Oakville, ON

The Stillness of a Snowy Day in Oakville and Burlington Area, Ontario.

It's collecting on the garden door and turning the Burlington and Oakville regions of Ontario, Canada into a cosy, muffled world of whiteness again. Snow, glorious snow.

I've been home this week recovering from a nasty bug that I picked up well before Christmas. The past 4 weeks have seen a seemingly never ending cycle of thinking I am finally getting over it just to have it rear it's vicious head once more.
Monday I went to see the Doc as I was feeling worse than ever and I knew I needed help.
After 4 days of antibiotics, I'm feeling like myself once more and can make plans to return to those winter activities that I love.

The Burlington and Oakville area is home to many beautiful, groomed cross-country ski trails for those adventurous souls who love to take winter's hand and dance wildly in it's arms, taking in all that it has to offer.

I like to get out and hike on the many trails that meander through the Halton Conservation Area parks and in winter I can be found gliding along on skis enjoying the peacefulness of the wintery landscapes.

Having grown up a northerner, I don't let winter get me down.

In my family we learned to skate before we had even mastered walking. There are many beautiful areas to skate in the Burlington and Oakville areas.

My brother and his family have a penchant for skating on the outdoor skating rink at Bronte Creek Provincial Park, the breathtaking natural area that divides Oakville and Burlington. No matter how cold it is, he and Shanine and the kids don their skates and wooly hats and head out as often as they can and always come home rosy cheeked, singing and laughing.

No matter what your favourite winter activity might be, the Burlington and Oakville area has you covered.

Winter, glorious winter. I say, bring it on!

©2012JoSmith

The Town of Oakville has three heritage districts as designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

• Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District
• Trafalgar Road Heritage Conservation District
• First and Second Street Heritage Conservation District

Map of Oakville's 3 Heritage Districts

These three districts are all located in the real estate area called Old Oakville. Each individual neighbourhood is situated within walking distance of Oakville's vibrant downtown core, Lake Ontario and the Oakville Harbour. Many homes on Trafalgar Road back onto the 16 Mile Creek.

All three very desireable neighbourhoods are located on leafy tree lined streets. Stately century old homes sit amongst new custom built homes and upscale townhomes and condos. Some of the newer townhomes even offer elevators. Many of the historic homes have been updated carefully to retain it's original charm and integrity. Many proudly display historic plaques with the date and original owner's name. The Oakville Historical Society is a wonderful source of information not only for homeowners who purchase historical homes but also for anyone interested in Oakville's rich history, all stemming from our beautiful harbour at the mouth of the 16 Mile Creek.

Living in Old Oakville has it's benefits. Upscale Restaurants, Cafes, Boutique Shopping, Performing Arts Centre, Library, Lakefront walking trails, Oakville Club, Curling Club, Tennis Clubs, Boating Clubs and more are all within walking distance of the Heritage Districts.

Century old Churches also grace the downtown core. The Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital has resided on Reynolds Street for over 60 years. Construction has begun on the new hospital on Third Line and Dundas Street in North Oakville and it will open it's doors in 2015. Other medical arts buildings and many other professional offices are located on and near Lakeshore Road.

Residents in the heritage areas are in close proximity to Fortinos on Lakeshore Road and Whole Foods on Cornwall and Trafalgar for all their shopping needs. Many area residents walk to the GO Station daily to ride the commuter train to Toronto to work.

Old Oakville and the heritage districts are not generally known as first time buyer areas. Smaller starter homes in these areas rarely come on the market for under $600,000. Some buyers are paying up to $1,000,000. for properties, only to demolish the present home and build large custom estates. Some townhomes sell for over $1,000,000. Estates on Lakeshore Road or fronting on to Lake Ontario sell for well into the millions.

You don't have to live in the historical districts of Oakville to enjoy what this area has to offer. The Towne Square in the middle of Oakville's downtown is a gathering place for those out with their kids or dogs, or those looking for a great spot to enjoy a coffee or ice cream cone.

Oakville really is a wonderful community to call home.

Search The Oakville Real Estate Listings To Get The Best Deal When Buying Or Selling Real Estate

If you are looking to purchase real estate in oakville there are a few things that you can do to ensure that you get the most for your money. Doing these things will also make sure that you get a deal that you will love and not regret later. Looking at oakville real estate listings, can be one of the first things you do to get the right properties. There are some absolutely great properties for sale in oakville, and I can get you into one of them at a great price. Yes it may be a little more expensive then some other areas, but Oakville is considered an upper class area, with little crime.

After you have made the smart decision to search oakville real estate listings you then need to make sure that you follow another important tip. That is to make sure that you are proactive, and ready to move when your realtor finds you that great deal on an Oakville home. The reason I say this is because you may find that properties for sale in oakville move fast. Usually when a great deal appears on the market it hardly ever lasts more then a couple weeks, and some buyers never even get a sniff or know that deal was available.

