If you’re wondering what the Kingston, Ontario real estate market is doing right now, August’s numbers tell an interesting story.
Sales were unchanged from last August, while the average sale price increased 2.7%. But buyers also had more homes to choose from, properties generally took longer to sell, and the MLS® benchmark price was almost unchanged from a year ago.
In other words, Kingston and Area is not seeing a dramatic swing in prices. The bigger change is in the amount of choice buyers have.
Here’s what happened in August and what it could mean if you’re thinking about buying or selling a home this fall.
Kingston Real Estate Market at a Glance
239 homes sold
No change from August 2025
$612,691 average sale price
Up 2.7% year over year
$568,000 median sale price
Down 0.8% year over year
$550,100 MLS® HPI benchmark price
Up 0.2% year over year
562 new listings
Up 13.3% year over year
1,397 active listings
Up 5.1% year over year
5.8 months of inventory
Compared with 5.6 months in August 2025
34 median days on market
Compared with 29 days last August
Source: Canadian Real Estate Association, Kingston and Area MLS® Residential Market Activity, August 2026. These statistics represent Kingston and Area and should not be interpreted as City of Kingston-only statistics.
What Is the Kingston, Ontario Real Estate Market Like Right Now?
The most important August number may not be the average price.
It may be 1,397.
That’s how many residential properties were active on the Kingston and Area market at the end of August, up 5.1% from last year and 13.7% from August 2024.
At the same time, 562 new listings came onto the market during August, an increase of 13.3% from last year. Yet the number of sales remained exactly where it was in August 2025, at 239.
That creates a different environment from a market where buyers are competing for very limited inventory.
There are simply more options to compare.
For buyers, that can mean more opportunity to consider condition, location, carrying costs and value before making a decision.
For sellers, it means your home isn’t being considered in isolation. Buyers may be comparing it with several alternatives, making pricing, preparation and presentation particularly important.
Are Home Prices Going Up or Down in Kingston?
This is where real estate headlines can get confusing.
The average residential sale price was $612,691 in August, up 2.7% from August 2025.
Does that mean the typical Kingston-area home increased in value by 2.7%?
Not necessarily.
The median sale price was $568,000, which was actually 0.8% lower than last August. Meanwhile, the MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark was $550,100, only 0.2% higher year over year.
Why are the average price and benchmark price different?
The average price is affected by which properties happen to sell during a particular month. A greater proportion of expensive homes selling can push the average higher without every home in the market becoming more valuable.
The MLS® Home Price Index takes a different approach by tracking the price of a benchmark home with defined characteristics.
That’s why I wouldn’t look at August’s 2.7% increase in average price and conclude that every Kingston-area property increased 2.7% in value.
The broader picture suggests relatively stable year-over-year benchmark pricing, with meaningful differences depending on property type.
What Are Single-Family Homes Selling for in Kingston and Area?
Single-family homes continued to account for most residential sales in August.
There were 202 single-family home sales, up 3.1% from August 2025.
The average single-family sale price was $638,305, while the MLS® HPI single-family benchmark price was $574,500, just 0.1% higher than a year earlier.
Single-family homes had 5.6 months of inventory, and the median property took 30 days to sell, compared with 26 days last August.
Again, the important point isn’t simply price.
Buyers generally have more time and selection than they did in the exceptionally tight markets earlier this decade.
What Is Happening With Kingston-Area Townhouses and Condos?
This is where looking beneath the overall market numbers becomes particularly useful.
Townhouses
The townhouse benchmark price was $408,100, up 1.4% from August 2025.
There were only 12 townhouse sales during August, down from 23 a year earlier, while months of inventory reached 6.6.
With only 12 transactions in one month, I would be cautious about drawing a sweeping conclusion from a single month’s sales results.
Apartments and Condos
The apartment benchmark price was $350,100, down 6.4% year over year.
There were 16 apartment sales in August and 7.5 months of inventory. The median days on market was 50.
For someone shopping for an apartment-style condominium, those conditions look quite different from the single-family market.
And that’s an important reminder:
There isn’t one Kingston real estate market.
Property type, neighbourhood, condition, price range and the competing inventory around a particular property can matter considerably more than a regional headline.
Is Kingston a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market in 2026?
August’s numbers suggest buyers have considerably more choice than they did during the extremely tight markets of a few years ago.
Kingston and Area recorded 5.8 months of residential inventory, compared with 5.6 months last August and only 1.1 months in August 2021.
The sales-to-new-listings ratio was 42.5%, down from 48.2% last August.
But I wouldn’t use a regional market label to make a decision about an individual property.
A well-positioned home can behave very differently from the overall statistics. So can a property in a segment with lots of competing inventory.
The practical takeaway is that buyers generally have more leverage through choice, while sellers need to pay closer attention to the competition.
How Long Are Homes Taking to Sell in Kingston?
Homes are taking longer to sell.
The median residential property spent 34 days on the market in August 2026, compared with:
- 29 days in August 2025
- 25 days in August 2024
- 22 days in August 2023
- 10 days in August 2021
Homes also sold for an average of 96.3% of their final list price in August.
