Sectors / neighbourhoods
Downtown Ottawa is the city's most vertical, condo-dense district — apartment-style units and converted lofts within…
Westboro and Hintonburg form Ottawa's most-watched infill corridor — early-century homes squeezed between new…
The Glebe and Old Ottawa South are Ottawa's canal-side heritage neighbourhoods — tree-lined streets of detached…
Kanata and Stittsville are the engine of Ottawa's west-end growth — master-planned subdivisions built around the…
Barrhaven and the surrounding Nepean communities are Ottawa's family heartland — newer subdivisions, schools, parks,…
Orléans and Gloucester anchor Ottawa's east end — a strongly bilingual, family-oriented set of communities offering…
Calculate for Ottawa: buy or sell
By profession
The Ottawa real estate market — Sep 2026
| Indicator | Value | 1-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Reference price (Sep 2026) | $623,500 | -0.3% |
| Average price | $685,640 | -1% |
| Market conditions | Balanced market · 4.8 months | |
| Sales (Sep 2026) | 1,010 transactions | -6.6% |
| Avg. days on market | 27 days | |
| By property type | ||
| Single-family | $705,100 | |
| Townhouse | $546,500 | -2.2% |
| Apartment | $380,800 | -6.1% |
Ottawa offers a steadier, more affordable counterpoint to Toronto.
In September 2026, the MLS® benchmark price in Ottawa stood at $623,500, down 0.3% year over year. The average price, all property types combined, was $685,640 (−1% year over year). By property type: single-family $705,100, townhouse $546,500 (−2.2%), and apartment $380,800 (−6.1%). There were 1,010 sales during the month, 6.6% fewer than a year earlier. With 4.8 months of inventory, the market is balanced by the standard board convention (under 4 months: sellers; 4 to 6: balanced; over 6: buyers). Homes in Ottawa took an average of 27 days to sell. Source: OREB, September 2026.
Ottawa's government-anchored economy gives it an unusual steadiness: demand rarely spikes or collapses the way it can in more speculative markets. That stability rewards a deliberate approach — buyers have time to inspect properly and compare, while sellers benefit from a dependable, year-round pool of qualified purchasers. The catch is variety: a Glebe century home, a Kanata new-build and an Orléans family house each demand different pricing and inspection expertise.
A steady market still rewards good guidance. Payotte lists one verified professional per sector across Ottawa's 6 covered districts, ranked on Google reviews, experience and an active licence (RECO, FSRA, the Law Society of Ontario, the Appraisal Institute of Canada). One reference per neighbourhood, 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.
Frequently asked questions
Which real estate professionals does Payotte recommend in Ottawa?
In Ottawa, Payotte names one independent, verified professional per trade in each of its 6 sectors — real estate agent, mortgage broker, home inspector, real estate lawyer and appraiser — scored on public data (Google reviews, active licence on the regulator's register, local presence), with no ads or commissions.
What is the average home price in Ottawa in 2026?
In September 2026, the MLS® benchmark price in Ottawa stood at $623,500, down 0.3% year over year. The average price, all property types combined, was $685,640 (−1% year over year). By property type: single-family $705,100, townhouse $546,500 (−2.2%), and apartment $380,800 (−6.1%). Source: OREB, September 2026.
Is Ottawa a buyer's or seller's market?
With 4.8 months of inventory, the market is balanced by the standard board convention (under 4 months: sellers; 4 to 6: balanced; over 6: buyers). Homes in Ottawa took an average of 27 days to sell. Source: OREB, September 2026.
How fast do homes sell in Ottawa?
Homes in Ottawa took an average of 27 days to sell. With 4.8 months of inventory, the market is balanced by the standard board convention (under 4 months: sellers; 4 to 6: balanced; over 6: buyers). Source: OREB, September 2026.
How does Payotte select the expert for a sector?
On a 100-point scale (Google reviews 35, experience 30, active licence 15, local presence 15, bonus 5). Only the top-scoring verified professional is listed per sector.
How much tax do you pay when you sell a home in Ottawa?
Usually none if it is your principal residence: the Canada Revenue Agency's principal residence exemption wipes out the capital gain for each year the home is designated, though the sale must still be reported. For another property (cottage, rental), half the gain is added to taxable income (1/2 inclusion rate, CRA guide T4037) and taxed at your marginal rate. Example at Ottawa's reference price ($623,500): bought for $523,500, the home shows a gain of $100,000: $0 taxable if it is your principal residence; otherwise $50,000 of taxable amount is added to your income (the resulting tax depends on your marginal rate, not computed here). The land transfer tax is paid by the buyer, not the seller; the agent's commission is negotiated, and no official schedule sets it.
Source : OREB · Region de la chambre OREB (National Capital Region) · 2026-09 — figures updated with each board release.
Property assessment in Ottawa
Assessor: Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC): it assesses and classifies every property in Ontario. To appeal: Request for Reconsideration by March 31 of the tax year, or 120 days from the issue date on a Property Assessment Change Notice
The Ottawa market pulse, every month
Prices, sales, inventory, days on market — sourced board figures, once a month by email. Free, one-click unsubscribe.
Other cities in Ontario
- Toronto — 10 sectors
- Mississauga — 6 sectors
- Brampton — 5 sectors
- Hamilton — 5 sectors
- Markham — 1 sector
- Vaughan — 1 sector
- London — 1 sector
- Kitchener — 1 sector
- Windsor — 1 sector
- Oakville — 1 sector
- Richmond Hill — 1 sector
- Burlington — 1 sector
- Oshawa — 1 sector
- Greater Sudbury — 1 sector
- Thunder Bay — 1 sector
- Barrie — 1 sector
- Guelph — 1 sector
- Kingston — 1 sector
- St. Catharines — 1 sector
- Brantford — 1 sector
- Waterloo — 1 sector