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Settling Into Your New Home

6 Things To Do Before Settling Into Your New Home

Buying a home is an exciting time for both new home buyers and experienced buyers alike. It is a fresh start, with new walls to build your life within. However, once the move begins, things can feel stressful, frantic, and exhausting, especially if there’s extra work to be done while boxes are being piled one on top of another. To make your transition go smoothly, we have compiled a list of 6 things to do before settling into your home. This will undoubtedly save you time and energy that could be put to better use come moving day.

Update Your Information
Before officially moving into your new home, you should begin updating your address on your driver’s license, OHIP card, banking information, and any other services that require your place of residence on file. Additionally, you will want to inform your insurance providers to ensure that your home insurance is transferred and appropriate for your new home coverage. You will also want to touch base with utility companies before you move so that your home has electricity and gas set up under your accounts. Lastly, have any internet, phone, or television service providers in to get your systems up and running, primarily if you rely on a good connection to work from home. See here for a change of address checklist, to ensure you don’t miss informing anyone.

Make Your New Home Shine
Before the big day comes, set aside some time or hire a company to complete a deep clean of the home. Ensure high-touch surfaces are disinfected, carpets are steam-cleaned, appliances are cleaned out, and that every nook and cranny is spotless and ready for a new life. If the home’s colours aren’t in line with your decor or aesthetic, or you want to rid the home of any lingering smells from pets or smoke, take this time to add a fresh coat of paint to the walls. By the time you move in, it will feel like you were the first family ever to own the home, and the hustle of moving-day will be a breeze. 

Make a home maintenance schedule
Home maintenance should never be something you skip on when it comes to homeownership. Keeping a regular schedule will ultimately help you protect your investment, and hopefully, minimize any high-cost repairs you may have to do. You can begin the work for this as early as your home inspection report comes in, as it might contain suggestions for work or repairs that should be completed.

Create and organize a filing system for any manuals or instructions, with clear outlines on how frequently you should have large items or appliances serviced or replaced and when to conduct seasonal maintenance. This is also an excellent opportunity to do your research and find a list of local plumbers, electricians, exterminators, landscapers, or snow removal companies that you may need to use in the future. 

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

It is good practice for every homeowner to frequently check both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are in good working order. Before moving into your home, checking or replacing existing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors or their batteries should be one of the first items to check off your list. Home Safety experts recommend changing the batteries every 6 months, so make sure to mark it on your calendar for semi-annual maintenance to be completed. If you are unsure how to test your systems, your local fire department may have some tips or offer free inspections.

Change Your Locks

Getting keys in hand for your new home on closing day is easily one of the best feelings when buying a new house. Everything is real, and a new adventure is about to begin. But for safety reasons, the passing on of keys should stay ceremonial. You never know how many copies of your house keys have been made and how many people may still have them in hand. This can be an easy fix by installing new deadbolts yourself or by calling a locksmith in to do it for you. Make sure if you get copies made that you only give them to necessary persons, and write them down, so you don’t lose track. 

Get Familiar With Your Home

Once you become a homeowner, it is essential to get familiar with the systems in your home. Take the time to understand how everything works. Locate the furnace, air conditioning system, circuit breaker, and the home’s main water shut-off valve. Take note of these things during your walkthrough with your REALTOR ® or home inspector, and once in your home, inspect them yourself or hire someone to do a secondary inspection with you so that you know how best to care for your home and protect your investment. 

Happy Easter!

Wishing you a lovely and safe Easter weekend from The Agent DK family to yours! We hope the Easter Bunny leaves you lots of chocolate! 🐰✨🌸

HELLO SPRING!

What a beautiful day in Ottawa! In the next few weeks, flowers will be sprouting up, and we’ll hear countless birds chirping and see them flying overhead on a regular basis. We’ll watch the rain fall poetically to renew the Earth surrounding us, and maybe we’ll take the kids and their laughter outside to jump in puddles afterward. Our walks throughout the neighborhood will require less layers with each passing week, and hopefully our fears will shed as well as we see hope continuing on all around us. We all need this shift in season and we hope that we see more positive changes ahead.

