Boris-canadabound

Hello

Can anyone offer any tips (or point me in the right direction on this forum) regarding renting an apartment in Ottawa? Or recommend any agents?

We hope to be moving to Ottawa within the next few months and I have started looking at some estate agent websites, but would appreciate any tips or warnings.

We don't want to buy straight away as we are not sure where we want to live, so thought renting in central Ottawa would be the best way to start. I am not sure about references and credit history etc, as the agents seem to require this but as I understand it, UK credit history etc wouldn't be appropriate.
Thanks

dbd33

http://www.viewit.ca/

geo4

craigslist.org

Lemonfish

I haven't rented here but can give some very general advice on areas:

Downtown/Byward Market - central for work and amenities, can be a bit grubby and sketchy in parts, lots of highrise condos. I always thought I'd want to live right downtown in Ottawa before I arrived here then realized that its not really the same as living downtown in a big city. Good for shops, restaurants etc but you can get that from other neighbourhoods and it can get deserted at night in parts anyway.

This is particulary the case in business areas between Elgin in the east, Bay in the west, Wellington in the north and Somerset in the south, where most of Ottawa's downtown office space is. Bit quiet at the weekends, stuff shuts down lots of highrise.

IMHO, the nicest neighbourhoods for living in the city are:
Glebe, Westboro, New Edinburgh, Wellington/Preston/Holland areas. All these offer good amenities for shops, transit, restaurants, bars etc. You'll pay for this in rents of course. Mix of young singles, empty nesters, families. Lots of types of housing, not just highrise condos.

Rockcliffe is known as the premier area and is super expensive, but TBH although its very attractive, not sure how convenient it would be, particularly if no car.

I know relatively little about the Ottawa burbs - lots of young families move out to Orleans, Barrhaven and Kanata because its cheaper and then can get 4-bed homes for the price of a condo downtown. If you don't mind a pain in the ass commute downtown and a lack of much architectural merit, then you will get a lot of space for your money. These areas have their own shopping malls and amenities, but I'd think there are lots of streets that are a long way from those. Car very useful indeed.

Don't neglect the Quebec side - Gatineau. Its significantly cheaper, although you pay more tax. If you live in downtown Hull (I wouldn't) you're in Ottawa downtown in a few minutes.

More rural is an option - you get a lot for your money in places like Russell, Carlsbad Springs. If you've wanted to live a rural dream with a large acreage, you can do that here and still get to the office in 30 mins.

Anyway, if you've any specfic questions, let me know.

Boris-canadabound

Thanks Lemonfish, for all that useful information! Very much appreciated. May well come back to you with further questions if that's ok. I started looking at a property company but all the appartments seem to be almost like 'condo hotels' and I don't think that is what we want. I hanker after 'rural' very much, but as I will need to get my driving confidence back when I get to Canada (I avoid it at all costs here in the UK) I thought it would be better to stay near the town at first.

Thanks again