Ottawa House Hunting - What is moving in Alta Vista
For the period January 1 through May 31, 2008, the following listings and sales were recorded on the Ottawa Real Estate Board multiple listings for properties in the MLS areas 3601 through 3609 (this does not include Elmvale Acres):
| Residential Properties – Detached (127), Row (20), Semi(8) |
| 155 Listings Available |
| 100 Sold |
| 0 Conditionally Sold |
| 55 Active |
| For the 100 properties sold: |
| The average number of days on the market was 25 with a range from 0 to 126 |
| The average price paid was $420,009 with a range from $230,000 to $905,000 |
| The average Sell Price to List Price ratio was close to 98% |
| Condominium Properties - Apartments (57) |
| 57 Listing Available |
| 30 Sold |
| 0 Conditionally Sold |
| 27 Active |
| For the 30 properties sold: |
| The average number of days on the market was 37 with a range from 0 to 155 |
| The average price paid was $294,917 with a range from $135,000 to $454,000 |
| The average Sell Price to List Price ratio was 97% |
Ottawa House Hunting - What is moving in Old Ottawa South
For the period January 1 through May 31, 2008, the following listings and sales were recorded on the Ottawa Real Estate Board multiple listings for Old Ottawa South, including Rideau Gardens:
| Residential Properties – Detached (40), Row (12), Semi(13) |
| 65 Listings Available |
| 44 Sold |
| 1 Conditionally Sold |
| 20 Active |
| For the 44 properties sold: |
| The average number of days on the market was 24 with a range from 0 to 174 days |
| The average price paid was $462,766 with a range from $275,300 to $745,000 |
| The average Sell Price to List Price ratio was close to 100% |
| Condominium Properties - Apartments (7) |
| 7 Listing Available |
| 6 Sold |
| 0 Conditionally Sold |
| 1 Active |
| For the 6 properties sold: |
| The average number of days on the market was 41 with a range from 1 to 81 days |
| The average price paid was $284,317 with a range from $224,900 to $326,000 |
| The average Sell Price to List Price ratio was 99% |
| Multiple Family Dwellings - None |
Neighbourly Ottawa -To Be or Not To Be - in Blackburn Hamlet
Spend some time thinking about a move to Blackburn Hamlet.
The “Hamlet” is one of two neighbourhoods completely surrounded by National Capital Commission Greenbelt and other non-residential property.. The other is Bells Corner. Imagine that part of your drive home is through some greenbelt areas. Access is via Innes Road which cuts through the Hamlet or off the 417 to Montreal Road to Bearbrook. The closest neighbourhood is Chapel Hill.
Look for properties on MLS in areas 2301, 2302 and 2303.
If you like to cross country ski, run, walk, hike or bike, you will love living in Blackburn Hamlet. There are trails galore. This is a community of about 8,500 people who like to get out and enjoy life.
A family can live in one of many styles of affordable houses. In 2007 there were 55 MLS Listings that sold - 5 semi-detached, 19 row units and 31 detached houses. For these 55 units, the average unit had 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, listed at $277,955, sold for $272,729 and was on the market for 25 days.
Things are increasing in 2008. By mid-May, 10 properties were for sale and 17 were sold. Of those sold, the average list price increased to $316,665, average sold price $312,447 and the listing was on the market for an average of 20 days.
Photo Credit: Hamlet @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/deadyankee/2422165332/sizes/s/
Valerie Zinger ~ Ottawa, Canada ~ Ph. 613-723-5300 ~ Email vzinger@royallepage.ca
Ottawa House Hunting - What is moving in the Glebe
For the period January 1 through May 31, 2008, the following listings and sales were recorded on the Ottawa Real Estate Board multiple listings:
| Residential Properties – Detached (69), Row (5), Semi(18) |
| 92 Listings Available |
| 54 Sold |
| 3 Conditionally Sold |
| 35 Active |
| For the 54 properties sold: |
| The average number of days on the market was 35 with a range from 2 to 226 days |
| The average price paid was $579,525 with a range from $275,00 to $1,075,000 |
| The average Sell Price to List Price ratio was 98% |
| Condominium Properties - Apartments (22) |
| 22 Listing Available |
| 8 Sold |
| 0 Conditionally Sold |
| 14 Active |
| For the 8 properties sold: |
| The average number of days on the market was 41 with a range from 9 to 88 days |
| The average price paid was $535,363 with a range from $306,000 to $695,000 |
| The average Sell Price to List Price ratio was 98% |
| Multiple Family Dwellings - 3 |
| 3 Listing Available |
| 3 Active |
Neighbourly Ottawa - What a Vista!
