Staying in Touch September 2025 Newsletter

Happy September!

Fall is coming soon! and we are all wondering what the weather will be like as we start to see some trees change their colours. Its a fantastic time of year to enjoy a hike, visit a local market and apple orchard and go on a day trip to one of the beautiful towns surrounding Ottawa.

Overall our real estate market in Ottawa has been steady, there is good choice for buyers and lower interests, a good combination. New build homes are providing competition for some neighborhoods. Balancing market value with new build homes is very important when setting pricing strategies.

3,971 properties (all housing types) on the market in August 2025, an increase of approximately 37% when compared to the five-year August average. However, the market remains balanced, demand is steady, and when compared to pre-pandemic 2018 & 2019 the sales-to-new listing ratio is about 33-34%. The average price for all sold propties in August in Ottawa was $686,536, up 3.6% from last year. Months of inventory rose slightly to 3.2 months, still considered to be a balanced market. Its important to look at each neighborhood and type of housing, as we are seeing different trends. For more market information read our 50 Years of Change and our newsletter.

This month we’ve included:

• An Update on the Ottawa market and Mortgage information: Downpayments on Homes – Gifts & Loans
• Articles: Selling Your Home This Fall & How to Get Ready, Thinking of Relocating in Ottawa? Tips & Insights, How to Make a Small Room Look Bigger
• Community events to enjoy in our city, including many Fall fairs

Forests Canada continues to work and invest in our forests. As we enjoy Fall and the colours please consider supporting them if you can. Once again we are supporting a minor hockey team in Kanata. We wish the Kanata Blazers U16 Rep B Hockey Team a great season!

If you are thinking of making a move in the coming months or year, we would be happy to chat with you. Keep in mind that Fall is a perfect time to get a few projects done around the house or plan for next year. Enjoy September and Fall and feel free to contact us with any questions.

Joan, Victoria & Luc

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Market Update

As of September 5th, the Ottawa Real Estate Board reports 1,236 properties (residential & condominiums) sold in August 2025, down from July (1,318) and June (1,602) but approximately a 12.1% increase in homes sold when compared to August 2024. There have been 8,704 home sales to date this year which is 3.1% higher than this time in 2024. Year to date as of the end of August, home sales are 4.1% higher than the same period in 2024.We are seeing the supply of homes on the market increase providing more choice to buyers. There is good choice for buyers in many neighborhoods but we are still seeing some competing situations for homes in good condition, priced to reflect market value and in particular neighborhoods/streets. Real estate fundamentals of good presentation, pricing and marketing are key.

The Ottawa Real Estate Board is now using the MLS^®Home Price Index (HPI) to track changes in the real estate market (this tool is used by Canadian Real Estate Association across Canada).  The overall MLS^® HPI composite benchmark price for Ottawa was $633,000 in August 2025, an increase of approximately 1.5% from August 2024. Benchmark price for a single family home was $700,100, up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis when compared to August 2024. The benchmark price for a townhouse/row unit had a good increase $466,200, up 8.3% compared to a year earlier. The benchmark apartment price was $412,300, down 1.1% from a year ago.

The average sale price for homes sold in August 2025 was $686,536 increasing 3.6% from August 2024. Keep in mind, these are averages so some homes experienced a larger gain and some less, it is key to look at what is happening in your neighborhood, surrounding neighborhoods and with comparable homes.  The year to date average price for Ottawa is $700,828, a 3% increase for the same period in 2024.

For Kanata, unit sales in August (all housing types) were 134, translating to approximately a 54% increase when compared with August 2024.  Year to date, there were 1,048 sales, about 15% increase for the same period in 2024. For greater Stittsville, unit sales in August 2025 (all housing types) were 72 units, remaining stable from August 2024. Year to date in Stittsville, there were 592 sales, a 6.9% increase for the same period in 2024. In Kanata, the average sale price in August 2025 was $714,626 for all housing types, representing approximately a 1.8% increase when compared to August 2024. For greater Stittsville, the average sale price in August 2025 versus August 2024, increased 3.1% to $798,785 for all housing types. (Source: Ottawa Real Estate Board Residential Market Activity – MLS® Home Price Index – Detailed Report August 2025).

August residential inventory in Ottawa – 2,121 new properties (all housing types) on the market in August 2025, an increase of approximately 8.6% when compared to August 2024. At the end of August 2025, there were 3,971 homes for sale (all housing types), about a 13.3% increase when compared to the end of August 2024 and 37.1% higher when compared to the 5 year average for July.

