Market Balance Index™
47/ 100
Buyer’s marketSeller’s market
Balanced Market
Leaning toward buyers
Lower sales, softer prices and longer selling times leaned the market toward buyers, while tighter inventory kept it from tipping out of balance.
At a glance
- ↓InventoryTightening
- ↓DemandSoftening
- ↓PricesLower
- ↓CompetitionEasing
- →OutlookLeaning Toward Buyers
- Detached median price
- $692,500
- down 9.9% year over year
- Detached sales
- 270
- down 20.6%
- Days on market
- 44
- up 18.9%
- Months of inventory
- 4.5
- down 2.2%
What happened in September 2026
Overall sales declined 22.6% year over year and the median sale price fell 8.9% to $640,000. Detached homes took 44 days to sell (up 18.9%) and townhouses and condos 51 days (up 10.9%). Active inventory was down 14.5%, with 4.8 months of inventory overall — broadly balanced, but noticeably softer than a year earlier.
What it means for you
If you’re buying
Buyers have more time and more room to negotiate, with improved affordability.
Overall sales fell 22.6% year over year and the median price declined 8.9% to $640,000. Detached homes averaged 44 days on market (up 18.9%) and townhouses and condos 51 days (up 10.9%), giving buyers time to compare. Inventory is down 14.5%, and conditions can differ significantly between neighbourhoods, property types and price ranges.
- Best opportunity
- Longer selling times in both segments
- Watch
- Inventory down 14.5% overall
- Geoff’s advice
- Take time to compare, and negotiate on price and condition
If you’re selling
Reduced inventory helps, but buyers are comparing carefully, so expectations need to be realistic.
Inventory is down in both segments — detached 12.6% and condo 17.8% — which is preventing a bigger imbalance. But buyers are less inclined to overlook condition or pricing concerns, and homes are taking longer to sell. Well-presented homes priced for their neighbourhood still draw serious interest.
- Strongest advantage
- Fewer competing listings
- Watch
- Longer days on market in both segments
- Geoff’s advice
- Price for your neighbourhood and present the home well
The full September 2026 data
Single Family Detached
| Median sale price | $692,500 |
|---|
| Median price change | −9.9% |
|---|
| Sales | 270 |
|---|
| Sales change | −20.6% |
|---|
| Months of inventory | 4.5 |
|---|
| Months of inventory change | −2.2% |
|---|
| Average price | $778,972 |
|---|
| Average price change | −9.2% |
|---|
| New listings | 737 |
|---|
| New listings change | −20.2% |
|---|
| Inventory | 1,335 |
|---|
| Inventory change | −12.6% |
|---|
| Days on market | 44 |
|---|
| Days-on-market change | +18.9% |
|---|
| % of list price received | 96.7% |
|---|
| List-price-received change | −0.2% |
|---|
Townhouse / Condo
| Median sale price | $565,000 |
|---|
| Median price change | −5.8% |
|---|
| Sales | 106 |
|---|
| Sales change | −27.4% |
|---|
| Months of inventory | 5.4 |
|---|
| Months of inventory change | −6.9% |
|---|
| Average price | $549,996 |
|---|
| Average price change | −6.3% |
|---|
| New listings | 320 |
|---|
| New listings change | −33.1% |
|---|
| Inventory | 729 |
|---|
| Inventory change | −17.8% |
|---|
| Days on market | 51 |
|---|
| Days-on-market change | +10.9% |
|---|
| % of list price received | 97.0% |
|---|
| List-price-received change | −0.5% |
|---|
Based on September 2026 activity · ITSO data current October 2, 2026 · Bank of Canada policy rate held at 2.25% · September 2026 inflation 2.5% year over year · Unemployment 6.5%, slightly higher · Local data compares September 2026 with September 2025 · Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures
The Smith Dobrowsky Market Balance Index™ scores conditions from 0 (buyer’s market) to 100 (seller’s market) using supply, demand, pricing, competition and momentum.
Common questions
Is Hamilton a buyer’s or seller’s market in September 2026?
Hamilton scored 47 out of 100 on the Smith Dobrowsky Market Balance Index™ for September 2026: balanced market, leaning toward buyers. Lower sales, softer prices and longer selling times leaned the market toward buyers, while tighter inventory kept it from tipping out of balance.
What was the median price of a detached home in Hamilton in September 2026?
The median detached sale price in Hamilton was $692,500, down 9.9% from a year earlier. The townhouse and condo median was $565,000 (down 5.8%).
How long are homes taking to sell in Hamilton?
In September 2026, detached homes in Hamilton averaged 44 days on market (up 18.9% year over year), and townhouses and condos averaged 51 days (up 10.9%).
Want Geoff’s read on your Hamilton street?
City-wide numbers only tell part of the story. Geoff can explain how this month’s market applies to your home, your search or your neighbourhood.