01 · Timing
Should you sell now, or wait?
There's no universal answer to this question, and anyone who gives you one without knowing your situation isn't being straight with you.
The right time to sell depends on your life, not the market. If you need to upsize, downsize, relocate, or unlock equity, those are real reasons. "The market is good right now" is not a strategy.
What we will tell you is this: Ottawa is a stable market. It doesn't spike the way Toronto does, and it doesn't crash the way some markets do. Government employment, a multicultural population, and steady in-migration keep demand relatively consistent year over year.
Spring
April to June
Peak selling season. Inventory is higher, buyer activity is higher, and well-priced homes move.
Summer
July to August
Steady activity with family-driven timing. Buyers who missed the spring market are still active.
Fall
September to October
Second peak season. Strong buyer activity and motivated sellers create ideal conditions.
Winter
December to January
Smaller buyer pool, but the buyers who are active in winter are serious.
If your home is ready and your price is right, there is no bad time to list in Ottawa. The market rewards preparation more than timing.
02 · Pricing
What your home is actually worth.
The most important section of this guide. Read it carefully.
Your home is worth what a qualified buyer will pay for it today. Not what you paid for it. Not what you've put into it. Not what your neighbour sold for two years ago.
What sets market value
- Recent comparable sales in your neighbourhood
- Current active listings
- Your home's condition relative to comparables
- Current Ottawa market conditions
What happens when a home is overpriced
- 01
The golden window is lost
The first two weeks are your best window. Overpriced homes get skipped by qualified buyers who know the market.
- 02
Momentum stalls
Showings slow. Agents and buyers start assuming something is wrong with the property.
- 03
Price reductions backfire
By the time you adjust, you've lost your best window, and buyers have leverage.
We will never tell you a number just to get your listing. That is one of the most common things agents do, and it is one of the worst things they can do to you.
Homes priced close to market value tend to sell faster and are more likely to draw competing offers. Overpriced homes take longer and often sell for less than they would have if they had been priced correctly from day one.
We will give you an honest Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). It is not always the number sellers want to hear. We give it to you anyway.
03 · Preparation
What actually moves the needle.
You do not need to renovate to sell. You need to present.
The goal is simple: help buyers picture themselves living there. That means clean, uncluttered, well-lit, and move-in ready. It does not mean granite countertops if you don't already have them.
The highest-return things you can do before listing
- 01
Deep clean everything
Including the things you stopped noticing: baseboards, light switches, windows, grout lines.
- 02
Declutter every room
Remove half of what is on every surface. Less is more when a buyer is trying to see the space, not your stuff.
- 03
Fresh neutral paint
If your current colours are dated or dark. Consistently one of the highest-return improvements a seller can make.
- 04
Fix obvious deficiencies
A dripping faucet, a broken closet door, a hole in the drywall. Buyers notice the small things and start mentally adding up what else might be wrong.
- 05
Curb appeal
In Ottawa, this means seasonally. A shovelled driveway in February is just as important as a mowed lawn in June.
We will walk through your home with you before listing and give you a straight assessment of what is worth doing and what is not. We work with a trusted network of tradespeople in Ottawa if repairs are needed quickly.
04 · Marketing
How we bring buyers to your door.
Your home's first showing is online. Most buyers start their search on a screen, which means the photos and video we produce are the most important marketing tool you have.
Professional photography & video
Every listing includes professional photography. Where it adds value, we add drone footage, video walkthroughs, and twilight shots. The visual presentation of your home directly affects the number of showings you get.
MLS® & maximum exposure
Your home is listed on the MLS® System through the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB), which feeds REALTOR.ca, the most-visited real estate platform in Canada. It also appears on yourhomeinottawa.ca and syndicates across dozens of real estate portals.
Targeted paid advertising
We run targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram to reach Ottawa buyers who match the profile of someone likely to purchase your home, and we market to our existing database of active buyers and past clients.
Coming soon & agent outreach
When the timing works, we place a "Coming Soon" sign before your launch date to build neighbourhood interest. We reach out directly to agents working with buyers in your neighbourhood and price range.
You will receive feedback after every showing and a weekly update on listing activity, online views, and ad performance. You will never have to chase us for information.
05 · Offers
What to look for beyond the price.
When offers come in, price matters. It is not the only thing that matters. An offer is a collection of terms, and the purchase price is one of them.
- Purchase price
- The headline number, but never the only number that matters in evaluating an offer.
- Deposit amount
- A strong deposit signals a serious, committed buyer and reduces the risk of the deal not closing.
- Conditions
- Financing and home inspection conditions are standard in Ottawa. A buyer who is properly prepared with financing in place is often worth more than a marginally higher price with shakier terms.
