Verified real estate experts in Oshawa

The Oshawa real estate market — Aug 2026

Oshawa anchors the east end of the Greater Toronto Area as the largest city in Durham Region. Long defined by automotive manufacturing, it has broadened into a health, education and technology hub around Ontario Tech University, Durham College and Lakeridge Health, while remaining one of the more attainable entry points into GTA homeownership.

In August 2026, the MLS® benchmark price in Oshawa stood at $705,200, down 5.8% year over year. The average price, all property types combined, was $652,775. By property type: detached $756,500 (−5.55%), semi-detached $607,100 (−6.17%), townhouse $496,100 (−8.18%), and apartment $399,300 (−9.75%). There were 143 sales during the month. With 3.6 months of inventory, it is a seller's market by the standard board convention (under 4 months: sellers; 4 to 6: balanced; over 6: buyers). Homes in Oshawa took an average of 31 days to sell. Source: TRREB, August 2026.

By segment, detached houses sit at the top of the local market, while condominium apartments near the downtown and the GO station are the most accessible entry point. Compared with markets further west in the GTA, Oshawa offers detached homes for the price of a condo elsewhere, which sustains demand from first-time buyers and commuters.

Oshawa is several communities. North Oshawa, Windfields and Samac near the university draw students, staff and young families; established central neighbourhoods offer character homes at lower prices; and new condominium supply is rising around the downtown and transit. A broker who knows these pockets — and an appraiser familiar with the local stock — reads the market far better than a citywide average.

Financing looks different here than in the pricier GTA. Most Oshawa purchases can be insured and qualify for the tiered minimum down payment: 5% on the first $500,000, 10% on the portion between $500,000 and $1.5 million, and 20% from $1.5 million up — the insured-mortgage cap was raised to $1.5 million in December 2024. Buyers must still clear the federal stress test, and a pre-approval remains the fastest route to a confident offer.

Beyond the mortgage, Oshawa buyers pay only the Ontario land transfer tax — there is no municipal LTT as in Toronto — and first-time buyers can claim the provincial rebate of up to $4,000, which can cover much or all of the tax on a moderately priced home. Budget too for the lawyer's fee, title insurance and adjustments, and confirm current figures, which change.

As everywhere in Ontario, a real estate lawyer — not a notary as in Quebec — handles title, the land transfer and the mortgage at closing, under the Law Society of Ontario. Payotte lists one verified professional per profession for Oshawa — real estate agent, mortgage broker, home inspector, real estate lawyer and appraiser — each ranked on a transparent 100-point grid (Google reviews, experience, an active licence on the regulator's register with RECO, FSRA, the Law Society of Ontario or the Appraisal Institute of Canada, local presence and a small bonus). One verified reference per profession — free, ad-free and commission-free.

How Payotte selects

For every sector, Payotte publishes a single professional per profession — the highest-scoring on its 100-point grid (Google reviews 35, experience 30, active provincial licence 15, local presence 15, bonus 5). No paid placement, no ads, no commissions.