.png)
Click above to watch this week's video!
Paul’s Observation | A Busier Market Is Not Necessarily a Better Market
Over the past several weeks, our team has been speaking with sellers who are hesitant to list during the summer. The conversation usually sounds something like, “Why don’t we wait until the fall when there are more buyers in the market?”
The logic makes sense. Fall often brings renewed buyer activity as holidays end and people get back into their routines. It can also bring another wave of listings from sellers who decided to sit out the summer.
That means the important question isn’t simply whether fall will be busier. I suspect it probably will be. The question is whether any increase in buyer demand will be enough to absorb the additional homes competing for their attention.
July gives us something useful to think about. Fewer new listings entered the market, but buyers still didn’t become noticeably more aggressive. That should have helped the visibility of properties already on the market, yet it did not automatically translate into stronger seller leverage.
A busier market can produce more showings, more open-house traffic and more conversations while still being challenging for sellers.
More activity and a better seller’s market are not the same thing.
List Now vs. Wait Until Fall
|
Factor |
List Now |
Wait Until Fall |
|
Competition |
Fewer new listings currently entering the market |
Potential increase as summer sellers return |
|
Buyer Pool |
Smaller, selective, motivated buyers |
Potentially larger buyer pool |
|
Pricing Power |
Not guaranteed; buyers remain cautious |
Depends on whether demand outpaces new supply |
|
Visibility |
Less new inventory competing for attention |
More listings may compete for the same buyers |
|
Strategic Position |
More time and options |
Betting that fall improves the equation |
That last line is the one I think sellers need to spend some time thinking about.
Market Opportunity | Waiting Needs a Reason
A few weeks ago, I wrote that this market wasn’t stuck. It was waiting. Buyers still have reasons to wait. Some believe prices may soften further. Others expect more choice later this year. Buyers without a compelling reason to move can afford to be patient, and July hasn’t really changed that observation.
What July does change for me is the seller side of that equation. If buyers remain patient, what exactly does a seller expect to gain by waiting alongside them?
There may be a perfectly good answer. Perhaps the house will genuinely show better in September. Maybe the seller’s personal circumstances make fall the more practical time to move. Perhaps they believe a change in borrowing costs will materially expand the buyer pool for their particular property.
Those are reasons we can evaluate. But “the fall market is usually stronger” is an assumption, not a strategy.
A better question is: What would need to be different in the fall for waiting to have been the right decision?
If you can answer that clearly, waiting may make perfect sense. If you can’t, then you may simply be hoping that a change of season changes the market in your favour.
The Bigger Picture | Time Is Only an Advantage if You Use It Properly
One of the quieter advantages of coming to market earlier isn’t necessarily a higher selling price. It is having more time to make decisions.
A seller can see how actual buyers respond, understand the competition and decide what to do next without the pressure of a shrinking calendar. If the market doesn’t respond as expected, there is still time to reconsider the broader moving plan.
That doesn’t mean putting a home on the market in August at an ambitious price just to “see what happens.” Time is only an advantage when the property enters the market with a strategy that gives buyers a reason to respond. Otherwise, a seller can simply use up their best initial exposure and arrive in the fall as an older listing competing against fresh inventory.
Nor am I forecasting that prices are about to fall further. Monthly averages and medians can move significantly depending upon which homes happen to sell. What July tells us more reliably is that buyers remain selective, selling times are lengthening and sellers are generally negotiating below their original asking prices.
Waiting can absolutely be the right decision. It simply needs to be an intentional one. Some buyers may be rewarded for waiting. Sellers need to decide whether waiting improves their position as well.
The fall market may well be busier. Before deciding to wait for it, be clear about what needs to change for that busier market to actually be better for your home, your timing and your circumstances.
I’d Love to Hear Your Perspective
If you’ve been thinking about selling but are waiting for fall, what are you expecting to be different by September or October? More buyers? Lower interest rates? Better prices? Or is fall simply better timing for you personally?
Hit Post Comment and let me know. I read every response, and many of the questions and observations I receive help shape future editions of The Guelph Weekly Real Estate Brief.
If you’re trying to decide whether listing now or waiting makes more sense, I’m always happy to look at your particular property, the competition it would face today and what would genuinely need to change for waiting to improve your position. No pressure—just a practical conversation about the trade-offs.
