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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.

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Showing 20 of 52 articles

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 · Oct 30, 2026

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.

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 · Nov 16, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 27, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 23, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 22, 2026

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.

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 · Nov 9, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 23, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 26, 2026

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.

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

Seller Tips · Oct 19, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 19, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 17, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 16, 2026

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.

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 · Nov 2, 2026

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.

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 · Oct 16, 2026

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.

A winding rural gravel lane lined with sugar maples in orange and gold autumn colour leading toward a white farmhouse with a red barn in Scugog Township, with Lake Scugog glimpsed between the trees in soft morning mist

Neighbourhood Guides · Oct 12, 2026

Moving to Scugog Township: A Complete Local Guide

Moving to Scugog Township: what it is like to live in Scugog, the communities of Port Perry, Caesarea, Greenbank, Seagrave, and Scugog Island, home prices, schools, commuting, and country living in Durham Region.

The Port Perry waterfront on a sunny Thanksgiving weekend Saturday morning with farmers market stalls of pumpkins, squash, apples and chrysanthemums at the foot of Queen Street, the heritage grain mill tower, and sugar maples in full autumn colour along Lake Scugog

Weekend Guide · Oct 9, 2026

What To Do This Weekend in Durham Region (Oct-9-11, 2026)

Your Thanksgiving weekend guide to Durham Region for Oct-9-11, 2026: the final Saturday of the Port Perry farmers market, the Ocala Thanksgiving Harvest Festival, pumpkin farms in Scugog and Uxbridge, the Uxbridge Farmers Market and more.

The warm interior of a farm-to-table restaurant in a small Ontario town with exposed brick, wood tables set with wine glasses, and golden evening light through large front windows

Community Spotlights · Oct 26, 2026

Urban Pantry: Durham Region Community Spotlight

Urban Pantry is a family-run, farm-to-table restaurant at 4 Toronto Street North in downtown Uxbridge, Ontario, rated 4.6 stars from roughly 638 Google reviews.

A classic red brick farmhouse on a country lot near Port Perry, Ontario on a crisp October morning, with sugar maples in orange and gold lining a gravel laneway, a covered front porch, and a red barn across a mowed field

Seller Tips · Oct 9, 2026

Selling an Estate Property in Port Perry: A Complete Guide

Selling an estate property in Port Perry: what executors need to know about probate, the Ontario estate administration tax, pricing, and when to list. Local guide from Keith Williams.

A welcoming single-storey red brick bungalow with a covered front porch on a quiet tree-lined Port Perry street on a crisp October morning, with orange mums by the front steps and falling maple leaves

Seller Tips · Oct 6, 2026

Downsizing in Port Perry: A Complete Guide

Downsizing in Port Perry explained: where to move, what smaller homes cost, and how to plan a smooth move in Scugog. Local advice from Keith Williams.

The Port Perry waterfront on a crisp October Saturday morning with farmers market stalls of pumpkins, squash, apples and dahlias at the foot of Queen Street, the heritage grain mill tower, and sugar maples in full autumn colour along Lake Scugog

Weekend Guide · Oct 2, 2026

What To Do This Weekend in Durham Region (Oct-2-4, 2026)

Your weekend guide to Durham Region for Oct-2-4, 2026. The Port Perry farmers market opens its final Saturdays, the Oshawa Art Association Fall Art Festival and the Port Perry Artists Association exhibition run all weekend, pumpkin season starts in Scugog, and more.

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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