Findlay Creek sits off Bank Street south of Leitrim Road, between Riverside South and the airport lands. It is the newest large community in the city and it is still growing at the edges. Prices run $500K to $850K, and a lot of what sells is either a new build or a house young enough that the builder's warranty is still running.
What is here and what is coming
The plaza at Findlay Creek Village has the grocery store, the pharmacy and the coffee, and the community centre and the parks are new. What is not here yet: a main street, big trees, and the second wave of amenities a community gets once it has enough people to support them. Riverside South is the same story a few years further along. Barrhaven is the finished version, across the river and a fifteen-minute drive.
I would not pretend this is a downside for everyone. Some buyers want exactly this: a new house, new neighbours at the same stage of life, and a park that has not had time to get run down. If that is you, Findlay Creek does it well.
The commute
Leitrim station on Line 2 is the change that matters. It is at the north end of the community with a park-and-ride, and it gets you to Bayview and then downtown in about 40 to 45 minutes. Before it opened, Findlay Creek was a Bank Street drive and nothing else. Now it is a Bank Street drive or a train, and for a two-commuter household that is a real difference.
The drive is still Bank Street, and Bank Street from Leitrim to Hunt Club at 8 a.m. is slow. The Airport Parkway is the alternative and it is also slow. Plan on 35 to 45 minutes to downtown by car.
The airport
The airport is close. Some streets sit under an approach path and some do not, and the difference is a few hundred metres. Stand in the backyard for twenty minutes on a weekday before you write an offer. I have had buyers not care at all and I have had buyers walk away, and both were right for them. What I will not do is let you find out after closing.
Buying new versus buying nearly new
| New build from the builder | Resale, five years old | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The builder's list, plus upgrades, plus HST and closing adjustments that surprise people. | Whatever the market says that month. Often less than the builder for the same model. |
| What you get | Your finishes, a full warranty, and a construction site next door for a year or two. | Someone else's finishes, the rest of the warranty, a fence, a finished basement, grass. |
| The process | Deposits over months, a closing date that moves, a lot of paperwork. Read up on how a new build purchase works. | A normal purchase with an inspection and a firm date. |
I show both, and I have a mild preference for the five-year-old resale in Findlay Creek. The first owner paid for the fence, the deck and the basement, and the second owner rarely pays full price for them.
The fee question
Many Findlay Creek townhomes sit on a parcel of tied land, which means a monthly fee for the shared lane or the visitor parking. It is usually under $150. It also counts against you at the lender and needs to be in your budget from the start. Ask on every townhouse, and read what a parcel of tied land is if the term is new.
Who is happy here
First-time buyers who want a new house and are fine being at the edge of the city for now. Families upsizing from a condo or a small townhouse who want four bedrooms and a garage at a price that still works. Anyone who works at the airport or in the south end.
Who is not: buyers who want walkable, established, or close in. And I am careful with anyone who commutes to Kanata. That drive is an hour on a good day.
Selling in Findlay Creek
Your competition is the builder down the road and the four houses of the same model on the next street. Pricing means knowing what the builder is offering this month and what your upgrades are actually worth to a buyer, which is less than you paid for them. Ask for a real number.
Findlay Creek is a good place to buy your first house if you know what you are buying: new, growing, and a bit far. Tell me your budget and where you work and I will tell you whether it fits, or whether Riverside South or Barrhaven is the better version of the same idea for you.
Questions I get about Findlay Creek
Is Findlay Creek a good place to live?
For families and first-time buyers who want a new house, yes. New schools, new parks, Leitrim station and prices that still work. The trade-offs are distance, the Bank Street drive, and a community that is still filling in.
How much are homes in Findlay Creek?
Most sell between $500K and $850K. Townhomes start the range and the larger new singles end it. Builder prices move month to month, and I track them.
Is Findlay Creek close to the airport?
Yes, it borders the airport lands. Some streets are under a flight path and some are not. Visit the specific house on a weekday and listen before you offer.
How do you get downtown from Findlay Creek?
Line 2 from Leitrim station to Bayview, then Line 1, about 40 to 45 minutes. By car, Bank Street or the Airport Parkway, 35 to 45 minutes at rush hour.
Thinking about Findlay Creek?
New build or nearly new? Tell me your budget and I will show you both.