- Closing date
- Does the timeline work for your move? A closing date that aligns with your plans has real value.
- Buyer strength
- The overall financial and situational strength of the buyer matters. We evaluate the full picture, not just the number on the page.
Multiple offer situations
We set a clear timeline, collect all offers at the same time, and walk you through each one. We have experience on both sides of these situations and will position your response strategically.
Every offer deserves a response
Even a low one. A low offer is information. Sometimes it is a starting point. We never let ego get in the way of a negotiation that could work.
06 · Closing
What happens after you accept.
Once your offer goes firm, meaning all conditions have been satisfied or waived, the transaction moves toward closing. This typically unfolds over a few weeks, and we walk you through every step so there are no surprises.
01
Conditional period
Keep the home in the condition it was in when the offer was made, stay accessible for any required access, and start planning your move. For an inspection condition, an inspector visits the property. For a financing condition, the buyer finalizes their mortgage approval, which may involve an appraisal of your home.
02
Conditions removed
Once every condition is satisfied or waived, the sale is firm.
03
Your lawyer handles the transfer
Your lawyer manages the transfer of funds and registration of the deed. You sign documents at their office, typically in about 30 to 45 minutes.
04
Closing day
Possession usually happens in the late afternoon once all the legal work is complete. Your net proceeds are deposited to your account.
On closing day, leave behind
- All keys, garage door openers and mailbox keys
- Alarm codes and appliance manuals
- The property in broom-clean condition
We will have walked you through the net proceeds calculation before you ever accepted an offer, so there are no surprises.
07 · Protection
One more layer of protection after you accept.
Most sellers assume that once an offer goes firm, the deal is done. In most cases, it is. But when a buyer delays or defaults, the seller is left covering the cost of carrying the home, re-listing, re-staging, and often accepting a lower price the second time around. Going after the buyer in court is slow, expensive, and far from guaranteed.
That is why we introduce every seller to SecureMyOffer, Canadian home closing insurance from an A-rated insurer. Once your sale goes firm, you have 10 days to buy coverage, and it must be at least 14 days before closing. Coverage is up to 20% of the sale price, to a maximum of $250,000, depending on the coverage selected. If the buyer delays or defaults, the policy can cover your price drop on resale, carrying costs, legal fees, re-staging, and the real estate commission on the second sale.
Pricing starts from $349, all-in, and is around $650 for most sellers. We walk you through the coverage, the window, and whether it makes sense for your situation.
Disclosure: Greg Campbell is SecureMyOffer's Business Development Director. We do not earn a commission on these policies.
08 · How we work
How we work, and who we work best with.
We are not the right fit for everyone, and we are honest about that.
Honest pricing advice
Backed by real data. We do not inflate numbers to win your business and then talk you down after we have your listing agreement.
A marketing plan we execute
Not a promise on paper. Every element of the plan is delivered: photography, advertising, outreach, and follow-through.
Communication throughout
You will never have to chase us. Weekly updates, showing feedback, and direct access to us throughout the process.
Negotiation that puts you first
We never let ego get in the way of a deal that could work. Every offer gets a response. Every negotiation is handled strategically.
We work best with sellers who want the truth, not reassurance. Who understand that the process sometimes involves difficult conversations about price or preparation, and who are willing to have those conversations.
Our business comes from referrals and repeat clients. That happens because clients leave the process feeling they were treated with respect and told the truth. That is the standard we hold ourselves to.
If you are considering us, you should absolutely talk to other agents first. Interview a few. Ask them hard questions. Ask what they would do differently if your home does not sell in the first two weeks. Then call us. If we are the right fit, that conversation will be obvious.
09 · Ottawa
What makes selling in Ottawa different.
Ottawa has a few characteristics that affect how we approach every listing.
Federal government employment
The federal government is the city's largest employer. Hiring cycles, relocation programs, and federal budget timing all influence buyer activity. We factor this into our listing timing recommendations.
A multicultural market
Ottawa's population is one of the most diverse in Canada. If English or French isn't your first language, we will connect you with a trusted agent in our network who can serve you properly in yours.
No municipal land transfer tax
Unlike Toronto, buyers here pay only the Ontario land transfer tax. It's a real advantage we highlight when marketing to buyers comparing Ottawa with other Ontario markets.
Real seasons, real considerations
Our winters are real. Curb appeal, heating system transparency, and roof and insulation disclosures carry more weight here than in many other cities.
LRT and transit corridors
Proximity to the O-Train lines is a genuine selling point for a growing group of Ottawa buyers. We know which neighbourhoods benefit from that story and how to tell it.
New construction
In Barrhaven, Kanata, Stittsville and Orléans, your resale competes directly with new builds. Pricing, presentation and marketing there call for a different approach than the urban core.