Market update: Ontario's housing market has a predictable calendar

Ontario's resale market follows a seasonal rhythm that repeats most years. New listings build through late February and March, peak in spring, and thin out through July and August as families travel.

After Labour Day a second, shorter window opens. Autumn buyers tend to be motivated and financing-ready, and sellers who missed the spring often price more realistically. By mid-December activity drops sharply and stays low until mid-January.

That calendar creates opportunities. Buyers face less competition in late autumn and midwinter, while sellers usually see the widest audience in spring. Neither guarantees a better outcome, but both change how much negotiating room exists.