Waiting may make sense. But I’d look at what’s selling now—and what you’d be buying—before deciding.

With Thanksgiving coming up, you may be thinking about putting your moving plans aside until spring.

I understand that. Getting a home ready, keeping it clean for showings and trying to organize a move around the holidays is a lot. For many Ottawa homeowners, Thanksgiving becomes a natural point to decide whether to keep a listing on the market, take a break or start preparing for next year.

But before deciding to wait, I’d want to look at whether spring is likely to make your particular move any easier.

Asking prices and sale prices tell different stories

While preparing for a listing appointment this week, I was comparing nearby homes for sale with similar homes that had recently sold. Some of the asking prices were quite a bit higher than what buyers had actually paid.

That doesn’t mean the homes were identical. We still need to account for condition, size, the basement and what makes one home more appealing than another. But I wouldn’t build someone’s next move around a neighbour’s asking price without looking at the sales behind it.

What we hope to sell for and what we can reasonably plan around aren’t always the same number.

Buyers have more to compare this fall

According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board’s September 2026 report, Ottawa had 2,927 new listings and 1,010 sales. Sales were almost unchanged from August, while new listings increased by about 38%.

There were 4,813 active listings at month-end—the second-highest September total since 2016. Months of inventory reached 4.8, the highest September reading in the past decade. That measure compares available homes with the current pace of sales; it isn’t a prediction of how long your home will take to sell.

The useful point is that Ottawa entered this fall with unusually high supply relative to sales. More homes came onto the market without a similar increase in buyers completing purchases.

For a seller, I’d want to know what buyers can choose instead of your home. Are those homes better prepared? Do they have a finished basement, a better layout or a lower price?

For a buyer, I’d look at whether that extra choice includes something you’d be happy living in—not just something that has been reduced.

Apartment condos face particularly strong competition relative to sales in the latest figures. Even there, I’d compare the building, fees, parking and condition before deciding whether a particular unit offers good value.

A quieter market can give you more time to make a good decision. It doesn’t make every home a good buy.

Fewer winter listings don’t automatically mean a stronger market

OREB notes that new listings declined in both October and November in each of the previous ten years. Some homeowners will decide not to sell through winter. Others may already have bought, be relocating or simply prefer to get the move behind them.

If fewer homes are available, you may have less competition. But if fewer buyers are purchasing too, that doesn’t automatically improve your position. A listing being withdrawn is different from a buyer choosing a home and completing a sale.

I’d keep watching what is actually selling, how long comparable homes take to sell and what buyers are paying. Your property type, neighbourhood, condition and price range matter more than a citywide headline alone.

Winter sales can become spring comparables

If a home sells over winter for less than nearby owners were hoping for, we’ll need to consider that sale when pricing similar homes in the spring.

It won’t tell us everything. One sale doesn’t determine the value of an entire neighbourhood, and we still need to consider differences between the properties and any change in market conditions. But it is more useful than an asking price that never attracted an offer.

That’s why I’d be careful with the idea that more buyers in spring automatically means a higher selling price. We don’t know where Ottawa prices will be in spring 2027.

Waiting may still be the right choice for you. I’d just want that decision to reflect your timing, the cost of staying and the actual competition—not an assumption that spring will fix everything.

If you’re selling and buying, look at the gap

If you own a townhouse and want a detached home, a lower selling price can understandably make you hesitate. But if the home you want has also become more affordable, the move may still work.

For example, if your expected sale price is $20,000 lower but the home you want costs $40,000 less, the purchase-price gap is $20,000 smaller, before the costs of the move. That’s an illustration, not a forecast.

The opposite can happen too. Your selling price could soften while the particular detached home or bungalow you want remains competitive.

And if you’re downsizing, we need to look at what you’d have left after selling, buying the next place and paying the costs of the move. Financing, closing dates and the cost of carrying two homes also belong in that conversation.

I’d rather help you understand the whole move than focus on getting one price while overlooking what happens next.

Preparing now doesn’t mean committing to list now

For sellers, that means having a plan before the sign goes up: what preparation is worthwhile, where we start on price and when we’ll review the showings, feedback and competing sales.

It doesn’t mean automatic price reductions. It means an honest conversation about how buyers are responding and what makes sense for you.

You don’t have to list now to start working through that. Sometimes the best next step is getting the house ready gradually and learning more about the homes you’d actually want to buy. Waiting until spring may fit your family, finances or preparation timeline better.

If a move is on your radar for this winter, spring or later next year, what do you own now, and what would you like to move into?

We can look at the relevant sales, what’s available and what would need to happen for the move to make sense. You don’t need to have everything figured out before we talk. And if the numbers suggest staying put for now, I’ll tell you that too.

Contact Chris Nash or call 613-869-6274.

Chris Nash
Sales Representative
Royal LePage Team Realty

Published October 8, 2026. Market figures: Ottawa Real Estate Board, September 2026 report, released October 5, 2026.