Ottawa’s housing market gained momentum in April 2026, with activity improving from the slower winter stretch while overall conditions remained balanced. The biggest story this month is supply: more listings are coming to market, inventory is staying elevated, and buyers have more room to compare options than they did during tighter market cycles.
The backdrop remains mixed. National housing forecasts were revised lower earlier this spring, and borrowing costs are still well above pandemic-era lows. At the same time, steadier rate expectations appear to be reducing some of the hesitation that shaped buyer behaviour over the winter. That shift is helping activity recover gradually rather than all at once.
Market Overview
In April 2026, 1,336 homes sold across Ottawa. That was down 1.9% from April 2025, but notably stronger than March, when 1,075 homes changed hands. The month-over-month improvement points to a normal spring pickup, even though the market is still running below last year’s pace overall.
New listings rose to 3,258, up 19.3% year over year, while active listings reached 4,535, up 17.2%. With new supply continuing to outpace completed sales, Ottawa remains well supplied compared with the conditions buyers faced in more competitive years.
Year to date, 3,839 homes have sold, down 4.4% from the same point in 2025. New listings total 8,933 so far this year, an 8.5% increase, while active inventory is up 16.0%.
Prices and Market Balance
Pricing remains relatively steady. The average sale price in April was $712,184, up 0.8% from a year earlier, while the median sale price held at $650,000, unchanged from April 2025. On a year-to-date basis, the average price stands at $683,303 and the median price at $630,000, both showing only limited movement compared with last year.
Ottawa continues to sit in balanced territory. The sales-to-new-listings ratio came in at 41.0%, and the market carried about 3.4 months of inventory in April. Homes are also taking a little longer to sell, with the median days on market rising to 21 days from 18 days a year ago.
Inventory levels vary by product type. Single-family homes were sitting at 3.1 months of inventory, townhomes at 3.0 months, and apartment-style properties at 4.9 months, reinforcing the softer conditions in the condo segment.
Regional Ottawa Trends
Conditions are not identical across the city. Ottawa Centre is relatively stable on price, but demand has eased and inventory has built up, leading to slower absorption. That pattern is closely tied to a heavier concentration of condo-apartment units, which remain one of the softer categories in the local market.
Across Ottawa’s east, south, and west suburban areas, conditions are generally balanced. Sales have moderated in some pockets and supply has trended higher, but most of these areas are still operating within fairly normal ranges. Among the suburban segments, the west end continues to show the strongest and most consistent activity with slightly tighter inventory.
Rural markets remain slower than the suburbs, with more inventory, longer selling timelines, and greater price variability due to lower transaction volume. That usually translates into more buyer-friendly conditions outside the core suburban areas.
What Buyers Should Watch
For buyers, this is a market with more choice than urgency. More listings and balanced conditions create space to compare homes carefully, assess value, and negotiate with more discipline. That does not mean every listing will linger, especially if it is well priced in a strong neighbourhood, but buyers are no longer operating in a market where every decision must be rushed.
The most important signals to watch are inventory growth and how quickly well-positioned homes continue to sell in the neighbourhoods you are targeting. If supply keeps rising faster than demand, buyers should continue to gain leverage in many parts of the city.
What Sellers Should Watch
For sellers, the April data reinforces the need for strong positioning. More listings mean more competition, and that makes pricing, preparation, and presentation even more important. While the market is not weak, buyers have more options, and homes that come to market too aggressively priced or without a clear strategy are more likely to sit.
Sellers should be realistic about the segment they are in. Detached and suburban homes may still move well when properly positioned, while condo-heavy and slower-moving areas may require sharper execution and more patience.
Looking Ahead
Ottawa’s spring market is moving in a healthier direction than it was earlier in the year, but it is still a measured recovery rather than a full acceleration. Demand remains steady enough to support balanced conditions, while higher supply is keeping a lid on any major price swings.
The main variable to watch over the next few months is inventory. If listing growth continues through late spring and early summer, sellers could face more pricing pressure, while buyers may find even more room to negotiate. For now, the market remains stable, balanced, and highly dependent on neighbourhood, property type, and pricing strategy.
Source context: April 2026 Ottawa market data released by the Ottawa Real Estate Board on May 5, 2026.
