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Ottawa housing market gaining steam as new home sales surge ahead of 2024’s pace

September 18, 2025

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New home sales in Ottawa jumped 30 per cent in August compared with a year earlier, pushing overall transactions ahead of last year’s pace, the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association says. Homebuyers purchased a total of 299 new units last month, up from 230 in August 2024, according to the latest housing market report from the GOHBA and PMA Brethour Realty Group. It’s the highest August sales total in five years, and it brings the total number of new homes sold in the capital so far this year to 2,365. That’s 1.5 per cent higher than the 2,328 new homes that were purchased through the first eight months of 2024. GOHBA Jason Burggraaf called the latest results an “important milestone” for the homebuilding industry, which has been gaining momentum as the year rolls on. “This marks the best August we’ve seen in five years, showing clear demand and resilience in the market,” Burggraaf said in a statement. “While year-to-date sales are tracking alongside last year, the strength of August reinforces our optimism heading into the fall.” The south end once again led the way as the most sought-after location for new homebuyers, with 44 per cent of all transactions occurring in that part of the city. The west end accounted for 31 per cent of sales, while 21 per cent of all new homes purchased in August were located in the east end. The remaining four per cent of sales were for properties in central Ottawa. Townhomes continue to be the most popular property type, accounting for 53 per cent of all new home sales in August. Single-family homes captured 35 per cent of the market, while condo townhomes represented seven per cent and condo apartments made up the remaining four per cent. Ottawa’s resale housing market also heated up in July, with sales rising more than 10 per cent compared with the previous year. A total of 1,236 properties changed hands in the capital last month, up 12.1 per cent from August 2024, the Ottawa Real Estate Board said. It marked the most transactions for the month since 2021.