Notes from the Ottawa market

Most buyers decide how they feel about a house within a minute of walking in. Here's what they notice first, from the front step to the light switches.

The City has swapped R zones for N zones, dropped parking minimums and allowed more units on ordinary lots. Here's what that changes for the home you own, or the one you're about to buy.

Inventory is up. Multiple offers are down. Here's what's happening in Ottawa right now, and what it means if you're thinking of buying or selling this spring.

Most sellers do too much or too little before listing. Here's how to separate useful prep from expensive projects that rarely pay back.

Losing an offer is disappointing, although most first-time buyers go through it at least once. Here's how to regroup and make your next offer stronger without overpaying.

I grew up in Ottawa's East End and still work all over it. Here's my honest take on Beacon Hill and Orléans, including who tends to love living out here.

Two homes that look the same from the street can be owned in completely different ways. Here's what freehold, condo and POTL mean, so you know which one you're buying before you fall in love with a listing.

Why is this condo fee so high? It's one of the questions I hear most from condo buyers, so here's what goes into a fee and how to tell a healthy one from a warning sign.

A home inspection is one of the most useful tools a buyer has, although few people know exactly what it covers. Here's what's included, plus the separate inspections some homes need on top of it.

Buyers plan carefully for a down payment, then get caught off guard by everything else due at closing. Here's what to set aside.