Moving to the capital
Relocating to Ottawa
Moving to the capital is easier with one person who knows the city and manages the details. Poonam Babbar, REALTOR® with eXp Realty of Canada, Inc., Brokerage, helps executives, diplomats, public servants and families choose a neighbourhood and buy, often from a distance. She works in English, Hindi and Punjabi.
Figures and rules checked . Confirm current rules before you act.
Who this is for
Different moves, one calm process.
Ottawa is home to federal institutions, embassies and high commissions, a technology sector, hospitals and universities. People arrive for many reasons, and each plan starts with yours.
- Executives and professionals
- You have a role to start and a date to meet. Poonam plans around the commute you want, the household you are moving and a purchase that runs on your schedule.
- Diplomats and international postings
- A posting has fixed dates and its own conditions. Poonam begins with your timeline and whether buying suits the length of your stay. Rules on purchases by non-residents and non-Canadians may apply to you, so speak with a real estate lawyer early.
- Public servants
- Federal workplaces are found across the National Capital Region. Where you are required to be on site, and how often, decides the commute you can live with, and the shortlist is built around that.
- Families
- Space, schools, parks and a workable commute for both adults. Poonam looks at each neighbourhood from the household’s point of view.
The plan
Four stages, from the first call to the move.
The timing of each stage depends on your date, the market and your financing. Poonam keeps the whole sequence in view so you only have to decide what is in front of you.
Before you arrive
A call, by phone or video, about your role, your timing, your household and what the home needs to do for you. Poonam maps likely neighbourhoods against your commute and shares a shortlist of areas. This is also the moment to begin a mortgage pre-approval and to plan any temporary housing, since a purchase may not close before you arrive.
Your first visit
A short, planned visit. Poonam arranges viewings of a focused shortlist and builds in time to drive the commute at your real hours, walk the streets, and see the schools, parks and shops around each area. The aim is to leave with a clear first choice, not a long list.
Making an offer
When you are ready, an offer can be prepared and signed electronically, so you do not need to be in Ottawa for it. Your Ontario real estate lawyer reviews the agreement, Poonam helps arrange the inspection and shares the findings with you, and conditions are timed around your travel.
The move
Closing and possession dates are agreed in the offer, so they can be planned around your arrival and your movers. Your lawyer handles the transfer, and Poonam stays in touch through the final walk-through and the key release. Arrange utilities, home insurance and your change of address ahead of the date.
Choosing where to live
What to weigh before you choose a street.
Four things shape daily life in Ottawa more than newcomers expect. This is general guidance, so confirm current details with the organizations named.
- Commute
- Ottawa is a spread-out city. The region’s best-known employment centres are the federal government and diplomatic missions in and around the core, a technology cluster in Kanata North, and hospital and university campuses. Test the drive at your real hours, and note how close you are to O-Train stations and bus routes. Service changes over time, so check the current OC Transpo network. Gatineau, across the Ottawa River in Quebec, is a separate market with its own rules and professionals. This page covers Ottawa, Ontario.
- Schools
- Four publicly funded school boards serve Ottawa: English public, English Catholic, French public and French Catholic. French immersion and French-language options are available. Programs and boundaries change, so confirm them with each board before you choose a street. Poonam does not rank schools. She points you to each board for current information.
- Winters
- Ottawa winters are long, cold and snowy, and they shape daily life. Look at how a home meets them: the heating system, insulation, windows and roof, the driveway or garage, and who clears the snow. Many residents enjoy the season, and the Rideau Canal Skateway opens in the heart of the city whenever ice conditions allow.
- A bilingual city
- Ottawa works in English and French, and city services are offered in both. You can live fully in English, and many residents are bilingual. Many federal positions are designated bilingual, so French may matter to your career or your household.
Support
From a distance, and in your language.
Viewing from a distance
When you cannot be in Ottawa, Poonam can arrange viewings by video call, share photographs and floor plans, and give you her own notes on condition, light and the street. A video viewing is a useful first filter, not a replacement for seeing a home you intend to buy. Whether to rely on video, a visit or a trusted representative is a decision you and Poonam make together, and an inspection stays part of the plan.
Hindi and Punjabi
Poonam works in English, Hindi and Punjabi. If your household is more comfortable discussing a major decision in Hindi and Punjabi, you can do that. Contracts are formal documents, so Poonam walks through what each part means in practice, and your lawyer advises you on your legal position.
Poonam Babbar, REALTOR®, eXp Realty of Canada, Inc., Brokerage.
Questions
What people ask when they are buying in a city they have not yet lived in. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Relocating to Ottawa: common questions
Can I buy a home in Ottawa before I visit?
Some buyers do, using video viewings and photographs. It carries more risk than seeing a home in person, so Poonam will tell you whether it suits a particular property, and the offer would include an inspection and sensible conditions. Many buyers prefer at least one planned visit before they commit.
Do restrictions apply if I am not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident?
They may. Federal and Ontario rules on purchases by non-Canadians and non-residents, including restrictions and additional taxes, have exceptions and change over time. Share your status with Poonam at the first conversation, and speak with a real estate lawyer before you make an offer.
How early should I start before my move?
As soon as you have a date. A pre-approval, a shortlist of neighbourhoods and a plan for viewings all take time, and the sooner they are in place, the more choice you have on your first visit.
Which neighbourhoods are close to downtown?
It depends on where you will work. The Glebe, New Edinburgh and Westboro sit closer to the core. Kanata, Barrhaven and Orleans are suburban communities further out, often with more space. Test the commute at your real hours before you decide.
What should I know about Ottawa schools?
Four publicly funded school boards serve the city: English public, English Catholic, French public and French Catholic. French immersion and French-language options are available. Programs and boundaries change, so confirm them with each board before you choose a street.
Can you work with me in Hindi or Punjabi?
Yes. Poonam works in English, Hindi and Punjabi, so you can talk through decisions in the language you are most comfortable with. Contracts are formal documents, and your lawyer advises you on your legal position.
Will I qualify for a mortgage if I am new to Canada?
Lenders set their own criteria for newcomers and for income earned outside Canada, and some are more flexible than others. A mortgage broker or lender can tell you where you stand. Poonam suggests speaking with one early, and she does not assess mortgage eligibility herself.
Private consultation
Planning a move to Ottawa?
Bring your move date, your workplace and the size of your household to a first call by phone or video. That is enough to sketch the first steps.