Permanent link to this October 11, 2026 commentary edition
OREB’s October release reported a 38.1% increase in new listings from August to September, while sales rose 0.8%. Apartment inventory reached 7.3 months. Those figures describe the Board’s reporting universe; they are not counts from the Lab’s separately defined sample. Read OREB’s September release.
The sold homes tell a more specific story
Our September research separates four home types. The median sale price rose from August in the detached and freehold-townhouse samples and fell in the two condominium samples.
| Home type | August median | September median | Change | September n |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single detached | $804,500 | $824,000 | +2.4% | 388 |
| Freehold townhouse | $583,000 | $588,000 | +0.9% | 225 |
| Apartment condominium | $386,750 | $380,000 | -1.7% | 109 |
| Townhouse condominium | $386,000 | $368,000 | -4.7% | 80 |
These are different sets of sold homes. The changes do not measure appreciation or depreciation of the same properties. Location, size, condition and the mix of transactions can move a median even when a particular home’s value has not moved by that amount. Read the quarterly study for a wider period.
Why a softer market can still produce quicker sales
The detached sample’s median provider days on market fell from 25.5 in August to 21 in September. Apartment condos fell from 32.5 to 30 days. Freehold townhouses stayed at 26, while condo townhouses increased from 33 to 34.5. The selling-time study includes the ranges and annual comparison.
Selling-time figures describe the episodes that reached a recorded sale. They leave out homes still waiting, withdrawn listings and other unresolved outcomes. A stock of available homes can grow while the subset that sells does so relatively quickly. There is no contradiction, and neither statistic should stand in for the other.
For buyers, define which choices are useful
Start with the area, home type, layout and timing you would accept. Then compare the relevant available properties with recent sold evidence. A larger citywide inventory is useful context, but the count of suitable alternatives matters more to a specific decision. A unit with the wrong layout or an unsuitable possession date is not necessarily a substitute.
For condos, bring the monthly fee, confirmed inclusions and parking terms into that comparison. Our condo purchase-budget study shows why similar purchase prices can accompany different recurring expenses and property characteristics.
For sellers, examine your actual competition
Use recent comparable sales to frame a range, then inspect the homes competing for the same buyers now. Ask what makes the asking price credible within that set. Regional medians cannot replace that exercise, and a faster sold median cannot promise a sale date.
The next evidence to watch is whether suitable listings are absorbed, remain available or leave the observable market without a recorded sale. The Lab has begun an observed listing cohort for that purpose. One snapshot cannot establish a sale probability; repeated follow-up is needed before reporting outcomes.
Methods and a useful next step
The Lab table uses PropTx records retrieved October 6, with CountyOrParish equal to Ottawa, For Sale and Sold status, and accepted-agreement dates in the named month. The four September groups contain 802 listing episodes, with at least 30 valid observations per displayed group. Relistings are not joined into unique homes. Provider geography, property categories and timing differ from OREB’s series; the two sources are not numerically reconciled here. Medians are not seasonally or mix adjusted. Provider DOM conventions remain subject to the limitations described in the linked study.
For a discussion with Matt, bring the area, home type and timing that matter to your move. That makes it possible to connect the research to an actual set of choices.
Discuss these findings
For help applying these findings to a property or a move, contact Matt Richling. Include the area, property type and timing that matter to you.
Cite this edition
Richling, Matt. “More listings, different outcomes: reading Ottawa’s September market” New Purveyors Lab. October 11, 2026 commentary. Updated October 11, 2026. Permanent edition.