Client story 005 · SIRVA · First-time buyer
Mark was preparing to return to Canada from a posting in Latvia when he began the search for his first home in Ottawa. With much of the process happening from overseas, he needed practical local guidance, help narrowing the search and a team that understood how SIRVA fits into an already complicated military move.
The challenge
Mark was preparing for a return to Canada from Latvia while also trying to buy his first home in Barrhaven. A first purchase comes with enough questions on its own; add an overseas military posting, a SIRVA file and major decisions being made from another country, and there are a lot more moving pieces to keep straight.
For Mark, the job was to turn that complexity into a manageable plan: understand what mattered most, know what to watch for in the homes he was considering, and be ready to make a confident decision when the right property appeared.
The work started before the purchase. Dwayne helped Mark understand what to look for — and what to look out for — so that the search wasn't simply about finding a house that looked good online. It was about finding a home that actually fit his needs.
That preparation mattered because military moves rarely give families unlimited time. Good advice early in the process can make the eventual decision much easier.
“From the start, I knew Dwayne was engaged in helping me buy my first home. Guiding me from a far, he advised me on what to look, and look out for. His tips and knowledge helped me make the right selection when I needed to. His understanding of the SIRVA process made an already complicated military move a little less painful.”— Mark · Rate-My-Agent · August 2026
Mark also shared his experience on Google, this time highlighting how Dwayne and Mallory worked together and specifically calling out their knowledge of the SIRVA system.
“Dwayne and Mallory are a phenomenal pairing. They were quick to understand my needs and help me find the right place for me. I could go on but their work speaks for itself. Their understanding of the SIRVA system will be an asset to anyone with an upcoming public service or military move.”— Mark · Google · August 2026
This is exactly the kind of move OttawaMilitaryMove.ca was built around. The real estate transaction is only one piece. A military or public-service relocation can also involve timelines, relocation administration, unfamiliar neighbourhoods and decisions that have to be made before you've had much time on the ground.
Having a REALTOR® who understands the relocation environment doesn't remove every moving part, but it can make the home-search side of the posting much easier to navigate.
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