Happy International Women’s Day!

This year, the International Women’s Day organization’s message is “A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change. So let’s all choose to challenge. How will you help forge a gender equal world? Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality.” At Royal LePage & The Agent DK Team, we celebrate women like yourself by raising awareness and celebrating their achievements. The Agent DK Team is proud to celebrate the Powerful Women on our team: Dani, Mel, Alena, Silvi, Freda & Xena! They are constantly moving goals and aspirations forward.

We are lucky to have them as part of our team!

How are you celebrating Women International’s Day? Celebrate International Women’s day with these events!

What Kind of House are you?

Buying a home is an exciting time for you, and there are so many choices when it comes to housing styles, are you a bungalow, a stacked condo, a single-family dwelling? Each of these styles of homes can be found in neighbourhoods with different characteristics, making it essential to determine which one is most representative of your wants, needs and abilities. Understanding the importance of lifestyle and personality traits and how they work best with different types of neighbourhoods can save you from the dreaded “Buyer’s Remorse.” So whether you are a working professional, retiree, or if you’ve got a large family, take a look at the list below and determine which style of house you are before handing over that downpayment.

Wondering what style of house you are? Find out here.

Featured Community – Westboro

Welcome to Westboro

Westboro is a culture-filled, fun, and lively community located just west of Ottawa’s downtown core, with a population of around 23,000. Scenic views of the Ottawa River and Gatineau Hills, trendy shops, restaurants, and lots of outdoor space make it is easy to see why this picturesque neighbourhood is such a highly sought after place to call home. Residents of the area feel a sense of community pride, which they show by participating and hosting many community events. Westborites do not hesitate to show their warm, welcoming attitude that highlights this charming village true spirit.

Could moving to Westboro be Right For You?

This trendy neighbourhood close to the city centre is replete with local businesses, shops and restaurants. Teeming with spaces for outdoor activities and fresh air make it a wonderful urban village setting for those who live here and those visiting. 

Commuting from Westboro can feel like a dream with its eco-friendly travel on the LRT. For those who prefer a more scenic commute, the Western Parkway runs along the Ottawa River, and for health enthusiasts, there are bike paths. An effortless connection to the Queensway (Ottawa’s main east-west thoroughfare) can take you across the city in no time.  

With its wide sidewalks and plenty of parking, Richmond Road is the primary retail strip offering a wide variety of shops and services. Unique storefronts, together with a high walkability score, give this charming neighbourhood everything you need to feel the quaintness of a small town despite the proximity to the core of busy downtown Ottawa.

Reasons to move to Westboro

Scenic community bordering the Ottawa River, with views of Gatineau Hills.
Welcoming residents and a sense of community spirit felt by owners, renters, and visitors alike.
Urban revitalization with many new condo developments and infill housing and restorations.
Proximity to the city’s downtown core.
Local schools, over 200 shops, pharmacies, and restaurants.
Variety of homes available, early twentieth century homes, along with newer developments for owners and renters.

Westboro residents and their trendy, urban lifestyle.

Westboro is a mature neighbourhood with tree-lined streets and a mix of mid-century and new- infill homes and luxury condominium buildings.   The residents of this neighbourhood differ in ages and stages of life, with lots of retirees, young families, and business professionals residing within its borders. There is a sense of togetherness when it comes to why they chose Westboro as their home. It has something for everyone from its whimsical, active, small-town feel with amenities, transportation, and local businesses and its proximity to the scenic Ottawa River and Gatineau Hills. Residents and visitors take advantage of the Ottawa River trails for running, cycling, and rollerblading. It is clear that people of all lifestyles greatly enjoy their home and place in this active community and are welcoming towards newcomers looking to settle in.

Residents of Westboro 

Westboro is one of the true gems of Ottawa, perfectly situated at the heart of our community. The Ottawa River continues to be a focal point of the neighbourhood. The combination of fascinating history, beautiful tree-lined streets, proximity to the Ottawa river, bike paths and unequalled cultural and culinary opportunities makes it truly unique. 

