Health and safety should be everyone’s number one priority right now. That’s why we are taking necessary precautions to help you sell or buy a home safely! Here are some things we have started doing to help keep people safe.
1)Working From Home We made the decision to completely work from home and avoid going into the office as much as possible to avoid necessary contact. By having designated hours on the computer in the morning and comfortable working spaces, we are striving to maintain the same level of productivity as before. 2) Sanitation Before and after showings and inspections on our listings, we completely sanitize and disinfect the house. We do everything we can to limit exposure to our clients, and prospective buyers. 3) Virtual Tours We have upgraded our virtual tours on all of our current/upcoming listings. Instead of just pictures and videos of certain parts of the house, we have upgraded our tours to give people the opportunity to guide themselves through the home and see every nook and cranny virtually! Check out on our social pages and website to access our current tours!
0 Comments
In today's post, we are highlighting Gabriella Kratchanov. Gabriella is an lawyer with Ottawa based firm Spiteri & Ursulak LLP. Gabriella poses a strong business acumen and focuses on building trusted relationships with her clients. In her off time off she enjoys going to crossfit and volunteering with local charities. As a young professional, Gabriella appreciates the lifestyle Ottawa has to offer and has belief in the future of the city.
We asked Gabriella a few questions about her career and living in Ottawa: What made you decided to live in the National Capital Region? I am a native of Ottawa, having grown up in Kanata. As a teenager and young adult, I had dreamed of living in a big city such as NYC or Toronto. After university, I decided to live abroad, leaving Ottawa and moving to Canterbury, England (an even smaller town then Ottawa). After my two years in Canterbury, England, I realized how fortunate I was to come from an amazing city like Ottawa. A city that can give you that big city feeling, but also a warm, welcoming atmosphere when you hit up the local coffee shops, restaurants and trendy neighbourhoods. How did you choose your career path? During high school, I took two legal courses, taught by an extraordinary teacher who was genuinely passionate about law. This sparked my interest in becoming a lawyer. After completing my undergraduate in Finance at the University of Ottawa, I further realized that business and law were a great combination. This pushed me even more to pursue this aspiration. Now, I feel privileged to be able to assist people in key moments of their life. What does an inspiring life look like to you? A person who leads an inspiring life, for me, is someone who is well balanced. For me, this includes an individual who can find time to give back in their community through volunteer and donations; someone who has a fulfilling career which helps society; and someone who spends time with their family and friends. When your business faces adversity, how do you respond? I attempt to stay positive and optimistic, by also planning and preparing for the worse. What is the best advice that you have been given? Although this may be a cliché saying, the best advice I have received is that there is no substitute for hard work. I have never been the most intelligent person in a room, but I have always tried to be the hardest working individual. Dedication, hard work and drive will take you a long way! Create a Designated Work Space
Staying focused is the hardest thing about working from home. Focus can be compromised if there aren’t habits to distinguish between “homelife” and “worklife”. That is why having a proper workspace is crucial to maximizing productivity while working from home. This spot should be comfortable and somewhat isolated. Spare bedrooms and basements are great for home workspaces since it’s quite easy to make them secluded areas. Regardless of space or location, the important part is being able to distinguish your workspace from spots you normally relax in. Avoid working on beds and couches. Try and mimic a desk as much as possible. The workspace should be designed to help associate that area with work as much as possible. Set a Designated Work Period Another key aspect in distinguishing “worklife” from “homelife” is setting specific hours for work.Everyday specific work hours should be set and stuck too. Flowing freely between work time and chill time can seriously damage consistency and begin a habit of procrastination. The luxury of working from home is that work hours can be set at the person's discretion. It’s just important to stick to this designated time period to build consistency. Informing work colleagues and family members helps with staying accountable for this time period. Make To-Do Lists Sticking to priorities also becomes difficult when working from home. Without having any supervision, or constant reminders from superiors on what the task at hand is, it is extremely easy to get off track. Every morning, make a to-do list of everything that needs to be completed that day. Set time limits for each task based on importance. Once a task has been completed, cross it off the list. Keep a folder with all daily to-do lists as a point of reference. Completing a to-do list exactly as planned is often very unrealistic. The important part is documenting priorities and staying focused on the task at hand without any supervision. Strive to “Earn” Breaks Taking breaks is still very important. However, when working from home it is very easy to take breaks on impulse. With no supervision and being in the comfort of home it is very easy to give in to randomly watching an episode on Netflix, making a snack, or just plain-old lounging around. Associating breaks with a specific level of productivity obtained is a great way to designate break time throughout the day and increase motivation. On the daily to-do list, associate a break with a specific task being completed or a specific amount of time worked on that specific task. This way priorities for the day aren’t compromised by impulse. There is a sense of accountability tied to every break, which inspires a push to “earn” that break. Dress for Success Unfortunately, keeping bed attire while working doesn’t set the stage for maximum productivity. Taking the time to be presentable reinforces that clear distinction between “homelife” and “worklife”. Dressing for a day's work helps conditions the mind to prepare for productivity. Staying in bed attire contributes to a “one foot in one foot out” approach to work. By dressing for success the mind automatically recognizes that expectations have now been raised, and it is time to be productive. Located in the south end of Ottawa, Alta Vista has a special residential charm with a community-orientated atmosphere. With a perfect combination or urban amenities and residential living, Alta Vista provides a perfect situation to raise a family.
