If you are watching the Kingston real estate market, here is the honest, plain-English picture: we are in a balanced market with more inventory than we have seen in years, and properly priced homes are still selling. Across Kingston and the surrounding areas, inventory sits at roughly 4 to 4.7 months, average prices run around $550,000 to $580,000 region-wide (with luxury properties well above that range), and the median home sells in about 25 to 35 days. I am Pierre Nadeau, Broker and Owner of The Nadeau Real Estate Group, and after 23 years and more than 5000 homes sold in this market, here is what buyers and sellers should know this season.
Where the Kingston Market Sits Right Now
Let's start with the big picture. The Kingston area is in a balanced market, the kind we have not seen since before the pandemic-era frenzy. Inventory has climbed well above the levels of the peak years, which means buyers finally have real choice and sellers have to compete for attention. Sales year-to-date are running slightly below the pace of the previous year, but that is not a story of weakness. It is a story of normalization.
Prices, meanwhile, have held comparatively well. While larger Ontario centres have seen more volatility, Kingston's average price has stayed in the $550,000 to $580,000 range region-wide, with luxury properties well above that. Median days on market sit between 25 and 35, which tells you the market is moving at a healthy, deliberate pace. Homes that are priced right and presented well are selling. Homes that are not are sitting.
What This Means for Buyers
If you are a buyer, this is genuinely the best market we have had in years. More inventory means more choice: you can compare neighbourhoods, property types, and price points without the pressure of a bidding war on every listing. You also have more room to negotiate, whether that means an adjustment on price, flexibility on closing date, or conditions like a home inspection.
That does not mean you should wait forever. The best homes in the best locations still attract attention quickly, and the median home is gone in under six weeks. My advice is simple: get pre-approved before you start looking, know exactly what you want, and be ready to move decisively when the right home comes along. Preparation is what separates buyers who get the home they want from buyers who watch it go to someone else.
What This Means for Sellers
For sellers, the message is clear: realistic pricing matters more than ever. In a balanced market, buyers have options, and an overpriced home simply gives them a reason to move on. The first two to three weeks on market are critical. That is when your home gets the most exposure, the most showings, and the most attention from serious buyers. Miss that window with the wrong price and you will be chasing the market down instead of leading it.
Presentation is what earns the sale. Professional photography, video, and staging are not optional extras anymore; they are the difference between a home that feels like an opportunity and a home that feels like a project. When buyers scroll through listings on their phones, your first impression is a photo, and you only get one chance to make it. Invest in how your home shows, price it right from day one, and you will still see strong results in this market.
The Luxury Segment: $600K to $3M
The luxury segment is where I spend most of my time, and it behaves differently from the rest of the market. In the $600,000 to $3 million range, we are talking about waterfront estates, executive homes, and one-of-a-kind properties in the Thousand Islands, Gananoque, and along our lakes. These homes attract a smaller, more deliberate group of buyers, often relocating from Toronto or Ottawa, and they take their time.
Luxury buyers are not chasing the lowest price; they are looking for the right property, and they are willing to pay for it when everything lines up. That means the presentation bar is even higher. Drone footage, cinematic video, professional staging, and targeted marketing matter enormously in this segment. And because the pool of buyers is smaller, accurate pricing and local knowledge are what make the difference between a sale and a listing that lingers.
Why a Local Kingston Broker with Real Market Data Matters
Here is the part I cannot say enough: real estate is local, and the data that matters is the data from your street, your neighbourhood, and your price range. National headlines about interest rates or big-city price drops rarely reflect what is actually happening in Kingston. After 23 years in this market and more than 5000 homes sold, I have watched the Kingston area through every kind of cycle, and I know what these numbers mean for your specific situation.
As Broker and Owner of The Nadeau Real Estate Group, I bring a full team, the latest marketing technology, and the kind of market knowledge that only comes from doing this here, day in and day out, for two decades. Whether you are selling a waterfront estate or buying your first home, you want someone who can tell you what your home is really worth, how to position it, and what a fair offer looks like in today's market.
Every market has its own rhythm, and this one rewards preparation. If you are thinking about buying or selling in the Kingston area, I would love to talk through your specific situation, your timeline, and your goals. Let's chat.
Cheers, Pierre Nadeau