MARKET INSIGHTS

MARCH 2026 MARKET INSIGHT REPORT: RESIDENTIAL

Just a reminder of the parameters we use when assembling these stats:

Freehold properties only, meaning both the land and the structure on it is owned outright with no space co-owned or co-managed with owners of adjacent homes. We do review Burlington condo apartments in a separate section. Price ranges – in order to avoid outlier sales that skew the numbers too significantly, we restrict our price ranges, shown in parentheses after the city name.

Below you will find the Market Insight Report for residential properties for Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton, and Greater Hamilton. The market has continued to change this month as you will see in this report.

The market is changing, let’s talk! Contact us at any time.

If you are thinking about selling, we offer a helpful FREE Seller’s Guide to help you get the most out of your biggest investment – your home.

_________________________

March delivered the clearest evidence yet that the spring market has arrived. Showing volume opened the month strong with 391 Burlington showings and 635 in Oakville on March 1st, both up double digits year-over-year. The data held up through the month, with March 14th posting 352 Burlington and 664 Oakville showings, up 82% and 184% year-over-year respectively. That kind of buyer engagement translated into real results: sales were up or essentially flat in every market, days on market improved meaningfully in several segments, and sale-to-list ratios held at 96-97% across the board.

Burlington 

Burlington's freehold market posted 93 sales in March, down from 106 last year but a significant step up from February's 69. The average price of $1,289,000 is down $67,000 (-5%) year-over-year from March 2025's $1,356,094, continuing the gradual adjustment trend we've seen throughout the past year. The more encouraging number is days on market: 44 days, exactly matching last March's 44, and a substantial improvement from February's 64. Properties are moving more efficiently and buyers are engaging earlier in the listing cycle.

Sellers achieved 96% of list price. Inventory sits at 223 units, up from February's 191 (+17%).

Burlington Condos

The condo market showed a genuine bright spot in March with 39 sales against 30 last year, the strongest sales volume seen in this segment in several months. The average price of $608,000 is down modestly from last March's $619,000 (-1.8%), which given the broader condo environment across Ontario is a relatively resilient result. Days on market remains elevated at 98, up from last March's 60, so the volume improvement hasn't yet translated into faster sales - but the demand signal is real.

Sellers achieved 96% of list. Inventory sits at 168 units, essentially flat from February's 167 (+1%).

Oakville

Oakville rebounded in March with 131 sales against 124 last year, and the average price recovered to $1,588,702 from February's dip below $1,500,000 - though it remains down from last March's $1,698,274 (-6.5%). The combination of rising volume and a price recovery from February suggests the market found a floor last month rather than continuing to slide.

Days on market came in at 30, up slightly from last March's 27, with sellers achieving 96% of list. Inventory sits at 617 units, up from February's 519 (+19%).

Hamilton

Hamilton was the standout story of the month. 208 sales against 205 last year is essentially flat, but the context matters: days on market dropped to 47 from last March's 45, nearly cutting February's 85-day DOM in half. The average price of $641,625 is down from $681,898 last year (-5.9%), but the market is clearly moving faster and buyers are more decisive than they were a month ago.

Sellers achieved 96% of list. Inventory sits at 642 units, up from February's 606 (+6%).

Greater Hamilton

GGreater Hamilton recorded 142 sales against 156 last year, with an average price of $915,577 down from $991,186 (-7.6%). Days on market came in at 77, up from last March's 50, though this is still a meaningful improvement from February's 93.6. Sellers achieved 97% of list price, the strongest ratio in our coverage area this month.

What Does This All Mean?

The Bank of Canada held at 2.25% on March 18th as widely expected, but the statement carried a new wrinkle. The conflict in the Middle East is driving oil prices sharply higher, and Governor Macklem said directly that the Bank will not let energy-driven inflation spread into broader price increases. The language signaled that rate cuts are off the table for the foreseeable future. Depending on how long the conflict persists, the next move could be up rather than down. Canada's unemployment rate also rose to 6.7% in February after shedding 84,000 jobs, adding another layer of complexity to the economic picture.

For the housing market specifically, CMHC's 2026 outlook names Ontario as the only province expected to see continued price declines this year, pointing to high inventory and muted demand in the most expensive urban centres. That's consistent with what we're seeing locally: prices are adjusting gradually, not crashing. The March data confirms that well-priced properties are transacting with reasonable efficiency. The national picture from CREA's February data showed home sales 8.1% below year-ago levels, with the national average holding roughly flat at $663,828. This is a reminder that our local markets, while softer than their peaks, are holding up reasonably well relative to the national trend.

The new listing data from BrokerBay tells an interesting supply story. March saw strong injection days: March 26 brought 38 new listings in Burlington and 48 in Oakville, up 36% and 55% year-over-year alongside very quiet days. The pattern suggests sellers are being selective about timing, watching showing traffic and competing inventory before launching. That dynamic tends to keep supply from overwhelming the market all at once, which is part of why sale-to-list ratios have held up.

What This Means for You

For Buyers: March confirmed that the spring market is real and competitive. The days of listings languishing for 80-90 days are still present in some segments, but the better-priced, well-presented properties are moving in weeks not months. DOM in Hamilton is back to near-normal levels, Oakville is at 30 days, and Burlington freehold matched last year's pace exactly. If you've been waiting for the right moment, the window of buyer leverage is narrowing. Rate stability at 2.25% is a known quantity, but the Middle East situation introduces a real risk that rates could move higher rather than lower from here.

For Sellers: March is the data you've been waiting for. Showing volumes were strong throughout the month, sale-to-list ratios held at 96-97%, and sales counts improved across the board from February. The market is responding to well-priced listings. The inventory increases across every market mean competition among sellers is also building, so presentation and pricing from day one remain critical. Chasing the market down through reductions is a losing strategy when buyer attention is high but choice is expanding.

Next Bank of Canada rate decision: April 29, 2026

.

.

Burlington and Hamilton data sourced from Cornerstone MLS. Oakville data sourced from TRREB / PropTX. Price ranges applied: Burlington freehold $500,000-$4,000,000; Burlington condos $200,000-$2,000,000; Oakville $600,000-$5,000,000; Hamilton $250,000-$1,500,000; Greater Hamilton $200,000-$1,500,000. Burlington and Hamilton days on market are cumulative and include time from prior listings if a property was cancelled and relisted. Oakville days on market reflect the current listing period only.