Buying a home.
Listing alerts the day a home comes up, showings that fit your schedule and recent sale prices before you make an offer.
- Alerts
- Same day
- Showings
- 7 days a week
- Agreement
- In writing
- Fees
- In writing before you sign
What you get
Buying a home, step by step.
In west Ottawa, a well-priced semi can get several offers in its first week. We set up alerts that match what you want, book showings around your work hours, and tell you what similar homes sold for before you write an offer. We also flag the things a listing does not mention, such as knob-and-tube wiring or a basement that takes on water in spring.
- 01Same-day listing alerts from the MLS® System
- 02Evening and weekend showings
- 03Recent sales for every home you want to offer on
- 04Referrals to mortgage brokers, lawyers and home inspectors
- 05Help with conditions, deposits and closing dates
Street notes
What listings leave out.
Older homes in west Ottawa have a few common issues that a listing rarely mentions. We check for each one before you write an offer.
- 01
Knob-and-tube wiring
Common in houses built before about 1950. Many insurers ask about it. We ask the seller in writing and flag it for your inspector.
- 02
Water in the basement in spring
Fieldstone and older block walls can take on water when the snow melts. We look for stains, efflorescence and a sump pit, and ask when it was last wet.
- 03
A shared wall and roof
A semi shares a party wall and often a roof line. Ask when the neighbour last re-roofed and whether the two roofs were done together.
- 04
An old oil tank
Some older homes were heated with oil. A tank that is still there, or was buried, can affect your insurance. Ask for proof it was removed.
- 05
A lead water service pipe
Older homes can have a lead pipe between the street and the house. The City of Ottawa explains how to check and how to replace it.
- 06
Work without permits
A finished basement or a new deck should have a permit. We ask for them and check the City file when something looks new.
Listing alerts
New listings, the day they come up.
Alerts come from the MLS® System. You can search every listing on this site without an account. Sign up only if you want an email when a match comes up.
Questions
About buying a home.
Do I sign an agreement before you work with me?
Yes. In Ontario, a brokerage that works for you as a buyer does so under a representation agreement. We put ours in writing and go through it with you, including how long it lasts and how we are paid.
Can you tell me what a home next door sold for?
We can show you recent sale prices in a private report, as part of the advice we give you. We do not post them publicly without the consent of the people involved.
How much is your commission?
Commission is set by agreement between you and the brokerage, and we put it in writing before you sign a listing agreement. At the first meeting, we go through what it covers.