Westboro caters to all interests and activities. It has everything from beautifully painted wall murals, sidewalk statutes to outdoor sports. Shopping is outstanding, and the area has everything from camping and outdoor supplies to high fashion boutiques. You are never far from walking and bicycle paths along the Ottawa River. Looking for world-class dining, walk along Richmond road; you will find every kind of excellent restaurant to satisfy any palate.

Westboro is one of the most sought after and trendiest neighbourhoods in Ottawa and is a highly sought-after place to live. It is also extraordinary because many of its residents work within a short distance from home. They can commute by walking, riding their bike or using OC Transpo. It is a vibrant and lively community with a powerful spirit.

Events And Attractions

Are you looking for something to do in Westboro? This active community has an abundance of activities and attractions to keep its residents busy, stimulated, and on the move. Explore the community with the annual “Shop the Village Event,” where everyone receives a canvas bag of special offers and coupons and are encouraged to check out the shops within the community and hopefully scoop up some great local deals. Additionally, running until 2025, you can experience “La nature en Ville Westboro Nature Walk,” an outdoor photography exhibition put on by renowned wildlife photographer Michelle Valberg. Her photos wrap around 9 utility boxes from Golden Avenue to Island Park, providing culture, beauty, and art along Westboro’s streets. For musical entertainment, residents of Westboro enjoy Westfest every June. Westfest is an outdoor music festival featuring local Canadian performers. Secondary to the performers, there is also a market with local vendors, a kid zone with family-friendly activities and many other features that make this event worthwhile.

If you are looking for more ways to partake in the active lifestyle that the community offers, The Western Parkway, closes to traffic on Sundays throughout the summer to offer bike days to locals and visitors looking to enjoy the scenery. Westboro Beach is also a popular attraction, with year-round sunsets to take in and a tiki bar, grill, and live music at the Westboro Beach Cafe throughout the summer. Remic Rapids and Bates Island are also excellent stops to enjoy the natural beauty that Westboro offers.

Westboro’s Favourite Restaurants

Attention Foodies, Westboro is the town for you! Westboro offers an abundance of places to enjoy a meal, whether it be breakfast, brunch, lunch, supper or just a nice treat or coffee to enjoy. Start your day at the Baker Street Cafe, Savoy Brasserie, or Chez Francois for delicious and unique breakfast/brunch options. You may need to make a reservation, though, as these places are popular and usually fill up pretty quickly! Coffee Shops abound with options to satisfy even the most discriminating connoisseurs. Lunch options vary from the food truck “Bite This” pub lunches like Barley Mow and Clocktower, burgers from “The Works” and diners like Newport and Savoy Brasserie. For lighter options or vegetarian and vegan diets, Westboro is also home to Freshii and Pure Kitchen. Fine dining is offered at Gezellig, Lexington Smoke House and Fratelli’s. For those with a sweet tooth, you will find Batter up Bakery, Quelque-Chose of course, there is a Dairy Queen. With such a wide variety of wonderful places to eat in this village, you’ll be adjusting your budget in no time to make room to try all of these dine-out options.

If you’re looking to buy or sell in Westboro, call The Agent DK Team at 613-883-5555, one of our Top Real Estate Agents are on standby to help you with all your Ottawa Real Estate Needs!

Ottawa’s Winterlude Feb 5-21, 2021

Fear not, Winterlude traditions continue! Although things look much different this year, Winterlude is still taking place – virtually! Stay cozy this weekend and enjoy this unique version of one of our favourite Ottawa festivals. ❄️ Click here to learn more!

Hello February!

Can you believe we have already made it to the second chapter of 2021? As we welcome February, the beautiful month of romance, we wish you a wonderful 28 days filled with hope, resilience, and love.

Featured Community: Orleans

Living in Orleans

Neighbourhood | Learn About Life in Orléans | Avalon - Minto Communities

Orleans is a beautiful neighbourhood, located on the east end of Ottawa. The most populous suburb in the Ottawa area, Orleans is home to over 107,000 residents. It’s among the fastest growing neighbourhoods in Ottawa and is home to both English speaking and French Canadians. Experts rank it as one of the most welcoming and friendly neighbourhoods in Canada.

