Spotlight profile—Breanna: Ottawa realtor

Breanna is no stranger to the spotlight. As a former TV and radio host, she has built up a portfolio of experience that extends well beyond her years. After graduating from broadcasting, she spent her early career promoting events across the National Capital Region, spreading the word about all that the illustrious capital city has to offer. She loves her city, and wants capital city residents, as well as Canadians writ large, to know just how special Ottawa is to us all.

With events and in-person gatherings curtailed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, her industry took a hit. As with many industry professionals, she was pushed to pivot. She is used to covering the biggest and best that Ottawa has to offer, and with this in her back pocket, she decided to take a turn into real estate.

Once licensed, Breanna hit the ground running trying to gain her footing. Change is hard, no matter the context, but for entrepreneurs and small business owners, the challenges are unique. One of the very first things that Breanna set out to do upon embarking on her new career was to establish a client base. She mentioned that she was “trying to figure out ways to market differently and attract clients, but it’s just so tricky!” Realtors, like Breanna, need to be well-informed about communities they serve. This is where Statistics Canada’s data could help.

Statistics Canada is able to provide realtors with housing statistics that deliver an understanding of the current shifts in an ever-changing housing market. From dwelling characteristics, housing costs and affordability, living arrangements, residential costs and investment, to vacancy rates, a comprehensive picture is materialized. Leveraging these insights, which are embedded within each listing on the MLS system, Breanna and her colleagues can be well informed on the unique traits of each neighbourhood in order to best advise clients on their purchase.

Further, data from the 2021 Census illuminates detailed insights into who Canadians are, as well as where they live, work and play. Equipped with Statistics Canada’s data tools and resources, such as the dynamic search tool for 2021 Census data, narrowing in on specific demographic segments through custom tabulations is made quick, easy and accurate. The data from the example below is from the 2016 Census but as more 2021 Census data is being published throughout 2022, more recent insights can be gained.

Users can gain a deep understanding into how factors like age, sex and gender, education, marital status, language, income, and occupation differ at varying levels of geography. With this information in hand, realtors and first time homebuyers, down-sizers, and up-sizers can develop a granular portrait of neighbourhoods they wish to consider for themselves and their loved ones, that serve their needs now and into the future.

Stay tuned as we continue to highlight stories from Canadian small business owners and entrepreneurs nationwide.

Data from the 2021 Census is available, see how our Canadian population has shifted over time!