Neighbourly Ottawa - What a Vista!

Posted on May 22, 2008 
Filed Under Neighbourly Ottawa, Valerie Zinger

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

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