| ◘ Downtown | ◘ Harbour | ◘ Hospital | ◘ Real Estate | ◘ Sports | ◘ Schools | ◘ Churches |
|---|
In Orillia, the real estate market is usually fairly steady, and housing or cottage/leisure properties can be found in most price ranges. In today's market, lower priced properties are in very short supply, but they are still being seen and sold on a regular basis. At the current time (2023), real estate prices are still quite high in Orillia, as are rental costs. Local realtors generally get the pricing pretty close to what it might sell for, and while that's usually based on things like house size, condition, number of beds/baths, etc. it can also take into account the area in town where the house is located. Some areas are less desirable than others.
Waterfront properties are at a premium in Orillia, and even small houses with waterfront that "need work or TLC" can cost a great deal more than a newer home in a residential subdivision. Buying a home that needs updating (even an expensive waterfront home) can be a good way to invest in the future. Waterfront homes seldom go down in value, and returning one to it's full beauty can result in large increase in it's sales price a few years down the road. To see examples of the types of housing that line the streets and neighbourhoods of Orillia, see this page of local homes.
 |
| Waterfront Condos |
Prices here can run the gamut from $350,000 to over several million, depending on what you are looking for. There are a number of waterfront condominium developments, some completed and some still being completed which are very suitable for those who want the luxury of waterfront without the upkeep, but all of these are considered "pricey" - not just to buy, but to maintain. Condominiums typically have a monthly charge for "condo fees", and very often these fees do not include taxes or utilities, so on top of your monthly mortgage fees, you need to factor in the condo fees and cost of utilities as well.
Most of the local realty companies have websites online, and many individual agents have their own MLS site online. Initial steps you can take are to visit the websites and look up the type of property you want in the location you want. Any property listed with an MLS # will be available to view on their site, and give the listing realtor and agent, and how to contact them.
Not every property is listed under the MLS listings, as some are exclusive listings with one agent or realtor, and you may only find those properties by talking to an agent.
As well as the MLS site, you can scroll through the Realtor.ca website for Orillia listings, with a selection of listed properties, and includes notices of open houses. I have taken to using Realtor.ca lately, and if I find something we might be interested in, we call the guy we have used many times to buy/sell homes. And take it from there.
If you are looking to buy property in and around Orillia, you'll want to take some time to investigate the availability and the locations, along with the prices. And for that, you should probably use a local real estate agent. Orillia has it's fair share of Real Estate Brokers and Agents. Finding an agent or broker isn't always as simple as calling the company, but it can be.
Working with an agent can be very helpful, but the agent should be someone you are comfortable with. Establishing a trust between you and your agent is also a good idea, but that normally doesn't occur on the first contact and takes time.
One thing I have noticed over the course of the last year is a sudden multitude of agents advertising local Orillia listings (often on Facebook Marketplace), but these people don't live, or work, in Orillia. Some houses they list appear over priced for the location in town, for example in a less desirable area they list for more than they should; or poorly finished/remodelled houses for higher than they should list. I can't stress enough that you should at the very least, talk with local agents.
Another reason for at least speaking with locals is the current uptick in building. If you are expecting a nice, quiet location and find in six months half the houses are being torn down to build town houses or apartment buildings, and that isn't what you want to live near, you want to know these plans in advance. Real estate agents that know their areas are usually aware of future plans for some areas. Several houses we thought we'd want to look at turned out to be directly behind planned new town house complexes.
Agents in nearby towns like Barrie or Coldwater who know the area aren't what I mean when I say "not local". A lot of them appear to be in larger cities, not close to us and have never visited here, let alone lived here (it's also obvious from the photos sometimes that the person isn't that familiar with professional presentations). Just as an example, one agent advertised a home for sale on a specific street in Orillia. As it happens, I knew the home wasn't for sale. When I contacted him to ask about it, he said "it in Orillia" (his exact wording), for sale. When I told him I knew the owners, and it wasn't for sale, he hung up on me. Just be sure to ask sufficient questions up front, and never pay for anything before getting a chance to really look at what you're getting.
Any agent's we've ever dealt with and spoken to about homes we looked at were honest about any issues with the home, and would tell you what the problems were. If they won't answer specific questions, never buy with a home inspection. These can be costly, but a reputable company can save you a lot of money with an inspection.
If you know someone in Orillia, ask for their recommendations if they have any. Anyone who has experience with the various agents or realty companies will be happy to tell you who they used and how their experience was.
Personally, we have a fair bit of experience in buying and selling real estate here. Probably a little more than the average person just buying a home for their family. While we usually do live in the houses we've bought, we don't always. As well as buying and selling 4 family homes we've lived in, we've also acquired two rental properties and sold one, and are on the verge of perhaps acquiring another (in 2012). Besides our own properties, the agent we've always used also stepped in to help us sell a condominium in Toronto that belonged to my parents, taking on the dealings between the realtor in Toronto and ourselves and making this hard process much easier on us. We consider him to be invaluable, and worth every penny of his fees when we've had to sell a home through him. When we are considering a property buy, he's our "go to" agent, because after all these years, we trust him to steer us in the right direction, and to provide us with his honest appraisals. So I guess my first recommendation would be to call this guy, or his company - he's been in this business for long enough to know what's going on in town, and nearby.
Except for Royal LePage which we've used multiple times (because we personally know a broker), many realty companies no longer have or list physical offices in this area, however, some of the agents from those companies are familiar with Orillia since they've lived here, or worked here for long enough to get to know it.
| ROYAL LEPAGE, REAL QUEST REALTY Stewart McNeely Website:Lake Country Real Estate 19 Andrew St. North, Orillia Office Phone: 705-327-9999 SUTTON GROUP INCENTIVE REALTY INC. Website:Sutton Group Incentive Realty |
450 West St. N
ORILLIA, Ontario L3V5E8 705-325-1366
705-325-7556
REMAX ORILLIA REALTY (1996) LTD. Website: Remax Orillia Realty Address: 97 Neywash St., Orillia Office Phone: 705-325-1373 |
Most agents will be able to point you towards local lawyers and mortgagors, or home-inspection agents, as well as land-surveyors.