The neighbourhood is very attractive to both potential homeowners and renters. With a wide range of property types to fit a variety of real estate needs. Historically Alta Vista is know to be a family neighbourhood, the neighbourhood is very appealing to young professionals. With a short transit commute to downtown, Alta Vista in an ideal location for people who are employed downtown. The nice part about Alta Vista is how it has an old-fashioned suburban feel but also lies in close proximity to Ottawa’s downtown core. Bank Street being merely minutes away almost goes unnoticed. Most Alta Vista homes are in excellent shape. However, this versatile neighbourhood is popular for new builds. Some people want the proximity and love the neighbourhood but want a newer home. Often times you can find homes that have been renovated to better suit the way modern families live. While the majority of homes are in excellent shape and move-in ready, this versatile neighbourhood is seeing some new builds from homeowners who want the location but also want a newer home more suited to them. That’s because when originally built, these homes weren’t designed to be open concept. Often, however, you can find one that’s been renovated to better suit the way we live now. Energy Efficient Appliances
An energy efficient home will reduce your carbon footprint and minimize your bills. By choosing an energy efficient washer, drier, and fridge, you can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint all while saving money. Changing Laundry Habits Washing your laundry with cold water and hanging it to dry significantly reduces your carbon footprint. In the summertime your clothes will dry very quickly anyway! The sun also acts as an antibacterial and bleaching agent. In the winter, consider purchasing a drying rack to hang up your clothes inside instead of using the dryer, which uses a considerable amount of energy. Solar Panels Solar Panels are one of the biggest ways to combat climate change and reduce carbon footprint. Solar power are one of the cleanest and most readily available sources of energy. Though they are expensive to install, the benefits of solar panels certainly outweigh the costs. Energy Efficient Insulation Efficient insulation is relevant in Canada due to our extreme weather conditions.Install energy efficient windows. For a more cost-effective alternative, hang heavy curtains for added insulation to ward off winter’s chill and keep warmth inside. 'Neighborhoods across Ottawa usually have a little bit of everything. Luxury can be found anywhere! Ottawa has opportunities for beautiful, large, custom homes pretty much everywhere. However, Ottawa does has some high-end areas. Listed below are some of Ottawa’s most luxurious areas, but do keep in mind that moderately priced homes are available in these areas as well. Like all Ottawa neighborhood's, each of these areas offer unique opportunities. Work with an agent who find you the right property, or that unique opportunity!
Rockcliffe Park Historically, Rockcliffe Park is Ottawa’s most prestigious neighborhood. The area is zoned as a Heritage Conservation District. The community is made up of primarily large and opulent 19th Century residences on large properties. The area is also home to a variety of political residences including the Governor General’s residence and Stornoway, the residence for the leader of the opposition. Cedarhill Estate Cedarhill is an enclave of stunning luxury homes in Ottawa’s west end. It is comprised of approximately 100 custom built homes, all sitting on 1 acre lots and it was established in 1979. Ceaderhill has a strong community association who ensure landscaping is always maintained. Ceaderhill has some of the cities most expensive homes! Manotick Located in the city’s south-west end, Manotick is one of the most prestigious areas of Ottawa. Home prices are high in comparison to other parts of the city but there area wide range of opportunities for everyone. Some of the Manotick’s most stunning luxury homes, are located along the Rideau River. With a combination of large old historical homes and new modern mansions, there are opportunities for everyone. Westboro In Westboro, 71% of the houses are detached. With a population of 22,000 this area continues to grow year over year! High-end boutiques, new condos, and trendy restaurants now lining Richmond Road, Westboro homes have had tremendous price increase in the last few years. Most homes in the area were built between 1900 and 1970. However, with large lot sizes, infill housing is a very popular practice in Westboro. With lots of new development in Ottawa, home buyers are buying new construction more than ever. Just because it’s new construction, doesn’t mean you don’t need a real estate agent. You could lose your right to representation by just going to see a house.
