Isn’t it great to know something before anyone else does? That’s the feeling when you spot an up-and-coming neighbourhood. You get to move in while it’s affordable and then enjoy its growth.
You’ll never be late to the party if you look for these sure signs of a neighbourhood about to become the next trendy area.
New Businesses Moving In 
One way a business ensures they’ll reach enough customers before they move into a new location is by doing extensive market research.
You’ll soon know if an area is on its way if you start to see new businesses pop up or even existing businesses doing renovations. This tells us they’re investing in the area and can see a future there. The same goes for real estate. We’ll discuss this in our next point.
Sometimes it just takes one business to move in and drastically change the future of a neighbourhood.
In Ottawa, once Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) moved into Westboro, it didn’t take long for other businesses to follow suit. Westboro has since seen significant growth in residential and commercial properties.
Commercial Development In An Up-And-Coming Neighbourhood
With the significant amount of growth happening in the Ottawa area right now, it’s likely you can’t go on a walk without seeing a contractor or zoning sign.
Contractor signs:
When we see contractor signs in an area, it means homeowners are investing time and money into their homes; they’re in it for the long-term.
Zoning signs:
When we see new developments or re-developing existing ones, it means developers and the city are investing in the community as well.
These are two ways that signs, can give you a “sign” that the neighbourhood is set to take off.
Transit Upgrades 
Photo Credit: Ottawa Citizen
Growth in transit is a big indication that a neighbourhood has a promising future. Look out for any plans to either upgrade or build a new transit system.
Where your city chooses to put new transit lines or upgrade existing ones tells us comprehensive research was done to justify why those areas were chosen. It means they expect a lot of growth.
Barrhaven is a great example of this. The City of Ottawa decided to extend the light rail to Barrhaven South. This is likely because of the significant growth they’ve witnessed over the years in Barrhaven and it shows no sign of slowing.
Young People Moving In 
They say that young people are the tastemakers of the trendiest hoods. This is likely because young people are looking for affordable places to live.
They spot neighbourhoods that may have a few amenities and once they move in, other businesses start following suit. Young people are powerful consumers, so it only makes sense businesses want to be where the youngins’ are.
So, if you see a bunch of young people and a tattooed barista is serving you coffee, you’re likely in a happening area and should move in ASAP.
Over the years, we’ve seen a surge in young people moving to Barrhaven. Young people are wanting to enter the housing market and are looking for affordable options. They don’t, however, want to miss out on big-city amenities so are seeking an area that combines those two things.
Are you ready to spot your city’s next up-and-coming neighbourhood?
Finding an up-and-coming neighbourhood is not only just to brag to your friends where you live but gives you a chance to enter the housing market on a tight budget.
Foreseeing the growth of an area can save you money and future self will thank you when you’re living in a desirable spot.
So, get out your visionary glasses and spot the next up-and-coming neighbourhood in your city. You may already be living in it.
Buy and Sell with Confidence. Choose The MacDonald Property Group.
At MacDonald Property Group, we have a dedicated full-service team under one roof ready to provide the expertise you can trust. With over twenty-five years of experience in real estate, we have sold and bought over a thousand homes. We’re proud to say that we’ve helped thousands of clients in Barrhaven and across the Ottawa area close a deal with confidence and satisfaction.