Simcoe County’s Housing Market Takes a Turn

The real estate market in Simcoe County saw a noticeable shift in July. Sales kept on improving, but the number of houses available for purchase went the other way. This has led to a situation where choice is still available, although the market is already displaying some of the characteristics of tighter conditions as we enter the second half of 2026.

So far this year, 1,206 houses have been sold in Simcoe County, which represents an increase of 4.1% when compared with the same period last year. However, the average sale price for the year to date is $845,595, a decrease of 10.7%.

Homes are also staying on the market for longer periods. The average number of days it takes to sell has reached 38 year to date, which is an 11.8% increase. Because of this, sellers need to set realistic prices and ensure their property is well presented. For buyers, the extended period during which a property is on the market gives them more time to assess it and negotiate rather than being under pressure to decide immediately.

July recorded 194 sales, up 9.0% from 178 during the same month in 2025. The bigger change, however, came from inventory.

There were 1,159 active listings, down 9.4% from 1,279 a year earlier. With sales rising while available inventory declined, the balance between supply and demand tightened compared with last summer.

The average price at which properties were sold during the month was $821,174, a 16.3% decrease on the $981,412 recorded in July 2025.

If you look at the data from earlier years you can see the extent of the changes in the market; in July 2024 there were 169 sales, 992 active listings and an average price of $1,038,650, whereas in July 2023 there were 187 sales, 668 active listings and an average price of $958,379.

Now buyers have considerably more inventory to choose from than they did in 2023, but the year-over-year decrease in active listings for July indicates that some of the extra supply is beginning to be absorbed.

In July, Simcoe County had 5.97 months’ worth of inventory covering all types of homes.

Although that level still offers buyers a choice, the fact that sales are rising while the number of active listings is falling should be kept in mind. Should this trend continue into the second half of the year, buyers could start to encounter more competition when trying to secure desirable and well-priced properties.

For sellers this does not necessarily indicate a return to a fast-moving market in which each property immediately draws in competition. Although buyers are still mindful of price, the fall in average prices proves that expectations must take into account the present situation rather than past market peaks.

The market for condos in Simcoe County presented a slightly different picture.

The average price for a condo sale was $507,998, a year-on-year increase of 11.9 per cent, and the number of condos sold remained at six from July 2025.

To compare the figures, five condos were sold in July 2024 at an average price of $538,000, whereas seven condos were sold in July 2023 at an average price of $567,357.

Because there are not many condo transactions each month, the average prices can change depending on the particular mix of properties that are sold. Yet the figures for July indicate that the condo market still offers a significant opportunity within the overall situation for Simcoe County.

There is still a significant amount of inventory available for buyers and prices are still lower than they were last year. Moreover, houses are now staying on the market for longer periods, which could give people more opportunity for careful consideration and negotiation. However, since sales are rising and the number of listings is falling, the level of advantage that buyers have at the moment might not stay the same if the situation continues to get more difficult.

There are some positive indications for sellers. While more houses are being sold this year than a year ago, pricing is still important since the average sale price in July this year was considerably lower than it was last year.

It is essential to base the presentation of a property on current comparable sales rather than on last year’s expectations.

In the second half of the year Simcoe County is seeing two trends going in opposite directions, namely that buyer activity is increasing while the supply of homes for sale is decreasing.

It doesn’t ensure that the prices will rise immediately, but should buyers keep coming back to the market while the number of new listings decreases, the situation we’ve experienced over the past few months may start to change.

July is therefore probably more concerned with where the supply-demand equation is going next than with the current level of prices.

For anyone who is thinking of moving, the county-wide averages alone do not give the full story since conditions can vary considerably from one community to another, depending on the type of property and its price level. It is precisely in understanding these differences that local market knowledge proves to be so valuable.

Source: TRREB Market Watch, July 2026. Market statistics provided in the Simcoe County Market Stats report.

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