The Ottawa Real Estate Brief – August 2026
This month’s market, in five minutes.
The latest Real Estate Statistics are in, so let’s go through them and pull out the numbers that matter from this month’s report.
In brief: July continues the trend of the past year with Townhomes and Condos performing poorly while Single Family Homes stay flat. Sales came in essentially flat against last July as everyone takes their vacations and people stop shopping for real estate and enjoy the summer!
Total Sales Volume
1,325 homes sold through the MLS® System in Ottawa in July, up 0.2% compared to July 2025. To date, 8,288 homes have sold in Ottawa, down 5.2% from the same period in 2025, with total dollar volume of $5.8 billion, which is also down 5.6% year over year.
Benchmark Prices by Property Type
Here are the benchmark prices by property type across Ottawa in July.
| Property Type | July 2026 Benchmark | vs. July 2025 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Family Home | $725,000 | +0.6% | Holding steadiest |
| Townhome | $542,500 | −5.1% | Adjusting |
| Condo / Apartment | $385,500 | −5.2% | Softest segment |
Once again, single family homes continue to keep their value while Townhomes and Condos struggle. Not a new story if you have been following this blog over the past year.
Months of Inventory
Months of inventory tells you where prices are likely to head next. Lower supply means sellers hold leverage; higher supply means buyers can choose between multiple listings. Here is where each segment stands:
| Property Type | Months of Inventory | Market Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Single-Family Home | 3.2 | Balanced, seller-leaning |
| Townhome | 3.0 | Balanced, seller-leaning |
| Condo / Apartment | 5.4 | Buyer’s market |
Ottawa’s overall months of inventory reached 3.5 in July, up from 3.3 in June, which keeps the city in balanced territory overall. But Condos at 5.4 months sit at close to double the townhome figure, which means we can expect to see townhomes hold up better over the next few months than Condos, which seem headed towards a tough fall market.
Here is my take on what this means for buyers and sellers right now:
For sellers: Single-family homeowners are in a position of relative strength, with thin supply and prices holding strong – you can sell for what your neighbours did back in 2025 and 2024 – but not more. Townhome sellers have a window of opportunity – sellers who are willing to ask market (rather than last years prices) will sell quickly at ask – but those who ask too much will be punished. Condo sellers are operating in a true buyer’s market, and pricing needs to reflect that honestly from the first day on market.
For buyers: The clearest opportunity right now is still in the apartment condo space, where five-plus months of inventory gives you time, selection, and negotiating room that simply did not exist eighteen months ago. In the single-family and townhome segments competition is steadier, but it is nowhere near the frenzied conditions of 2023 and 2024.
As always, if you want to know what the market means specifically for your property or your search, reach out to me.
And there you go, this month’s Ottawa real estate market update, delivered to you in five minutes.
Best,
Chris Hendricks,
REALTOR®, Real Estate Broker
P.S. Curious what your home is worth in today’s market? I offer a no-obligation home evaluation, just a clear picture of where you stand, no pressure. Request yours here.
