Summer time in the city!

The weather is getting warmer and as we approach Canada Day it really feels like summer.

We have family friends coming to Ottawa to stay with us to experience the celebration of Canada Day‎ in the Capital; an experience that every Canadian should have.

We love to walk along Sussex and go up to the Hill and take it all in.

This weather makes me think of gardens, pools, cottages, docks and everything that goes with all of those experiences. One of those is of course sprucing up your gardens, decks, dock or pool and that means furniture.

I am always on the look out for handsome classic Muskoka Chairs which are hard to come by. There is the Muskoka Chair company of course but by the time I get the order done and decided on a colour it will be Labour Day! My husband and I were driving up to the country and found beautiful classic Mukoka chairs made by a local craftsman Donat Chevalier in Low, Quebec. We purchased 6 of them and are going to have them stained in perfect time for the long weekend and the beginning of summer.

That was a real find for sure. Donat mills the wood and fabricates furniture for interiors as well as garden furniture, cabinets‎ and a variety of other items. His work is fine and reflects a sense of pride every artist has in a work they are so committed to.

The real estate market in Ottawa has been inconsistent with bursts of activity and then a quiet period and then another burst of activity.

Properties in the upper end of the spectrum in the top 10% of the market ($750,000 and up) have ‎enjoyed brisk activity in certain neighbourhoods while in others, they are lingering.

This may have something to do with a desire in many buyers minds to have a strong walkability scale. They have reduced themselves to one car and are thinking very green.

Neighbourhoods like Westboro, Old Ottawa South and the Glebe remain hot tickets and when priced well, they’ll sell quickly.

No matter what you are thinking of doing it is best to have representation form a qualified and competant professional who is available to advise you on the ins and outs of real estate investment.

Many fail to see that your real estate is likely your single largest investment. Doesn’t it make sense to put the management of that asset in the hands of an experienced professional in order to get the most amount of money, with the fewest challenges‎, in the current market? A skilled agent can save you problems on the sale and purchase end that as an inexperienced investor you may overlook.

I am always available to talk about real estate. In fact it is my favourite subject. I believe in the notion of educating and empowering our clients‎ to help them make strong decisions regarding their investments.

Please if you would like to talk about your real estate needs, I am available to talk.

Until then, have a wonderful summer!