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The Living In Durham Blog

Expert advice on buying, selling, downsizing, and living in Durham Region. Search the full library, browse by category, and find the guide that answers your question.

All Weekend GuideCommunity SpotlightsBuyer TipsSeller TipsMarket UpdatesNeighbourhood Guides

Showing 20 of 58 articles

Heritage storefronts along Queen Street in downtown Port Perry on Halloween weekend at dusk, with glowing carved jack-o'-lanterns, pumpkins and hay bales outside the shops, string lights overhead, and the red grain mill tower beside Lake Scugog at the end of the street
Weekend Guide ·

Things To Do This Weekend in Durham Region (October 30 - November 1, 2026)

Your weekend guide to Durham Region for Oct-30 to Nov-1, 2026: Halloween night on Saturday, the Downtown Whitby BIA Trick or Treat, Uxbridge Halloween events, the final weekend at Pingle's, Brooks Farms, Forsythe and Cooper's, the Spooktacular Light Show in Ajax, and the Oshawa Generals at home on Sunday.

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A two-storey red brick waterfront home on Lake Scugog among sugar maples in full autumn colour, with a private wooden dock, a red-and-white boathouse, and a moored pontoon boat in calm water
Market Updates ·

Waterfront Homes in Scugog: How They Are Performing in Today's Market

How are waterfront homes on Lake Scugog performing in 2026? Demand conditions, what buyers are looking for, and where prices have moved, with sourced market data from Keith Williams and Lisa C. Follows.

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A welcoming single-storey red brick bungalow with a covered front porch on a quiet tree-lined Port Perry street in mid-October, warm light glowing from the windows and sugar maples in orange and gold along the sidewalk
Seller Tips ·

Real Estate Support for Seniors and Special Needs in Durham Region

Rightsizing, retirement and care transitions, decluttering, and sensitive situations handled with patience. How Keith Williams and Lisa C. Follows support seniors in Durham Region.

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A modern newly built two-storey suburban family home in Durham Region at blue-hour dusk, warm interior light glowing through large windows, brick and dark siding, a landscaped front yard and paved double driveway
Buyer Tips ·

New Construction Homes in Durham Region: Why Smart Tech Makes Them a Smart Buy

Smart-home features, energy efficiency, Tarion warranty and deposit protection make new builds in Durham Region appealing. What to check before you buy new construction.

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A classic two-storey red brick family home on a tree-lined street in a Durham Region town in late October, with a welcoming front porch and sugar maples in full autumn colour
Seller Tips ·

Divorce and Real Estate in Durham Region: What You Should Know

The matrimonial home under Ontario's Family Law Act: the right to remain, the rules on selling or mortgaging, equalization, and the options for separating couples in Durham Region.

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A stately red brick countryside home on acreage near Port Perry, Ontario in late October, with a covered wrap porch, mature sugar maples in autumn colour, a gravel laneway, and a red barn in the distance
Seller Tips ·

Selling an Estate Property in Ontario: What Every Estate Trustee Should Know

What estate trustees need to know before selling a deceased person's home in Ontario: probate, the estate administration tax, appraisals, timelines, taxes, and preparing the property.

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A classic two-storey red brick family home on a tree-lined Port Perry street in late October, with warm light in the windows and sugar maples in full orange and gold autumn colour along the front walk
Seller Tips ·

Estate Planning and Real Estate: A Durham Region Homeowner's Guide

Estate planning and real estate in Ontario: what happens to your home when you die, wills, powers of attorney, the estate administration tax, and the joint title trap, from Keith Williams.

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A warm neighbourhood Italian pizzeria storefront on a commercial street in Ajax, Ontario at autumn dusk, with a red awning and glowing front windows
Community Spotlights ·

Pizza Pino: Durham Region Community Spotlight

Pizza Pino is a family-run Italian pizzeria at 855 Westney Road South in Ajax, Ontario, serving the community for roughly 40 years with a 5.0-star average across about 1,286 Google reviews.

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Historic heritage brick storefronts along Brock Street West in downtown Uxbridge, Ontario on a crisp late October morning, with golden sugar maples in autumn colour and the rolling hills of the Oak Ridges Moraine at the end of the street
Neighbourhood Guides ·

Moving to Uxbridge: A Complete Local Guide

Moving to Uxbridge, Ontario explained: what it is like to live in the Trail Capital of Canada, home prices, neighbourhoods, schools, commuting, and history. Local guide from Keith Williams.

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Historic heritage brick storefronts along Queen Street in downtown Port Perry on a crisp late October morning, with the red mill tower in the distance and sugar maples in full autumn colour
Weekend Guide ·

Things To Do This Weekend in Durham Region (October 23-25, 2026)

Your weekend guide to Durham Region for Oct-23-25, 2026: the Booseum at the Scugog Shores Museum Village in Port Perry, the final Uxbridge Farmers Market with a trick-or-treat theme, Oshawa Generals home games, haunted attractions and more.

