Across Waterloo Region sales since 2016, homes listed in February sold fastest (a median of 9 days on market), homes listed in March sold closest to their list price (a median 103.7%), and homes listed in July took longest (14 days). Data through October 26, 2026.
That's the answer from Basara's analysis of Waterloo Region sales since 2016. The "best" month here means the month a home was listed, measured two ways: how many days it took to sell (days on market) and how close it sold to its list price (the sale-to-list ratio). The table below shows every month, so you can see how big the gap between the best and worst months really is, and decide whether it's worth waiting for.
Timing is one factor. Your price, your home's condition and the market you're selling into usually matter more, and this page covers those too.
Best and worst months to list
The table below shows, for every calendar month, how Waterloo Region homes listed in that month performed over Basara's full sales history since 2016. The figures are calculated from completed sales, so they update as new sales close; the definitions are on Basara's methodology page.
| Month listed | Sales | Median days on market | Median sale-to-list |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5,325 | 12 | 100.0% |
| February | 6,563 | 9 | 103.0% |
| March | 9,035 | 9 | 103.7% |
| April | 9,055 | 10 | 102.4% |
| May | 9,925 | 11 | 101.5% |
| June | 8,883 | 13 | 100.4% |
| July | 7,391 | 14 | 100.0% |
| August | 6,145 | 13 | 100.0% |
| September | 7,384 | 13 | 100.0% |
| October | 6,470 | 13 | 100.0% |
| November | 5,285 | 12 | 100.0% |
| December | 2,487 | 13 | 100.3% |
Every completed sale of a detached home, townhouse or condo in Waterloo Region from 2016 through October 26, 2026, grouped by the month it was listed. How we calculate this.
How to read it:
- Listing month is the month the home went on the market, not the month it sold. That's the decision you control.
- Number of sales shows how many homes listed in that month went on to sell. A month with many more sales has more buyers and more competing sellers at the same time.
- Median days on market is the middle time from listing to sale. Half of homes sold faster, half slower. A home that was taken off the market and relisted starts its count again.
- Median sale-to-list ratio is the middle of each sale's sold price divided by its final list price. 100% means the home sold at its last asking price; above 100% means over asking.
Look at the size of the gap
A month that tops the table on both measures is useful to know, but check how far ahead it is. If the best and worst months are a few days and a fraction of a percentage point apart, timing is a small lever compared with price. If the gap is wide, it may be worth planning your listing date around it.
What these figures can't tell you
- They're averages over years. Each month blends very different markets: years when prices were climbing fast and years when they were falling. This year's market may not follow the long-run pattern.
- They mix property types. Detached houses, townhouses and condos can have different seasons.
- They describe homes that sold. Listings that expired or were withdrawn without selling aren't in the figures.
- Sale-to-list depends on list price. A month where sellers tended to list low and draw offers above asking will show a higher ratio, which doesn't mean homes listed then got a higher price than they would have otherwise.
Does it differ by city or property type?
The best time to sell can differ by city and property type: each has its own pace, and smaller markets follow the regional pattern less closely. Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge make up most of the sales in the region, so they shape the region-wide month table. The townships (Woolwich, Wilmot, Wellesley and North Dumfries) have far fewer sales, so a single month's figure there is based on a small number of homes and moves around more.
Property type matters too. Buyers of family homes often plan around the school year, while condo buyers include more first-time buyers and investors whose timing follows other things, like lease dates and interest rates.
To see today's market for your own city and property type, open its market page: Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Woolwich, Wilmot, Wellesley or North Dumfries.
How long it takes to sell here
The table below shows the average days on market for each Waterloo Region city and property type over the last 90 days. The 90-day table is the most current view of selling speed, where the month table above is the long-run view.
| City | Detached | Freehold townhouse | Condo townhouse | Condo apartment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchener | 26 days | 23 days | 40 days | 56 days |
| Waterloo | 24 days | 28 days | 40 days | 56 days |
| Cambridge | 27 days | 27 days | 52 days | 46 days |
| Woolwich | 26 days | 22 days | Too few sales | Too few sales |
| Wilmot | 32 days | Too few sales | Too few sales | Too few sales |
| Wellesley | 39 days | Too few sales | Too few sales | Too few sales |
| North Dumfries | 34 days | Too few sales | Too few sales | Too few sales |
Average days on market by city and property type, the 90 days of sales ending October 26, 2026. A relisted home restarts its count. How we calculate this.
How to read it:
- Days on market is the time from listing until the home sold, not until closing. Basara uses the average here; a few homes that took a long time to sell can pull an average up.
- Relists restart the clock. If a home was taken off the market and listed again, only the last listing counts, so the true time a home was for sale can be longer than this figure.
- Small samples. Where a city and type had few sales in the last 90 days, the figure is less reliable.
Days on market isn't the whole timeline
Once you accept an offer, there's usually still the time for any conditions (such as financing or an inspection) to be met, and then the closing date you agreed on with the buyer. Closings often fall one to three months after the sale is firm, but it's whatever you and the buyer negotiate. If you need to be out by a certain date, or need your sale proceeds for your next purchase, plan your listing date backwards from that.
What matters more than timing
Price, condition and the market you're listing into usually affect your result more than the month you choose. A well-priced home tends to sell in any season; an overpriced one can sit in the busiest month of the year.
Price
Pricing to recent comparable sales and the homes you're competing with is the biggest lever you have. Homes listed well above the market tend to need price reductions, and each one makes the next buyer wonder why it hasn't sold. Start by watching what your home is worth and how your neighbourhood is moving.
Track what your home is worth →
Condition and presentation
Repairs that a buyer's inspector would flag, a clean and uncluttered home and good photos all affect how fast you sell and for how much. Whatever month you list in, the first weeks on the market often draw the most attention, so be ready before you go live.
The current market
Whether it's a buyer's, seller's or balanced market right now shapes how much room you have on price and terms. Long-run month patterns can be outweighed by what's happening this quarter. See today's verdict for each city in Is it a buyer's or seller's market?
Your own situation
The best time to sell is often set by your life rather than the calendar: a job move, a new home you've bought, a change in family, or a mortgage renewal. If you're buying and selling at the same time, the order and timing of the two decisions matters more than the month.
When the season can help
For a seller with flexibility, listing in a month that's historically been faster and closer to asking can be a small edge, not a guarantee. Seasonal timing is most useful as a tiebreaker when everything else is ready.
A few practical points:
- Busier months bring more competition. More buyers are looking, but more sellers are listing at the same time.
- Quieter months have fewer listings. The buyers who are active can be motivated, and your home faces less competition.
- Holidays and long weekends can slow showings for a week or two.
- Weather affects how a home shows. Gardens, lawns and natural light look different in different seasons; plan photos for when your home looks its best.