If you were watching Ottawa’s housing market in September, you may have noticed more homes coming up for sale. The latest figures help explain why.
After a sharp slowdown in August, home sales edged slightly higher in September. That was encouraging, particularly because sales usually decline between those two months.
But there is another part of the story: new listings increased much faster than sales did.
So, while activity steadied, buyers had more properties to choose from, and sellers faced more competition. September gave us a pause in the decline—not enough evidence, on its own, to call it a rebound.
Let’s look at what happened and what it could mean if you are thinking about buying or selling.
Sales Were Steady, Rather Than Strong
Ottawa recorded 1,010 home sales in September, compared with 1,002 in August. That is an increase of 0.8%, although sales were still 6.6% lower than in September 2025.
Eight additional sales may not sound like much. What makes the result interesting is the seasonal pattern. Only one of the previous ten August-to-September periods saw sales increase. The typical change, measured by the median, was a decline of 5.9%.
However, we also need to remember where September started. Sales had fallen approximately 24% from July to August. A small increase after that drop means activity stabilized at a lower level; it does not mean the earlier slowdown was reversed.
Looking at July through September together, sales were down 8.2% compared with the same period last year, making it the third-lowest summer total since 2016.
It was a quieter summer overall, with a less predictable month-to-month pattern than we usually see.
More Homes Came Onto the Market
This was the bigger change in September.
There were 2,927 new listings, up 38.1% from August and 3.0% from September 2025.
An increase in listings is normal when the fall market begins. People return from holidays, routines settle down and some homeowners move ahead with selling plans. But this year’s increase was much larger than the usual seasonal rise. Over the previous ten years, the median August-to-September increase was 12.9%.
By the end of September, Ottawa had 4,813 active listings—up 7.1% from August and 7.9% from a year earlier. That was the second-highest September level since 2016.
For buyers, that means more options. For sellers, it means more homes competing for buyers’ attention.
Why the Gap Between Listings and Sales Matters
In last month’s update, one of the things to watch was whether homes were coming onto the market faster than buyers were purchasing them.
That gap widened in September.
Across July, August and September, new listings reached their highest three-month total since 2016, while sales recorded their third-lowest total for that period.
Think of a buyer looking at several similar homes. When more properties become available, that buyer has more opportunities to compare condition, location, layout and price. A home that might previously have faced only a few close competitors may now need to stand out among a larger selection.
That can give buyers more negotiating room, although the situation still depends on the particular property and the competition around it.
Prices Presented a Mixed Picture
The average residential sale price was $685,640, down 1.0% from September 2025 and nearly unchanged from August.
The median sale price was $625,000, down 0.8% from a year earlier and slightly higher than in August.
Those figures suggest that overall sale prices did not change dramatically. In fact, the average price stayed within a range of less than 1% from July through September.
However, the MLS® Home Price Index declined more noticeably. This measure helps account for changes in the mix of homes selling, providing a different view from the average or median.
Together, the figures point to relatively stable headline prices, with some underlying price softness. They do not tell us that every Ottawa home gained or lost the same amount of value.
Property Type and Location Still Matter
Sales were lower than a year earlier across the three major property categories:
Single-family homes: 535 sales, down 4.6%.
Townhouses: 329 sales, down 3.5%.
Apartments: 121 sales, down 24.8%.
Apartments accounted for more than half of the net year-over-year decrease in citywide sales.
Location also made a difference. OREB President Tami Eades noted that suburban areas accounted for nearly three-quarters of September sales, while downtown and rural areas experienced more volatility and a wider gap between new listings and sales.
That is why I would not use the Ottawa-wide result alone to decide what your home is worth or how you should approach a purchase. We need to look at your neighbourhood, property type, price range and the homes buyers are comparing with yours.
What Does This Mean for Buyers?
If you are ready to buy, the larger selection may give you more opportunities to find a home that fits your needs.
You may also have more room to discuss price, conditions or timing. But having more choice does not mean every seller will accept a large discount, or that a well-positioned home will sit unsold.
Start with your budget, financing and priorities. Then compare the actual properties available to you. The goal is to make a sound decision about a home you can comfortably afford and enjoy living in.
What Does This Mean for Sellers?
Your home can still sell, but preparation and positioning deserve careful attention.
With more competing listings, buyers have more reasons to move on if the price does not match what they see. Cleanliness, lighting, presentation, professional marketing and reasonable showing access all help buyers understand what your property offers.
Pricing should reflect current comparable sales and active competition. Once listed, showing activity and buyer feedback can help us assess whether the strategy is working.
What Should We Watch Next?
New listings declined in both October and November in each of the previous ten years. The coming months will show whether September’s increase eases with the usual seasonal pattern or leaves inventory elevated for longer.
For now, September’s message is fairly straightforward: sales steadied, supply increased, and conditions shifted further toward buyers.
If you are thinking about buying, selling, downsizing or rightsizing in Orléans, Cumberland or elsewhere in Ottawa, let’s look at how these conditions apply to your plans. A citywide headline is useful background, but your next step should be based on your circumstances.
Book your no-obligation consultation. Call 613-853-5807, email steve@stevesicard.ca,
Market information based on the September 2026 Ottawa Real Estate Board figures supplied for this article.
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