Cochrane Real Estate Market Update | September 2026
Your Cochrane Reatlor®
More homes to choose from, more time to make decisions, and a market that continues to favour buyers.
September is behind us, and the latest numbers from CREB are in!
If you've been following my market updates, you've probably noticed a common theme over the past several months: more inventory, slower sales, and buyers taking their time.
September was no exception, although there are a few interesting numbers worth digging into.
Let's break it down!
September by the Numbers
Here's a quick look at what happened in Cochrane:
- 68 homes sold – up 9.7% from September 2025
- 163 new listings – up 10.1%
- 353 homes on the market – up 10.3%
- 5.19 months of supply
- $575,400 benchmark price – down just 0.4% year-over-year
- 53 average days on market
So, what does all of this actually mean?
Homes Are Selling, Just Not as Quickly as They're Being Listed
Let's start with the good news. We saw 68 sales in September, compared to 62 during the same month last year.
That's an increase in sales activity!
But here's where things get interesting.
We also had 163 new listings come onto the market. That means for every 10 new homes listed in September, only about four homes sold.
This is what we call the sales-to-new-listings ratio, which sat at 42%.
Why does that matter?
Because when homes are being listed faster than they're selling, inventory builds up. And when buyers have more homes to choose from, they don't feel the same urgency to make an offer.
We're seeing that reflected in the number of active listings, which climbed to 353 in September.
For comparison, we had just 174 homes on the market in September 2024. That's more than double the inventory in only two years!
It's a pretty significant shift.
5.19 Months of Supply – What Does That Mean?
This is one of my favourite numbers to look at because it tells us a lot about the overall health of the market.
Months of supply tells us how long it would take to sell all the homes currently available if no new listings came onto the market, based on the current pace of sales.
In September, Cochrane had 5.19 months of supply.
As a general guideline:
- Under 3 months tends to favour sellers.
- Around 3–4 months is generally considered more balanced.
- Above 4 months starts giving buyers more negotiating power.
At 5.19 months, we're seeing a market where buyers have the upper hand in many situations.
That doesn't mean homes aren't selling. They absolutely are! But buyers can afford to be more selective, compare properties, and negotiate.
And sellers? They need to be realistic about how their home compares to the competition.
What About Home Prices?
Despite the increase in inventory, Cochrane's overall benchmark price has remained relatively stable compared to last year.
The benchmark price for September was $575,400, down just 0.4% year-over-year.
Here's how the different property types performed:
| Property Type | Benchmark Price | Year Over Year |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | $657,600 | ↓2.5% |
| Semi-Detached | $497,000 | ↓3.5% |
| Row/Townhomes | $445,500 | ↑0.3% |
| Apartments | $348,500 | ↑5.0% |
One thing I always like to remind people is that the benchmark price is not the average sale price. It's designed to track the value of a typical home in each category, giving us a more consistent picture of price changes.
And while the overall benchmark price hasn't changed dramatically, that doesn't mean every home is holding its value equally.
Location, condition, price range, upgrades, and competition all play a role.
Two homes in the same neighbourhood can have very different experiences on the market, especially right now.
So, What Am I Seeing Out There?
The biggest thing I'm noticing is that buyers aren't in a rush.
They're looking, they're comparing, and they're paying attention to value.
Homes that are priced well and show nicely can absolutely still sell. But we're also seeing properties sit on the market longer, price reductions, and sellers having to work a little harder to attract attention.
And here's something important: reducing your price doesn't automatically guarantee a sale either.
When there are several comparable homes available, buyers have options. Sometimes even the lowest-priced home in a particular category isn't selling.
That's why pricing is only one part of the conversation. Presentation, marketing, condition, and understanding your competition all matter.
What Does This Mean if You're Buying?
If you've been waiting for a little breathing room in the market, this could be a great time to start looking.
More inventory means more selection, less pressure to make rushed decisions, and potentially more room to negotiate on price, conditions, or possession dates.
That said, I wouldn't assume every seller is desperate to make a deal. Well-priced homes in desirable locations can still attract plenty of interest.
The opportunity is in knowing where you have negotiating power and where you don't.
What Does This Mean if You're Selling?
I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Selling right now can require a little more patience.
September's average days on market was 53, compared to 40 days last September.
That's nearly two extra weeks.
And remember, that's an average. Some homes sell much faster, while others can take considerably longer.
The biggest advice I can give sellers right now is to look at the competition through a buyer's eyes.
If someone has five similar homes to choose from, why would they choose yours?
Is it the price? The condition? The layout? The location? The upgrades?
We need to give buyers a compelling reason to book that showing and ultimately make an offer.
And sometimes that means having an honest conversation about price before spending weeks waiting for the market to tell us the same thing.
My Takeaway
I don't think September's numbers are anything to panic about, but I do think they're a good reminder of how much our market has changed.
We're no longer in the market where sellers could list almost anything and expect immediate interest.
Buyers have choices, homes are taking longer to sell, and pricing matters more than it has in years.
But that doesn't make it a bad market. It makes it a different market.
For buyers, there are opportunities we haven't seen in quite some time.
For sellers, success is still very possible, but expectations and strategy need to reflect today's conditions, not what was happening two or three years ago.
And as always, real estate is local. The overall Cochrane numbers give us a great starting point, but what's happening in your particular neighbourhood and price range is what really matters.
If you're curious about what these numbers mean for your home, or you're thinking about making a move, I'm always happy to chat!
Source: CREB / Pillar 9, Cochrane Monthly Statistics – September 2026.
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