For buyers, a longer marketing period can provide more opportunity to investigate a property carefully and make a considered decision.
For sellers, it means expectations need to match today’s market. A home taking a few weeks to sell doesn’t automatically mean something has gone wrong.
What matters is how the property is performing relative to comparable homes competing for the same buyers.
Is Now a Good Time to Buy a House in Kingston, Ontario?
For some buyers, the current Kingston market offers something that was difficult to find a few years ago: choice and time.
More inventory can make it easier to compare homes rather than feeling pressured to pursue the first suitable property that becomes available.
That doesn’t mean every property will have negotiating room or that buyers should automatically make aggressive offers.
It means buyers can focus on the fundamentals.
Does the home fit your needs? What condition is it in? What will it cost to own? Are there repairs or improvements ahead? How does its price compare with recent sales and competing listings?
And most importantly, does the purchase make sense for your finances and plans?
Those questions matter more than trying to perfectly time the market.
Is Fall 2026 a Good Time to Sell a Home in Kingston?
There are still buyers buying.
August recorded 239 sales, exactly the same number as August 2025. The difference is that those buyers now have more properties competing for their attention.
For sellers considering the fall market, I’d focus on three things:
Pricing: Look at what buyers can purchase today, not simply what similar homes sold for months ago.
Preparation: Address the items that could unnecessarily distract buyers while avoiding expensive improvements that are unlikely to provide a reasonable return.
Presentation: When buyers have more choices, photography, showing condition and how the property presents online become even more important.
The first couple of weeks on the market are valuable. It’s generally better to understand the competition before listing than to let the market tell you afterwards that the price or strategy needs adjusting.
What Does the August Market Mean for Kingston Buyers and Sellers?
For buyers, August’s numbers are encouraging if what you’ve been waiting for is more selection and a little more breathing room.
For sellers, homes are still selling, but buyers can afford to be more selective. Pricing based on current conditions and understanding your direct competition are increasingly important.
And for homeowners simply wondering what their property is worth, remember that a regional average isn’t a home valuation.
A detached home in Kingston, a rural property north of the city, a condominium downtown and a waterfront property can all be operating in very different markets.
Kingston Real Estate Market Outlook Heading Into Fall 2026
The August numbers don’t point to a dramatic boom or correction.
Instead, they show a market with relatively stable benchmark prices, steady year-over-year sales, more listings and longer selling times.
That is a much more nuanced environment for both buyers and sellers.
If you’re thinking about making a move, the question isn’t simply, “Is the Kingston market up or down?”
A more useful question is:
What’s happening in the part of the Kingston and area market that matters to me?
That’s where looking at the right recent sales, active competition, property type and neighbourhood becomes much more useful than relying on the regional average.
Kingston Real Estate Market FAQ: August 2026
What is the average home price in Kingston, Ontario?
The average residential sale price across Kingston and Area was $612,691 in August 2026, up 2.7% from August 2025. The MLS® HPI composite benchmark price was $550,100, up just 0.2% year over year. The average price can change depending on the mix of homes sold in a particular month, so it should not be treated as the value of a typical Kingston home.
Is Kingston, Ontario a buyer’s or seller’s market right now?
Kingston and Area had 5.8 months of residential inventory in August 2026, with a sales-to-new-listings ratio of 42.5%. Overall, buyers have more choice than they did in recent years, but conditions can vary considerably by neighbourhood, price range and property type.
Are home prices dropping in Kingston, Ontario?
The August numbers were mixed rather than showing a broad decline. The average sale price increased 2.7% year over year, the median sale price declined 0.8%, and the MLS® HPI benchmark increased 0.2%. Taken together, the data points to relatively stable overall benchmark pricing compared with August 2025.
How long does it take to sell a house in Kingston, Ontario?
The median residential property in Kingston and Area spent 34 days on the market in August 2026, compared with 29 days in August 2025. Individual selling times can vary significantly depending on location, property type, condition, price and competing listings.
Is now a good time to buy a home in Kingston?
August 2026 offered buyers more selection, with 1,397 active residential listings, up 5.1% from a year earlier. More inventory and longer selling times can give buyers more opportunity to compare properties and complete appropriate due diligence. Whether it is a good time for an individual buyer depends more importantly on their finances, needs and plans.
Is fall a good time to sell a home in Kingston?
Homes are still selling, with 239 residential sales in August 2026, exactly the same as August 2025. However, sellers are competing against more available inventory. A successful fall strategy should consider recent comparable sales, current competing listings, the home’s condition and an appropriate pricing strategy.
Source: Canadian Real Estate Association, Kingston and Area MLS® Residential Market Activity, August 2026. Statistics represent Kingston and Area, not the City of Kingston alone.
If you’d like to talk through what the current market means for a particular property or neighbourhood, we’re always happy to have a conversation.
Jay, Sean & Turner Gazeley
Gazeley Real Estate Group
Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd., Brokerage
Jay: 613-561-4653 | Sean: 613-888-9267 | Turner: 613-876-5406
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