Believe it or not Ottawa real estate keeps on churning even in the dead of winter. With all that cold and snow it is hard to imagine a worse time of year to go house hunting. However it is actually a perfect time of year to start searching for your dream home for these five reasons:

Beat the Crowds

Most people perceive the winter as the off season for house hunting. That means you will have less competition on the Ottawa real estate scene once the snow starts to fall. There will be less chance of having to get into a bidding war. Sellers might be a little more reasonable when it comes to negotiating a fair price. People selling their homes in the winter tend to be more motivated for a number of reasons. First they are well aware they are going to see far less interest due to fewer buyers. Second, it is an unusual time of year to put your house on the market. This means sellers might be faced with a number of personal issues forcing them to sell. Although you don’t want to feel you are taking advantage of these situations it does give you the upper hand when it comes time to negotiate.

Home Comfort

A nice toasty home viewed mid-winter will be a good indicator of how the home is functioning in general. You can take a look at the doors and windows to check for drafts, look for signs of leaks and even look up at the roof for signs of issues like ice dams. Your winter house hunt will offer better insight into the overall condition of the home. This means no surprises when you move in.

Neighbourhood Watch

Winter is the perfect time of year to get a feel for the neighbourhood. Of course the summer months will show well-kept lawns and gardens. However neighbourhoods that maintain the same neat and well-kept appearance in the winter months tend to show pride of ownership. You will also see how efficiently the town maintains the streets. You can watch for signs of plowing and salting when you view each home.

Better Service

Ottawa real estate agents tend to be readily available in the winter because it is a slower time of year. Although a good real estate agent is available regardless of how busy they are, it is nice to know you will have easy access when you need it, and it is not just agents. You will have better access to all real estate related services such as banks and lawyers. Don’t forget movers are extremely busy in the summer. It can be difficult to find a trustworthy mover to hire if you have a shorter closing period. In the winter you will have your pick of the best moving companies. You will probably be able to negotiate a better price as well.

Simplified Search

The Ottawa real estate can be overwhelming when there are too many houses on the market. In the winter you will have a nice selection of homes with less to weed through. Your real estate agent will have more time to look for perfect opportunities. They will be able to thoroughly investigate each home before recommending a viewing. They will also set up viewings quickly as they will have less to research. This can mean you find a home more quickly.

Taking advantage of the Ottawa real estate market in the winter can mean better prices with less time invested in the search.