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News Michael Prentice Wed, Dec 3, 2008 Within the city of Ottawa, there are very few homes with what is virtually their own sandy beach on the Ottawa River. But homeowners in Crystal Bay-Rocky Point step out their back door on to the beach, which they usually have to themselves. From there, it's an unparalleled view of a brilliant sunset on the river. Very quietly, the neighbourhood has become one of the most desirable – and pricey – in the city. It is one of very few places in Ottawa where homes back onto the sweeping river. That's because parks and parkways for motor vehicles follow the course of the river for most of its passage through the city. Add the fact that stretches of the beach are highly inaccessible unless you're fortunate enough to have a waterfront home, or are invited there by a homeowner. (There is some public access to the shoreline, but it's a tough – and daunting – scramble through dense undergrowth). The area is home to social moguls, property developers, venture capitalists and even current and former NHL hockey players including Luke Richardson (recently put on waivers by the Ottawa Senators) and Gary Galley, now a hockey commentator on Rogers Sportsnet. Builders John and Shirley Westeinde have a waterfront home on Crystal Bay. So does successful car dealer Fern Turpin. Deborah O'Brien, former wife of Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien, also lives there. The neighbourhood is off Carling Avenue, immediately west of the Nepean Sailing Club. Its two chief residential streets are Loch Isle Road and Grandview Road, both of which hug the Ottawa River. The highest-priced home for sale in the neighbourhood recently was a large, modern house on the beach at 83 Loch Isle Rd. It listed for $2.8 million and was assessed for tax purposes to be worth $2.44 million at 2005 home values. The second-highest listing was for another modern home, at 82 Grandview Rd., for $1.5 million. Average selling prices mean little in the Crystal Bay-Rocky Point neighbourhood, since such a wide variety of properties exist. Only six sales in the neighbourhood were recorded on the Ottawa Real Estate Board's multiple-listing service in the 12-month period leading to August 2008. The average sale price was $529,917, down 19.8 per cent from the average in the previous 12-month period, in which only five houses were sold through MLS at an average price of $660,400. The highest-price sale on MLS in the neighbourhood in the first 10 months of this year was for a modern waterfront bungalow at 163 Grandview Rd. It was listed for $1.085 million and sold for $1.075 million. Buying older homes and knocking them down to build large new ones is also in vogue in the neighbourhood – if you can find one that's for sale. Brent McElheran, an Ottawa real estate agent with Royal LePage, says he tried in vain a few months ago to find a client an older home, ripe for demolition, in a waterfront location on Crystal Bay. "I called most owners of older homes, some of whom had been living there for 30, 40 or 50 years. All said they were happy to stay where they were. One lady said they would have to take her from her home in a box!" Still, older homes do come on the market, as latest MLS sales figures show. One small and modest bungalow – across Grandview Road from much bigger houses backing on the river – sold recently for $249,900. The real estate listing noted that architectural plans had already been drawn up for a much larger home on the site. Mr. McElheran says there has been a slowing in demand recently for high-end homes – which he defines as those costing more than $500,000. He did not say so, but this could mean better deals for high-end buyers in coming months.
"Gets it sold!" |
