Ottawa Housing Market Outlook 2026

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Measured Momentum: Ottawa’s Spring Market Finds Steady Ground

According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB), for March 2026, the capital’s housing market is doing what Ottawa does best: moving at its own pace, without the drama. Benchmark prices posted their second straight month of month-over-month gains, spring activity picked up on schedule, and inventory conditions tightened just enough to keep things interesting.

• The overall composite benchmark landed at $617,700, off 2.1% from last March but up 0.4% from February. Single-family benchmarks held at $698,400 (−2.3% year-over-year), townhouses at $554,700 (−3.2%), and apartments at $384,700 (−4.4%). Nothing alarming, just a market working through a slow reset.
• Ottawa saw 1,075 sales (−4.7% year-over-year), an improvement over February’s −6.8% pace. Active listings rose 10.3% to 3,578, but months of inventory actually tightened to 3.3 from 3.8 in February as spring demand kicked in.
• Not all segments are created equal. Single-family homes sit at a tighter 3.0 months of supply, while apartments have loosened to 5.5 months. If you’re shopping in the freehold space, expect a bit more competition. If you’re looking at condos, the selection has never been better.

Ottawa’s balanced conditions make it an ideal environment for a thoughtful, unhurried purchase. Contact nesto’s mortgage experts to secure the best mortgage rates in Canada for your capital city move.

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Ottawa Housing Market Highlights

• The average selling price of a home in Ottawa decreased by 2.1% year-over-year to $617,700 in March.
• The average selling price of a single-family home in Ottawa decreased by 2.3% year-over-year to $698,400 in March.
• The average selling price of a townhouse/multiplex in Ottawa decreased by 3.2% year-over-year to $554,700 in March.
• The average selling price of a condo in Ottawa decreased by 4.4% year-over-year to $384,700 in March.
• The average rent in Ottawa is now $2,145 for March.
• April 20, 2026: Today’s lowest mortgage rate in Ottawa is 4.04% for a 5-year fixed.

Data from the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) indicates that the average price of resale residential homes sold across Ottawa in March was $617,700, and itdecreased of 2.1% compared to a year ago.

OREB also reported a sales-to-new-listings ratio (SNLR) of 44%, indicating Balanced market conditions in Ottawa for March.

Composite Home Prices

Single-family Home Prices

Townhouse and Multiplex Prices

Condo Prices

Transactions –  Number of Sales

New Listings

Real Estate Market

The sales-to-new-listings ratio (SNLR) measures the number of home sales compared to new listings. An SNLR below 40% suggests a buyer’s market, where buyers have the upper hand and greater negotiating power. An SNLR between 40% and 60% is a balanced market, while an SNLR of over 60% is considered a seller’s market. 

Annual Changes to Composite Home Prices in Ottawa

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Ottawa Market Rents Snapshot

The average rent in Ottawa was $2,145 for the month of March.

The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Ottawa was $1,955 for the month of March, which decreased by 3.2% year over year.

The average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Ottawa was $2,457 for the month of March, which decreased by 4.7% year over year.

