Burlington · May 2026
Burlington Market Report — May 2026
$1,205,121
Average price ▲ $160,141
658
Active listings ▲ 54
32
Avg. days on market
Every figure in this report is drawn from ITSO / Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® MLS® data for the Burlington service area, current as of June 2, 2026. It’s the same source data REALTORS® use, presented in plain language.
Key takeaways
- Burlington’s average sale price was $1,205,121 in May 2026, up 6.6% year-over-year and up sharply from April’s $1,044,980 — the strongest single-month reading in this report’s nine-month window.
- Single-family median price rose 6.8% year-over-year to $1,335,000 — a rare segment in this report series that’s actually appreciating — even as single-family sales fell 7.6% and inventory fell 16.7%, the tightest single-family supply reading here (3.5 months, down 20.5%).
- Townhouse and condo sales rose 7.4% year-over-year to 101, but median price fell 10.2% to $705,000 — the steepest price decline of any metric in this report.
- Overall inventory fell 14.9% year-over-year to 658 homes, the sharpest drop in the quick-facts summary, keeping months of supply at a seller-favourable 3.9.
- Affordability moved in opposite directions by segment: single-family slipped slightly to 32 (−3.0%), while condo/townhouse improved to 60 (+15.4%).
May 2026 at a glance
Burlington’s average sale price was $1,205,121 in May, up 6.6% from a year earlier and a sharp jump from April. Sales across all property types totalled 222, down just 1.3% from 225 a year earlier, while new listings fell a much steeper 21.2% to 449. Sellers received 97.9% of their asking price on average, slightly ahead of last year’s 97.7%. The median sale price across all property types was $999,100, down 1.2% from $1,011,000 a year earlier — essentially flat, even with the average price moving up sharply, a sign that price growth this month was concentrated at the higher end of the market.
Where prices have actually moved: single-family vs. condo/townhouse
The city-wide figures mask two very different stories. Single-family homes got both more expensive and harder to find: median price rose 6.8% to $1,335,000, average price jumped 14.9% to $1,550,627, while sales fell 7.6% and inventory fell 16.7% to just 314 active listings. Townhouses and condos moved the opposite way: sales actually grew 7.4% to 101, but median price fell 10.2% to $705,000 and average price fell 4.1% — more activity, at a lower price point than a year ago.
| May 2026 | Single Family | Townhouse / Condo | All Residential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median price | $1,335,000 (+6.8% YoY) | $705,000 (−10.2% YoY) | $999,100 (−1.2% YoY) |
| Average price | $1,550,627 (+14.9% YoY) | $791,197 (−4.1% YoY) | $1,205,121 (+6.6% YoY) |
| New listings | 253 (−19.2% YoY) | 196 (−23.7% YoY) | 449 (−21.2% YoY) |
| Sales | 121 (−7.6% YoY) | 101 (+7.4% YoY) | 222 (−1.3% YoY) |
| Days on market | 25 (+8.7% YoY) | 39 (0.0% YoY) | 32 (+6.7% YoY) |
| Months of supply | 3.5 (−20.5% YoY) | 4.4 (−8.3% YoY) | 3.9 (−15.2% YoY) |
Months of supply confirms the split: single-family has tightened sharply to 3.5 months, solidly seller-favourable, while condos and townhouses sit at a more moderate 4.4 — still favouring sellers overall, but with noticeably more room than the detached segment.
Curious how specific pockets of the city compare? See our neighbourhood guides for Aldershot, popular with move-up buyers drawn by larger lots and GO access; Brant Hills, an established detached-home segment; and Downtown Burlington, where limited waterfront-adjacent inventory keeps competition high.
Year-to-date: how the first five months of 2026 compare to 2025
A single month can be noisy. Looking at the full five-month stretch from January through May gives a steadier read on where 2026 actually stands against 2025 — and it tells a more positive story than May alone.
| YTD (Jan–May) | Single Family | Townhouse / Condo | All Residential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 429 (+1.7%) | 396 (+7.3%) | 825 (+4.3%) |
| Average price | $1,426,029 (−0.8%) | $749,986 (−5.3%) | $1,101,528 (−3.1%) |
| New listings | 879 (−14.9%) | 871 (−11.1%) | 1,750 (−13.1%) |
| Days on market | 31 (+29.2%) | 46 (+31.4%) | 38 (+31.0%) |
Sales are actually up year-to-date across every segment, even though single-family sales fell in May specifically — a reminder that one soft month doesn’t undo a stronger run earlier in the year. New listings remain down sharply across the board, and days on market is running about 30% ahead of last year’s pace for both segments, even though May itself moved faster than that trend would suggest.
The nine-month price trend
Looking at the city’s combined average price month by month shows just how unusual May’s jump was. Prices drifted in a fairly narrow band through the fall and winter — bottoming near $1,013,994 in November and holding close to $1.0–1.1M through March — before April dipped to $1,044,980 and May then spiked to $1,205,121, a 15.4% jump in a single month. A move that sharp is almost always about which specific homes closed rather than a sudden shift in underlying value — in this case, a higher concentration of expensive single-family sales pulling the city-wide average up with it.
Demand and supply: sales, new listings, and inventory
New listings fell far faster than sales this May — down 21.2% year-over-year against just a 1.3% sales decline — which is exactly why months of supply tightened to 3.9, down 15.2% from a year ago, even as overall sales held nearly flat. Active inventory at the end of May stood at 658 homes, down 14.9% from a year earlier, the sharpest year-over-year drop of any headline metric this month.
