Our lovely city is never short of entertainment and we are quite lucky to have so many cultural and artistic venues to liven up our evenings and weekends. Myottawarealestate.com is dedicated to keeping you informed on what's new and happening in the city! From March 26th to April 28th be sure to check out the fantastic art exhibits at both the Cumberland Gallery and the Gloucester Gallery. The Cumberland Gallery will be presenting an exhibit entitled "Synthesis," produced by Studio Art Quilt Associates. This vibrant exhibit combines work from 18 members of Studio Art Quilt Associates. Admission is free so come out and enjoy Orleans' artistic talent Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and Sundays from 11am to 6pm. Also, the Gloucester Gallery will be presenting their art exhibit, "Und... 03/22/2010

$397,900  MLS# 751951   Gorgeous custom home on a 50 foot lot with approximately 2200 square feet of living space. Ideal for a blended family, teens, nanny, and in-laws. Tasteful décor, 4 bedrooms plus 2 bedroom on the lower level.  Exceptionally well improved large lower level features colonial trim, pot lights, and 4 piece bathroom.  Stunning new carpet on stairs and upper level, mirrored entry, fresh paint throughout, stunning hardwood, tile floors and walls, bright eat-in solarium, french doors and updated main floor powder room.  Outstanding master bedroom features a private bed area surrounded by mirrors, large walk-in skylight closet, and renovated en-suite in 2005.  Roof was updated in 2009, updated kitchen features stainless steel appliances. New windows, large fenced yard, dec... 03/22/2010

At this time next week I will be turning off my lights for Earth hour in Ottawa. On March 27th 2010 at 8:30pm join hundreds of millions of people accross the world who will be in support of this great event and remember, please turn off your lights for one hour (at least). Below you'll find the official video for Earth Hour 2010 - what an inspiring movement that touches a subject that hits us close to home; how long will it take for our politicians to realize we need to take action?!  About Earth HourEarth Hour is a global WWF climate change initiative. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn out their lights for one hour on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30 PM to show their support for action on climate change. The event began in Sydney in 2007, when 2 mi... 03/20/2010

How's the housing market in Ottawa? Brisk February sales keep Ottawa in Seller's Market. Another great month for Sellers and another frustrating and tough month for Buyers. Multiple offers are still very common and some 1st time homebuyers are finding the process very overwhelming... If I can say one thing... if you're a Seller ps: You'll probably have to buy too and the grass isn't always greener on the other side! If you're a buyer just be patient and hang tight; sometimes it's just not meant to be. With spring just around the corner we'll see inventory levels rise and as a result we'll hopefully swing back into more of a stable market. Stay tuned... According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board president Pierre de Varennes the total number of home sales in February was 1,118 compared wit... 03/19/2010

Need some fun family weekend ideas? You've come to the right spot! Shopping and the movies can get monotonous, but luckily Orleans has so much more to keep you busy, sometimes you just need to venture out into the country to find it! Come breath in the fresh spring air at Proulx Farms 3rd generation sugar bush extravaganza. This is a great way to introduce your kids to the miracles of nature while you watch sap being collected from sugar maple trees that are over 200 years old and visit the sugar shack to learn how sap is transformed into that deliciously sticky maple syrup that everyone enjoys! Other activities include horse drawn hay rides, nature walking trails, a petting farm, several parks and play structures, and tastiest of all-100% pure taffy tasting and a pancake meal with trad... 03/18/2010

As a seasoned Realtor in Ottawa I am often approached by buyers looking for Power of sales in Ottawa AND/OR Bank repossessions - Buyers beware!In the USA there is such a thing called a "Short Sale". What is this? A short sale is a sale of real estate in which the sale proceeds fall short of the balance owed on the property's loan. It often occurs when a borrower cannot pay the mortgage loan on their property, but the lender decides that selling the property at a moderate loss is better than pressing the borrower. Both parties consent to the short sale process, because it allows them to avoid foreclosure, which involves hefty fees for the bank and poorer credit report outcomes for the borrowers.  In a short sale, the bank or mortgage lender agrees to discount a loan balance because of an... 03/17/2010

