September 2026 Windsor-Essex Real Estate Market Update

September was one of those months where the statistics and the day-to-day experience of the market didn’t feel exactly the same.

The numbers show a slower market compared with September of last year. But from where I was standing, there was still quite a bit happening.

Buyers were looking. Sellers were making decisions. Offers were being written. The difference is that people seem to be approaching those decisions much more carefully.

Prices softened, but not dramatically

The average residential sale price in September was $561,421, compared with $584,455 in September 2025, a decline of about 3.9%.

Looking at the year so far gives us a slightly steadier picture. The year-to-date average sits at $557,153, approximately 3.1% below the same period last year.

That looks much more like a gradual adjustment than some dramatic collapse in home values.

And, as always, an average price only tells us so much. What actually matters to an individual homeowner is what comparable properties are selling for in their particular neighbourhood and price range.

Buyers are still active, but they’re being selective

There were 357 residential sales in September, down from 433 last September.

That decline matters, but I wouldn’t translate it into “there are no buyers.”

My experience this month has almost been the opposite. The buyers who are actively shopping seem serious about making a move. They’re simply taking their time, comparing properties and thinking carefully before committing.

When buyers have more options, they don’t have the same reason to overlook pricing, condition or other issues just because they’re afraid someone else will buy the house first.

That changes the conversation quite a bit.

Sellers are motivated, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re flexible

I’ve also noticed more motivation from sellers who genuinely want to get their homes sold.

But there’s an important distinction here.

Motivated to sell doesn’t automatically mean motivated to reduce the price.

There are still sellers holding firmly to their asking prices, even as buyers become more selective.

Some of those homes will absolutely sell. Others may need time or an adjustment before the market agrees with the seller’s expectations.

The listing strategy I’m watching this fall

This is probably the most interesting part of the September market to me.

Earlier this year, we saw quite a few homes listed slightly below their expected market value with the hope that multiple buyers would compete and push the eventual sale price higher.

That strategy works much better when buyer demand is strong enough to create that competition.

It becomes considerably riskier when the market slows.

If you list low expecting five buyers to show up and only one does, you’ve suddenly put yourself in a very different negotiating position.

With 1,140 new residential listings in September compared with 357 residential sales, buyers have plenty to choose from. I expect we may start seeing more sellers return to traditional market-based pricing rather than relying on competition to determine the final price.

And frankly, I think that would make sense in the current environment.

So, what does September actually tell us?

The Windsor-Essex market is still moving.

It’s just a market where strategy matters more.

Buyers can afford to compare their options and be selective. Sellers who genuinely want to move need to pay close attention to pricing, competition and how buyers are responding to their property.

Neither side necessarily has complete control.

It’s simply a more thoughtful market than we’ve seen at different points over the last few years.

And heading further into the fall, I’ll be watching pricing strategy just as closely as the sales numbers themselves.