The charts below tell different stories by segment. Single-family inventory fell 16.7% year-over-year to just 314 active listings, the tightest reading in this window, while condo and townhouse inventory declined a bit less sharply, down 13.1% to 344 — even with condo and townhouse sales actually growing, which is exactly why that segment’s months of supply still eased rather than climbing.
How long homes are taking to sell
Days on market actually eased slightly in May: single-family homes took 25 days to sell, and condos and townhouses took 39 — both faster than April. Year-over-year, single-family is up a modest 8.7%, while condos and townhouses are completely flat at 39 days both years. The year-to-date picture looks tougher: the average of 38 days is running 31.0% ahead of the same period in 2025 for all property types, a reminder that May’s relatively quick pace doesn’t erase a slower start to the year.
Home values are still adjusting
The ShowingTime Housing Value Index, which adjusts for seasonality and segment mix to track real underlying value rather than the raw sale price of whatever happened to sell in a given month, actually fell for both segments in May — even with single-family’s median and average price both rising. Single-family’s index dropped 9.0% year-over-year to 203, and condos and townhouses fell a similar 10.2% to 184. That’s not a contradiction: it means May’s single-family price gains were driven more by which homes happened to close — a heavier mix of larger, pricier sales — than by a genuine, broad-based increase in what comparable homes are worth.
Affordability moved in different directions
Unlike most of the metrics in this report, affordability didn’t move the same way for both segments. The single-family affordability index slipped slightly to 32 from 33 a year earlier (−3.0%), consistent with detached home prices actually rising. Condos and townhouses moved the other way, climbing to 60 from 52 (+15.4%) as prices softened in that segment. The year-to-date picture favours buyers more broadly: single-family affordability is up 6.3% to 34, and condo/townhouse affordability is up 11.1% to 60, even with May’s single-family dip.
The national backdrop
Burlington’s split market is playing out against a national picture that just turned a corner. The Canadian Real Estate Association reported that home sales nationally edged up 0.7% month-over-month in May — the first increase in six months — though they remained down 4% year-over-year on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. CREA attributed the subdued year-over-year activity to higher mortgage rates and continued global uncertainty. New listings rose 4.1% nationally from the previous month, with 187,647 properties listed for sale across Canada heading into May, up 2.2% from a year ago but still 6.1% below the long-term average for the time of year. The national Composite MLS® Home Price Index dipped just 0.1% month-over-month, the smallest decline since October 2025 — Burlington’s near-flat overall sales and median price are broadly in step with that national stabilization, even though the local single-family/condo divergence is more pronounced here than the national figures show.
What this means if you’re buying or selling
If you’re selling a detached or semi-detached home, May’s numbers are about as favourable as this report gets: prices up, inventory at its tightest point in this data set, and a seller-favourable 3.5 months of supply. Pricing confidently and presenting well should still attract strong competition. If you’re selling a condo or townhouse, sales activity is genuinely healthy — up year-over-year — but pricing needs to reflect a market that’s settled meaningfully lower than it was twelve months ago. See our guide on how to prepare your home for sale for what tends to move the needle most.
If you’re buying a single-family home, May was the most competitive month in this report — be prepared to move quickly and price-test less. If you’re buying a condo or townhouse, the math is friendlier: prices down across every measure, and an affordability index up sharply from a year ago. If you’re working through the process for the first time, our key steps to buying a house walks through what to expect. Investors weighing the condo segment’s renewed sales activity against its softer pricing may also want our essential steps for buying an investment property.
Frequently asked questions
Are home prices dropping in Burlington in 2026?
It depends which segment. Single-family prices actually rose in May 2026 — median up 6.8% and average up 14.9% year-over-year — while condo and townhouse median price fell 10.2%. The city-wide median, which blends both segments, was essentially flat, down just 1.2%.
Is Burlington a buyer’s market or a seller’s market right now?
Overall, Burlington favours sellers, with 3.9 months of supply citywide. Single-family is especially tight at 3.5 months and tightening fast (down 20.5% year-over-year). Condos and townhouses, at 4.4 months, are more balanced but still lean toward sellers.
What is “months of supply” and why does it matter?
Months of supply is the number of months it would take to sell all current inventory at the current pace of sales. Lower numbers (roughly under 4) favour sellers; higher numbers (roughly above 6) favour buyers. Burlington’s overall reading of 3.9 sits in seller-favourable territory, with single-family notably tighter than condos and townhouses. For more terms like this, see our real estate terms glossary.
How does Burlington’s market compare to the rest of Canada?
Burlington’s sales held up better than the national trend in May. CREA reported Canadian home sales up 0.7% month-over-month but still down 4% year-over-year, while Burlington’s sales were down just 1.3% year-over-year. Nationally, prices were essentially flat — broadly consistent with Burlington’s near-flat median, even though the local single-family/condo split is more pronounced here than the national numbers show.
About this report
Figures in this report come from ITSO Monthly Indicators data for the Burlington service area, compiled by the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® and ShowingTime Plus, LLC, current as of June 2, 2026. “Single Family” includes detached and semi-detached homes; “Townhouse/Condo” includes townhouse, condo, and semi-detached-style attached properties as classified by ITSO. Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures and may not sum exactly.
Curious how these numbers apply to a specific property, or want a more detailed read on a particular Burlington neighbourhood? Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation, browse current Burlington-area listings, or get a free home value estimate. New reports are published monthly — see the full archive on the market reports page, including March 2026.
Looking just outside Burlington? See how the corridor’s other markets are doing in the Hamilton and Stoney Creek market reports.
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