What's the average price of a detached home in Ottawa?

OREB's freehold benchmark (which skews detached-heavy) runs in the mid-to-high $700,000s. A standard suburban detached on a 36-foot lot generally trades $850,000–$1.05M. Central Ottawa (Glebe, Westboro) detached commonly tops $1.4M.

What lot width should I look for in an Ottawa detached home?

36-foot lots are the standard family pick — a comfortable double garage, a usable backyard, a manageable price. 43-foot buys real extra breathing room. 50-foot is executive territory. Below 30 feet, semi-detached and zero-lot-line product starts to feel attached.

Are bungalows still available in Ottawa?

Mostly through resale — new-construction bungalows are scarce, with Caivan and Tamarack releasing only a handful each year in specific communities. Aging-in-place demand keeps resale bungalows priced 8%–15% above an equivalent two-storey.

How much does a detached home in Ottawa cost compared to a townhome?

Usually $150,000–$250,000 more than an equivalent townhome in the same suburb. A $625,000 Barrhaven townhome generally maps to a 30-foot-lot detached at $775,000–$850,000.

What's the minimum down payment for a detached home in Ottawa?

5% on the first $500,000 of price, 10% on $500,000–$1.5M, 20% above that. A $900,000 detached needs roughly $65,000 minimum, plus 1.5%–2% in closing costs.

Should I buy resale or new construction detached in Ottawa?

Resale wins on speed, mature landscaping, and known condition. New construction wins on choice of lot, model, and structural options, plus a full warranty and control over closing timing. Time on your side generally favours new; a fixed move-in date generally favours resale.

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Ottawa Property Types

Ottawa Detached Homes For Sale

By Bo Yu, Broker, Right at Home Realty, Brokerage

Detached houses make up over 60% of OREB residential sales, and no other segment spans a wider range. A $700,000 30-foot single in Half Moon Bay and a $2.4M custom build on a Manotick acre are both technically the same listing category.

So the category isn't that useful on its own. What matters is lot width, model type, and suburb — this guide walks through each so you're comparing the right things when you write an offer.

Prices, rates, and program rules change often. Treat the figures here as general guidance, not advice for your specific situation. Ask Bo for current OREB comparables, and confirm program eligibility with your lender or lawyer.

What lot width actually gets you

30-foot lots: entry-level detached in newer master-planned communities. 1,800–2,400 sq ft, single or double garage, small backyard. Typically $750,000–$900,000.

36-foot lots: the standard family lot. 2,200–2,800 sq ft, double garage, a usable backyard. $850,000–$1.05M.

43-foot lots: a step up in breathing room. 2,600–3,400 sq ft, double garage, bigger yard. $950,000–$1.2M.

50-foot lots: executive territory. 3,000–4,000+ sq ft, double or triple garage, sometimes a three-car tandem layout. $1.1M–$1.6M+.

60-foot+ lots: prestige, often custom. $1.5M–$3M+ in Kanata Lakes, Manotick, Greely's estate lots, and Stittsville's executive pockets.

Row of modern detached suburban homes in west Ottawa — Family-friendly suburbs like Kanata, Barrhaven and Stittsville.

Two-storey or bungalow

Two-storey homes dominate new construction — over 80% of what's built today — because they deliver more square footage per lot dollar and match the largest buyer pool: families.

Bungalows are the opposite story. New ones are rare, so resale bungalows carry a real premium — downsizers, aging-in-place buyers, and accessibility buyers are all competing for the same limited supply. Expect 8%–15% more than an equivalent two-storey.

Raised bungalows and bungalow lofts split the difference: a main-floor primary suite with a partial upper level for kids' rooms or an office.

Where detached supply concentrates

Barrhaven: the largest detached supply in the city — Half Moon Bay, Stonebridge (with golf-course estate lots), Longfields, Chapman Mills.

Kanata: the tech-corridor anchor — Bridlewood, Morgan's Grant, Kanata Lakes, Arcadia, Fernbank Crossing.

Orléans: Avalon, Chapel Hill, Fallingbrook, Cardinal Creek — strong east-end family demand with LRT access.

