TL;DR
- Sales Activity: Total sales reached 1,325 units in July 2026, holding virtually flat (+0.2%) compared to July 2025 and outperforming typical summer seasonal drops.
- Inventory & Supply: New listings decreased 0.8% year-over-year to 2,530 homes, while active inventory stood at 4,678 listings—up 9.3% year-over-year but down 6.1% from June 2026.
- Months of Inventory: Stood at 3.5 months, reflecting a modest, smaller-than-average monthly increase and a balanced market overall.
- Price Trends: The average sale price eased 1.6% year-over-year to $683,308, while the median price held steady at $635,000. The Composite Benchmark Price edged down slightly by 0.5% year-over-year to $634,000, though it gained 0.3% compared to June 2026.
- Segment Divergence: Single-family home sales grew by 5.0% with strong price resilience, whereas townhomes saw price adjustments and apartment condominiums experienced softer demand with elevated supply.
Real Estate Market Analysis in July
Ottawa’s housing market demonstrated unexpected resilience as the region transitioned from the spring peak into the customary mid-summer slowdown. Historically, transaction volume contracts significantly between June and July, with the 10-year median decline sitting at 20.7%. In July 2026, sales volume dipped by just 12.7% from June, allowing Ottawa to retain a far greater share of its spring momentum than usual.
A moderation in new supply helped improve overall market balance. July marked the second month in three where new listings fell below previous-year levels. This easing of incoming listings, combined with steady buyer demand, raised the sales-to-new-listings ratio from 48.8% in June to 52.4% in July.
Pricing indicators across the board pointed to fundamental stability rather than a major directional shift. While the average price dropped 1.6% compared to last July, the median price remained unchanged, indicating that shifts in the property mix sold during the month influenced average figures.
“July’s results point to a steady market as it moves through the typical summer slowdown,” noted Ottawa Real Estate Board President Tami Eades. “Sales remained close to last year’s level, while fewer new listings helped improve the balance between supply and demand. However, conditions continue to vary significantly by property type and neighbourhood, reinforcing the importance of local data and informed guidance when making real estate decisions.”
Geographically, suburban submarkets—which accounted for over 70% of total sales activity—absorbed supply at a firmer rate (e.g., Ottawa Suburb West at 3.0 months of inventory and a 56.2% sales-to-new-listings ratio), whereas downtown Ottawa experienced softer absorption and longer selling timelines.
July Data Breakdown
| Metric | July 2026 | Year-Over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total Sales Activity | 1,325 | +0.2% |
| New Listings | 2,530 | -0.8% |
| Active Listings | 4,678 | +9.3% |
| Months of Inventory | 3.5 | +0.3 months (from 3.2) |
| Average Sale Price | $683,308 | -1.6% |
| Benchmark Price (Composite) | $634,000 | -0.5% |
Note: The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Benchmark Price smoothes out distortions caused by the mix of homes sold during a given month, providing a clearer measure of underlying price trends.
Story of July Real Estate
Beneath the citywide summary figures lies a distinct split in market dynamics across different property types in Ottawa.
Single-Family Homes (Detached)
Single-family homes remained the most resilient category in the Ottawa market. Detached home sales rose 5.0% year-over-year to 714 transactions, accounting for over half of all residential sales in July. Active listings for single-family properties increased modestly by 3.4% to 2,250 units, maintaining a healthy 3.2 months of inventory. Price stability was evident in the single-family benchmark price, which rose 0.6% year-over-year to $725,000 (up 0.7% month-over-month), demonstrating consistent buyer appetite for detached properties across Ottawa’s suburban neighbourhoods.
Townhomes
The townhome segment reflected steady transaction volume but saw notable price adjustments. Townhouse sales reached 417 units in July, down 4.1% year-over-year, while new listings held virtually flat at 746 units (-0.5%). The sales-to-new-listings ratio improved to a strong 55.9%, and inventory tightened relative to June to 3.0 months. Despite firm buyer interest and absorption, prices adjusted downward, with the townhouse benchmark price dropping 5.1% year-over-year to $542,500, positioning townhomes as a key target for price-conscious buyers seeking entry into freehold living.
Apartments (Condos)
The condominium apartment sector continued to register the softest conditions in the Ottawa market, particularly within downtown core submarkets. Sales fell 6.6% year-over-year to 169 transactions, while active listings grew 9.7% to 920 units. Inventory levels climbed to 5.4 months of supply, placing the condo market into buyer-leaning territory. Condominiums recorded a low sales-to-new-listings ratio of 41.0% and an elevated median time on market of 41 days. The composite apartment benchmark price fell 5.2% year-over-year to $385,500, reflecting persistent price sensitivity and excess supply in high-density urban areas.
Looking Ahead
Heading into the late summer and fall market, broader macroeconomic conditions present a more supportive foundation for Ottawa real estate than seen earlier in the year. Fears of a broader economic contraction have subsided, with Statistics Canada reporting real GDP growth of 0.3% in May and the Bank of Canada confirming that economic expansion resumed during the second quarter.
Additionally, the Bank of Canada maintained its policy rate at 2.25% in July. Steady interest rates and modest economic growth provide predictable borrowing conditions for prospective buyers preparing for the autumn market.
key market indicators monitored earlier in the summer—new listing volumes, active inventory growth, and suburban absorption rates—have shown positive stabilization. Active listings dropped 6.1% from June to July, and supply growth slowed citywide. The key factor to track as Ottawa moves past the seasonal summer lull will be whether market absorption continues to hold firm across suburban districts and if the condominium market begins to stabilize as buyers take advantage of adjusted pricing.