Spring is around the corner! But with the arrival of blue skies and butterflies also comes the threat of flooding. Rapidly melting snow and frequent rain, especially on still-frozen ground, can mean more water than your home can handle. Even if you live in an...
Determining what mortgage term and rate are good for you 1. If you will need to pay off the mortgage at any time without penalty you might want to consider an open term, but be prepared to pay a significantly higher rate of interest for that...
Happy Spring Everyone! It has been a tough winter for all of us. But as the days are getting brighter and Spring approaches it is also reassuring to hear the Ottawa senior care homes have been vaccinated. The market continues to be strong, and with continued low...
OTTAWA, March 3, 2021 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,390 residential properties in February through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,134 in February 2020, an increase of 23 per cent. February’s sales included 1,028 in the residential-property class,...
Ottawa's Public Library Did you know that the new Ottawa Public Library - Library and Archives Canada Facility is set to be one of the country's most sustainable buildings? On February 8, 2021, Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of...
So pleased to support the Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition If you would like to participate in the Green Heart Challenge, here is how: Make a donation to the KGPC during the month of February and help support the fight to Save Our Greenspace. Simply print off a...
OTTAWA, February 3, 2021 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 964 residential properties in January through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 778 in January 2020, an increase of 24 per cent. January’s sales included 674 in the residential-property class,...
Is it your refuge, or do you need a change? If you decide you need more space or different use of space start your search early. It is important to balance the emotional and practical sides of buying a home. We need to know how much...
Why do people decide to move? [caption id="attachment_24766" align="alignnone" width="430"] Thinking-of-Selling[/caption] 4 Good Reasons to Consider Selling Your Home Unless it’s a requirement, such as a job relocation, the research tells us that you, like many homeowners, may decide to sell at some point for one or...
OTTAWA, January 6, 2021 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) sold 1,002 residential properties in December through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 757 in December 2019, an increase of 32.4 per cent. December’s sales included 710 in the residential...
CMHC was initially set up after World War 2 to assist returning war veterans find housing. Its mandate since then has been expanded to assist in housing for all Canadians. While best known as a government agency providing insurance so that people with less than...
It is an honour to be part of this outstanding group as a Lifetime and Hall of Fame member of Royal LePage's Chairman's Club (the top 1% of 18,200 Royal LePage agents across Canada). It has been a hard year and we thank our clients for...
One of our local businesses that we are proud to support, Fortune Farms Maple syrup is a good welcoming gift for our Buyers and Sellers Fortune Farms (613) 256-5216 info@fortunefarms.ca Fortune Farms...
Winter Home Maintenance Checklist Tis the season to give, don’t forget your house! Seasonal and annual maintenance can go a long way to ensure there aren’t any surprises in cold winter days as well as help to maintain the value of your home. Furnace servicing...
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Our House to Your House! We will all remember 2020 as an unprecedented year. We are very thankful for where we live. As we continue to be diligent we are optimistic about the housing market with the continued low-interest rate...
OTTAWA, December 3, 2020 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,611 residential properties in November through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,284 in November 2019, a year over year increase of 26 per cent. November’s sales included 1,209 in...
It doesn’t matter if it is a slow market or a busy market. In a slow market it helps move the property. In a busy market it makes a big difference when it’s styled and staged. It changes the perceived value of the property. It’s a...
Home Renovations - How to approach A home renovation can yield significant return on investment when done with the right research and tools. Permits Some renovations you want to do will require you to apply for a building permit, and after expect a visit from a city...
OTTAWA, November 4, 2020 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 2,146 residential properties in October through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,604 in October 2019, a year over year increase of 34 per cent. October’s sales included 1,665 in...
Are you looking for something sweet to make with your kids, or for your Halloween evening? Click here to check out some spooky treats & recipes! We hope you have a fun and safe Halloween! ...
Beaverbrook originally named "Kanata" was changed when the boundaries were expanded. The large treed lots are sought after and there are top schools in this neighbourhood. Click here to learn more about the neighbourhood of Beaverbrook! Below is a map of properties we have sold in Beaverbrook...
Appeal court rules that unconditional offers to buy are binding. In a recent court case, the Ontario Court of Appeal reinforced that there is no "escape hatch" once you have made an unconditional offer. An "unconditional" offer is one that is made without conditions, such as the...
According to the Royal LePage House Price Survey Forecast released October 14, 2020, the aggregate price of a home in Canada increased by 8.6% year-over-year to $692,964 in Q3. Phil Soper, CEO of Royal LePage said “Most Canadians have sharply reduced spending on discretionary goods and services...
We hope you and your family have a fantastic Thanksgiving! Take time to have fun outside and enjoy your special dinner! ...
Ottawa Real Estate Market On The Move. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Take time to have fun outside and enjoy your special dinner. The Fall market has continued to be strong and demand is still outweighing supply in many neighbourhoods. The average market price is still out performing last year's market and provided...
OTTAWA, October 5, 2020 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 2,329 residential properties in September through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,547 in September 2019, a year over year increase of 51 per cent. September’s sales included 1,759 in...
We are excited to welcome Mr. Mark Carney as an addition to Royal LePage's leadership team at Brookfield. Mr. Carney will bring with him plenty of knowledge and experience as he is an internationally renowned financial executive and an advocate for economically sustainable climate change action. Brookfield...