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Orleans Housing

The neighbourhood has experienced rapid development in recent years. Ottawa real estate agents believe that despite the fluctuations in the market, buying a home in Orleans is definitely a sound investment. Property prices are projected to increase in the future, so anyone who buys now can reap the benefits later on.

The Orleans market is also filled with great homes available for rent.  There are several elementary and secondary schools located within Orleans.

Orléans Jobs and Employment

The labour market in Orléans consists of a mix of government employees, and employees in the fields of business, finance, sales, as well as some trades. In recent years, city counsellors have been lobbying for large corporations to find a home in the east end. Most residents must commute to the downtown core, resulting in heavy traffic congestion during peak hours.

Commercial growth in the area originally started along St. Joseph Boulevard and later included Place d’Orléans, a large shopping centre with over 175 stores. Now, the commercial hub of the suburb is Innes Road. which features many restaurants, box stores and a movie theatre.

Is Orléans A Safe Neighbourhood?

Orléans is an extremely safe neighbourhood, which experiences a very low crime rate. It is considered the 4th safest neighbourhood in the city.

Shenkman Arts Centre - Homepage | Shenkman Arts Centre

Orléans Activities

The Elizabeth Manley skating rink at the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex is home to the Gloucester Skating Club and the Canadian Academy of Skating Arts. The Ray Friel Recreational Complex in the more eastern part of Orléans, includes a public library, an indoor wave pool, exercise facilities, a physiotherapy clinic, a sports store, a restaurant, two soccer fields and three skating arenas making it one of the main centres for recreation in Orléans.

In 2009, the Shenkman Arts Centre opened just east of Place d’Orléans. It is a multidisciplinary arts centre that houses a concert hall, black-box theatre, several art galleries and studio spaces for both visual and performing arts.

Along the Ottawa River in the north-east of Orléans, is the parkland of Petrie Island which has been converted into a large beach area. The second largest Canada Day party, following the celebrations on Parliament Hill, take place here every July 1.

Waterfalls of Ontario: Princess Louise Falls

There are also several nature trails and paths throughout the area and a beautiful waterfall near St-Joseph Boulevard.

Popular Neighbourhoods within Orleans:

Avalon:

The vast majority of Avalon residents are well educated and employed in various industries. Those who live in Avalon tend to commute into Ottawa’s more central areas for work, often relying on public transit. The OC Transpo bus service has multiple routes that run to and through Avalon, and city counsellors are pushing for Ottawa’s new Light Rail project to be extended into the suburb.

There are a number of retail and sales employment opportunities located in Avalon, or just outside of it.

Is Avalon a safe neighbourhood?

This area sees very little criminal activity and is in close proximity to the Ottawa Police East Division Station. Avalon is known to be an inclusive community, home to a large immigrant population and boasts one of the city’s newest mosques, the Masjid Bilal mosque on Innes Rd.

Avalon activities

Avalon residents happily make use of the numerous parks (including play structures, splash pads, skating rinks, etc.) located within the suburb. The area is within walking distance of the movie theatres, restaurants, pubs, box-stores and other commercial properties that line Innes Road—Orléans’ central commercial hub.

FALLINGBROOK:

Fallingbrook is a neighbourhood in Orléans, an east end suburb of Ottawa. The area is defined by a strong sense of community, two large high schools and the largest multi-use recreation complex in Ottawa’s east end. Below the community of Fallingbrook, flows the Ottawa River.

Fallingbrook Housing

Residential development of the area began in the mid-1980s. Since that time, the neighbourhood has experienced rapid growth. Now home to over 25,000 people, Fallingbrook is a top destination for families due to the numerous elementary and secondary schools in the area.

Fallingbrook Jobs and Employment

Many Fallingbrook residents will commute into Ottawa’s more central areas for work, which is made easy by the multiple OC Transpo bus service routes that run to and through the community. Orléans is included in the second phase of Ottawa’s Light Rail Transit project, which will make the suburb even more accessible.

Is Fallingbrook A Safe Neighbourhood?

The Fallingbrook Community Association plays a big part in bringing the town together, including overseeing the area’s Neighbourhood Watch Program.Ottawa’s east end, which includes Fallingbrook, is considered the 4th safest area in Ottawa, via the Ottawa Police’s statistics on crime.

