Scott Arial, Ottawa Real Estate Broker

06/08/2026

Across Reddit, a growing number of first-time home buyers are marking their milestone moment with a now-familiar caption: “We did it.”

The posts are simple but striking. A snapshot of a new living room. Cardboard boxes stacked against bare walls. A couple sitting cross-legged on the floor, keys in hand while digging into a pizza like it’s a five-star meal. Sometimes they add the mortgage rate they locked in.

06/06/2026

🍾 Congratulations to my clients Courtney and Bryan on the sale of their home in Qualicum!! Thanks for your trust.

06/05/2026

Risks and trade-offs: Experts warn of market volatility, high ongoing costs, and uncertainty about children’s future location or needs.

A growing number of parents are purchasing property for children still in elementary or middle school, aiming to secure housing before prices climb further. In one Australian case, parents spent over $500,000 on a two-bedroom apartment for a child under 12, a move echoed by U.S. families facing simi...

06/04/2026

There are plenty of low-cost changes you can implement that will turn your tiny bathroom into a functional area you'll love to spend time in.

Whether you find yourself struggling when getting ready in the morning or are constantly tripping over clutter, a small bathroom can be one of the more annoying issues to deal with in a home. Sometimes, expanding a room just isn't possible due to budget or space reasons. An ideal way to make the mos...

06/02/2026

Buyer confidence in Ontario seems to be improving, even if affordability is still keeping plenty of people cautious.

Ontario’s housing market is showing early signs of improving buyer confidence after a long period of hesitation and affordability pressure. More people are starting to re-enter the market, especially with borrowing costs easing and inventory levels improving in many areas. That doesn’t mean cond...

06/01/2026

If you’re dreaming about a cottage in Ontario, this guide is a helpful reminder that location matters just as much as the property itself.

Ontario has no shortage of cottage country options, and this guide compares several popular areas, including Muskoka Lakes, Haliburton, Parry Sound, Prince Edward County, Tobermory, Kawartha Lakes, and Grand Bend. It’s useful because it looks beyond the idea of “buying a cottage” and gets into...

05/29/2026

Pros share where to focus your effort.

Selling your home can be a bit of a guessing game. While you can certainly work to make sure your home looks its best, it’s hard to know what potential home buyers are actually reacting to (or looking for) as they walk through your home. That said, there are ways to stack the deck in your favor to...

05/28/2026

If you’re thinking about buying land in Canada, financing can be very different from getting a mortgage on a finished home.

Buying land in Canada usually comes with different financing rules than buying a house that’s already built. Lenders may look closely at whether the land is raw, serviced, rural, urban, or tied to a construction plan. In Ontario, that can matter even more if you’re comparing cottage country, far...

05/26/2026

These faux pas will make your cooking space dysfunctional and the opposite of timeless – but they are easy to avoid with these expert tips, tricks, and solutions

We've asked interior and kitchen experts which kitchen design mistakes they see all too often, and how you can avoid them. Heed their advice – it's key for a kitchen that is visually beautiful and actually functions well.