At the end of August 2025, Ottawa’s inventory of homes (all housing types) was 3.2 months, unchanged from last month and last year, August 2024 (this is the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity). Keep in mind, each neighborhood will be different, so important to look at your present neighborhood and housing types as well as the neighborhoods you are interested in. Contact us if you would like an update on your neighborhood/a specific street or type of home.

Click here to read our Ottawa Market Update August 2025 – 50 Years of Change.

Source:  (Seasonal Inventory Growth Meets Steady Demand)

Latest Mortgage Information

Down Payments on Homes – Gifts & Loans

According to a recent Royal LePage survey, conducted by Burson, 28 per cent of Canadians who currently rent say that, before signing or renewing their current lease, they considered buying a property rather than renting. When asked what factors influenced their decision to rent instead, 40 per cent of respondents said they are choosing to wait for property prices to decline; 29 per cent are choosing to wait for interest rates to decrease further; and 28 per cent say they are working towards buying a property, and continuing to rent allows them to save for a sufficient down payment. Respondents could select more than one answer.

Putting together a downpayment for a home purchase requires a plan. What are the downpayment amounts and rules for purchasing a home? For owner-occupied homes, the minimum down payment in Canada is 5% on the first 500,000 and 10% on the amount above $500,000. The total of those two numbers equals your minimum requirement on a down payment.  However a down payment of less than 20% of the purchase price requires mortgage loan insurance, sometimes called mortgage default insurance.

When buying a home, it can be difficult to come up with the funds for the down payment. Home buyers are getting help where they can. If you are able to receive a gift or a loan towards the down payment it can help you get into the real estate market earlier and purchase ahead of potential price increases, rather then waiting to save for the full down payment.

Points to consider

If you are planning on repaying your family, it is not considered a gift, but a loan, and must be disclosed to the lender, which may count towards your debt ratio, reducing your maximum mortgage amount. Misrepresenting the down payment as a gift when it is a loan is fraud and can jeopardize your mortgage as well as create a financial burden on a homebuyer.

Borrowers and family gift-givers must typically sign the lender’s gift letter. This attests that the down payment funds are non-repayable.

For conventional mortgages, most lenders require down payments to come from a parent, grandparent, child or sibling.

If needed, a broker can recommend uninsured lenders that allow your family member to register a second mortgage on the property. This ensures the down payment loan is repaid if the property is sold. The second mortgage can be interest-bearing or non-interest-bearing, with payments or without.

Family members sometimes opt to go on title (take a small percentage of ownership, for example). That way, their down payment funds are not viewed as a gift. But note, this makes them responsible for the mortgage if the other buyers default.

Feel free to contact me with your questions.

Reni McNeil
Mortgage Brokers Ottawa
Apply online: www.renimcneil.ca
renim@mortgagebrokersottawa.com
License: 11759

Beaverbrook, Kanata

In the Community

Go team go! We’re excited to support minor hockey in Kanata.

All the best to the Kanata Blazers U16 Rep B hockey team for a fantastic season!

Enjoy Local Fall Fairs!

Enjoy the many Fall fairs in greater Ottawa area. There is something for everyone!

• • September 11th to 14th, 2025: Spencerville Fair
  • September 13th to 14th 2025: Upper Canada Village 1860s Fall Fair Weekend
  • September 18th to 21st 2025: Richmond Fair
  • September 25th to 28th 2025 : Carp Fair
  • September 27th, 2025: McDonald’s Corners Fair
  • October 2nd to 5th 2025: Metcalfe Fair

Things to Do in September 2025

• 613flea – Sept. 13 & more
• Butter Tart Festival – Sept. 13
• Ottawa Redblacks – Sept. 12, 20 & more
• Atlético Ottawa – Sept. 14, 21 & more
• Ottawa Wine Auction – Sept. 19
• Tour de Gatineau – Sept. 19-21
• Taste of Wellington – Sept. 20
• Canada Army Run – Sept. 21
• Ottawa International Animation Festival – Sept. 24-28
• Chamberfest Concert Services – Sept. 25
• Ottawa Rapid FC – Sept 26 & more

See more events:
Things to do in Ottawa this weekend &

Ottawa Tourism 

Selling a Home

To help potential sellers, we’ve created a home sellers’ guide that is divided into several topics, from evaluating your home to receiving offers.

Sellers Resources

• Selling & Buying at the Same Time
• Home Sellers’ Guide
• Staging Your Home
• Creating Curb Appeal
• Reacting to Offers
• Receive $50.00 off from 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
  Contact Us for Details!