Stable prices, sharply lower sales, the city centre less in demand than the suburbs: the state of the Ottawa market in 2026 and the rules to know before buying.
The Ottawa property market now gives buyers more room. According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB), 1,002 homes sold in August 2026, 18.6% fewer than a year earlier, while the number of properties for sale reached its highest level for an August since 2016. Prices, though, are holding: the average sale price stood at $688,253 and the MLS index, which corrects for composition effects, at $637,700, up 1.0% over one year.
Not all areas behave the same way. The three big suburban areas account for more than 70% of sales, with the west remaining the strongest, while central Ottawa shows the most abundant supply relative to sales. Detached houses are holding up better than townhouses and apartments.
This article takes stock of the recent figures, the areas and property types most in demand and those less so, and the taxes to plan for when buying in Ontario.
August's fall goes well beyond the seasonal effect: between July and August, sales fell by 24.4%, against a median fall of 5.8% over the previous ten years. Since January, 9,283 homes have sold in Ottawa, 6.9% fewer than in 2025.
On prices, the average price is up 0.3% over one year, while the median price ($622,357) is down 1.2%. Homes sold on average at 97.9% of the asking price, after a median of 29 days. OREB sees a broadly balanced market, with more time and less competition for buyers, and sellers who need to price carefully.
There were 4,496 active listings in August, 11.3% more than a year earlier, and 4.5 months of inventory, against 3.5 in July. A growing share of listings are leaving the market without a sale: according to OREB, some sellers are putting their plans on hold. Looking ahead, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) expects sales to stabilise in the Ottawa region, with growing supply limiting price rises.
Nationally, the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) describes a market that is marking time. In August 2026, sales fell by 0.7% over one month and the national composite MLS index was 3% below its August 2025 level. The national average price stood at $668,219. With 4.8 months of inventory, Canada remains in the balanced zone: CREA speaks of a sellers' market below 3.6 months and a buyers' market above 6.4 months. Ottawa, at 4.5 months, is in the same zone.
The cost of credit is the main thing to watch. According to CREA, the Bank of Canada has warned of rising inflation risks, fixed mortgage rates have already risen with bond yields, and a rise in variable rates is being considered. If you are financing your purchase with a loan, get a rate confirmed before making an offer.
OREB divides the city into submarkets. In August 2026, the three suburban areas made more than 70% of sales. The western suburban area showed the best absorption, with 51.9% of sales relative to new listings and 3.6 months of inventory. The eastern and southern suburbs followed with 4.1 months. The rural west was the only area to see sales rise over one year (+22.6%), but on a small volume of 76 transactions.
This is the most stable segment: the benchmark index for detached houses rose 2.2% over one year, with 4.0 months of inventory. For a buyer, negotiation is tighter here than for other property types.
Beyond the statistics, several neighbourhoods remain in demand for their quality of life: The Glebe, residential and family-oriented, along the Rideau Canal; Westboro, lively with plenty of shops; Old Ottawa East and Old Ottawa South, quiet and family-friendly; or Hintonburg, with its artistic character. Kanata, in the suburbs, attracts people with its tech hub.
Central Ottawa is the slowest submarket: 81 sales in August 2026, only 38.2% of sales relative to new listings and 7.0 months of inventory. The rural east follows with 84 sales, a ratio of 40.6% and 6.5 months of inventory. In these two areas, supply clearly exceeds demand: a buyer has real room to negotiate.
Apartments remain the weakest segment, as throughout 2026 and the second half of 2025: 6.3 months of inventory and a median of 42 days on the market. Townhouses are also weakening, with active stock 27.1% higher than last year and a benchmark index down 4.0% over one year. This is where the best chances to negotiate lie, provided you check the condition of the building and the condo fees carefully.
On neighbourhoods, Vanier, Francophone and being revitalised, remains one of the most affordable, and Sandy Hill, close to the University of Ottawa, is dominated by student demand: two areas best visited with someone who knows every street.
Before any offer, a foreign buyer should also check the federal restrictions on the purchase of homes by non-Canadians, and get a lawyer to support them through the transaction.
Comparing areas with opposite dynamics, visiting and negotiating in a market that changes from month to month is difficult from a distance. A Remoters home finder based in Ottawa can select properties to your budget and project, visit them for you and support you through to the purchase offer. The first conversation and the quote are free.
Short answers to the questions our readers ask, written to stand on their own.
Sources cited in this article
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