Art is both a reflection of community and the creation of community. Art, whether it is a musician's seductive melody, a painter's brush translating emotion into colour, or a dancer's delicate step pirouetting into the hearts of an audience, all art is forged with the same tools-passion, rigor, and risk. Ottawa is glimmering with artistic talent that you can be a part of by following our blog to find out where Art is happening. Come out on March 18th from 6-8pm and experience All A Flutter presented by H'Art of Ottawa Studio Artists at the Ottawa Bagel Shop and Deli. You'll have a relaxing evening enjoying local artwork and meeting the artists to learn about their creative inspirations. Let your imagination be inspired by colour, form, and good company. What is H'Art Ottawa Studio? H'Ar... 03/17/2010

FOR SALE BY OWNER properties can be a headache or nice experience.  Here's the scenario - my clients have listed their house with me and it was sold within one day at above asking price.  YEAH!  Everyone is happy Sellers, Buyers and moi! For the past month or so, I been looking for bungalows for my Sellers and they are few and far between.  The a very rare commodity and asking usually over the $400K.  I did find one on Grapevine, the exact model that my client is looking for - for sale by owner - in Ottawa, ON) but here's my dilemma - they sellers won't call me back.  I've left voice messages, I dropped by (no one home), left my card and they don't even have to pay my commission on the purchase - my clients will pay it! It seems that since its a Sellers market in Ottawa they FSBOs have ... 03/15/2010

Last month our Minister of Finance, Jim Flaherty, announced a number of upcoming changes that will affect governement-backed insured mortgages for homebuyers in Ottawa. The mortgage rules changing in Ottawa are to help support the long-term stability of Canada's housing market and to continue to encourage home ownership for Canadians. "Canada's housing market is healthy, stable and supported by our country's solid economic fundamentals," said Minister Flaherty. "However, a key lesson of the global financial crisis is that early policy action can help prevent negative trends from developing." As of April 19th 2010 the following adjustments will be in full affect:   1) All borrowers must meet the standards for a 5 year fixed rate mortgage even if they choose a mortgage with a lower intere... 03/15/2010

Hints of warm weather this early in the year gives everyone something to smile about. In a few more weeks spring will be dancing in the air; snow will melt away reminders of winter and the city's runners, walkers, and cyclists will start to populate the streets again. Summer athletes are prepping for the new season and if your sport is golf then it's time for you to gear up too! The best way to welcome your 2010 Golf Season is to join fellow golfers at the 2010 Ottawa Gatineau Golf Expo hosted at the Ottawa Athletic Club March 27th and 28th. This is Ottawa's 16th consecutive year putting on this exciting event and it is designed to give golfers the opportunity to test the latest golf equipment on the market, plan their golf schedules, and pick up tips from the pros--key elements for a p... 03/12/2010

One of the Ottawa Real Estate Questions I sometimes get asked is whether a Buyer can pick up a "bargain" by buying a power of sale, or "bank owned" property. I would like to share with you this article put together by my Broker of Record at Keller Williams Ottawa Realty regarding the truths and the myths on this topic.Of course the USA has more foreclosures than Canada experiences Power of Sale, but they do come up occassionally, so this is what you need to know......... POWER OF SALE A property that is in default under the terms of its mortgage can be sold by power of sale by the mortgagee(Bank)  under the provisions of the Mortgage Act and the provisions of the mortgage contract itself. This category of property sometimes appears in advertising and with some US based " trainers" sugge... 03/11/2010

Fallingbrook, Orléans  -  We invite everyone to visit our open house at 2082 Sunland Dr. on March 14 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. 03/11/2010

One of the Ottawa Real Estate Questions I get asked on a regular basis by many people is "what is really happening with the property market in Ottawa?" ,in other words, "what are the Ottawa real estate Facts? "Is the bubble going to burst ?" Well today I attended a very interesting seminar held by Mortgage Brokers Ottawa as well as CMHC (Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation) and the following VERY INTERESTING OTTAWA REAL ESTATE FACTS were shared in summary form with all the Real Estate Sales Representatives present that I would like to share with you...........  The OTTAWA REAL ESTATE MARKET  is summarised as follows:-  1.STABILITY 2.LOW UNEMPLOYMENT (5.8% as opposed to National Average of 8.5%) 3.STRONG HOUSING DEMAND IN A STRONG SELLERS MARKET  OTTAWA AVERAGE INCOME HIGHEST IN CANADA... 03/09/2010

