Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 699 residential properties in December through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 618 in December 2010, an increase of 13.1 per cent. The five-year average for December sales is 611. The total number of homes sold through the Board’s MLS® system in 2011 was 14,412, an increase of 1.7 per cent over 2010. The average price for 2011 was $343,701, an increase of 5.2 per cent over 2010.

Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,062 residential properties in October through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 1,038 in October 2010, an increase of 2.3 per cent. The five-year average for October sales is 1,071.

In a further example that the urban core condo market is red hot, there will be a flurry of activity in the next week, with four condo projects set to launch.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced Monday that new federal rules will reduce the maximum amortization period to 30 years from 35 years for government-backed insured mortgages with loan-to-value ratios of more than 80 per cent.

For the second time in three years, Prudential achieves distinction among full service real estate firms

Interest rates are still at an all-time low, so naturally you should be telling your landlord goodbye and saying hello to your dream home, right? 

Not so fast, says Trystan Andrews, sales representative with Prudential Town Centre Realty Inc.

Condominium prices are continuing to increase markedly faster than those for other types of housing, as a resurgent real estate market helps sellers forget the doldrums of early 2009.

From the greening of suburban communities to the ascent of the urban condo, the past decade has been one of restless change for Ottawa's new homes market. We talked to the experts about some of the major trends since 2000 and asked them to do a little crystal ball gazing about the next 10 years.

Canadian existing-home prices are now rising at a pace not seen in 20 years, fuelling talk that a bubble may be forming in the market.

Fewer than 3,800 resale homes available in sellers' market, and prices on rise

Buying a home is probably the largest single financial investment you have ever made. For most people, their home is their life savings tied up in bricks and mortar -- bricks and mortar that, no matter how well built, are vulnerable to fire, theft and other disasters.

Housing starts across the country jump more than 12 per cent in August, driven by condominium construction

As a homeowner, you begin to accumulate all sorts of records and papers the moment you made the offer on your home. Loan documents, inspection reports, title insurance policy, home improvement receipts, appliance warranties are just a few of documents that you may at one time or another need. Would you be readily able to locate these items? Are they filed away or in different junk drawers around the house? Knowing where these items are can save you a lot of time and even money in the long run. 

Evaluating financial situation crucial to calculating realistic amount of loan

The following is a Q&A with Valerie Rasmussen, assistant vice-president, credit services, for First Calgary Savings.

Ottawa’s housing sales continue to buck the national trend, posting a third consecutive record setting month for sales.

There are almost as many types of condos as there are kinds of people who want to live in them. Residential condominiums can range from high- and low-rise apartment buildings to townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, single detached homes, freehold plots or even mixed-use condominiums that include retail or commercial space. They can also feature a wide variety of amenities designed to suit almost any budget or lifesty

OTTAWA - The launch of a slick, new condo development bucked the trend of lagging sales last weekend when almost 70 per cent of the 36 one and two-storey apartments sold within a couple of days.

With low interest rates and help from the federal government, it's an ideal time to move from renting to buying your first home. 

The housing market continued to rebound in May with a fourth consecutive increase in monthly sales, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association.

If you’re like most Canadians, your home is probably the most important investment you will ever make. But how do you know if you are financially ready for all the responsibilities that come with homeownership?

Hunter, who works for IBM Global Technology Services, is still settling into his new space. His 18-speed bike rests on a rolled up area rug and there aren't any curtains on the floor-to-ceiling windows, but then there aren't any inquiring neighbours able to see into his new condo.

"I can see the future. It's going to be vibrant and nothing's going to be blocking the view."

The rate cuts brought the banks' variable mortgage rates down as well, giving existing mortgage holders a break and potentially more cash in their pockets.

The local real estate market may have escaped the catastrophic dips seen in some other cities. Still that doesn't mean agents don't have to be quick-witted and creative when it comes to brokering a house sale.  If a buyer is wavering, sometimes the quirkiest things can tip the scales.

Ontario’s new homebuyers would face a massive tax grab under the proposed harmonization of the federal GST and Ontario PST, a new report released today concludes.

Eco-friendly. Carbon footprint. Global warming. Energy-efficient. These catch phrases have become part of our lexicon as we’ve become more aware of our impact on the environment and our role in protecting it. As a homeowner, there are some simple, inexpensive steps you can take to make your home energy-efficient. Get started on the road to being “green” with these five tips.

"In spite of the economic downturn, most Canadians still believe it is a homebuyer’s market."

"Dos and don'ts of the Home Renovation Tax Credit"

Open spaces, terraces and an appealing neighbourhood translate to strong sales

"Higher density construction will become the most sought-after dwelling type in Ottawa's new home market."

The city's resale housing market remains resilient even while sales and prices are dropping in other Canadian markets, according to a survey by a major real estate firm.

Many will choose to stay in their current home, while others look to adult lifestyle communities, vitality of urban condos.

But despite the slowdown the housing market remains solid, she said.

"Employment levels are still supporting the home resale market in Canada, and Ottawa in particular," she added.