As many other capital cities in the world, apartment hunting in Ottawa is a very different experience.
Between the city’s wicked temperatures and historically old roots, there is a lot to evaluate when choosing where you want to call home. Here is some advice from a former Ottawa apartment-hunter, now Ottawa local of three years of the most important and overlooked aspects to consider when looking for apartments to rent in Ottawa.
1. Always identify the Ottawa street parking situation before putting down a deposit.
It may seem like a bridge that you can sort of ‘cross when you come to it’, but in Ottawa, it’s just not that easy. Being an old and major city, cars sort of come second to things like biking, public transit, and walking. With that, parking becomes less of a priority. Typically, you are faced with one of the following situations:
- Your building does have parking available on-site. However, it comes at an additional fee. This usually runs you an extra $150 or more per month on top of your rent cost.
- Your building does not have parking available on-site. However, there is street parking. In which, you will have to purchase a street parking permit from the City of Ottawa. Although cheaper than the average landlord fee of renting a space on-site, it still will run you about $800 per year (about $70 per month).
Due to the hefty parking rates, wintertime driving hassles, and the level of easy connectivity across the city, many Ottawans do choose to opt for other methods of transit for a good reason.
2. Determine where the neighborhood sit in terms of demographics and lifestyles.
Ottawa may be known as the ‘big-small city’, but it certainly still is equipped with a large number of very different and diverse neighborhoods. All of which cater to different demographics and lifestyles. Before settling on an area to explore apartments for rent in Ottawa, it’s important to ask yourself questions to determine what exactly you are looking for in your new digs.
- Is it important to me to be surrounded by neighbours in the same age group as me?
- Do I want to have access at my fingertips to all of the essentials or do I mind travelling to where I need to go?
- Quiet or lively- what lifestyle works best for me and my routine?
For example, an area like Sandy Hill is commonly populated with students. It is quite lively at night and boasts a number of fast-food spots. On the other hand, a neighborhood like Westboro leans more towards those aged 35 and up, It is a quieter setting and carries a lot of finer-dining places to eat. Both are great places to call home, but it heavily depends on the type of person. You can view an entire in-depth Ottawa neighborhoods breakdown here.
3. Verify if the space has central air conditioning and if not, if it is equipped to maintain a unit if you were to put one in.
It’s hard to imagine sometimes, but Ottawa gets HOT. Ottawa’s summers tend to span from late June to late August. However, the level of humidity and bouts of heatwaves are much more severe. Coming from someone that went without air conditioning for years, do not underestimate Ottawa’s summer situation. The heat is like no other.
Going back to it being an old city, the vast majority of apartments for rent in Ottawa do not offer central air conditioning. With that, it is always incredibly important to confirm that for one, will an air conditioning unit fit comfortably in your new space, and two, is your new space equipped to power a high voltage unit as such. Some older buildings, generally in Sandy Hill and Lowertown, have been wired in funny ways. So, you may find yourself having to make a trip to the breaker once or twice during those warmer days if your unit cannot handle the power. Simply confirming with your landlord if it is possible to bring in a window unit can save you a whirlwind of summertime hassle.
4. Confirm the laundry situation and if it is located on-site.
Once a laundromat go-er, always a laundromat go-er doesn’t quite fly the same in Ottawa. This is really for one reason; the winters. Once December hits, the capital city turns into a kingdom of 4 feet tall snowbanks and icy sidewalks. With that, hauling multiple bags of laundry through the streets feels less like a chore and more like a triathlon of winter mayhem.
Most apartments for rent in Ottawa now include either in-unit or on-site washers and dryers depending on the style of building you are in. On-site usually costs you a couple of bucks per load like the laundromat does but it saves you all of the hassle.
Final thoughts about looking for apartments to rent in Ottawa:
Of course, there are many other aspects to consider when apartment hunting overall. However, from the experience of locals, these are the most important and often overlooked.