This month in the Marketplace Newsletter our article gave you a few fun ideas for March Break to keep your kids engaged, active, and happy! Here is a list of day camps and activities offered in the Ottawa area that will keep your entire family entertained while kids have a week break from school: Ottawa School of Art: http://www.artottawa.ca/osa-eao/index.php/non-credit-programs-march-break-camps-orleans/general-info/general-information-|-march-break.html The Ottawa School of Art is pleased to offer March Break Program for children aged 6 to 15 in Orleans from March 15 to 19, 2010.  The school's low student-teacher ratio ensures professional guidance and attention to each child's creative development in addition to the benefits of interacting with their peers. All the instructors are pr... 03/09/2010

One of the Ottawa Real Estate Questions I often get asked by Sellers in Ottawa is "how does staging make a difference to the Sale of my home ?" Well my answer is that your home will most likely SELL IN HALF THE TIME AND FOR MORE MONEY IF IT IS STAGED AS OPPOSED TO IF IT WAS NOT STAGED. Recently I came across an interesting staging article that Heather Maduk of Style and Staged has given me permission to post and Heather says the following:- 5 Top Tips On How To Use Artwork Buyers/Realtors look at the MLS pictures to decide if they even want to bother going to see a house or not.  The quickest and easiest way to transform a room is by adding bold colourful artwork.  MLS pictures look better if the house has a nice flow of colour and style.  Follow my 5 Top Tips of Using Artwork in the St... 03/05/2010

One of the Ottawa Real Estate Questions I often get asked is "what effect does staging have on the Sale of a Home ? "Well my answer is that THE HOME WILL SELL IN HALF THE TIME and for top Dollar if it is staged as opposed to if it is not staged.Recently I came across an interesting article that I have got permission to use from Stager Heather Maduk of STYLE AND STAGED who says as follows: 5 Top Tips On How To Use Artwork Buyers/Realtors look at the MLS pictures to decide if they even want to bother going to see a house or not.  The quickest and easiest way to transform a room is by adding bold colourful artwork.  MLS pictures look better if the house has a nice flow of colour and style.  Follow my 5 Top Tips of Using Artwork in the Staging process. 5 Top Tips of Using Artwork to Stage a... 03/05/2010

What an exciting time of the year for Home Sellers and Buyers.  Most real estate agents have attended their conferences and are ready to go with new knowledge.  While attending the Keller Williams Annual Family Reunion, I met some fantastic people, learned tonnes of information and spoke with some mega agents from across North America. In Ottawa, real estate is going strong, the inventory is still quite low but improving daily.  As reported by the Ottawa Real Estate Board "Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 713 residential properties in January through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 529 in January 2009, an increase of 34.8 per cent.".  February was also a busy month and March - well its just started by the phones are ringing, I'm doing listing prese... 03/04/2010

Caricature was drawn by: Louise Daigle and Created By Mary Caird   03/03/2010

Are you looking for the ideal community with a blend of urban living and natural attractions? Sometimes searching for that perfect balance of accessible amenities and serene natural landscape is hard to come by, but Minto Homes has made that dream a reality. Minto Homes TrailsEdge is a new community that combines a cozy neighbourhood with picturesque landscapes and greenways. Now offering its initial phase of 117 Executive townhomes, Minto Homes Trails Edge is located on the south western edge of Orleans, just east of Chapel Hill. With all of the new development on Innes Rd, such as the new Lowe's store and Empire Theatres, Trails Edge offers dynamic living close to all the services that accompany urban living while maintaining the luxury of nature's past times with lush parks and walki... 03/02/2010

One of the Ottawa Real Estate Questions I often get asked by out of towners, especially at this time of year with all the military relocations to Ottawa, is "what is there to do in Ottawa for fun ?" Well there is SO MUCH to do, but topical right now FOR ME PERSONALLY is the fact that I have just completed the Gatineau Loppet Ottawa Skiing Race last Saturday FEB 20 (http://GatineauLoppet.com)   in Gatineau Park on the Quebec side just 20 minutes from downtown Ottawa. Now this was my first Ottawa skiing  race and it MIGHT not have been so magnificent an accomplishment (if I say so myself) if it were not for the fact that the first time I was ever exposed to SNOW (let alone skiing..........) was about 18 months ago when I emigrated to Ottawa from the Sunny Shores of Cape Town South Africa ... 02/26/2010