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Zen spaces, bungalofts and quiet luxury: What’s hot in Ottawa’s upscale home market

November 10, 2025

A growing number of listings in Ottawa’s luxury real estate market means more options for buyers, especially those with discriminating tastes.

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A growing number of listings in Ottawa’s luxury real estate market means more options for buyers, especially those with discriminating tastes. “In the first 10 months of 2025, our new listings at $1 million or more were up 47 per cent from the same period in 2024, so that’s significant,” John King, owner and broker with Engel & Völkers Ottawa Central, told OBJ recently. “This gives luxury buyers confidence that they'll find a home that meets their needs.” King added that buyers with budgets for properties between $2 and $4 million have even more choice. “That’s the really hot segment of the luxury market in Ottawa right now,” he said, adding that the number of listings in that price bracket has jumped 76 per cent, from 253 to 445, from the same period last year. The current landscape of Ottawa’s luxury real estate means buyers can afford to be choosy. “We're seeing people being very selective, not making fast decisions,” said King. “They are very particular in terms of what the demands are.” Waterfront properties, particularly those offering privacy, are a big draw. “I think privacy is important to people, especially because of this whole new trend I would call ‘quiet luxury,’” said King. “Waterfront (properties) along the Ottawa River and luxury estate homes out in Manotick are something people are paying for. They’re big homes, but they’re private.” This rings true for Marilyn Wilson, owner and realtor with Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties Inc., who says her top-paying clients are looking for waterfront homes. “Of the four highest sales in the city (in 2025), three are waterfront and one is a water view,” said Wilson. “Our brokerage has sold three of them, including a waterfront property in Crystal Bay near Kanata that went for $5,040,000.” That sale was significant, not only as the top sale of the year, but also because historically the highest sale has been in Rockliffe Park, added realtor and broker of record Reba Wilson. “They're really looking for privacy and they're looking for special properties,” said Reba Wilson of the brokerage’s clientele, which includes international buyers. “We’ve had European customers who were very surprised by the open-concept trend because it didn't go that way in Europe to the same extent. “I'm seeing a bit of a reversal in that: people still like an open-concept layout, but they also want to have distinct areas where members of the family can take their own space.” The brokerage has also seen renewed interest in pools and amped-up outdoor living spaces, said Reba Wilson. “There’s definitely a sense of bringing the indoors outdoors, having that extra space that you can entertain and live in,” she said. “A lot of people have expanded outdoor living spaces with covered terraces, outdoor kitchens or barbecue areas that can be used three seasons of the year, sometimes with fireplaces and TV rooms outside.” The Wilsons also see a trend in upscale health-and-wellness amenities within luxury homes. “We’re seeing these really breathtaking wellness spaces,” explained Marilyn Wilson, adding that pilates, yoga, weights and infra-red saunas are popular highlights. “It's not just a gym stuck in some corner in a basement, it's a zen space; it doesn't have to be large, but it has to be beautiful.” King said he’s observed an uptick in properties featuring a “bungaloft” architecture, which combines elements of both a bungalow and a loft. “We're seeing a little bit more of the primary bedroom on the main level,” said King. “That wasn’t as desirable 20 years ago, but I would say these bungalofts sell quite well.” Other popular features include car lifts in garages, expansive home theatres, butler’s kitchens and smart toilets. “I think the Ottawa luxury market is really underpriced in terms of value,” said King. “What you can get for $2 million in Ottawa exceeds some of the other Canadian cities like Toronto or Vancouver. “We have a really nice quality of life. If you have that ability to go into that value space, you're going to get a great house.”

The outlook for 2026

Charles Sezlik, owner and broker with Sezlik.com, notes that the average list price for luxury real estate has shown only a modest increase, from $2.57 million in 2024 to $2.71 million in 2025. “Our luxury market is just neutral. It hasn't gone up, it hasn’t gone down,” said Sezlik. Looking to next year, Sezlik said a higher inventory has the potential to impact prices. “Long-term that may have some downward pressure on pricing,” said Sezlik. “We'll have to wait and see what happens in 2026 because certainly they're bringing down interest rates. That could have a positive effect on the market as well, even at the luxury end. “At the end of the day, not everybody buying a home over $2 million is paying in cash, so the cheaper it is to borrow a million dollars, the more affordable these homes become. As a result, more of them will sell.” This year, Sezlik’s brokerage has sold 16 more properties than last year. “That’s a good sign that we have more sales and the year’s not over yet,” he said. However, uncertainty around job cuts could be a factor down the line. “If they start making significant reductions to the public service, obviously Ottawa is going to be adversely affected and that will play a role,” Sezlick said. “Not a large percentage of public servants are buying luxury properties, but when there's negative press about markets and things happening, it does affect all levels of the market.” King said that, in his experience, Ottawa’s luxury real estate market weathers economic instability better than other Canadian cities. “Over my 32-year career … there have been periods of vulnerability in sales and consumer confidence; we're definitely in one of those right now,” he said. “The nice thing for Ottawa is that we're like the Lincoln Continental of cars –– we don't feel the bumps the same way a (Jeep) Wrangler is going to feel it, it’s not as bumpy. “Yes, we've experienced blips and a little bit of turbulence with the (U.S.) tariffs, but overall Ottawa has had a pretty decent year.”