Tony McNeil - Ottawa Realtor

Tony McNeil - Ottawa Realtor Realtor with Re/Max Hallmark Ottawa

03/14/2026

If your house suddenly feels smaller every year… it’s not just you.

We’re literally going through that right now.

A few years ago this place felt perfect.

Now it feels like every closet, corner, and flat surface has been claimed by kid stuff.

Which is kind of funny, because the Family First Method I talk about...

I’m basically running it on my own household right now.

Here are a few things that matter when families start thinking about upsizing:

1. Figure out what you actually need.
More bedrooms is obvious. But the real upgrade is usually things like storage, a mudroom, a second living space, or a yard where the kids can burn some energy.

2. Think about the neighbourhood differently.
Parks, schools, quiet streets, how far everything is once you’re doing daycare drop-offs and hockey practice.

3. Run the numbers early.
What your place could sell for and what a move would actually cost. Once you see the numbers, the whole idea gets a lot less fuzzy.

4. Think a few years ahead.
A nursery turns into a bedroom.
Toys turn into sports gear.
The extra room disappears faster than you expect.

5. Have a plan for the buy and the sell.
Upsizing is really two moves at the same time. The smoother the plan, the less stressful the whole thing is.

We’re figuring this out ourselves right now. Yippee.

Turns out the advice I give families every day… applies pretty well at home too.

WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK IT?

Send me a DM and I'll fill you in on how I can help make upsizing an awesome experience for everyone involved.

03/13/2026

Every year we rotate through one of the Ottawa museum family passes.

This year’s loop: Aviation, Science & Tech, and Agriculture.

At this point I’m pretty sure we’ve done each pass… several times.

Right now Sophie is currently obsessed with the Aviation Museum.
Planes. Cockpits. Buttons. Repeat.

I present to you... our kid in her 2001: A Space Odyssey era.

Growing up in Newfoundland, the word “museum” was doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Ottawa set the bar a little higher. Thankfully.

Anyway, if anyone wants to wander hangars and stare thoughtfully at aircraft with us, we’re around.

Company is always welcome.

03/13/2026

The bottom of the market is everyone’s favourite imaginary place.

DISCLAIMER: Don't try to time the market like my daughter tried to time this video.

I'd say I talk to at least one person weekly who’s waiting for the crash.

The bottom.
The big reset.
The moment everything finally goes on (fire)sale.

The problem is that you usually don’t know you were looking at a good buying window until it’s already closed.

Meanwhile, the market just keeps moving in small, boring increments.

Ottawa’s market has moved, but mostly in a pretty unsexy, grind-it-out way.
Not the dramatic collapse people keep waiting for.

Just steady movement.

That’s what most real (estate) markets actually look like.

A lot more sideways and gradual than the headlines suggest.

But here’s the catch:

If you spent the last 3–4 years waiting for the “perfect moment,”
there’s a good chance prices moved, rates changed, and people who bought anyway quietly built equity while they lived their lives.

No bell rings at the bottom.

And you usually only recognize it a couple years later.

DM me right meow if you want to talk time in the market vs timing the market.

02/26/2026

Calm decisions age better. Adrenaline is a bad financial advisor.

I’ve never been a big rush in and hope for the best guy.

Most mistakes happen when people move before they’re ready.

Wrong house.
Wrong price.
Wrong timing.

I know that because I’ve lived it.
When we bought our first house, emotions got the best of us.

Yes, even me...

It cost us a pretty penny.
Cost us some stress too.

Don't get me wrong, we’re happy... now, but we learned a lot from that situation.

I take that lessons and make sure my clients don’t repeat them.

The people who know me know I’m (generally) steady under pressure.

Cool as a cucumber...
It is what it is...
What’s the worst that can happen?

And I don’t mean casual, I mean prepared.
It comes with experience.

When the work’s done up front, you don’t panic mid-play.
You adjust. You execute.

That’s how I try to run life.
That’s how I run my business.

02/25/2026

You haven’t known pain until you’ve stepped on tiny plastic Simba.

The solid, sharp-edged, one inch, plastic version.

Full body shutdown. Immediate regret.

Most of you know 20/20 vision isn’t exactly my lane...

And if you've been lucky enough to experience something similar, after that, you start moving through your own house like you’re on patrol.

Eyes down.
Slow steps.
Scanning for threats.

But at some point, it’s not about Simba.

It’s about the space.

When your place starts feeling tight, loud, and slightly chaotic, it’s usually not the toys. It’s that life has expanded.

Kids grow.
Stuff multiplies.
Square footage stays the same.

Sometimes upsizing isn’t flashy. It’s just practical.

That’s the idea behind the Family First Method.

Make the move make sense. Keep it steady. Reduce the friction.

If you want the guide, send me a DM.


02/24/2026

This started in summer 2024. New city. Clear plan.