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A welcoming Oshawa family home porch at dusk on Halloween with a glowing carved jack-o'-lantern by the front door, pumpkins and gourds on the steps, and autumn decorations along the railing
Weekend Guide ·

2026 Trunk-or-Treat and Trick-or-Treat Guide for Oshawa and Durham Region

Trunk-or-treat and family Halloween events across Oshawa and Durham Region for 2026, the honest picture on official trick-or-treat hours, safety tips and official sources.

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A classic brick fish and chips shop on a tree-lined main street in Pickering, Ontario on a clear late-autumn afternoon, warm light glowing from the front windows beneath a red awning
Community Spotlights ·

Jasper Fish & Chips: Durham Region Community Spotlight

Jasper Fish & Chips is a long-running family fish and chips shop at 1794 Liverpool Road in Pickering, Ontario, rated 4.6 stars from 442 Google reviews.

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The Port Perry waterfront on Lake Scugog in late autumn, seen from the water with the heritage red brick grain mill at the foot of Queen Street, wooden marina docks with moored boats, and sugar maples in orange and gold along the shoreline
Buyer Tips ·

Waterfront Property on Lake Scugog: What It Really Costs to Own

What does waterfront property on Lake Scugog really cost to own? Parks Canada dock permits, septic and well upkeep, insurance, taxes, and shoreline maintenance in Port Perry, from Keith Williams.

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A classic two-storey red brick family home on a tree-lined Port Perry street on a crisp October morning, with a real estate yard sign on the front lawn and sugar maples in full orange and gold autumn colour
Seller Tips ·

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Port Perry?

What does it cost to sell a house in Port Perry? Commission, HST, legal fees, mortgage discharge, staging, and a worked example for a $900,000 home, from Keith Williams.

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Front exterior of the home at 170 Hwy. 7A in Janetville, Ontario, which sold at full asking price in just three days
Seller Tips ·

How We Sold 170 Hwy. 7A: Full Asking Price in Just 3 Days

The story behind the sale of 170 Hwy. 7A in Janetville: a home sold in just three days at full asking price for retiring clients moving to Northern Ontario. From Keith Williams and Lisa C. Follows of Willows Realty Group.

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Front exterior of the home at 459 Victoria St. in Port Perry, Ontario, which sold in just 8 days after the team prepared it for market in one week
Seller Tips ·

How We Sold 459 Victoria St.: The Story Behind the 8-Day Sale

The story behind the sale of 459 Victoria St. in Port Perry: an off-market purchase, a one-week preparation, and a successful offer in just 8 days with no price reduction. From Keith Williams and Lisa C. Follows of Willows Realty Group.

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Front exterior of the brick home at 155 Cromwell St. in Campbellford, Ontario, which sold above asking price after 60 days on the market
Seller Tips ·

How We Sold 155 Cromwell St.: The Story Behind the Sold Above Asking Result

The story behind the sale of 155 Cromwell St. in Campbellford: 60 days on market, multiple offers, and a sale above asking price. A success story from Keith Williams and Lisa C. Follows of Willows Realty Group.

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Historic main street in a small Ontario town on a crisp mid-October Saturday morning, set up for an autumn apple festival with stalls of red apples, cider and pumpkins, families strolling beneath sugar maples in full orange and gold colour
Weekend Guide ·

What To Do This Weekend in Durham Region (Oct-16-18, 2026)

Your weekend guide to Durham Region for Oct-16-18, 2026: the Bowmanville Applefest, Pumpkinville in Ajax, the Uxbridge Farmers Market Pumpkin Festival, the Oshawa Halloween Boo Bash and more.

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A cozy family-run bakery storefront on the main street of Beaverton, Ontario on a crisp autumn morning, with warm light in the windows, a chalkboard on the sidewalk, and sugar maples in orange and gold along the street
Community Spotlights ·

Underground Bake Shop: Durham Region Community Spotlight

Underground Bake Shop is a family-run, from-scratch bakery at 425 Mara Road in Beaverton, Ontario, rated 4.8 stars from roughly 120 Google reviews.

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A classic two-storey family home on a tree-lined Port Perry street on a crisp October morning, with warm light in the windows, sugar maples in orange and gold, a covered front porch, and a small stack of moving boxes on the porch steps
Seller Tips ·

When Is the Right Time to Move From the Family Home?

When is the right time to move from the family home in Port Perry or Scugog? The signs it is time to downsize, why timing matters, and how to plan the move. Local guide from Keith Williams.

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Willows Realty Group

Keith Williams & Lisa C. Follows | 30+ Years in Durham Region | Licensed Brokers

Co-Founders of Willows Realty Group with Royal LePage Frank Real Estate, helping buyers and sellers across Durham Region with care, expertise, and a genuine commitment to community.

Meet Keith & Lisa

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