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🏡 Ottawa Real Estate Insider-April

  Hi lovely people of Ottawa, It is now time for my spring newsletter to you. Reminders In this unusually warm March and April, while it’s certainly delightful for us Ottawans, it also means that some of the typical May maintenance tasks need attention now. From clearing leaves and landscaping to cleaning eavestroughs, trimming trees, and checking backup generators (if you have one). It’ll be interesting to see if we get another weird spring weather like 2023. In my neighbourhood of Kanata North, we’re seeing an unprecedented number of new development proposals. I participated in an information session for one project very close to my area, and you can find the recordings here: 1104 Halton Terrace (youtube.com) . City building is unfolding in real-time here in Kanata North, with projects like 555 March & 788 March shaping our community’s future. Here are some potential rebates that you can apply from City of Ottawa managed programs: Rain Ready Ottawa offers residents in priorit...
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🏡 Ottawa Real Estate Insider-Feb

  Ottawa Real Estate Insider Feb 2024 Hi lovely people of Ottawa, Hope you are enjoying this warm winter and your resolutions still stand. February is when a lot of Asian communities celebrate their lunar new year, so happy new year to those who celebrate! This year will be the year of Dragon and the lunar new year falls on Saturday, February 10. Reminders Ottawa’s Vacant Unit Tax is due on March 21, 2024 . You can read more about this declaration here: ( Vacant Unit Tax | City of Ottawa ). All homeowners in Ottawa are required to fill this declaration, if you have any questions, I am here for you. As we move gradually into the spring, you may want to check your sump pump system (if you have one in your basement) to see if it works. Although typically in Ottawa we should not use sump pumps before April, with the warmer weather your pump may be up and running sooner than you think. Please make sure that your pumps are working, and if you have a backup battery system, that it can ho...

Ontario Education System Overview

Frequently, my clients ask about the Ontario Education System, with a particular focus on elementary and secondary education. They look for information about student pathways, the ins & outs, and the “ranking” of different schools. While I am always available to address any inquiries from my clients, I recognized the importance of providing an overview of how this compulsory primary education system works. This piece aims to assist you as a parent, especially those who are newcomers to Canada, in navigating through this complicated and sometimes confusing system. This overview provides insights from both the provincial educational system perspective and offers an overview of the local Ottawa school boards.  According to the Ministry of Education in Ontario, the education system comprises 4 main components ( Education in Ontario | ontario.ca ): Early years learning : The emphasis during these years is to build strong foundations that are central to your child’s learning and g...

🏡 Ottawa Real Estate Insider-Jan

  Ottawa Real Estate Insider Jan 2024 Hi lovely people of Ottawa, Wishing you a great kickoff to 2024! My new year resolutions are to stay healthy, and enjoy life as much as I can, even if it is a pickle 😊if you haven’t already, please follow me on different social media (IG: Xing Gao (@xingrealestate) ) and check my progress on my new year resolutions! Let me know your new year resolutions via email/call or even over a coffee. Reminders Ottawa homeowners should have received your notice to file for the Vacant Unit Tax by now. If not, please visit this page for guidance on filing ( Vacant Unit Tax | City of Ottawa ). The deadline for filing is March 21, 2024. As the warmer part of the winter draws close and normal temperature kicks in, you may want to pay extra attention to your heating equipment, especially high-efficiency natural gas furnaces. Not only do you need to regularly change your filters, but you also have to check for snow/ice buildup for the exhaust pipes of your syst...