They reached out to the team for a rental while relocating from Toronto to Ottawa. Clear goals. No drama. Just good people.

We found them a rental so they could land, breathe, and actually get to know the city before making a big decision. Smart move.

Over that year, Ottawa did its thing.

They found their spots.
Dialed in schools.
Started picturing long term.

When it was time to buy, we didn’t sit around refreshing MLS hoping something perfect would fall into our lap.

We hit the streets.

Targeted specific neighbourhoods.
Mailed.
Followed up.
Had conversations most people aren’t willing to have.

We ran into a few situations that were… let’s just say memorable.
If you want the uncensored version, DM me.

Then the right house showed up. One of Ottawa’s absolute best family neighbourhoods. And of course, there was another buyer at the table.

Competitive. Tight. A couple real curveballs.

But they stayed steady.
Trusted the plan.
Fall 2025, keys in hand.

Wild process. Good people. Grateful I got a front row seat.

02/23/2026

I used to think success meant being busy all the time.

Back to back appointments.
Phone buzzing.
Calendar jammed.

If I was busy, I assumed I must be succeeding.
At least that’s what I told myself.

Growing up somewhere slower changes how you see money, space, and pace.

Somewhere along the way, being exhausted became a flex.
Being “crazy busy” became the goal.

I bought into that early on.

When I first got into real estate, I chased it.
More deals. More growth. More everything.

And on paper, it looked like success.
But eventually I noticed something.

If I’m too busy to sit at the table with my family, that’s not success.

If I’m distracted at bedtime because my phone won’t stop buzzing, that’s not success.

If I’m building a business but missing the reason I’m building it in the first place… that’s not success.

I measure it differently now.

Success is being steady when things get chaotic.
It’s having clients who trust me without constant noise.
It’s building something sustainable.
It’s being home for dinner.

It’s not feeling guilty for slowing down.

Money matters. Growth matters.

But time with the people you’re doing it for?

That is the real metric.

02/22/2026

When people get ready to list, they automatically think upgrades:

New kitchen.
New floors.
Big spend.
$$$$

Most of the time, it’s simpler than that.

Touch up the scuffs you’ve learned to ignore.
Deep clean like you’re getting your deposit back.
Clear out the closets. If it fights back, it’s too full.

That’s the stuff buyers notice first.

Before you price out a renovation, handle the basics.
They move the needle more than you think.

If you want the straightforward pre-list checklist, I’ll send it.
Just send me a DM.

02/21/2026

Born and raised in St. John’s, NL.

Winter meant go outside.
Didn’t matter how much snow.
You just went.

Snow forts. Sleds. Frozen hands.

Nobody was worried about “wind chill.”

Now Sophie sees snow and loses her mind.
Same energy.

But I struggle to find the same enthusiasm now.

Wish I had been born on a tropical island somedays...

That’s it.

Oh and CFA = Come From Away (now you know)

02/20/2026

Welcome to 355 Widgeon Way in Findlay Creek.

If you know this neighbourhood, you know.

Tree lined streets.
Parks around every corner.
Great schools.

It is the kind of place where kids ride bikes and neighbours actually know each other.

This 3 bed, 4 bath semi detached home has been meticulously maintained with real pride of ownership throughout.

Hardwood floors that warm up the main level.

A bright, functional layout that actually makes sense for day to day life.

A primary bedroom that feels like a retreat at the end of a long day.

Downstairs, the finished lower level gives you options.

Family movie nights.
Home office.
Play space.
Workout zone.

You decide.

Homes like this in Findlay Creek do not sit around.

Let’s get you through the door.

02/18/2026

Hot water tank bursts.
Not much zen before closing.

Three days before my first-time buyers got the keys, the tank on the third floor let go.

Water from the top floor… straight to the basement.
Literal rainfall inside the house.

Thankfully the seller had to deal with it.

Repairs. Drywall. Floors.
The whole thing.

A few weeks’ delay turned into new flooring, updated lighting, and a better house than the one they originally bought.

No insurance claim.
No out-of-pocket surprises.

Stressful? Sure.

Bad outcome?
Not even close.

We're always looking for the silver lining, folks!

02/17/2026

Renovating a house you have outgrown is an expensive way to stay stuck.

Your place does not fit your life anymore.

Layout feels tight.
Finishes feel dated.

So you start thinking big reno.
But here is the part no one loves hearing...

You can change the paint.
The floors.
Even the kitchen.

You cannot change the bones.

And the time, money, and stress stack up fast.

Renovations can help.
They are just not always the answer.

Sometimes it makes more sense to move into a home that already works.

Better layout.
Better flow.
No forcing it.

If you are stuck between renovating and relocating, let’s talk it through.

No pressure. Just a conversation about what may actually make sense.

Address

Ottawa, ON

Telephone

+16132365959

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