasonable. There might be more inventory (more homes for sale), giving you, the buyer, a competitive edge.

And, don’t forget that your own property may have gone up in value, perhaps considerably. That means the money you make from selling your home may make buying in the desirable neighbourhood doable.

It’s something to think about!

So, if you’re dreaming of getting into a particular neighbourhood, don’t make assumptions about affordability. At least, not yet. Find out the current state of the market. You might be delighted to learn that the “un” has been dropped from the previously unaffordable for that area!

Want to learn more? Call today.

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Fix it? Or leave it "as is"?

When preparing your property for sale, you want to make it as attractive as possible to buyers. After all, the more buyers like what they see, the higher the probability you’ll get good offers.

That’s why it’s advisable to clean, declutter, decorate, fix, and improve as much as possible.

But, how far should you go with fixing and improving? For example, should you tear down the old deck and build a new one? Or, should you leave it as is?

Should you paint the main floor? Or is it okay to leave the faded finish and few wall dents just as they are?

Those can be difficult questions to answer because many factors come into play.

  • What is the traditional return on investment for that home improvement? (In other words, how much will you get back when you sell?)
  • To what degree will the fix or improvement help sell your home faster and/or for a higher price?
  • If you don’t make the fix or improvement, will those deficiencies be likely to dissuade buyers who would otherwise be interested in buying your property?
  • What are the current market conditions? Are there other listings in the area competing with yours?
  • How much will the fix or improvement cost? Is it affordable, given the benefits of having a listing that’s more attractive and move-in ready?

Once you have answers to those questions, you’ll have a clearer idea of whether to fix it or leave it as is.

We can help you get those answers. Call today.

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Resale market stabilizes in February with a glimmer of hold for Buyers & Sellers alike!


We continue to see a decrease in transactions and prices when we compare the current market to that of the 2022 market - the height of the pandemic resale market activity. However, the real estate market is sitting at 2.5 months of inventory for the condominium-class & 2.8 months of inventory for the freehold-class in comparison to the 0.7 we saw in February of 2022 which is good news for buyers.

The days on market continue to decrease and paired with the fewer number of new listings entering the market is good news for sellers. Should this pattern continue and we do not see an increase in inventory, we could see the current balanced market swing back into the seller’s market.

With the constant changes in the market, navigating your real estate decisions can feel overwhelming. Contact Us Today! We are able to keep you up to date with customs comparisons & keeping an eye on the competition for you.

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Canada’s capital is a March Break mecca with its many cultural institutions, outdoor activities and indoor attractions. And since Ottawa shares a provincial border with Gatineau, Québec, much of the special programming is offered during both the Québec March Break (scheduled during different weeks) and the Ontario March Break (March 13-17, 2023). So gather the kids and come experience some of the fun activities below for an epic March Break in Ottawa!


Get Active

Maple Syrup Fun

Maple taffy on snow, horse drawn sleigh rides, yummy pancake breakfasts or brunch – what’s not to love about maple season? Several sugar bushes and other sites located throughout the Ottawa region offer tasty options during the maple season from late February to early April.

  

Downhill ski/snowboard camps

The Ottawa-Gatineau region has several downhill skiing and snowboarding centres within a short driving distance of the city—the closest is a 15-minute drive from Parliament Hill! Hit the hills for a few hours with the family, or sign up for special programming over the school breaks, including multi-day camps, as well as private and group lessons for different ages and levels.

  

Altitude Gym

If your family is “climbing the walls”, take them to one of Altitude Gym’s two locations: Gatineau or Kanata. These climbing centres offer international-level facilities for the entire family, no matter the skill level. Choose from rock climbing, bouldering, auto-belay climbing, plus special Clip ‘N Climb and Ninja Warriors activities.

Funhaven

Located just minutes west of downtown Ottawa, Funhaven offers a world-class laser tag arena, the latest high-tech mini-bowling lanes, an indoor roller coaster, bumper cars, an arcade and prize games, simulators and a huge jungle gym. The little ones are sure to be entertained!

