For anyone coming to Ottawa on a House Hunting Trip, figuring out where to live can be overwhelming. Ottawa is a large, spread-out city made up of many distinct communities, and with limited time on the ground, it’s not always easy to know where to focus. After nearly 20 years of helping CAF members relocate here, one thing is clear: where you land has a big impact on how much you enjoy your posting.
Work location is often the starting point. With DND now spread across locations like the Carling Campus, Star Top, Leitrim, Uplands, and downtown, many families are trying to balance convenience today with flexibility for future postings. That shift has changed where military families are choosing to live.
In recent years, we’ve seen a strong move toward the West end. Stittsville and Kanata have become popular choices, particularly for families with young kids. These areas offer good schools, sports and recreation, access to green space, and a strong sense of community. They still feel like smaller towns within the city, which is something many families value. With a budget of around a million dollars, buyers are typically looking at a suburban family home with room to grow. While prices don’t go as far as they once did, they do go further than they did a couple of years ago.
Military families also tend to gravitate toward neighbourhoods where other CAF members already live. That built-in connection makes settling in easier, and it’s common to see homes being bought and sold between military families during posting season.
Orleans, Findlay Creek, Barrhaven, and other parts of the city can also be great fits depending on where you’re working. Orleans continues to work well for those posted to the east or downtown, while Findlay Creek offers a more central option for families unsure of future postings.
One of the biggest challenges with military relocations is time. With only a few days in Ottawa, preparation matters. Before clients arrive, we spend time talking through work locations, neighbourhood preferences, schools, commute tolerance, and lifestyle priorities. The clearer that is ahead of time, the smoother the House Hunting Trip becomes.
Even with improved inventory, we still work to create additional options by connecting with homeowners directly and sourcing off-market opportunities. This approach has helped many military families avoid bidding wars and find homes that were never listed publicly.
Helping military families relocate to Ottawa is something we take seriously. The right home and neighbourhood can shape your experience for years to come. There may not be a perfect home, but there is a right fit, and finding that fit is what a successful House Hunting Trip is all about.