Rental Price Changes by City

Rank	City	Total Average	1 Bedroom	2 Bedrooms	Year-over-Year Change
1	North Vancouver	$2,971	$2,462	$3,358	−3.3%
2	Vancouver	$2,715	$2,400	$3,355	−2.2%
3	Burnaby	$2,494	$2,115	$2,750	−9.1%
4	North York	$2,488	$2,112	$2,674	−1.3%
5	Coquitlam	$2,478	$2,116	$2,752	−6.1%
6	Etobicoke	$2,476	$2,128	$2,662	−3.4%
7	Toronto	$2,474	$2,188	$2,838	−3.1%
8	Oakville	$2,454	$2,167	$2,557	−16.9%
9	Kanata	$2,396	$2,238	$2,540	−12.7%
10	Mississauga	$2,360	$2,071	$2,453	−5.8%
11	Burlington	$2,346	$2,061	$2,434	−4.5%
12	Langley	$2,303	$1,974	$2,443	−2.2%
13	Vaughan	$2,290	$2,067	$2,592	−0.2%
14	Kingston	$2,286	$1,925	$2,430	19.6%
15	Scarborough	$2,281	$1,884	$2,378	−5.7%
16	Victoria	$2,255	$1,975	$2,584	−4.3%
17	East York	$2,245	$1,866	$2,536	−4.7%
18	Brampton	$2,239	$1,942	$2,304	1.3%
19	Halifax	$2,235	$2,026	$2,563	0.2%
20	Waterloo	$2,229	$2,066	$2,300	−6.1%
21	Guelph	$2,189	$1,924	$2,248	−8.4%
22	Hamilton	$2,170	$1,853	$2,396	14.3%
23	Ajax	$2,149	$1,909	$2,184	1.2%
24	Ottawa	$2,145	$1,955	$2,457	−4.7%
25	Barrie	$2,140	$1,936	$2,214	−1.4%
26	New Westminster	$2,137	$1,888	$2,718	−1.6%
27	Laval	$2,106	$1,715	$2,367	11.7%
28	Nanaimo	$2,105	$1,843	$2,299	5.1%
29	Surrey	$2,094	$1,818	$2,206	−8.2%
30	Kamloops	$2,078	$1,790	$2,148	1.6%
31	Greater Sudbury	$2,059	$1,886	$2,119	−10.5%
32	Kelowna	$2,056	$1,743	$2,217	−4.6%
33	Cambridge	$2,049	$1,834	$2,089	−4.4%
34	Kitchener	$1,989	$1,775	$2,134	−3.8%
35	Oshawa	$1,985	$1,719	$2,048	−3.8%
36	Brantford	$1,985	$1,794	$2,153	5.6%
37	Peterborough	$1,972	$1,725	$1,994	−1.1%
38	Airdrie	$1,958	$1,475	$1,748	−2.8%
39	Brossard	$1,948	$1,787	$2,010	−13.4%
40	Montreal	$1,938	$1,737	$2,285	2.2%
41	London	$1,911	$1,663	$2,055	−5.7%
42	Niagara Falls	$1,907	$1,690	$2,024	−2.7%
43	Calgary	$1,869	$1,532	$1,848	−4.2%
44	St. Catharines	$1,841	$1,636	$1,929	−1.0%
45	Welland	$1,792	$1,540	$1,973	8.9%
46	Gatineau	$1,732	$1,541	$1,843	−12.2%
47	Sarnia	$1,710	$1,508	$1,793	−4.1%
48	Winnipeg	$1,669	$1,445	$1,786	3.5%
49	Windsor	$1,622	$1,494	$1,784	−7.2%
50	Côte Saint-Luc	$1,605	$1,413	$1,840	−19.6%
51	Red Deer	$1,600	$1,362	$1,565	0.4%
52	Edmonton	$1,589	$1,288	$1,634	−1.3%
53	Saskatoon	$1,532	$1,347	$1,580	4.3%
54	Lethbridge	$1,483	$1,356	$1,558	−0.7%
55	Regina	$1,439	$1,285	$1,530	3.0%
56	Quebec City	$1,420	$1,290	$1,555	−11.6%
57	Medicine Hat	$1,387	$1,225	$1,406	0.8%
58	Fort McMurray	$1,362	$1,181	$1,404	0.5%
59	Lloydminster	$1,194	$1,069	$1,279	2.3%
60	St. John's	$1,143	$1,079	$1,253	5.5%

Average Rent by City
Source: Rentals.ca Network Data & Urbanation Inc.

Rental Price Changes by Province

Rental Price Growth by Housing Type

How Does Renting Compare with Homeownership in Ottawa?

Each $100,000 in mortgage balance costs an average of $528.19 per month on nesto’s lowest fixed 5-year rate at 4.04% and $495.28 per month on nesto’s lowest adjustable 5-year rate at 3.40%.

For each $100,000 in mortgage balance, a 0.25% change in Canada’s policy rate impacts the monthly payment by $13.23. The rates used for calculation are those offered for insured purchases with less than a 20% downpayment and a 25-year amortization. Canada’s policy rate is 2.25%, and nesto’s prime rate is set to 4.45%.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Ottawa Housing Market Outlook for 2026

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Why Choose nesto

At nesto, our commission-free mortgage experts, certified in multiple provinces, provide exceptional advice and service that exceeds industry standards. Our mortgage experts are salaried employees who provide impartial guidance on mortgage options tailored to your needs and are evaluated based on client satisfaction and the quality of their advice. nesto aims to transform the mortgage industry by providing honest advice and competitive rates through a 100% digital, transparent, and seamless process.

nesto is on a mission to offer a positive, empowering and transparent property financing experience – simplified from start to finish.

Contact our licensed and knowledgeable mortgage experts to find your best mortgage rate in Canada.

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