 

Par-tee Putt

Pretend it’s summer and play a round of indoor mini-golf at Par-Tee Putt in Little Italy! This unique spot has 18 quirky-themed and interactive holes, plus delicious food and drink from the Prescott restaurant which is located above. All ages are welcome until 8:00pm.

Escape rooms

Bond as a family by getting locked up and working together to escape! Escape attractions throughout the city like Escape ManorEscape Manor Junior and Jigsaw Escape Rooms have options for all ages.

 

Consider attempting the world’s largest escape room—Escape the Diefenbunker. Located inside Canada’s Cold War Museum, this multi-award winning experience takes place in the underground bunker and is 25,000 square feet!


Get Entertained


Seven national museums

You could spend all week exploring seven of Canada’s nine national museums, and many other cultural attractions located in the Ottawa region. Choose from the Canadian Museum of History, the Canadian War Museum, The Canadian Museum of NatureCanada Agriculture and Food Museum, the National Gallery of Canada and the Canada Science and Technology Museum.


The Canadian Museum of Nature is even hosting hands-on activities during March Break from March 4-19. Kids get to make their own paw print using modelling clay, partake in a scavenger hunt through the various galleries and play games.

  

Cobblestone Tours

See Ottawa like never before! Embark on a tour with Cobblestone Tours. Starting in the ByWard Market, you’ll see all of the important Ottawa sights and have a bilingual guide teach you more about them. Choose between the hour and 10 minute round trip tour, or the hop on-hop off one day pass.


Performances

The National Arts Centre in downtown Ottawa presents a variety of live programming including the Broadway musical Disney’s Aladdin (March 21-26). Head just west of downtown to the Canadian Tire Centre to see Disney On Ice Presents Find Your Hero (March 9-12).

Urban exploration

Join a cloaked guide for the Original Haunted Walk of Ottawa tour to hear spooky stories and fascinating history about downtown Ottawa. Or choose a self-guided experience to explore the region’s cool urban art, outdoor gems and even Christmas movie filming locations. You can also visit beautiful indoor and outdoor places to photograph that will awe the entire family, such as a castle-like hotel, a tropical greenhouse, waterfalls and other beautiful sights.


Pro hockey

There are two ways to see live ice hockey in Ottawa, and multiple games to choose from during the Ontario March Break! See the Ottawa Senators play a National Hockey League (NHL) game at the Canadian Tire Centre, or see young stars from the Ottawa 67’s play in the junior-level Ontario Hockey League (OHL) at TD Place at Lansdowne, in the Glebe neighbourhood near downtown.

    



Get Wild


Omega Park

Omega Park, located in Montebello, Québec – just a 45-minute drive from downtown Ottawa – is a large wildlife park that immerses visitors in Canadian wildlife and First Nations’ history. You can take a Canadian safari any time of year through the natural habitat of animals like deer, elk, bison, caribou and wolves. The park also has walking trails and a variety of special programming.

 

Little Ray’s Nature Centre

Enjoy a hands-on and educational experience through encounters with bats, pythons, alligators, cobras, birds of prey and more at Little Ray’s Nature Centre. Private tours and even sloth encounters are available!

 

March Break Camps

Do your kids love getting crafty? Send them to an art camp this March Break! The ACE Arte Studio will be holding a Kids Art Camp from March 13-17 for kids ages 5-12. All supplies are included and your kids will get to display their creations from the week at the art show held on the last day of the camp.


Both the downtown Ottawa and Orleans locations of the Ottawa School of Art will be hosting March Break Camps for ages 7-17 with a variety of mediums. Keep your kids creative this March Break!


Get Fed


Alice Village Café

Just an hour’s drive from Ottawa, you’ll find Carp, a quaint town with fun things to do for the whole family. Check out Alice’s Village Café for good food, good coffee and good drinks. With many options for kid’s, including poutine, grilled cheese, pizza and more, you’ll want to keep bringing the family back to this spot.


The Carp Custom Creamery

Homemade ice cream produced in-house daily? Find that and more at the one and only Carp Custom Creamery. There are also gluten-free and vegan-friendly options. Grab a scoop of one of 16 different flavours. Want some for later? Grab a 1L tub of one of their 40+ available flavours.

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