Sometimes, even by just asking for more information you are signing away your rights to have representation. Even just to go look, have an agent represent you. Commissions for buyers agents are built into the new build agreements so it’s beneficial to use an agent because it actually doesn’t cost you anything if you decide to put in an offer and firm up a deal. What a buyers agent will do for you
In 2019, house prices increased by 8.4%, while unit sales rose by 6.6%. In 2020, Royal Lepage has predicted the average home price in Ottawa to increase by 4.5% to $516,000.Royal Lepage also predicted “the median price of a condominium is expected to increase 3.5 per cent year-over-year to $341,300, while the median price for a two-storey detached home is forecast to rise 5.0 per cent year-over-year to $547,600”.Royal Lepage is crediting this rise to Government stability and sustained growth in the high-tech sector. With Ottawa in the midst of growth, and inventory being tight, multiple offers on homes between 300K and 500K are extremely common, from condos to detached homes.
We are clearly in a sellers market! If you feel the need to sell, this is a perfect environment to optimize the value of your home. Wallis House is a classic heritage building located in Ottawa’s Byward Market. Built in 1873, Wallis House was built as one of Ottawa’s first hospitals. After closing in 1924, Wallis House served as a seminar until 1943 when the military took it over to house Canadian naval soldiers during the Second World War.
In 1990, Wallis House was designated as a Heritage Building by the City of Ottawa. It was then converted to a condominium with forty-six authentic lofts. The condos were built to maintain the authenticity of Wallis House, keeping it’s Cathedral ceilings, large hallways, and soaring windows. Condos inside Wallis House have been said to have a New York-style loft feeling. Located about a 5 minute walk from the byward market, Wallis House is blocks from walking paths, parks and the Rideau River. Wallis House stands out amount all other condominium buildings.It’s unique exterior design which stays true to it’s Victorian style it had when it was built in 1873.The foyer of the building boasts the original brick work as well as some of the original flooring from when the building was first constructed.Each unit has Cathedral ceilings, soaring windows, open concept living spaces, exposed brick accent walls, and stainless steel appliances.The units were designed like this to keep the authenticity of Wallis House. Residents at Wallis House also have the luxury of a rooftop terrace with loungers and a bbq. When your furnace blows cold air, that issue should be resolved as soon as possible. Especially in the winter! Don’t spend your winter shivering when you could be comfortable. Here are some reasons why your furnace might be blowing cold air:
Pilot Light Isn’t Working Your furnace could also be blowing cold air if the pilot lights aren’t lit. The pilot light is a small flame that lights a large burner. If the pilot light isn’t lit the furnace won’t heat up.The pilot light could be dirty and need cleaning, or the thermocouple(the copper rod that the pilot light hits) could need to be replaced. Dirty Air Filter The filter in your furnace should be changed every 90 days. Dirty filters restrict airflow, which actually causes a safety problem. Your furnace can overheat when outbound airflow is restricted. A safety control will shut off the burners. That’s why it’s extremely important to change your filters on a regular basis. Inadequate Gas Supply Your furnace needs enough gas to work properly. If your furnace doesn’t get enough gas, it won’t blow hot air. Why wouldn’t your furnace get enough gas? Your gas supply might be turned off. It’s also possible that there’s something in the line that’s preventing the gas from flowing through it. A trained professional should be able to figure out the cause of the problem. Thermostat Settings If your blower is on all the time and your furnace is sometimes blowing cold air, the problem likely stems from your thermostat. When your thermostat is set to “on” your blower runs even when your furnace isn’t heating the air. Instead, set your thermostat to “auto”. |