Ottawa Real Estate Overview

Ottawa's real estate market is fairly stable. It's neither increasing or decreasing in dramatic fashion, which is consistent with Ottawa's reputation as a city that doesn't like to shake things up.

According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board, the average selling price for all residential property types in March 2013 was $358,102 - an increase of 1.0% from March 2012.

Some popular neighbourhoods for families include Carlingwood and Kanata Lakes in the west end, Old Ottawa South, and the Glebe. Singles and childless couples might be more enticed by the closer proximity to urban attractions in the Downtown and Centretown areas.

Ottawa Population (2011)883,000
5 Year Population Change8.8%
Number of Homes in Ottawa370,000

Data source: Statistics Canada

Why Buy a Home in Ottawa?
Ottawa is Canada's capital and its fourth largest city. It enjoys a high standard of living and a low unemployment rate, with the third highest average gross income of all major cities in Canada.

Citizens of Ottawa enjoy the city's pristine appearance, its abundance of cultural attractions, and its proximity to Quebec. Ottawa was ranked by Mercer as having the second highest quality of living of any large city in the Americas, and as being the third cleanest city in the world. It is home to a number of museums and historical landmarks, and is officially bilingual.

Ottawa is a cultural mosaic, with around 20% of the population having immigrated from foreign countries. As Canada's cultural centre, it hosts a number of annual seasonal festivals and activities.
Explore Ottawa's Rich Cultural Heritage
The Ottawa River was widely used by the Algonquins for centuries for fishing and transportation. In the early 17th century, it was discovered by European explorers.

The first permanent settlement was established on the north side of the Ottawa River by Philemon Wright in 1800. The construction of the Rideau Canal in 1826 by Colonel John By gave the town its first name, Bytown. Bytown was renamed and incorporated as the city of Ottawa in 1855.

In 1857, Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the Province of Canada's newest capital for military and strategic reasons. It remains Canada's capital to this day.
Getting around in Ottawa
Ottawa's public transit system is known as the OC Transpo, and consists of eco-friendly hybrid buses and light rail rapid transit that service the entire city. Streets are clearly signed and arranged in a grid pattern for easy navigation by car. The Trans-Canada Highway passes right through the city, and Highway 5 and Highway 50 are just across the river in Quebec.

Walking around the city is surprisingly easy, with most major attractions in close proximity to one another. Ottawa also has an extensive network of bike paths stretching along the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal.
Shopping and Amenities
There are a number of shopping options available in Ottawa. The Rideau Centre, the Place d'Orleans, and the Bayshore Shopping Centre are three popular malls. If independent stores are more your thing, check out the many craft shops and boutiques in the ByWard Market and along Sparks Street.

Ottawa boasts more easily accessible golf courses per capita than any other Canadian city, including The Marshes and the Chateau Cartier. A number of other fitness and sporting facilities are available in the form of gyms, recreation centres, and arenas.

Ottawa has over 300 French- and English-speaking elementary and secondary schools, two universities, and a number of private and public colleges. It also has the largest bilingual library in North America.
Entertainment and Attractions in Ottawa
There's no shortage of attractions in Ottawa. In addition to Parliament Hill, Ottawa is home to several museums and galleries, such as the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian War Museum, the Canadian Museum of Nature, and the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

The heart of the nightlife scene is the ByWard Market, with its many bars and restaurants. The National Arts Centre showcases a number of music, dance, and theatre acts year-round.

Ottawa is a hockey town, so expect to be caught up in the Ottawa Senators fever during playoff season. And keep an eye out for the many festivals throughout the year such as Winterlude, Bluesfest, and the Ottawa Jazz Festival.