Alastair Birt Re/Max Niagara Realty Ltd.

10/01/2026

09/29/2026

Here’s a positive sign in this week’s real estate numbers: fewer showings, but more homes selling.

From Sept. 20–26, appointments dropped 6.9%, yet 338 properties sold, up from 295 the previous week — a 14.6% increase in sales.

Even better, the number of appointments needed per sale dropped from 9.3 to 7.6.

That means buyers may be doing fewer showings, but the activity we are seeing is translating into more actual sales.

09/15/2026

📈 Confidence may be starting to return on both sides of the market.

This week saw 2,632 buyer appointments, up 8.1% from last week, while September activity is running 26% ahead of the same time last year. That’s a strong sign that more buyers are feeling comfortable getting off the sidelines and exploring a move.

And sellers appear to be gaining confidence too, with 406 new listings hitting the market this week.
More buyers looking and more sellers listing creates something we haven’t seen enough of lately: momentum

09/09/2026

We finished the month with 12,222 appointments, down 4.0% year-over-year, while last week delivered another 2,434 appointments and 279 sales.

More importantly, buyers who are in the market are making decisions. The Appointment/Sold Index improved to 8.7 appointments per sale, outperforming the 9.3 30-day average.

Our Fall Prediction: Momentum Is Building

As September brings fresh inventory and renewed buyer attention, even a modest increase in showing activity could create noticeable momentum.

We’re already seeing demand concentrate in key price ranges, particularly $500K–$599K in Hamilton and Niagara, giving sellers in those segments reason for optimism.

09/02/2026

The Bank of Canada has held its overnight rate at 2.25%, keeping borrowing costs unchanged as the economy continues to recover.

For the housing market, there are a few key takeaways:

🏠 Canadian GDP grew 3.3% in Q2, following a weak first quarter.

📈 Housing activity rebounded after several softer quarters.

👷 The unemployment rate edged down to 6.4% in July, although the labour market remains soft.

📊 Inflation remains around 3%, largely driven by higher gasoline prices, while inflation excluding gasoline remains closer to 2.2%.

The Bank continues to see a broadening economic recovery, but uncertainty remains high, particularly around tariffs and global energy prices.

For buyers and sellers, the key message is simple: rates are staying put for now, while the Bank continues to watch how sustainable the economic recovery will be.

We’ll be watching what this means for buyer confidence, borrowing costs and housing activity heading into the fall market.