Ottawa Real Estate Board
Real Estate Board — Market Data & Trends
Overview
Board Report
Key Takeaways
March 2026- The overall MLS® HPI composite benchmark price was $617,700 in March 2026, a minor decrease of 2.1% compared to March 2025.
- Months of inventory numbered 3.3 at the end of March 2026, up from the 2.9 months recorded at the end of March 2025 and above the long-run average of 2 months for this time of year.
- The number of months of inventory is the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity.
Source: Ottawa Real Estate Board
At 3.3 months of inventory, demand outpaces supply. Well-priced properties sell quickly, and sellers generally have the advantage in negotiations. Buyers should be prepared to act decisively.
Ottawa Real Estate Board Narrative
The number of homes sold in Ottawa totaled 1,075 units in March 2026. This was a decrease of 4.7% from March 2025.
Home sales were 13.9% below the five-year average and 22.5% below the 10-year average for the month of March.
On a year-to-date basis, home sales totaled 2,474 units over the first three months of the year. This was a moderate decrease of 5.7% from the same period in 2025.
The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) tracks price trends far more accurately than is possible using average or median price measures. The overall MLS® HPI composite benchmark price was $617,700 in March 2026, a minor decrease of 2.1% compared to March 2025.
The benchmark price for single-family homes was $698,400, a small reduction of 2.3% on a year-over-year basis in March. By comparison, the benchmark price for townhouse/row units was $554,700, falling by 3.2% compared to a year earlier, while the benchmark apartment price was $384,700, a decline of 4.4% from year-ago levels.
The average price of homes sold in March 2026 was $692,584, edging up 0.9% from March 2025.
The more comprehensive year-to-date average price was $670,360, down only 0.9% from the first three months of 2025.
OREB cautions that the average sale price can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The calculation of the average sale price is based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold. Price will vary from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.
The dollar value of all home sales in March 2026 was $744.5 million, down modestly by 3.8% from the same month in 2025.
The number of new listings saw an increase of 7.5% from March 2025. There were 2,452 new residential listings in March 2026. This was the largest number of new listings added in the month of March in five years.
New listings were 10.8% above the five-year average and 9.8% above the 10-year average for the month of March.
Active residential listings numbered 3,578 units on the market at the end of March, a sizable gain of 10.3% from the end of March 2025. Active listings haven’t been this high in the month of March in more than five years.
Active listings were 41% above the five-year average and 40.3% above the 10-year average for the month of March.
Months of inventory numbered 3.3 at the end of March 2026, up from the 2.9 months recorded at the end of March 2025 and above the long-run average of 2 months for this time of year. The number of months of inventory is the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity.
Market Balance
Months of Inventory
Demand moderately exceeds supply — conditions favor sellers.
With only 3.3 months of inventory, the market is supply-constrained. Buyers should be prepared for competition, and sellers can expect strong interest.
Source: Ottawa Real Estate Board via CREA MLS
Period: March 2026
Market statistics are provided for informational purposes only and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult a licensed real estate professional for specific advice.