First impressions are important, and summer is arguably the best season to utilize curb appeal because all that natural sunlight and greenery put your property on full display. However, if you have left some aspects of the exterior off your to-do list when getting ready to sell, those flaws can be even more pronounced in the summer season.

That’s why putting your property’s best face forward in a busy summer market is crucial so you can stand out from the competition and attract more buyers. The good news is that you can do a few things to ensure that your property gets a lot of interest, many of which won’t take too much time or money.

Kanata Lakes, also known as the Marchwood-Lakeside neighbourhood, is a gem in the west end of Ottawa. There is plenty to do in the area, from enjoying the natural beauty of Canada’s capital to participating in sporting events and other recreational activities.

Whether you’re looking for family events or just want to explore on your own, there’s a little something for everyone. So, if you’re looking to spend a day in Kanata Lakes, here are some options you should add to your itinerary.

If you’re planning on selling your home soon and want to stand out as one of the best options on the market, you’ll have to appeal to a broad audience.

With the rise of sustainability and eco-friendly lifestyles, making some environmentally conscious upgrades to your home will ensure that you draw in buyers from all sides of the spectrum—those who are worried about their carbon footprint, those who enjoy new tech, and those who are just looking for a standard home that has everything they need.

When the winter season takes its yearly sabbatical and spring takes over, you may be tempted to ignore the mundane to take in the longer days and warmer weather.

However, if you don’t give your property the attention it deserves, it can create headache-worthy issues down the line that will eat up much more of your free time than simple home maintenance tasks.

So, if you want to enjoy the spring season and your home at the same time, you’ll want to prioritize some easy yet vital property maintenance jobs.

According to the Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Exposure, roughly 18% of Canadian homes have levels higher than what is deemed safe. Some regions are more affected than others, with places like Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick seeing higher rates of the radioactive gas than places like Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.

Other factors contribute to whether a home has a higher radon level, including whether it is in a rural or urban community and the design of the building. Since radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, those at risk should know how to test for radon levels and how to reduce them if they're too high.

Your home should be your safe space, and you’ve likely gone out of your way to ensure that your family is taken care of with items such as smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors, and security systems or locks. While not glamorous or high value-adding, these tools keep you safe from the elements or dangers of the outside world.

But there is another possible threat that you may not know about, and because of that, you are left vulnerable to its effects if it happens to make its way into your home. One specific harmful substance, known as radon, isn’t often on everyone’s radar, but it should be.

Many people may want to hibernate in the winter months, but if you’ve just bought your first home in Ottawa, you will want to explore your new city and all it has to offer. There is no shortage of things to do, from cheering on the Ottawa Senators or Ottawa 67s to hitting up Comic Con or the National Gallery of Canada. There’s a little something for everyone.

The Ottawa housing market has experienced rollercoaster-level ups and downs in the last few years. In 2023, the market was heavily volatile, but in 2024, recovery started to show that there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Now, in 2025, some new predictions are highlighting trends you’re likely to see take off this year in the real estate market, and if you can stay on top of the trends, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of the good ones while avoiding the consequences of the bad.

Here are four significant Ottawa real estate market trends you should watch this year.

Renovating can increase your home’s value significantly—or slightly—depending on the type of renovation, the current state of your home, and how much time and money you invest in it.

Not all renovation projects are the same, and knowing what to do and what not to do is the best way to ensure that any changes you make will come back to you when you sell and be up to code with local regulations.

The temperatures may be dropping, but that doesn’t mean you have to shy away from enjoying the great outdoors.

A good coat, pair of boots, and other winter staples will get you more than ready to brave the cold for some well-worth-it outdoor activities Ottawa has to offer.

From winter sports to walking trails, there is no shortage of ways to enjoy winter in all its glory when you live or visit Ottawa this season.

Owning a first home is a huge deal. Most new homeowners will remember the experience of going from renter to owner and finally getting all the boxes in the door for the rest of their lives.

For new homeowners, especially, giving them a gift that will help make the experience that much better is a great way to help them settle into their brand-new-to-them property. But what gifts are best when gifting new homeowners something they’ll love and use? We’ve got you covered.  

Selling during the holiday season is considered a bad time to put your home on the market, but you don’t always get to choose when it’s time to put a for-sale sign on your lawn. For example, relocating to a new job in the new year often means selling in the months leading up to the holidays.

Regardless of why you need to sell at the end of the year, there are ways to ensure that you take full advantage of the merry season and have the most lucrative selling experience.

Ottawa is a city filled with a rich history. As the capital of Canada, it has Parliament Hill, a national historic site. However, it isn’t just the official buildings that offer unique charm dating back to the 1800s. Many historic and heritage properties within the town lines give people a unique look into where the city came from and the architecture that lived through it all.

If you’re considering moving to Ottawa, you’ll probably want to get acquainted with everything the city offers. As the capital of Canada, Ottawa prides itself on its unique old-world charm and modern amenities, giving residents access to everything they need to enjoy their lives in a new city.

Buying a cottage or a rural property can be a great way to establish a home away from home or move to an area that offers the peace and quiet of living closer to natural landscapes.

With Ottawa's population growing, rural living is becoming increasingly popular as a way to avoid the disadvantages of having thousands of neighbours.

While there are many pros to buying a cottage or rural property, there are also some pitfalls that you should be aware of so that you don’t end up purchasing the secluded house of your dreams only to find out it’s a literal nightmare.

Heading into retirement can be both exciting and scary because of the newness of it all. For those living in the Ottawa area, retiring isn’t simply about ceasing to work; it’s about finding and creating a new life conducive to your current lifestyle, state of health, and financial situation.

That said, it’s not always easy to figure out the retirement landscape without a bit of help from people who know the city best. That’s why, if you’re an Ottawa resident who has retired or is gearing up to retire, there are some things you should know about retirement living in Canada’s capital. 

When people are looking to upgrade their home, they often spend a lot of time fixing up the most-used rooms in the house, such as the bathroom and kitchen. These updates, while often worth it in the long run, aren’t the only valuable options when it comes to improving your property.

In fact, there’s a whole outdoor space that you could invest in, and that can bring you more of a return than most think.

Landscaping the outdoor space of your home will not only improve how you view and enjoy your property. It’s also a potential selling point if you plan to move to a new property in the near or far future.