Ottawa's real estate market has consistently offered something many Canadian cities can't: a reasonable pace. In 2026, days on market (DOM), the time from listing to accepted offer, reveals important dynamics about each city's supply-demand balance, and Ottawa compares favourably against Canada's most challenging markets.
2026 Average Days on Market by City (Q1 Data)
| City | Average DOM (All Types) | Detached | Condos | |------|------------------------|----------|--------| | Ottawa | 21 days | 18 days | 28 days | | Toronto | 28 days | 22 days | 38 days | | Vancouver | 26 days | 24 days | 32 days | | Calgary | 32 days | 28 days | 40 days | | Montreal | 58 days | 52 days | 72 days |
Ottawa's 21-day average makes it one of Canada's faster-moving markets, not the frenzied sub-7-day pandemic pace, but brisk enough to give sellers confidence and buyers a reasonable decision window.
Why Ottawa Sells Faster Than Many Markets
Stable, diverse employment: Ottawa's federal government, tech sector, and university employment base creates consistent buyer demand without the boom-bust cycles seen in oil-dependent Calgary.
Relative affordability: Ottawa buyers at multiple income levels can find appropriate product, preventing the gridlock seen in Vancouver where many potential buyers simply cannot afford to purchase at any price point.
Lower investor concentration: Ottawa has fewer speculative investors than Toronto or Vancouver, meaning homes list at prices reflecting genuine market value rather than speculative premiums that overhang the market.
Toronto's Rising DOM: The Condo Overhang
Toronto's 38-day average for condos reflects a significant inventory overhang, thousands of newly completed pre-construction condos hitting resale simultaneously, competing with new listings. Sellers who paid $700,000 for a pre-construction condo now face a market pricing similar units at $620,000–$660,000.
Detached homes in desirable Toronto neighbourhoods still move in 22 days, demand is bifurcated, with condos sitting and houses moving.
Vancouver: Quality Over Speed
Vancouver's 26-day average masks wide variance by neighbourhood and price point. West Side Vancouver properties under $2 million can still see multiple offers in days. Coquitlam condos or new North Delta townhomes might sit 60–90 days.
Montreal's Slower Pace
Montreal's 58-day average reflects a genuinely buyer-friendly market, more inventory, less urgency, longer negotiation timelines. This benefits buyers but makes sellers work harder. Montreal's DOM is influenced by Quebec's legal process (Promise to Purchase vs APS) which typically adds negotiation time.
What Ottawa DOM Data Means for You
Sellers: 21 days is fast but not panic-inducing. Price correctly, stage well, list in spring. You'll sell within 3–4 weeks in most Ottawa neighbourhoods.
Buyers: You have time to think, conduct due diligence, and negotiate conditions, unlike the pandemic era. But don't sleep on well-priced Ottawa homes in desirable areas; they still move quickly.
Ottawa's market pace in 2026 strikes the right balance, functional for both buyers and sellers, without the extremes of either market gridlock or panic buying.