Another thing that you can do is make sure that you keep an open mind. Most consumers have an idea of what they are looking for in a home. If you don't keep an open mind you will find that you may be missing out on some really good oakville real estate. In order for your realtor to do his or her job to the best of their abilities, they need to understand exactly what you're looking for. Make sure to tell them this right off the bat, and let them know as soon as possible if your mind has changed on anything.

All of these tips are designed to help you find the home of your dreams. When it comes to looking at oakville real estate listings you will find that there are many properties that can be right for you. You need to make sure that you use these tools to get the most for your money and make your investment work for you. If you're looking to buy or sell oakville real estate, give me a call and let's turn your dreams into an address!!!

Bill and Sue** are a typical young Oakville couple.  They both have great but demanding  jobs and they love to spend their spare time enjoying Oakville restaurants and theatre with their friends. 

When they bought their fixer upper home, Bill and Sue had some great renovation ideas, but Bill just didn't have the time necessary to complete all of their "projects."

Sue is becoming a tad impatient and she is tired of waiting for Bill to repair even the simplest tasks like the leaky taps.  Sue has the bug.  She knows there are some great new homes being built in Oakville with all the bells and whistles  that she could move right into.

Sue knows that with a newer home there will be no major maintenance issues for many years to come.  She adores her century character home but it just doesn't suit their lifestyle anymore.

So Bill and Sue have contacted me to help them with their next move.  I look forward to showing them some great new listings in Oakville in the hopes of finding their next "perfect" home.

I will sit down with the couple and show them what the market is doing in their area and what they need to do to make their home more saleable.  A comparative market analysis will give us an indication of the current value of their property.

My internet marketing plan will definitely help to get their home the exposure it needs to sell quickly.  I plan to work hard for Bill and Sue so that they will be willing to refer my name on to their friends and relatives.

Thanks so much Bill and Sue for allowing me to be your partner in real estate.

**Bill and Sue are a fictional couple but I look forward to working with Oakville couples just like them.

Oakville, Ontario is located in an enviable geographic position. Sitting on the shores of Lake Ontario, and centrally located between the large cities of Toronto and Hamilton, the Town of Oakville with a population of approximately 175,000 still retains a small town community feel.

The GO commuter trains are full every morning with Oakville residents travelling to their jobs in downtown Toronto. Luckily, the Town of Oakville has a number of large employers, allowing many residents to live and work in close proximity.

Here is a list of Oakville's Top Ten Employers

1. Halton District School Board - 4000

2. Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd. - 3491

3. Regional Municipality of Halton - 1650

4. Halton Healthcare Services Corp. - 1600 (Hospital)

5. Sheridan College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning - 1500

6. Tim Hortons - TDL Group Corp. - 761 (Franchisers, warehouse & head office for coffee & baked goods)

7. Corporation of the Town of Oakville - 690

8. Goodrich Landing Gear / Goodrich Aerospace Canada Ltd. - 600

9. Omron Dualtec Auto Electronics Inc. - 600

10. G.E. Water & Process Technologies - 550

Many people are under the assumption that Oakville is not an affordable community to live in. While it is true that Oakville is an affluent community and many neighbourhoods boast high end homes, there are many areas where home prices are still very affordable.

Most of the recent growth in Oakville has taken place north of the Queen Elizabeth Highway. Builders began developing subdivions in the early 1980's and the new home construction continues today. While the older sections of Oakville boast large lots and century old homes and trees, these newer areas appeal to buyers for many reasons. Parks, trails, community centres, shopping, new schools, sports fields are all readily available to enjoy.

Oakville has it's share of shopping plazas and malls. One of the major reasons, despite being the size of a city, that it retains it's small town vibe is due to the downtown district. Oakville's downtown is welcoming and attracts residents and visitors to annual festivities such as Midnight Madness, Jazz Festival, Sidewalk Sale, Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, plus much more.

There are pancake breakfasts, tiny tot parades, bathtub races, big bike ride for Heart and Stroke, just to name a few more events and activities.

First time buyers in Oakville can still find condo apartments for under $200,000. Condo townhomes range from $250,000 up, and freehold townhomes and semi detached homes can still be purchased in the $300,000's.

Older detached bungalows are also available under $400,000, many with great sized yards. Fixer uppers are also available for the handyman. Many keen renovators have been able to turn a profit on reno projects here. We are findiing that many of today's buyers are looking for turnkey homes, as not everyone has the time or energy to do their own renovations.

Larger executive style homes can be purchased for $500,000 and up. Custom built homes and estates are also available over $1,000,000.

For more information on what Oakville has to offer please check out www.oakvillepropertiesforsale.com