Ottawa

Why Live in Ottawa?

One of the things I like most about Ottawa is just how diverse the city is.

Living in Centretown can mean walking to restaurants, coffee shops, work and the Canal. Kanata feels completely different, with established family neighbourhoods, newer communities, tech employment and more suburban space. Barrhaven has grown into a major community of its own, while Orleans gives you another very different east-end lifestyle.

Then you have places like Stittsville, where you get more of a small-town feel while still being part of the city, or Richmond, where things open up even more and you can find larger properties, quieter streets and a much more rural atmosphere.

And those are only a few examples.

That’s why I don’t think choosing a home in Ottawa should start with a list of houses. It should start with how you want to live.

Do you want to walk to dinner or have a bigger backyard? Do you want an older neighbourhood with mature trees or something newer? How important is your commute? Do you want to be close to downtown, or would you rather trade some driving time for more space and a quieter setting?

The right answer can point you toward completely different parts of Ottawa.

The city-wide real estate numbers are useful, but they don’t tell the whole story either. A Centretown condo, a Kanata detached home and a house in Richmond can all be experiencing very different markets at the same time.

If you’re trying to figure out where you fit, I’m happy to talk through the different areas with you and give you my honest opinion about what your budget buys in each one. No pressure — sometimes narrowing down the neighbourhood is the most important first step.