Ed Dawson

The August numbers tell a more complicated story than simply saying the market is up or down.

Across Oxford County, residential sales were almost unchanged from August 2025, while the average sale price increased modestly. At the same time, buyers had more homes to choose from, properties generally sold below their asking prices and conditions varied noticeably between Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillsonburg.

That matters because a county-wide average does not describe every home, neighbourhood or price range. Sellers still need to compete for buyer attention, while buyers may have more negotiating room than they did in a faster market.

More choice for buyers

Oxford County recorded 136 residential sales in August 2026, an increase of 0.7% from August 2025. There were 276 new listings, up 4.5%, and 707 active listings at the end of the month, up 9.6% year over year.

Months of inventory increased from 4.8 in August 2025 to 5.2 in August 2026. This figure estimates how long it would take to sell the available inventory at the current rate of sales if no new properties were listed.

More inventory does not mean every buyer has unlimited choices. Desirable homes that are prepared well and priced correctly can still attract strong interest. However, buyers are generally less likely to feel that they must rush into the first acceptable property they see.

August 2026 by the numbers

For Oxford County residential properties:

- 136 sales, up 0.7% from August 2025

- 276 new listings, up 4.5%

- 707 active listings, up 9.6%

- 5.2 months of inventory, compared with 4.8 one year earlier

- Average sale price of $634,790, up 2.2%

- Median sale price of $582,500, down 2.8%

- Sale-to-list-price ratio of 97.5%

- Median time on market of 34 days, compared with 39 days in August 2025

The wider Woodstock-Ingersoll-Tillsonburg and area report showed a similar pattern: 141 residential sales, an average price of $629,833, a median price of $580,000 and 5.3 months of inventory.

The average and median moved in opposite directions, which is an important reminder that monthly price figures are influenced by the mix of homes sold. A larger number of higher-priced sales can lift the average even when values for a typical property are softer.

The MLS® Home Price Index helps reduce some of that distortion. The composite benchmark price for Oxford County was $578,500 in August, unchanged enough to be considered stable month over month but 3.9% lower than one year earlier.

Woodstock: fewer sales and more negotiating room

Woodstock recorded 40 residential sales in August, down 27.3% from the same month last year. There were 115 new listings and 258 active listings at month-end.

Months of inventory rose to 6.5, compared with 4.7 in August 2025. The average sale price was $611,411, up 0.9% year over year, while the median price fell 3.9% to $561,250. The composite benchmark price was $544,100, down 4.6% from a year earlier.

Homes sold for an average of 96.9% of their listing price. That does not mean every seller should expect to reduce their price by a fixed percentage. It does show that buyers were negotiating and that the original asking price mattered.

Woodstock's median time on market improved to 24.5 days from 30 days one year earlier, but that faster median should be read alongside the lower sales count and higher months of inventory. The market was moving, but not evenly.

Ingersoll and Tillsonburg followed different paths

Ingersoll had 12 residential sales, down 42.9% year over year. Active listings increased 37.7% to 73, producing 6.1 months of inventory. The average price was $529,617 and the median was $500,000. Because only 12 properties sold, changes in the types and prices of those homes had a large effect on the monthly averages. The more representative composite benchmark was $554,800, down 4.9% year over year.

Tillsonburg recorded 35 residential sales, up 6.1% from August 2025. New listings rose 10.4% and active inventory increased 18.4% to 174 homes. The market had 5.0 months of inventory, an average price of $530,291 and a median price of $509,999. Its composite benchmark price was $581,000, down 1.5% year over year.

These differences are why a broad headline about Oxford County cannot replace a local analysis. Supply, demand and price movement can change considerably from one community to another.

Detached homes remained an important part of the market

Single-detached homes accounted for 119 of Oxford County's 136 residential sales in August. Detached sales increased 10.2% year over year, while new listings rose 12.8% and active listings increased 9.1%.

The average detached sale price was $668,172, up 1.8%, and the median was $637,000, essentially unchanged from August 2025. Detached homes had 4.3 months of inventory and sold for an average of 97.3% of the listing price.

In Woodstock specifically, 35 detached homes sold, down 10.3% year over year but considerably stronger than the 27.3% decline across all residential property types. This suggests that part of Woodstock's overall slowdown came from lower activity in semis and condominiums, where small monthly sales totals can create large percentage changes.

What does this mean for sellers?

Sellers are not entering a market where simply listing a home guarantees immediate attention. Buyers have more alternatives and can compare price, condition, location and presentation carefully.

A successful strategy should begin with the most relevant recent sales and the active listings competing for the same buyers. Preparing the home well, making each room easy to understand and responding to market feedback are especially important when inventory is elevated.

Pricing too high to “leave room” can work against a seller if buyers decide that better value is available elsewhere. The August sale-to-list ratios also show that negotiations were common, so sellers should look at the complete offer—including conditions, deposit, closing date and financing—not only the headline price.

What does this mean for buyers?

Buyers generally had more selection and more time to evaluate properties in August. Depending on the home and its competition, there may be room to negotiate price, conditions, repairs or closing dates.

That does not make every listing a bargain. Well-priced homes in desirable locations can still move quickly, and market conditions vary by property type and price range. Buyers should use the additional choice to compare carefully, complete appropriate due diligence and understand the recent comparable sales before making an offer.

The bigger picture

Through the end of August, Oxford County recorded 1,091 residential sales, up 2.2% from the same period in 2025. The year-to-date average price was $616,556, down 2.1%, while the median was $580,000, down 4.0%.

The wider association area recorded 1,152 residential sales year to date, up 2.8%. However, average active inventory was also higher, and the year-to-date average price was down 1.6%.

The clearest description of the August market is not a boom or a collapse. It was a market with steady overall sales, more available inventory, modestly softer benchmark values and significant differences between communities and property types.

