Neighbourhoods in London, Ontario

Real Estate London

Moving to London Ontario? Maybe you’ve grown up in London but your looking to make a change. It can be hard to narrow down neighbourhoods when moving, especially if your family situation has changed. We’ve put together a list of neighbourhoods catered for specific ‘must haves’ people are looking for.

 

New Build Property

London is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada. There are a number of neighbourhoods with new build properties coming up all over town. Hyde Park is expanding into Ilderton, Byron is expanding towards Kilworth and Pond Mills is expanding out towards the highway. Not to mention the smaller cities surrounding London (Dorchester, Komoka, Lucan) are exploding with new neighbourhoods. There is no shortage of new build property option sin London, Ontario.

 

Neighbourhoods for First Time Home Buyers

There are a number of more mature neighbourhoods that have great opportunities for first time home buyers. Old East Village, Arva, White Oaks and While Hills are all areas that have more affordable homes. The properties are a bit older and often come with a decent sized lot. Many of these neighbourhoods are on major bus routes and have a lot of parks and ammenities near by; making it perfect for growing families.

Low Maintenance Properties

If you’re a young couple, single or in the retirement phase of life, you may be thinking about a townhouse or apartment. There are many pockets throughout the city that have a number of low maintenance properties. Downtown might be the best best if you’re looking for newer buildings, minimal outdoor space and would like to live within walking distance of amenities. If greenery is more what you’re looking for there lots of new condos being built in the Sunningdale, Masonville and Byron neighbourhoods. Want to save some money? There are older condos available in the North/ West London, Pond Mills and White oaks area. Many of these are on bus routes, but a vehicle is ideal.

Investment Properties

Due to the post-secondary institutions in London, it is a great city for investment properties. Looking in areas around Western University and Fanshawe College are the ideal neighbourhoods for this. Rental properties also work in other areas of the city, but your target renters might be different. Read my Investment Properties Blog for more on this.

Neighbourhoods with ‘Fixer Uppers’

Looking to make an older property your own? Old East Village, White Hills, and Wortley Village all have great opportunities. Though there are gems throughout the city to flip, these neighbourhoods with older homes have a lot of potential as many haven’t been updated in years. Remember to factor in the costs (and then multiply x2 for delays) when thinking about your budget for these projects.

Neighbourhoods for Families

There are a number of wonderful neighbourhoods in London for young and mature families. Masonville has some of the best schools in the city, along with Oakridge, Lambeth and Wortley Village. Being the ‘Forst City’ there are lots of great parks and trails throughout that families can enjoy. Depending on which stage your family is in I can help direct you to the right area of town.

It can be hard to navigate this market, especially if your family situation is changing. With my years of expereience in the city, I can help guide you to the right areas. Contact me today and I’d be happy to have a chat about what you’re looking for!

519-639-6221

 

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The Best Time to List

Real Estate London

If you’re thinking about moving, it can be hard to know when the best time to list will be. The housing market has been very unpredictable over the last few years. As we lean towards more of a buyer’s market, it’s important to think about the options you have and when the best time to sell might be.

Ultimately, ‘now’ is the best time for real estate. Having said that, take a look at the attributes of your house and when they might ‘show’ the best. The tips below could help you secure a higher price point.

 

Is your house ‘sell’ ready?

If it’s been a while since you painted, or have a few home renovations projects that weren’t fully complete, now is the time! A simple fresh coat of paint and finalizing home repairs can go a long way to add value to your home. A nice deep clean of the house can also help with the value of the sale.

Do you have curb appeal?

If your front yard landscaping is the envy of your neighbours, you may want to wait until the Spring to put it on the market. Beautiful gardens and a well maintained yard can really help up the price of a home. If you have a pool, selling while the pool is open can also help. Seeing how well maintained exteriors are is important to a lot of buyers.

Home efficiency

Have you recently upgraded to make your home more efficent? Added new windows and doors that seal the cold air from getting in? This could be an excellent way to sell your house in the winter months.

 

Remember, most homes sell in the Spring, so you can use that to your advantage. If your house has something unique about it, listing when people are looking would be ideal. If not, listing in the off season could bring more serious and committed buyers as there is less inventory.

Moving soon?

If you’re thinking about making a move over the next few months give me a call for a free home evaluation. I’m happy to chat about potential listing prices and what you may be able to get for your house. Keep an eye on on my socials for more tips and tricks!

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Give me call today and let’s get you home!

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Year in Review 2022

Real Estate London

We have never seen a year like 2022 in the real estate market. The year started off with the fastest increase jump of housing prices Ontario has ever seen, followed by a steep decline in pricing just a few months later. Interest rates were adjusted aggressively to cool the market, which quickly began to cut buying power. As housing prices level out, we are beginning to see how the market might settle. To say this year has been unpredictable would be an understatement.

Throughout it all, I had the chance to work with a number of wonderful clients on both the buyer and seller side. We launched our ‘Smartens London Living’ series where we talked about what different London neighbourhoods’ had to offer. The series proved to be a success and we will continue featuring London neighbourhoods into 2023.

We also had a number of discussions with BMO Mortgage specialist Carina DeMedeiros about the ever changing landscape of Mortgages in Canada. Though it looks like the Bank of Canada might start slowing down the increases, we will continue to keep you informed on the changes as they come.

Our social media pages also became a great place to connect and share home owner tips and tricks throughout the year. I will continue to share this information and am always happy to answer any questions you may have in all things real estate. To follow along, click on the links below.