Alta Vista is one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in Ottawa. It is made up of 10 smaller neighbourhoods, each built at different times and not all having the same price point. Alta Vista, in the larger sense is bounded by Bank Street on the west, Riverside on the north, St. Laurent on the east and Heron/ Walkley on the south. It is a big area with over 23,000 residents. There is a good description of Alta Vista on the Wikipedia site.
Why do people want to live in Alta Vista? Location and houses.
There is the proximity to downtown and to the 417. It has access to downtown that is up Bank Street, or up Main Street, or over to the 417 and back to Metcalfe or Kent, etc. etc. There is Billings Bridge Mall for shopping. Bank Street provides a myriad of shops, dog groomers, banking services and restaurants. For employees of the General Hospital the Riverside Campus, the Children’s Hospital and all other associates to the medical centre, living in Alta Vista is a commuter’s dream. For those on 20 minute call, Alta Vista provides a way to sleep at home and still make it to the hospital on time.
The homes in Alta Vista were, for the most part, built in the 50s, 60s and early 70s. Foundations are often concrete block. Electrical is 60 or 100 amps. The 25 year shingles are at 30 or 40 years and need replacing. There might be damp in the basements. There will almost certainly be a bar and wood or mock wood panelling in the homes still inhabited by the original owners. Expect to see a fair amount of teak furniture still in mint condition carefully maintained by the original purchaser. For anyone with the time and talent to fix up a home, Alta Vista is the answer. The yards are a very nice size with room to grow a garden, have a pool or multi-level decking. The cedar hedge is fundamental greenery in Alta Vista. Many of these houses are bungalows. This is attractive to the Boomers who are seeing future knee and hip issues.
Five years ago, I spent many weekends looking for a house in the Alta Vista area. I love the trees, proximity to downtown, number of parks and the restful nature of the neighbourhoods. What I could not find then were homes that had been updated and in my price range. I am not a “project house” person and felt, at that time, as though I had done my bit for house updating at my house in the Glebe. What I wanted, I could not find. Today, there are many houses that would meet my criteria.
Statistically speaking, from January 1, 2008 to May 19, 2008 for the Alta Vista area, MLS areas of 36 and 37 (including the neighbourhoods of Applewood Acres, Elmvale Acres, Faircrest, Guildwood Estates, Playfair Park, Rideau Park, Urbandale, Sheffield Glen, Eastway Garden, Industrial Park, Riverview Par, Alta Vista and Hawthorne Meadows whew) there were:
| Residential Properties – Detached (166), Row (14), Semi(9) |
|
189 Properties Listed |
|
117 Sold |
|
8 Conditionally Sold |
|
64 Active |
| For the 117 properties sold: |
| The average number of days on the market was 19 with a range from 0 to 99 days |
| The average price paid was $370,573 with a range from $201,00 to $905,000 |
| The average Sell Price to List Price ratio was 98% |
| Condominium Properties - Apartments (42) and Row Units (12) |
|
54 Properties Listed |
|
16 Sold |
|
7 Conditionally Sold |
|
31 Active |
| For the 16 properties sold: |
| The average number of days on the market was 27 with a range from 2 to 65 days |
| The average price paid was $246,125 with a range from $135,000 to $430,000 |
| The average Sell Price to List Price ratio was 96% |
Statistics from the Ottawa Real Estate Board Multiple Listings.
There will always be a market for homes in Alta Vista.
Valerie Zinger ~ Ottawa, Canada ~ Ph. 613-723-5300 ~ Email vzinger@royallepage.ca
Neighbourly Ottawa - Why “Old” Ottawa South?
Yes, the community is old but it is difficult to imagine a community so close to the centre of Ottawa being called Old Ottawa South. Why?
Southerly. For the longest time the area was called Ottawa South but as the suburbs grew further and further south, the community added “Old” to Ottawa South to distinquish it from areas further south. This community is bordered by the Rideau Canal on the north (separating it from the Glebe) and the Rideau River on the south. On the west side is the continuation of the canal and on the east is Main Street.