If you are considering buying or selling in Woodstock, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg or elsewhere in Oxford County, the most useful numbers are the ones that apply to your neighbourhood, price range and type of property. I would be happy to review those details with you and help you understand what the current market may mean for your next move.

Ed Dawson, REALTOR®

Gale Group Realty Brokerage Ltd.

[welcomehomeoxford.ca](https://welcomehomeoxford.ca)

[Ed@welcomehomeoxford.ca](mailto:Ed@welcomehomeoxford.ca)

Source: Canadian Real Estate Association MLS® Residential Market Activity and MLS® Home Price Index Report for August 2026, prepared for the Woodstock Ingersoll Tillsonburg & Area Association of REALTORS®, and WITAAR August 2026 statistics. Statistics may be revised and should not be used as a valuation of a specific property.

Most people think selling a home begins when the sign goes on the lawn and the listing appears online.

It actually begins much earlier.

The decisions you make before listing—what to repair, what not to renovate, how to prepare the rooms, when to sell and how to price—can have a major effect on the experience and the final result. The goal is not to make your home perfect. It is to present it honestly, confidently and in a way that helps buyers understand its value.

If you are considering selling a home in Woodstock or elsewhere in Oxford County, here are seven things worth doing before you list.

1. Begin with your next move

Before discussing paint colours or asking prices, think about what needs to happen after your home sells.

Where are you going? Do you need the proceeds from this sale to purchase your next property? Would a specific closing date make the move easier? Do you need time to find another home, arrange temporary accommodation or coordinate the move with work, school or family?

A successful sale is not simply about getting an acceptable price. The dates and conditions must also work for your life. Knowing your priorities at the beginning makes it easier to build the right listing and negotiation strategy.

2. Learn what your home may actually be worth

It is natural to look at online estimates, neighbourhood asking prices or the amount a nearby home sold for. Those numbers can be useful starting points, but they rarely tell the complete story.

Two homes on the same street may have different layouts, lot sizes, levels of maintenance, renovations, parking or basement finishes. The properties currently competing for buyers also matter.

A comparative market analysis should look at recent relevant sales, active competition, expired listings and the features that make your property different. The result should be a realistic price range supported by evidence—not simply the highest number someone thinks you want to hear.

3. Fix the objections buyers are likely to notice

Many homeowners assume they need to renovate before selling. Sometimes an improvement makes sense, but a major project is not automatically the best investment.

Start with the smaller issues that can make buyers wonder whether the home has been maintained: a dripping faucet, loose railing, damaged trim, burnt-out lightbulbs, sticking doors, peeling paint or visible water staining. These details can shape a buyer’s first impression even when the repair itself is inexpensive.

Before committing money to a new kitchen, bathroom or flooring, compare the likely cost with the value it may add in your specific market. You do not want to spend thousands solving a problem buyers may not have—or install finishes that are not to their taste.

4. Make every room easy to understand

Decluttering is not about removing every trace of personality. It is about helping buyers see the room, its size and how it could work for them.

Clear crowded countertops, reduce oversized furniture, organize storage areas and remove anything that blocks natural walking paths. If a room has gradually become a combination of office, storage room and spare bedroom, decide on one clear purpose for the photographs and showings.

Buyers will open closets and look in basements, garages and utility spaces. These areas do not have to resemble a showroom, but an organized space feels easier to maintain and move into.

5. Plan the launch before the listing goes live

The photographs are often a buyer’s first showing. Lighting, cleanliness, furniture placement and even where vehicles or garbage bins are positioned can change how the property appears online.

Prepare the home before the photographer arrives rather than trying to correct everything afterward. It also helps to decide in advance how showings will work. Consider work schedules, children, pets, alarm systems and how much notice you will need.

The easier it is for qualified buyers to view the home, the fewer opportunities you risk missing. A clear showing plan also reduces the disruption for everyone living in the house.

6. Price for the market you are entering

Your original purchase price, renovation costs and future plans are important to you, but buyers compare your property with the other homes available to them right now.

Serious buyers may already have saved searches set up when your listing appears. If the home is positioned too far above comparable alternatives, those buyers may dismiss it without ever booking a showing. Reducing the price later does not recreate that initial introduction.

The right pricing strategy should reflect current competition, recent sales, the condition of your home and your priorities. It should also include a plan for reviewing feedback and responding if the market does not react as expected.

7. Focus on your net proceeds—not only the sale price

The headline selling price is not the amount that ends up in your bank account.

Before listing, prepare an estimated seller net sheet that considers your mortgage balance, possible discharge or prepayment costs, real-estate commission, legal expenses, repairs, moving costs and any other expenses that may apply to your situation.

Knowing the approximate net amount helps you judge offers more clearly. A slightly different price, closing date or condition can matter when it affects the cost or timing of your next move.

What should you expect from a pre-listing conversation?

A useful pre-listing meeting should give you more than a suggested asking price. You should come away with:

• A realistic, evidence-based value range

• A short list of worthwhile repairs and preparations

• Recommendations on timing and showing arrangements

• A clear explanation of the marketing plan

• An estimate of your likely selling expenses and net proceeds

• A strategy for reviewing activity, feedback and offers

  You do not have to wait until the house is perfect or until you are certain you want to sell. In fact, speaking with a REALTOR® earlier can help you avoid spending money on work that may not improve the sale.

If you are thinking about selling your home in Woodstock or Oxford County, I would be happy to walk through it with you, discuss what buyers are likely to notice and help you build a practical plan—without pressure.

Ed Dawson, REALTOR®

Gale Group Realty Brokerage Ltd.

welcomehomeoxford.ca

Ed@welcomehomeoxford.ca