Every month we take a closer look and drill down the sales data of Ottawa condos from the previous month. Here are the statistics for August 2025 in the top five "downtown" areas - Centretown, Byward Market and Sandy Hill, Little Italy (which includes Lebreton Flats), Hintonburg, and Westboro. The information will be specific to apartment-style condominiums, and only what is sold through the MLS. Also important to note that DOM (Day's On Market) is calculated to include the conditional period, which in Ottawa is roughly 14 days for almost every single transaction.
Ottawa slipped into late summer with a market that felt a little like the first cool morning after a heatwave. Buyers had room to breathe, sellers still found engaged audiences, and the city’s real estate rhythm continued to follow its familiar seasonal arc toward a busier autumn.
The shape of the month
August recorded 1,236 sales across the region. That is softer than June and July, which is typical as vacations and cottage weekends pull attention away from house hunting, yet it sits 12.1% above the same month last year. New supply flowed in at a healthy pace, with 2,121 new listings and 3,971 active listings at month-end. That active count is about 37% higher than the five-year August average, which sounds dramatic until you remember that 2020 and 2021 compressed supply to rare lows. If you look back to pre-pandemic benchmarks like 2018 and 2019, today’s inventory is roughly one-third higher, which is a more grounded comparison.
Two balancing indicators tell the real story. The sales-to-new-listings ratio landed near 58%, and months of inventory held at 3.2. In plain language, demand is meeting supply. Homes are spending a typical 28 days on market, neither racing out the door nor languishing.
Prices: a steady step rather than a leap
The average sale price for August reached $686,536, up 3.6% year over year. Year to date, Ottawa sits at 9,936 sales, 4.1% ahead of 2024 at this point, with the average price for the first eight months at $700,828, a rise of 3%. These are the kinds of gains that feel sustainable. They reflect confidence and activity without the whiplash of overheated conditions.
The MLS® Home Price Index offers a clearer lens on typical values. The composite benchmark came in at $633,000, up 1.5% from last August. Within that, the story splits by property type. Single-family homes are steady at a $700,100 benchmark, also up 1.5%. Townhouses are doing the heavy lifting with an 8.3% increase to $466,200, helped by buyers trading space and convenience for value. Apartments are the gentle counterweight at $412,300, down 1.1%, with softness most noticeable in the downtown condo segment.
Why inventory feels higher, and why that can help you
Ottawa’s market is seasonal. Late summer typically sees listings accumulate as sellers prepare to ride the September and October wave, when school routines settle and serious house hunting returns. Elevated inventory does not mean a glut. It means buyers have more choice, a fuller menu of neighbourhoods and floor plans to compare, and a little more leverage to ask for repairs, closing flexibility, or favourable conditions. Sellers, meanwhile, benefit from a deeper audience, especially if their home is well presented and priced in line with the most recent comparable sales.
What this means for different buyers
First-time and value seekers. Townhouses are where momentum meets attainability. If you have been waiting for a sweet spot between space and budget, this segment is worth a close look.
Move-up families. Single-family values are stable, and selection is improving. Focus on catchment areas, commute patterns, and renovation potential. With 28 days as a typical marketing period, you can move confidently yet decisively.
Downtown lifestyle buyers. Condos are the most negotiable slice of the market right now. If urban living with transit access and low maintenance is your priority, the numbers are in your favour, especially for units that have been on the market longer than average.
What this means for sellers
Price to the moment. Balanced conditions reward accuracy. Over-reach early and you risk chasing the market, particularly in the condo segment.
Win on presentation. In a world of 3,900-plus active listings, professional photography, clean lines, and small repairs create a memorable first impression.
Use the first two weeks wisely. Most serious buyer activity clusters early. A clear launch plan, thoughtful showing windows, and rapid feedback cycles help convert interest into offers.
Reading the road ahead
Two consecutive months of slower sales from the June peak is part of Ottawa’s seasonal cadence. Inventory is already in place for September and October, which often brings a brisker pace of accepted offers. Outside our region, some Ontario markets have seen supply rise and sales cool. Early indicators suggest that as confidence firms, activity could lift more broadly, which would support Ottawa as well. We will also be watching employment trends and cross-border trade news, since both can ripple through buyer sentiment over the fall.
Bottom line
August felt constructive. Prices moved with intention rather than urgency. Buyers gained options without losing the ability to compete. Sellers who lead with condition, marketing, and a right-sized list price are still achieving solid results. In other words, Ottawa is behaving like the balanced market it is known for, quietly setting the stage for an active autumn.
Planning a move this fall
Every neighbourhood and property type tells its own story. If you are buying, we can zero in on where selection is highest and negotiating power is strongest. If you are selling, we can build a launch plan that positions your home to stand out while inventory remains elevated. The late-summer light may be fading, but the opportunity in Ottawa real estate is very much in season.
Important to note is that these statistics can only be as accurate as there are condos sold in Ottawa. The more condos sold in an area, the more accurate the averages will be.
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