By Franco Ippolito, eXp Realty — BuyOttawa.com
“The information in this article reflects the Ottawa real estate market at the time of writing. Market conditions change, and because every neighbourhood is different, always seek advice based on your specific situation before making a real estate decision.”
Should you sell your current home before buying your next one? It's one of the biggest questions homeowners ask me — and in today's Ottawa market, the answer looks a little different than it did just a few years ago.
Let's get into it.
First, a Reminder: Ottawa Isn't One Market
Before we talk strategy, it's worth saying this clearly: Ottawa isn't a single real estate market — it's a patchwork of neighbourhood markets, each moving at its own pace. What's happening in Kanata may look nothing like what's happening in Orléans, Barrhaven, Stittsville, Alta Vista, or Riverside South.
We can talk about broad trends all day, but at the end of the day, every neighbourhood — and every home — has its own story. That's why local knowledge matters more than headlines.
So, Where Is the Market Right Now?
Zoom out, and Ottawa is generally considered a balanced market. But if you're a buyer right now, it probably feels more like a buyer's market — and here's why:
There's noticeably more inventory than we've seen in the past few years
Buyers have more homes to actually choose from
Homes are generally taking longer to sell
We're seeing prices trend downward in a number of areas, as sellers compete harder for buyers
That doesn't mean every home is losing value — far from it. But it does mean buyers today have more negotiating power and more breathing room to make thoughtful decisions than they did during the frenzy of 2021 and 2022.
So... Should You Sell First?
For most homeowners in today's market, step one isn't "list your house" or "start touring homes" — it's understanding exactly where your current home stands.
What's it actually worth right now?
How much competition are you up against?
How long is it realistically going to take to sell?
Those three answers do most of the heavy lifting in figuring out the right strategy for your next move — and they're different for every single homeowner.
Don't Fall in Love Too Soon
Here's a mistake I see constantly: people find their dream home before they have any real plan for selling the one they're in.
I get it completely. You walk into a house, and suddenly you can picture your family there — the furniture, the holidays, all of it. That's a powerful (and very human) feeling. But it can also push people into rushed decisions.
Having a clear plan before you start house-hunting does three things: it gives you confidence, it takes a huge amount of stress off the table, and — maybe most importantly — it puts you in a stronger negotiating position when the right home does show up.
How I Actually Approach This With Clients
When I start working with someone in this exact situation, we don't begin by touring homes. We begin by building a strategy.
That means:
Reviewing your current home's market value
Looking closely at what's happening in your specific neighbourhood
Talking through timing and financing
Discussing conditions, where appropriate, that can help protect you from ending up owning two homes at once
No two families are in the same spot financially or emotionally — which means no two strategies should look the same either.
Franco's Broker Tip
Trying to perfectly time the market is nearly impossible. Nobody has a crystal ball, no matter how confident they sound.
So instead of chasing perfect timing, focus on what you can actually control: your finances, your goals, and your plan.
In my experience, the clients who end up with the smoothest moves aren't the ones who guessed the market correctly — they're the ones who walked in with the better strategy.
Thinking About Making a Move?
If you're weighing whether to buy first, sell first, or just want to know what your home might be worth in today's market, I'm happy to help you work through it. No pressure, no obligation — just honest advice based on your goals and the current Ottawa market.
And if you've got a question about Ottawa real estate, send it my way. It might end up as the topic of a future post.
I'm Franco Ippolito with BuyOttawa.com.
Remember: knowledge builds confidence, and confidence leads to better real estate decisions.
For more home buyer and seller tips, check out my YouTube Channel.