Old Ottawa versus the Glebe. Old Ottawa South is a wonderful place to live. You can hear the little jibes that go on between the Glebe and Ottawa South. In Old Ottawa, the houses are a bit younger. The most telling architectural feature is that so many of the houses were built with verandas. So, unlike the Great Glebe Garage Sale, Old Ottawa South has the Porch Sale. The proximity to Carleton University means that there is a seasonal influx of students living in the neighbourhood. The Mayfair Theatre has managed to keep open with the large student population and the university faculty being so near. It is a bargain evening.
Laundry, shopping and relaxing. When we first moved to Ottawa, we rented the second floor of a house on Hopewell. I still have “fond” memories of sitting in the Majestic Laundromat on Bank with a tall cafe latte grande - to see me through the process on a Sunday morning. While sitting in a laundromat may sound like a couple of hours of boredom, it was one sure way of getting all the clothes washed, dried and folded in the shortest time possible. In addition to the laundry, there is an excellent library branch, a wonderful kitchen shop called Grace in the Kitchen and pubs and places to eat. The May Court, a well run hospice, is located in Ottawa South. Almost every picture in my home has been framed and re-framed at a shop called Framed . I love their little knick knacks and the service. There is a lot to see and shops to visit.
Antiques in Old Ottawa South. The area is well known for the number of antique stores. Some may think that that is why it is called
Old Ottawa South
Valerie Zinger ~ PH. 613-723-5300 ~ Email vzinger@royallepage.ca
Neighbourly Ottawa: Hail Britannia
Valerie Zinger would love to list your home in Britannia.
Where else can you live in Ottawa, be a 15 minute drive from the office and go swimming at the beach every morning in the summer before driving to work? Hail Britannia. This was once a cottage community for the people of Ottawa. Now, it is home to Britannia Park, Britannia Village and greater Britannia. This is a neighbourhood with a collage of low and high income housing, parks, apartment blocks, town homes, new builds and former cottages now renovated to year round homes.
Located on the west side of Ottawa. The area is bounded by Richmond Road, the Ottawa River, conservation areas and Carling Avenue. From the top of Carling there is a spectacular view across the Ottawa River of the Gatineau Hills.
Britannia has a sense of being a village. While I hosting an Open House in February, the visitors all commented on the wonderful location. Almost every visitor was from the area and looking to find a newer home in the neighbourhood that they refused to leave. This says a lot about Britannia.
Shopping is close, mostly along Richmond Road. With 5 bus routes going in and around Britannia, there is no need to worry about downtown parking. If you want to bike, and in Ottawa most people do bike, the bike path goes through the park and goes along the river for 12 kms to the Parliament Buildings. Ottawa has an amazing network of bike paths. While the picture below was taken at Dows Lake, I chose it because it is such a good photo of the bike paths.
Britannia Park, a draw for people all over the city, has two beaches, tennis courts, concession stand, a banquet hall and close to the Britannia Yacht Club. It is a city oasis. People love living in the homes bordering the park. While it is quiet in the winter, dog walkers and cross country skiers abound, the summer brings life, laughter and fun to the area. My first introduction to Britannia Park was the company picnic - with baseball, beach volleyball, sand castle building and karaoke contests. It is a wonderful place to visit and have fun.
Come See the Wonder of Britannia
Photo credit: Bicycle Friendly City by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/laserstars/502593231/
Valerie Zinger ~ Ph. 613-723-5300 ~ email: vzinger@royallepage.ca
Neighbourly Ottawa - Sandy is Dandy
Ottawa Real Estate Neighbourhoods: Sandy Hill
If you are looking to buy a house in Ottawa, Sandy Hill might be just what you are looking for.
The Neighbourhood. This neighbourhood is bounded by the Rideau River on the east, the Rideau Canal on the west, Rideau Street on the north and the Queensway / 417 on the south. This is a very eclectic neighbourhood. The hilly and sandy soil means buildings are low. The variety of housing is huge.
Approximately 12,000 people and 30 embassies. Many of the large estate homes, built in the early part of the 20th century, have been converted for use as Embassies. It is interesting to walk in the area and see the flags of these countries flying. One conversion, that I like, is the facility now used for the Cordon Bleu Cooking School . The house construction began in 1874 by Scottish lumberman James Mather. It has gone through many uses and conversions and continues to be a beautiful building.