Guide to Successful Home Selling You are preparing your home for showing and are wondering, “What will potential purchasers be looking for?” The answer is easy. Their priorities will be virtually identical to those you would have if you were looking for a home. Click here to read...
How to Prepare Your Air Conditioner for Fall With the cooler fall temperatures approaching, it's time to start prepping your air conditioner. To ensure the unit is in good condition for next year, below are some simple ways to maintain your AC unit. Monitor Temperature Gauge Keep an...
OTTAWA, September 3, 2020 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 2,017 residential properties in August through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,725 in August 2019, a year over year increase of 17 per cent. August’ sales included 1,576 in...
Home prices in Canada outstripped rest of G7 over the last 15 years According to a new analysis by industry information portal Better Dwelling, Canadian real estate prices have grown nearly 3 times the rate of any G7 country over the last 15 years. Annually, national real...
Look what we have sold in Bridlewood & Emerald Meadows Note: red squares represent all properties listed or sold by Joan Smith since 1996. Click Here to view a full list of homes we have sold in your neighbourhood! Your home is usually your biggest investment in your...
No doom and gloom in store for Canadian real estate. The market for July was strong and we are expecting the market to continue being strong and generally follow the opening of the economy. The prices of homes have improved year over year, an average 15.7% increase...
OTTAWA, August 7, 2020 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 2,189 residential properties in July through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,838 in July 2019, a year over year increase of 19 per cent. July’s sales included 1,646 in...
Canadian real estate is far from "doom and gloom" In an interview with The Financial Post, Phil Soper, CEO of Royal LePage, and Sotheby's CEO Don Kottick touched on the current real estate market and highlighted the major role that housing inventory will play after the...
A Reserve Fund Study is a forecasting tool designed to help the Condo Board prepare for major repair and replacement projects for a property. It determines how much money needs to be in the fund to ensure that the repairs can be paid for in...
When shopping for a new home, everyone wants to find a property that has it all. Some homebuyers become so fixated on finding the "perfect" home that they pass too quickly on homes that don't measure up...
I am very proud to congratulate Luc celebrating 15 years, Victoria celebrating 10 years, and Megan celebrating 2 years, and their support in the success of the Joan Smith Real Estate Family! ...
According to the Royal LePage House Price survey and Market Survey Forecast, the price of a home in Canada increased by 6.8% year-over-year to $673,072 in the second quarter. Demand surged in many markets once provinces allowed regular real estate activity to resume. Royal LePage...
OTTAWA, July 6, 2020 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 2,052 residential properties in June through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 2,096 in June 2019, a year over year decrease of 2 per cent. June’s sales included 1,622 in...
We hope you’re enjoying the summer so far. Things are slowly starting to get better and it’s encouraging to know that our collective efforts over the past few months are paying off. While we’re not out of the woods yet, we are seeing progress. As things continue...
We have fantastic Summer weather this weekend to celebrate the Fathers in our lives. Win Dad's heart and make him a meal he will love! The Food Network posted an article with 50 Father's Day recipes that we wanted to share with you! Click Here to...
We are all in this together and doing our very best to conduct business safely. The market in April was slow and we were all getting used to the necessary changes. The good news is May has been much better and hopefully the market will strengthen as we continue...
OTTAWA, June 3, 2020 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,345 residential properties in May through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 2,410 in May 2019, a decrease of 44 per cent. May’s sales included 1,066 in the residential property...
The Victoria Day long weekend is here and the weather will be great to enjoy some quality time outdoors. The long weekend this year will be different, but there is still plenty of things you can do to make the most out of it. This week...
In these tough times, there are lots of women and mothers in less fortunate situations. Emergency women's shelters across Canada providing safe shelter to women and children fleeing from domestic violence have been greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Operational costs for shelters are up...
OTTAWA, May 5, 2020 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 913 residential properties in April through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 2,025 in April 2019, a decrease of 55 per cent. April’s sales included 700 in the residential-property class,...
Once you have attracted potential buyers into your home with curb appeal, and impressed them with cleanliness and absence of clutter, the next step in obtaining the best possible price for your home is to develop a plan so that you can react to offers...
Mortgages are still being funded, but lenders are being extra careful right now particularly when it comes to income. Don't be surprised if your mortgage provider asks for all income documents to be provided as part of the application process. Also, don't be surprised if...
Prescott-Russell Food Hub United Counties of Prescott-Russell have decided to proceed with a $36 million partnership to build an "innovative food hub". This hub will be used for processing and distributing meat and vegetables from farms in the area for local and national markets. Councillors voted...
Innovative COVID-19 Testing - University of Ottawa Heart Institute Health Canada approved the use of the Spartan Bioscience portable COVID-19 test in the past week. This innovative test is the world's smallest DNA analyzer that can produce results in less than an hour. It all started with...
National Home Prices to Show Resilience in 2020 According to the Royal LePage House Price Survey and Market Survey Forecast released April 14, 2020, the aggregate price of a home in Canada is expected to remain stable through the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are some points from the...
Spring Cleaning Checklist Spring cleaning isn't just for inside the house, take it outside and get some fresh air. Cleaning up the outside of your home and getting ready for Spring can get you motivated to plant and grow your favourite herbs and vegetables, and spend...
