Ottawa Housing Market Outlook 2026

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Ottawa Residential Market Enters 2026 on Balanced Footing

According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board, the capital’s residential market is defined by stability and increased choice. Inventory levels remain higher than in recent years, rewarding buyers who have secured a mortgage pre-approval and have the time to compare options.

Stable Pricing Rewarding Accuracy and Patience

In February 2026, 780 residential properties were sold in Ottawa, a 6.8% decrease from the previous February. Sellers are finding that conditions reward accurate pricing as the market moves toward a more balanced state.

• The average residential sale price was $662,773, 1% lower than at the same time last year.
• Active listings reached 2,928 units at month’s end, an 11.1% increase year-over-year.
• Single-family homes remained stable with an average price of $830,951, up 0.6% from last year.
• Townhomes saw the largest price adjustment, with average prices falling 7.5% to $539,639.

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Ottawa Housing Market Highlights

• The average selling price of a home in Ottawa decreased by 1.3% year-over-year to $615,400 in February.
• The average selling price of a single-family home in Ottawa increased by 1.3% year-over-year to $693,200 in February.
• The average selling price of a townhouse/multiplex in Ottawa decreased by 3.4% year-over-year to $560,700 in February.
• The average selling price of a condo in Ottawa decreased by 2.7% year-over-year to $385,500 in February.
• The average rent in Ottawa is now $2,143 for February.
• March 18, 2026: Today’s lowest mortgage rate in Ottawa is 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 February was $615,400, and itdecreased of 1.3% compared to a year ago.

OREB also reported a sales-to-new-listings ratio (SNLR) of 38%, indicating Buyers market conditions in Ottawa for February.

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 $2,143 for the month of February.

The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Ottawa was $1,960 for the month of February, which decreased by 3.5% year over year.

The average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Ottawa was $2,489 for the month of February, which decreased by 2.3% year over year.

Rental Price Changes by City

Rank	CITY	Total Average	1 Bedroom	2 Bedrooms	Year-over-Year Change
1	North Vancouver	$2,969	$2,465	$3,330	−4.4%
2	Vancouver	$2,672	$2,376	$3,289	−4.5%
3	North York	$2,524	$2,119	$2,689	0.00%
4	Burnaby	$2,517	$2,099	$2,788	−6.6%
5	Coquitlam	$2,513	$2,051	$2,750	−6.3%
6	Toronto	$2,482	$2,201	$2,857	−6.8%
7	Oakville	$2,456	$2,188	$2,524	−21.3%
8	Kanata	$2,405	$2,251	$2,564	−14.3%
9	Etobicoke	$2,375	$2,092	$2,548	−8.4%
10	Mississauga	$2,373	$2,077	$2,478	−7.6%
11	Burlington	$2,356	$2,052	$2,435	−5.0%
12	Langley	$2,344	$2,069	$2,467	−1.2%
13	Scarborough	$2,294	$1,926	$2,387	−6.8%
14	Kingston	$2,287	$1,927	$2,455	23.00%
15	Brampton	$2,282	$1,986	$2,302	−2.8%
16	Victoria	$2,271	$1,998	$2,607	−3.3%
17	Halifax	$2,269	$2,023	$2,550	1.80%
18	East York	$2,267	$1,913	$2,498	−8.8%
19	Vaughan	$2,254	$2,072	$2,516	−5.6%
20	Waterloo	$2,223	$2,055	$2,329	−9.2%
21	Ajax	$2,217	$1,812	$2,251	−0.5%
22	Guelph	$2,183	$1,973	$2,241	−8.6%
23	Barrie	$2,154	$1,926	$2,172	0.20%
24	Ottawa	$2,143	$1,960	$2,489	−2.3%
25	New Westminster	$2,131	$1,887	$2,650	−5.1%
26	Hamilton	$2,115	$1,767	$2,258	8.50%
27	Laval	$2,105	$1,711	$2,343	8.70%
28	Surrey	$2,090	$1,801	$2,236	−7.4%
29	Greater Sudbury	$2,080	$1,897	$2,145	−5.8%
30	Nanaimo	$2,057	$1,812	$2,324	7.20%
31	Cambridge	$2,039	$1,802	$2,104	−6.1%
32	Kitchener	$2,019	$1,790	$2,143	−4.6%
33	Oshawa	$2,018	$1,746	$2,058	−4.8%
34	Kamloops	$2,018	$1,773	$2,180	5.50%
35	Brantford	$1,996	$1,820	$2,103	2.80%
36	Kelowna	$1,994	$1,703	$2,142	−9.9%
37	Brossard	$1,973	$1,799	$2,049	−9.0%
38	Peterborough	$1,956	$1,711	$1,995	−0.6%
39	Montreal	$1,925	$1,722	$2,257	0.10%
40	Airdrie	$1,914	$1,442	$1,702	−4.3%
41	London	$1,912	$1,647	$2,048	−6.1%
42	Niagara Falls	$1,901	$1,615	$1,936	−9.2%
43	Calgary	$1,870	$1,531	$1,844	−3.9%
44	Gatineau	$1,869	$1,639	$2,049	−8.2%
45	St. Catharines	$1,832	$1,626	$1,937	−2.7%
46	Sarnia	$1,761	$1,538	$1,836	−4.0%
47	Welland	$1,704	$1,546	$1,872	1.70%
48	Winnipeg	$1,671	$1,427	$1,800	3.20%
49	Windsor	$1,657	$1,517	$1,825	−1.5%
50	Edmonton	$1,590	$1,302	$1,639	−0.7%
51	Côte Saint-Luc	$1,567	$1,415	$1,802	−21.9%
52	Red Deer	$1,556	$1,282	$1,511	2.10%
53	Saskatoon	$1,555	$1,329	$1,555	2.10%
54	Lethbridge	$1,502	$1,361	$1,582	0.00%
55	Regina	$1,454	$1,259	$1,521	3.30%
56	Quebec City	$1,444	$1,341	$1,597	−15.2%
57	Medicine Hat	$1,364	$1,240	$1,386	−0.6%
58	Fort McMurray	$1,353	$1,165	$1,411	−0.7%
59	Lloydminster	$1,255	$1,090	$1,354	8.40%
60	St. John's	$1,163	$1,084	$1,253	−5.1%

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 $520.07 per month on nesto’s lowest fixed 5-year rate at and $495.28 per month on nesto’s lowest adjustable 5-year rate at .

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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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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