Tag: Real Estate Stats

  • The River Runs Slower: June 2026 Brantford Market Update

    The Grand River doesn’t rush all summer. Some months it just… eases. June was one of those months for Brantford real estate — and if you’ve been waiting for the current to slow down enough to get your footing, this is worth a look.

    Single-Family: Cooling, Not Crashing

    79 homes sold in June, down from 87 last year — a 9.2% dip. On its own that reads like a slowdown. But look closer and it’s more textured than that.

    Homes are actually moving faster once they’re under contract — 28 days on market, down from 31 a year ago. And sellers are still getting close to what they’re asking: 98.6% of list price received, unchanged from last June. That’s not a market where people are getting desperate. It’s one where realistic pricing is getting rewarded quickly, and everything else is sitting.

    New listings are down too (203, off 3.8%), so it’s not that sellers flooded the river and buyers didn’t show up — fewer sellers came to the water at all. Inventory barely moved (333 homes, down just 2.1%), which is why months of supply only ticked up to 4.5. That’s the push and pull of a market catching its breath, not one flipping to the other side.

    Here’s the number worth sitting with: year-to-date days on market is up 20% (36 days versus 30 last year), even though June alone came in faster. That gap says something — the slower stretch happened earlier in the year, likely into that quieter spring window, and June’s pace picked back up. Some of this is just June being June. Summer in Brantford tends to bring a natural pause after the spring rush — buyers on vacation, sellers waiting for fall, the whole market taking a breath before back-to-school season pulls it back into motion.

    Median price at $650,000 (down 7.1%) and average at $664,659 (down 8.6%) reflect that pause more than a structural shift. Year-to-date, median sits at $645,000 — down a more modest 5.1%. The gap between the June-only number and the year-to-date number is exactly what you’d expect from seasonal noise layered over a market that’s genuinely softening, but slowly.

    Condos & Townhouses: The Bigger Shift

    This is where the current really changed direction. New listings dropped 11.1%, but sales held flat at 25 — meaning the pool of active buyers stayed steady while sellers pulled back. Days on market jumped to 49, up 14% from last year.

    The number that matters most: months of supply hit 6.4, up over 20% year-over-year. That’s squarely buyer’s-market water. Median price dropped to $503,000, down 7.9%.

    If you’ve been circling a condo or townhouse, waiting for less competition and more negotiating room — this is the month that data has been building toward.

    The Bigger Picture

    Bank of Canada held its rate steady at 2.25% on July 15 — the sixth hold in a row. Stability up top, movement down here on the ground. That combination tends to bring out buyers who’ve been waiting on the sidelines for the noise to settle.

    Year-to-date, both segments are still down from 2025 — single-family sales off 5.2%, condos off a steeper 24.4%. The river’s lower right now. Whether that’s a dip or a season depends on what happens through fall. But my seven-year rule still holds: if you’re planning to stay put for seven years or more, softer prices and more room to negotiate make this exactly the kind of water worth wading into.


    Let’s Connect — if you want to talk through what June’s numbers mean for your specific situation, I’m always up for a conversation. Let’s Connect →

  • What the Brantford Market Is Telling Us Right Now — May 2026

    The Grand River doesn’t run the same way every month. Sometimes it rushes. Sometimes it slows. In May, it’s doing something more interesting — it’s splitting.

    The single-family market and the condo/townhouse market are telling two very different stories right now. And if you’re thinking about buying or selling in Brantford, you need to know which channel you’re swimming in.

    Here’s what the May 2026 numbers are showing us.


    Single-family homes: fewer listings, prices holding

    New listings dropped 19.8% compared to May 2025 — from 258 down to 207. That’s a significant pullback. Sellers are sitting tight, and that’s keeping the market from flooding with inventory.

    Sales held relatively steady at 102 homes (down just 2.9% year over year). Demand isn’t gone — it’s just not racing. The median sale price stayed exactly flat at $675,000, while the average actually climbed 5.9% to $707,915. That tells us higher-end homes moved well in May.

    Homes are spending more time on market — 32 days on average, up from 25 last May. Buyers have more time to think. But they’re still paying close to asking: sellers received 97.9% of list price on average.

    Median price: $675,000 — flat vs. May 2025

    Average price: $707,915 — ↑ 5.9% vs. May 2025

    Days on market: 32 days — ↑ from 25 last May

    List price received: 97.9% — still close to asking

    The current is steady. Not fast, not stalled — just moving with purpose.


    Condos and townhouses: a different river entirely

    This is where the story gets more complicated. The condo and townhouse segment is softening — and it’s not a blip.

    The median sale price dropped 8.5% year over year, landing at $502,500. The average fell 5.8% to $488,524. Homes are sitting on market for 36 days on average, up from 29 last year.

    On the surface, monthly sales look stable — 34 closings in May, same as last year. But zoom out and the picture shifts. Year-to-date condo/townhouse sales are down 28.8% compared to the same period in 2025. That’s 99 sales through five months this year, versus 139 last year. This segment has slowed considerably.

    Months supply of inventory climbed to 6.3 — up 21.2% from last May’s 5.2. More supply, softer prices, longer days on market. Buyers in this segment have real negotiating room right now.

    Median price: $502,500 — ↓ 8.5% vs. May 2025

    YTD sales: ↓ 28.8% vs. same period 2025

    Months supply: 6.3 months — ↑ 21.2% vs. May 2025

    Days on market: 36 days — ↑ from 29 last May

    This channel is slower. There’s more room to negotiate — and if you’ve been priced out of a condo before, that’s worth paying attention to.


    The bigger picture: rates on hold, uncertainty in the air

    The Bank of Canada held its overnight rate at 2.25% again in June — the fifth consecutive hold. That’s not a surprise, but it’s not a green light either. The BoC is watching inflation driven by elevated global energy prices, and economists are split on whether the next move will be a cut or a hold into 2027.

    What that means practically: borrowing costs aren’t changing much. If you’re waiting for a rate cut to unlock your buying power, you might be waiting a while. The market isn’t going to hold its breath for you.

    This is exactly why I believe in the seven-year rule. If you’re buying a home you plan to stay in for seven years or more, today’s rate environment matters far less than you think. You’ll likely refinance at least once. What matters most is getting in when the price is right for you — not waiting for a perfect moment that may never come.


    What this means if you’re making a move

    If you’re a buyer looking at single-family homes: inventory is actually tighter than last year — fewer listings came to market in May. Don’t mistake a slower pace for a buyer’s market in this segment. Good homes are still selling close to list. Come prepared.

    If you’re a buyer considering condos or townhouses: this is genuinely the most opportunity this segment has offered in a while. Prices are softer, supply is up, and sellers are negotiating. If condo living works for your life, May’s data says now is worth a serious look.

    If you’re a seller: price matters more than ever. The days of any listing flying off the shelf are behind us for now. Homes that are priced right and show well are still moving. The ones that aren’t are sitting — and 32-36 days on market is long enough to watch momentum fade.

    The river is moving. It’s just not all moving in the same direction right now.


    Not sure which channel you’re in? That’s what I’m here for. Let’s Connect — and let’s figure out your next move together.