Fallingbrook Activities

The Ray Friel Recreation Complex, located in Fallingbrook, is the largest and most comprehensive recreation complex in east Ottawa featuring three NHL size arenas, a fitness centre with over 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art training equipment, wave pool, whirlpool, sauna, physiotherapy clinic, daycare, Karate Dojo, pro shop, restaurant and coffee shop.

The Fallingbrook Community Association organizes an annual Canada Day celebration, and Summer festival each year.

One of Fallingbrook’s natural beauties is Princess Louise Falls that can be found on Princess Louise Drive. The falls are hidden by foliage from view and access is granted by pedestrian trails.

Fallingbrook is also close in proximity to Petrie Island beach.

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Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill is a quiet and green neighbourhood within the community of Orleans. Along with the surrounding rural area, it is bordered by the Greenbelt to the west. This neighbourhood provides a wonderful green space right next to the city – A great mix of suburban and urban amenities.

Chapel Hill consists of mostly single-family homes, with town housing and apartments available as well. This neighbourhood also has an exceptionally fun and active community.

As this neighbourhood is located on the east end of the city, closer to rural areas, it is somewhat car-dependent. Most errands require a car. But there are a few nearby public transportation options if one needs to access the bus routes of Ottawa. This area is also flat as a pancake, which makes it a perfect local for biking enthusiasts!

A cool feature of this neighbourhood:

The scenic and lush Heritage Park, and The Ottawa German Language School.

Featured Community – Kemptville

What a wonderful community to raise a family and a great place to call home. This Town is extremely community minded and they truly look after each other. The town boasts an abundance of nature trails, waterfront parks, fabulous sports facilities, restaurants, shopping, excellent schools, a local hospital, churches, golf courses, Long-Term Care and retirement residences, hardware stores, a number of grocery stores and pharmacies, doctors’ offices and clinics, with ample room for many new business owners to set up shop and the big box stores usually found in major cities are also located in the town. A short 30 minute drive to the Ottawa International Airport or via Rail has this Town connected with the world.

In recent years Ottawans have been flocking to this bedroom community which started out as a small piece of land with a sawmill. Lyman Clothier purchased his 100 acres and built his mill, and the town’s development took flight.

Home to roughly 4,000 residents, Kemptville is located in the Municipality of North Grenville with a population of 17,000, on the south branch of the Rideau River about 50 kilometres south of Ottawa and 30 minutes from the US Border. Kemptville can be accessed from Highway 416, exiting at Leeds and Grenville Road 43. The rural features combined with its various amenities has made Kempville the best-kept secret – but the word is out now, making it a very popular destination for families.

If you’re looking to buy or sell in Kemptville, call The Agent DK Team at 613-883-5555. Ranked Top Real Estate Agents in Ottawa – we are always ready to help you with all your Ottawa Real Estate Needs!

Things to do in Ottawa this Holiday Season!

The cold weather has arrived and many city residents are eager to get into the holiday spirit. Ottawa is host to many special events and traditions each winter, including a variety of light shows, displays, as well as Christmas crafts and food markets. You’ll easily be dazzled by the magic of the season. Here is just some of the special programming for you and your family to check out in Ottawa this winter!

Happy Hanukkah to all!

Happy Hanukkah to all! May love and laughter be in abundance as you enjoy your celebrations this year.

Featured Community – MANOTICK

Welcome to Manotick! Our featured community this month is Manotick. It is located in the South East area of Ottawa. https://www.teamrealty.ca/discover-life-in-manotick/

A beautiful rural area surrounds this picturesque community. The Rideau River is an integral part of the community.

Manotick is home to many historical sites and has a unique shopping experience. With the many amenities available along with the small-town charm, there is no doubt you will have it all living in this community. You will enjoy the little slice of Ottawa that you call home.

Want to know what’s currently for sale in Manotick? Click HERE for a list of properties for sale.

Looking to buy or sell in Manotick? Contact Ottawa’s Real Estate Team the AGENT DK TEAM at 613-883-5555 today!