Stittsville: Jackson Trails, Wyldewood, Potter's Key — newer west-end family inventory.

South Ottawa: Findlay Creek, Riverside South Phase 2, Greely, Manotick — bigger lots, quieter streets.

Central Ottawa: Glebe, Westboro, Old Ottawa South, Alta Vista — tight supply, $1.2M–$3M+, mostly infill and character homes.

Tree-lined Ottawa street of century brick homes in autumn — Central Ottawa's century homes and mature maple canopy.

How to read detached comps properly

Bedroom and bathroom counts matter less than above-grade square footage, lot size, and garage configuration. Always compare per square foot within the same suburb and finish tier.

Finished basements return 30%–60% of what they cost. A $40,000 builder-finished basement typically adds $15,000–$25,000 back at resale.

Lot premiums don't fade evenly — a $35,000 walk-out lot premium is usually fully retained at resale, while a $20,000 corner-lot premium tends to hold at 50%–70%.

A renovated kitchen or bathroom recovers 50%–70% of its cost. Pools rarely pay for themselves. New HVAC and roof are expected at sale time, not a premium you can charge for.

Resale or new build — how to decide

Resale gives you known condition, immediate occupancy, generally more square footage per dollar, mature trees, and no design-centre upgrade bill waiting for you.

New construction gives you choice — lot, floor plan, structural options, finishes — plus a full Tarion 1/2/7-year warranty. In exchange, expect a 12–36 month wait and $30,000–$100,000+ in possible design-centre upgrades.

Families who can be patient tend to go new. Families working against a fixed move date tend to go resale.

Modern Ottawa downtown condo tower against blue sky — Downtown Ottawa's growing condo skyline.

Questions People Ask

A few common questions

What's the average price of a detached home in Ottawa?: OREB's freehold benchmark (which skews detached-heavy) runs in the mid-to-high $700,000s. A standard suburban detached on a 36-foot lot generally trades $850,000–$1.05M. Central Ottawa (Glebe, Westboro) detached commonly tops $1.4M.
What lot width should I look for in an Ottawa detached home?: 36-foot lots are the standard family pick — a comfortable double garage, a usable backyard, a manageable price. 43-foot buys real extra breathing room. 50-foot is executive territory. Below 30 feet, semi-detached and zero-lot-line product starts to feel attached.
Are bungalows still available in Ottawa?: Mostly through resale — new-construction bungalows are scarce, with Caivan and Tamarack releasing only a handful each year in specific communities. Aging-in-place demand keeps resale bungalows priced 8%–15% above an equivalent two-storey.
How much does a detached home in Ottawa cost compared to a townhome?: Usually $150,000–$250,000 more than an equivalent townhome in the same suburb. A $625,000 Barrhaven townhome generally maps to a 30-foot-lot detached at $775,000–$850,000.
What's the minimum down payment for a detached home in Ottawa?: 5% on the first $500,000 of price, 10% on $500,000–$1.5M, 20% above that. A $900,000 detached needs roughly $65,000 minimum, plus 1.5%–2% in closing costs.
Should I buy resale or new construction detached in Ottawa?: Resale wins on speed, mature landscaping, and known condition. New construction wins on choice of lot, model, and structural options, plus a full warranty and control over closing timing. Time on your side generally favours new; a fixed move-in date generally favours resale.

Keep Reading

Ottawa Homes For Sale

The full Ottawa market, every property type in one place.

Ottawa Townhomes For Sale

When a townhome makes more sense than detached.

Ottawa Luxury Homes

Detached above $1.5M — enclaves and strategy.

Ottawa New Construction

Builder detached communities and current releases.

Kanata Real Estate

Tech-corridor detached demand and pricing.

Barrhaven Real Estate

The largest detached supply in the west end.

Straight From the Source

Check the numbers yourself

These are the official sources I use for current Ottawa real estate data, government programs and buyer protection.

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Any prices, rates, market figures or value estimates on this page are for general information only, based on the assumptions shown, and are not legal, tax, mortgage or financial advice or an offer of credit. Actual rates, payments, taxes, fees and values vary — confirm the numbers with your lender, lawyer or accountant before relying on them. Full disclosures.

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