Sandy Hill for higher education. The University of Ottawa, sitting on the west side of Sandy Hill, is the draw for student housing. Faculty live in the area as do people wanting the ability to walk downtown or to the Byward Market for work and pleasure. The more expensive housing is generally located on the east side, near the Rideau River. House hunting here is fun because every type of housing is available with many wonderful and sometimes quirky features behind those closed doors. Be ready of surprises.
Photo credit: IMG_1472 on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lachlansands/2142131187/
Valerie Zinger ~ Ph. 613-723-5300 ~ vzinger@royallepage.ca
Neighbourly Ottawa - Be “Civic” Minded
The Civic Hospital - MLS District 4504.
Location. The Civic Hospital Area is bounded by the Queensway / 417 on the north, Bayswater on the west, Carling Avenue on the south and Island Park Drive on the west. Driving downtown takes 8 minutes from starting the car to parking. Simply by walking to Preston Street or Wellington Avenue you will have over 3 dozen options of where to dine.
Neighbourhood. There is a feeling of true neighbourhood - wide tree-lined streets with houses set several feet apart and yards varying in size from infill lots to property that extends from one street through to the next. This is a friendly neighbourhood where people know their neighbours. Help is available just by asking. I am surprised at the number of neighbourhood parties from a friendly drop by for wine to Christmas and Canada Day events.
Knock Knock. Who is there? Many single people and young families have moved into the neighbourhood. As families grow, people are renovating rather than moving out of the Civic Hospital area. Some homes were built in the early part of the 20th century while others are currently under construction. A new trend is to buy, level and build. There is a range of housing from condos, multiple family and large and small homes.
It’s the big one, Elizabeth. You cannot ignore the hospital as part of the community. I have told my husband how comforting it is to know how close the Heart Institute is as we get older. I will be able to just wheel him up the hill in one of our office chairs and save the bother of waiting for an ambulance. About those sirens, there are none. Ambulances turn off the sirens so that they don’t wake up the hospitalized. It is very quiet.
Valerie Zinger ~ Ph. 613-723-5300 ~ vzinger@royallepage.ca
Neighbourly Ottawa - My Hint about Hintonburg
According to the April 2007 enRoute Magazine, Hintonburg is one of the top ten emerging neighbourhoods in Canada.
Opportunity knocks. This is a neighbourhood undergoing change.
Where. Hintonburg is bordered by the O-Train line on the east, the transitway on the north, Holland Avenue or Island Park Drive (depending on who is doing the definition) on the west and the Queensway / 417 on the south.
Get back to Hintonburg. You can get home from downtown in less than 10 minutes by car, be back from your cottage in the Gatineau cottage country by crossing the Pont Champlain / Island Park Drive bridge or crossing the Pont Chaudière, a little further east. If you are out in Kanata or in Orleans, your exit is at Parkdale and minutes later, you are home. Wellington, the main street through Hintonburg brings you directly back from the Parliament Buildings when you go west and back from Westboro when you go east. This is a great location, accessible from all parts of the city.
Be ready.Hintonbury is at the edge of revitalization. According to the April 2007 enRoute Magazine, Hintonburg is one of the top ten emerging neighbourhoods in Canada. Old houses, new condos, infill housing, the Parkdale Market, the Urban Element and the Great Canadian Theatre Company provide just some of the mix - old and new.
Now serving 7,500 people. The Hintonburg Community Association is active and ensuring that the needs of the community are being addressed. Residents of Hintonburg live in single family, multiple family homes, condos and apartments. This has been a mature stable area since it was established in the late 1800s and now finds itself going through change. The growth in demand for condos in the urban areas has resulted in construction on available land in Hintonburg. People are looking to move to Hintonburg.
Like the Glebe, housing will be upgraded as young professionals and people in the arts see the opportunities to renovate and make this community their home.
Take a look at Hintonburg (MLS Map Districts 4202 and 4203).
Valerie Zinger ~ Ph: 613-723-5300 ~ vzinger@royallepage.ca
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Welcome
My name is Valerie Zinger. I am a Realtor in Ottawa. I look forward to listing your property or helping you find your home.
Phone: 613-723-5300 Click here to contact Valerie by Email at:
vzinger@royallepage.ca -
