Best of Barrhaven

Home to one of my favourite cafes and a quick drive from downtown, Barrhaven is rapidly growing with more things to do and a spot many are looking to settle down in. Continuing on my neighbourhood series, I spoke with Ray Otten of Ottawa Properties to get his professional opinion of the Barrhaven housing market. Ray and his team are Ottawa’s leading real estate agents and for over 25 years have helped thousands of Ottawa families achieve their Ottawa real estate dreams. He recently answered some of your top FAQs on the Ottawa Housing Marketing here. So before we dive into the best things to do in the neighbourhood, what’s the housing market like in Barrhaven?

Why is Barrhaven an ideal place to settle down?

It’s a newer suburban area in Ottawa, that has exploded over the last several years. It now offers all of the amenities most young families would desire. For example, public transit, a drive downtown in 20 minutes, good schools, ample selection of restaurants, a lot of shopping choices and a good selection of professional services such as dentists, banks, lawyers etc.

Ray Otten

Who is interested in moving to Barrhaven right now?

New people moving to Ottawa and young families looking for good value in a newer home. First time home buyers also find Barrhaven a great entry point into the real estate market with a good selection of condominiums, townhomes, freehold townhouses and reasonably affordable single family homes. Values can range from 200k-500k+

Ray Otten

How is the resale value of houses in Barrhaven right now and expectations for the future?

Barrhaven has seen one of the highest appreciations in the past year in value as consumers see the benefits of living in Barrhaven.

Ray Otten

What are the neighbourhoods surrounding Barrhaven like? Are those areas that should be considered as well?

Yes – they could be considered as well. If looking for a state lot subdivision, Cedar Hill neighbours onto Barrhaven, however values quickly exceed one million dollars. To the south, Riverside South offers affordable housing and many newer homes. Again, the amenities and the public transit available in these areas are excellent with easy access to main roads downtown.

Ray Otten

What are the differences between Barrhaven and Kanata for potential homebuyers?

The main difference is that Kanata is the main high tech hub of Ottawa. People wanting to live closer to work, may choose Kanata over Barrhaven.  However, Barrhaven has good access to Kanata as well. Values are similar in both neighbourhoods.

Ray Otten

Things To Do In Barrhaven

Now that Barrhaven is on your radar, here are some of the best things to do in Barrhaven:

Restaurants

Cafe Cristal

This is one of my favourite cafes in all of Ottawa. The interior is absolutely stunning making it a great spot to meet with friends or get some work done. Make sure to try their tea lattes.

Dessert

Satisfy your sweet tooth at spots like Chocolat Favoris or Menchies. Chocolat Favoris has all the desserts you can dream of and Menchies is the best spot for custom frozen yogurt! Feeling cupcakes or baked goods? Stop by Anabia Cupcakes.

Healthy Food

Need a quick and healthy bite? Head to spots like Pi-Rho Grill (best sauces in town), Freshii and Copper Branch.

Burgers

Craving a burger? Choose from spots like The Works, Five Guys or Burgers & Shakes, Juluca’s and more!

International Cuisine

Barrhaven has a wide range of restaurants making it easy to enjoy your favourite foods without going far. Enjoy international cuisine like Shawarma Prince, Barrhaven Vietnamese Restaurant, 1000 Sushi Islands, The Fry – Korean Fried Chicken, Ka Familia Filipino Fusion Restaurant, Karara The Indian Takeout, Pinelopi’s Greek Kitchen and more.

Local Pubs

Meet your friends for a beer at a local Pub in Barrhaven. Pubs you’ll find include Heart and Crown, Barley Mow, Greenfields and more.  

Activities

Seasonal Activities

Barrhaven hosts many annual festivals like Oktoberfest, Barrhaven Canada Day and the Barrhaven Santaclaus parade. You can also enjoy seasonal activities like a farmers market or sugar bush season at The Log Farm.

Shopping

You’ll find multiple spots to shop in Barrhaven including Barrhaven Town Centre, Chapman Mills Marketplace, Strandherd Crossing and Barrhaven Mall. Shops include spots like Winners, Carter’s OshKosh, Plato’s closet and more! Plenty of grocery stores including Costco or more boutique shops for all your groceries.

Services

You’ll find all the services you need within Barrhaven including home care, pet care, beauty, legal and more!

Fitness

You’ll find plenty of spots to workout in Barrhaven including gyms, yoga studios, martial arts studios and more. Barrhaven is home to some wonderful sports centres including Walter Baker Sports Centre and Minto Recreational Complex. I did lots of swimming lessons and competitive swimming at Walter Baker Sports when I was younger.

Parks and Trails

Barrhaven has lots of Parks and trails to explore. At the different parks you’ll find play structures, splash pads, soccer fields, ice rinks, forest trails, bike trails, wide open spaces perfect for a picnic and more. There are plenty of spots you can bring your dog to like Larkin Park and Houlahan Park.

Barrhaven has a lot going on and it is an area that keeps growing with new neighbourhoods and housing developments. If you have more questions about housing in Barrhaven you can contact Ray Otten and his team here:

Direct Line: 613-288-2455

Email: info@ottawaproperties.com

Instagram: @ottawa_properties

Twitter: @TheRayOttenTeam

Facebook: The Ray Otten Team – Ottawa Properties

Read more about the Ottawa Housing market here. You can also see what Ray has to say about Kanata and Westboro. Which neighbourhood are you interested in learning about next?

Thanks to Ray Otten and team for sponsoring this blog post and sharing your expertise with me,a topic I receive many questions about and am very interested in. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.