Have a great weekend,
Paul
Appointment Calendar: https://calendly.com/homegrouprealty | Join our monthly VIP Programme! | Want to search for opportunities in your area? Search for Homes Here
Listing Of The Week
(4).png)
63 Boulder Crescent, Guelph, Ontario | $839,900
-
Detached 2 storey
-
3 Bedrooms
-
4 Bathroomms
-
1399 Sq.ft
Welcome to 63 Boulder Crescent - a warm, welcoming home in one of Guelph's most family-friendly south-end neighbourhoods. Imagine walking the kids to nearby schools, quick trips to shopping and restaurants, easy access to the Hanlon, and just minutes to Aberfoyle and the 401 for the daily commute. This is the kind of established, tree-lined crescent young families dream about. Proudly owned by the original owners since 1998, this lovingly maintained two-storey shows true pride of ownership throughout. Offering 3 bedrooms and 3 baths across a bright, functional 1,399 sq ft, plus a finished lower level, there's room for the whole family to spread out and grow. The spacious living and dining rooms flow together beneath a cozy gas fireplace, while garden doors off the dining area open to the backyard - perfect for indoor-outdoor summer living. The eat-in kitchen offers ample cabinetry and a bright window over the sink, plus a convenient main-floor powder room ideal for busy family life and guests. Upstairs, the impressive primary retreat features a walk-in closet and private 4-piece ensuite, joined by two additional well-sized bedrooms and a full bath - a comfortable space for kids, guests or a home office. The finished rec room adds valuable living space and a second gas fireplace - a fantastic playroom, movie night or teen hangout. A separate side entrance opens to a landing with stairs up to the main level and down to the lower level - a convenient second way in, with excellent in-law or income potential down the road. Outside, the private, fully fenced backyard is built for making memories - a raised deck, interlock patio, gazebo and mature trees create the perfect space for kids, pets and weekend get-togethers. A single attached garage and covered front porch complete the package.
(1).png)
Market Snapshot | July Felt Busier, but the Market Wasn’t Stronger
July felt busier than the numbers suggest. At Keller Williams Home Group Realty, we booked more than 100 firm deals during the month, there was noticeably more activity in our Market Centre, and our agents seemed to be having more productive conversations with buyers and sellers.
The broader market, however, wasn’t necessarily getting stronger.
July 2026 | What Changed?
|
Guelph |
Centre Wellington |
Wellington County |
|
|
Sales vs. June |
-1.3% |
-18.2% |
-3.8% |
|
New Listings vs. June |
-16.1% |
-22.3% |
-15.4% |
|
Median Price vs. June |
-4.0% |
-8.9% |
-2.3% |
|
Average Days on Market |
42 |
45 |
46 |
|
Sold Below Asking |
81.0% |
80.0% |
82.9% |
In both Guelph and Wellington County, the decline in new listings entering the market was considerably larger than the decline in sales. You might expect that to improve the position of sellers already competing for buyers. Instead, selling times increased, roughly eight out of every ten properties sold below asking, and terminations (mostly cancelations and re-listing) continued to rise.
Centre Wellington continues to be the relative outperformer. Year-to-date sales are up 3.7%, average price is up 4.8% and total dollar volume is up 8.7% compared with the same period last year. July itself was softer, but with only 45 transactions I would be cautious about drawing conclusions from one month’s price movement. What is more useful is that average days on market increased from 35 to 45 and 80% of July sales were below asking.
There is another wrinkle worth remembering. Published days-on-market statistics don’t always capture the full period a property has been exposed to buyers, particularly when listings are cancelled and subsequently relisted. Rising termination volumes suggest there continues to be considerable movement in and out of the active listing pool, although not every termination is a relist.
That’s the part of July that caught my attention. There was business being done, but fewer new listings didn’t create urgency among buyers.
CHECK IT OUT! WE'VE JUST RELEASED OUR
June 2026 Market Report
.png)
This report contains
-
May 2026 Summary & analysis for Guelph
-
Full home type breakdowns for Guelph, Centre Wellington, Kitchener, Waterloo & Cambridge
Are you curious what homes in Guelph are really selling for?
View today's sales prices, plus photos, maps & property details- imagine realtor.ca, but for sold properties!
