This Ottawa real estate guide explains how buying and selling a home here actually works: who’s involved, what Ontario’s rules require, and the order things happen in. Every Ottawa transaction involves the same core players: a buyer and a seller, usually each with a REALTOR® and brokerage, a real estate lawyer on each side, and a mortgage lender. The deal runs on a written representation agreement with your brokerage, an Agreement of Purchase and Sale between buyer and seller, and Ontario’s Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA), which sets the rules for agents.
Whether you’re buying your first condo in Barrhaven, moving up to a detached home in Kanata Lakes or downsizing from Rockcliffe Park, the structure is the same. What changes is the strategy. This guide covers the structure and points you to the detailed guides for your situation. I’m Jason Polonski, a REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty, and I’ve spent more than 15 years guiding Ottawa buyers and sellers through it.
| Professional | Their job | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| REALTOR® and brokerage | Price, market, negotiate and manage the deal for their client under a written agreement | The role of a REALTOR® |
| Real estate lawyer | Review the agreement, search title, handle funds, register the transfer, arrange title insurance | What an Ottawa real estate lawyer does |
| Mortgage lender or broker | Pre-approve the buyer, approve the property, fund the mortgage on closing | Mortgage pre-approval in Ottawa |
| Home inspector | Assess the home’s condition, usually during the buyer’s inspection condition | Home inspections in Ottawa |
| Appraiser | Confirm value for the lender | Appraisal vs market value |
Behind them sit two organizations you’ll hear about. The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) registers and regulates every agent and brokerage in the province. The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) is the local board REALTORS® belong to. It runs the local MLS® System and publishes monthly market statistics.
Not sure how the titles differ? My guide to realtor vs real estate agent vs broker explains salespersons, brokers, brokerages and the REALTOR® trademark.
Since December 1, 2023, TRESA has given buyers and sellers clearer protections. Before an agent helps you, they must give you and explain the RECO Information Guide. If you want representation, you sign a written agreement that spells out services, fees, term and how it ends. If you don’t, you’re a self-represented party, and the other side’s agent can’t advise you.
Brokerages can represent you as a firm or through named, designated agents. When one brokerage acts for both buyer and seller, multiple representation rules require written disclosure and consent. My plain-language guide to TRESA walks through every change, including what sellers can now share about competing offers.
For the costs along the way, see the cost to buy a house in Ottawa and the cost of selling a home in Ottawa.
The agent you choose shapes everything above. Start with how to choose a realtor in Ottawa, which includes the ten questions I’d ask any agent, including me. Prices and buyer demand change block by block across Ottawa, which is why a local realtor usually prices more accurately.
Wondering if you need an agent at all? Read do you need a realtor to buy a house? and the benefits of using a real estate agent. Already working with someone and it isn’t going well? Here’s how to change or fire your realtor in Ontario.
Working with a REALTOR®: Benefits of Using a Real Estate Agent · How to Choose a Realtor in Ottawa · The Role of a REALTOR® · Multiple Representation in Ottawa · Why Use a Local Realtor · TRESA Explained · Realtor vs Real Estate Agent vs Broker · Do You Need a Realtor to Buy a House? · How to Change or Fire Your Realtor
Legal and closing: What an Ottawa Real Estate Lawyer Does
Luxury: Ottawa Luxury Homes Realtor · Selling Luxury Real Estate in Ottawa · Tips for Selling a Luxury Home · Luxury Homes for Sale in Ottawa
Listings and sales: Ottawa Real Estate Listings · Recently Sold Homes in Ottawa · Ottawa Real Estate Blog
About Jason: About Jason Polonski · Client Reviews
Jason Polonski is a full-time REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty who has helped hundreds of buyers and sellers across Ottawa for more than 15 years, with a focus on the west end: Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Nepean, Carp and Manotick. Many of his clients are move-up homeowners buying and selling at the same time, and he plans both sides so the dates and the money line up. His background in construction and the electrical trades gives clients a practical read on a home’s condition, and his Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University, with a double major in Marketing and Finance, shapes his pricing and negotiation. His recognition includes the Chairman’s Club award in 2021 and 2025, and he has been named a Best in Ottawa Top REALTOR® seven years in a row. Call or text Jason at (613) 601-9333.