2022 was a difficult year for many. I want to thank my wonderful clients for trusting me to find them a place to call home. 2023 is already shaping up to be a great year! Keep an eye out for listings coming to market and as always call me for any questions real estate related! I’m happy to help!

 Have a wonderful holiday season and I’ll talk to you all in 2023.

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New Listings

New Listings

Real Estate London

There are some wonderful new listings available within the Nu Vista Brokerage. From potential income properties, to cottage getaways, to commercial opportunities, there’s something for anyone looking to make a change.

Downtown Victorian Home

💲 545,000
🏠 667 Piccadilly Street, London
🛏 3 bedrooms
🛁 2 bathroom
Private fenced yard featuring a sundeck with BBQ bar, flagstone patio and a 10 ft x 18 ft garage/ coach house or workshop. The open concept interior has been recently renovated and features updated designer white kitchen with peninsula island and 4 included high end appliances. Spacious dining room with garden doors to sundeck. The large upper level hallway gives access to 3 good sized bedrooms and an updated bathroom with soaker tub. Lower level is complete finished with natural wood bar, recreation room, play room and a huge 3 pc bath with glass shower and finished laundry area. Technical updates included high efficiency furnace 2020, steel roof 2019, siding, insulation and exterior doors in 2021, and updated energy efficient vinyl windows.

Cottage Getaway

📍 10346 Riverside Drive, Grand Bend
💲999,500
🛏 3+2 bedrooms
🛁 4 bathrooms
Located in prestigious Southcott Pines, this house is nestled in a pine forest just a short walk from the private beach. Great for a year round home, cottage or even an income property. The spacious kitchen has a large centre island, granite counter tops, prep sink, lots of drawers and includes stainless appliances. The great room has an oversized gas fireplace and opens to a large screened in cedar Muskoka room. The lower level has a walk out separate entrance and is fully finished to include a 2nd kitchen, huge great room and games room with fireplace, bathroom and two bedrooms. It could easily be rented out for extra income! Vendor would consider selling furnished.

Lucan Commercial Listing

Five minutes north of Lucan is this 2.7 acre commercial/ retail property!
Perfect for investors or companies looking for great road exposure with thousands of cars driving by daily. Half had a used car dealership with 1100 sq ft shop/office- now vacant. A separate Automotive Repair Shop is currently rented on the property.
📍 5612 James Street, Lucan
💲1,199,900

 

Can’t find what you’re looking for? See what’s avaiable then give me a call! I’m happy to help!

 519-639-6221

‘Trigger Rate’

Real Estate London

On October 26, 2022 the Bank of Canada increased interest rates yet again, bringing millions of people on variable mortgages potentially closer to their ‘trigger rate’. Our last series with Carina Demedeiros Mortgage Specialist was a hit, so we sat down with her once again to learn about ‘Trigger Rates’ and how these increases may affect those with variable mortgages.

Trigger Rates Explained

Trigger Rates have been in variable contracts for years, but this is one of the first times that they are actually being used. A mortgage hits a trigger rate when the amount you pay in interest outweighs your payments on the principal. If you are in a variable mortgage, you should contact your mortgage provider to see when this might affect your payments, if it hasn’t already.


If you’re currently looking at purchasing a new property and thinking about variable over fixed mortgage, take Carina’s advice. Sit down and make a family budget to see what you can afford (not what you are approved for- as those can be different things). If you do have funds available look at automatically increasing those payment so these interest rates won’t hit as hard.

Stay informed!

The Bank of Canada has indicated this increase wasn’t the last. I will be updating my clients about these increases on all my social channels. Follow along for all the industry updates, real estate tips and tricks, and of course new listings.

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Any other questions about getting into the market?

Give me a shout!

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Investment Properties

Real Estate London

With house prices going down, some clients are asking about investment properties. Maybe you sold at the peak and have some extra cash. Maybe you’re downsizing and want to invest for retirement or a child’s education. Either way, an investment property can be a great way to save for your future.

But what makes a good investment property?

Fixer uppers– A large percentage of people investing look at ‘fixer uppers’ to do so. Flipping a property is a great plan, but keep in mind some of the points from our last blog. Taking an older property, renovating it and creating a wonderful home for renters is a great plan for income properties.

Location– With so many students coming into the city of London, there is a lot of opportunity for rental properties. If your child is one of these students, a rental property could be a great option. Your child has somewhere to live (you/ they would be paying rent anyways) and you also have a long term investment. If your plan is to rent to students, pick the location accordingly. Overall think about who you want to rent and where those people would best be suited to live.

House layout– Is the setup of the house ideal for tenants? Do you have multiple communal areas? How many bedrooms /bathrooms are there? Always keep in mind your ideal renter, and if the space will accommodate their needs. Students have very different requirements than families so think about the possibilities of the space.

Amenities– What amenities are nearby that will benefit your ideal buyer? Students would likely look for properties by the school, with a good walking score and a nightlife. Young families might be looking for a garage, grocery stores and playground or schools nearby. Considering what is available to your tenants is key when finding an income location.

It’s also important to note, the city of London just passed a bill that no longer allows short term rentals that are not your permanent residence. Keep this and other bylaws in mind when you’re looking for a place.

Find a potential income property today:

London Real Estate Listings

If you have specific questions I’m happy to help! I have years of expereince with income properties. Give me a call!

519-639-6221