When most people think of Ottawa, they picture walking up Parliament Hill, skating along the Rideau Canal, or munching down on a Beaver Tail in ByWard Market. What most people don’t know is that Ottawa is so much more diverse and expansive than they might initially think.

There’s a lot more to Ottawa than just the parliament buildings. Depending on where you live and what you like to do, there’s a place for everyone across our many welcoming communities. We love living here, and we think you would too.

If you’re thinking about moving to Ottawa, it’ll help to get a sense of where you might best fit in before making your move. Read our guide to Ottawa’s local residential areas below to get excited about moving to Ottawa.

Living Downtown

Filled to the brim with vibrant residential and commercial sections, living downtown is always exciting. However, you can expect to pay a premium on both price and square footage for homes here. While condos tend to dominate downtown, there is a wide selection of single family homes for sale in downtown Ottawa as well.

Like any modern metropolitan city, downtown Ottawa has a seemingly endless variety of attractions and amenities close by. With countless cafes, restaurants, bars, and high-street shops available across the city, entertainment is in no short supply.

Due to Ottawa’s proximity to Quebec, sitting right along the Ottawa River directly across from French-speaking Gatineau, there is a fantastic mix of Anglo and French culture in downtown Ottawa.

South of the City

Life in Ottawa isn’t all high rises and high streets, however. For many Ottawa residents, a quieter life away from downtown is better suited to their tastes.

Just south of the city centre, you can find more residential, suburban neighbourhoods like Manotick, Riverside South, and Barrhaven. While these communities are rapidly growing due to their close proximity to downtown, they still offer more space at a slower pace of life compared to downtown.

Most of the homes in Manotick, Riverside South, and Barrhaven tend to be single family homes, both freehold and semi-detached. With somewhat limited condo spaces for sale, they’re not impossible to find.

The West End

Just a short drive west of Ottawa’s downtown core, the neighbouring suburb of Kanata has recently started to make a big name for itself.

Already notable for hosting the Ottawa Senators’ home NHL games at the Canadian Tire Centre, Kanata is also home to Canada’s largest technology park, Kanata Research Park. The offices of several high-performance technology companies are set up in Kanata, including Blackberry Canada, Mitel, Cisco, Huawei, Hewlett-Packard, Ericsson, and many more.

Because of Kanata’s concentration of hi-tech corporate offices, many homes in the area have been built to accommodate the local workforce. The most popular homes in this Ottawa suburb are freestanding single family homes, but there are some condos within the area too.

Just south-west of Kanata is the comparably quieter suburb of Stittsville. A large majority of Stittsville’s local population live in planned suburban communities, with newly built houses on freshly paved roads making up most of the single family dwellings in Stittsville.

Rural Neighbourhoods

Going south along the Rideau River, you’ll find a few of Ottawa’s more rural villages. These quaint communities include Kars, Osgoode, and North Gower.

Here, those who enjoy nature and the great outdoors will feel perfectly at home. With the Rideau River nearby and the abundant open landscapes, this region is perfect for outdoor recreation, like fishing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and so much more.

As you might expect, there are few condo units to choose from in these regions, as a vast majority of the homes are freestanding family homes. There’s a lot of charm to be found in the local real estate, however, as older converted barns and older character homes can be converted into stunning new structures.

Are you thinking about moving to Ottawa? Get help from our team of seasoned local real estate experts. Contact us today to learn about how we can help you find your perfect Ottawa home.