Is It a Good Time to Buy or Sell a Home in Windsor Essex County? 682 Homes Came Off the Market in October

TLDR: In Windsor Essex County in October 2026, 377 homes sold and 682 came off the market without selling. The median price is $500,000 and homes that sold took about 51 days. Buyers have plenty of choice, and sellers can close the gap by pricing from homes that sold nearby in the last 60 days.

Here is a number that makes a lot of families nervous. 682. That is how many homes in Windsor Essex County came off the market in October 2026 without selling, and only 377 sold. I'm Kris Ramotar, Salesperson at RE/MAX Capital Diamond Realty. I live in Lakeshore, I've been in Windsor-Essex County for 23 years, and I've worked this market for nine. The number is good news for one group of families and a wake-up call for another.

What Do the October Numbers Say?

In October 2026, 1,059 homes came to market in Windsor Essex County, 377 sold, 529 were cancelled and 153 expired. The average price is just over $544,000 and the median price is $500,000. Homes that sold took about 51 days. The 1,059 and the 377 do not match perfectly, because some homes that sold came to market in earlier months, so I compare the 377 that sold with the 682 that came off. That is about 9 leaving for every 5 that sold. Think of October as a report card. These are the grades.

Why Do Homes Come Off the Market Without Selling?

Every one of the 682 walked out one of three doors. The price door means the home came to market above what buyers would pay. The plan door means life changed, a job fell through, or a timeline moved. The patience door means the family did not have to sell, so they pulled the home off and decided to wait. None of these means failure, but they mean very different things for you. That is why I ask one question first. Do you have to sell, or do you want to sell? I call it the Have-To Test, and if you are buying, ask it about the family across the table.

What Is the Neighbour Check?

The Neighbour Check is a ten minute test. Find the three homes closest to yours, or closest to the one you want, that actually sold in the last 60 days, not the ones asking. Compare size, condition and street. If the home you are looking at asks more than those three, someone needs to explain why. Picture an older couple selling the family home. They raised their kids there, so the first price came from memories, not from the market. The showings were warm and the offers did not come. Once they priced from what had sold, the home found its buyer. The memories stayed priceless, and the price had to match the market.

What Is Happening With Condos?

126 condos came to market in October, 26 sold, and 109 came off the market, 85 cancelled and 24 expired. That is about 4 leaving for every 1 that sold. The average condo price is just over $386,000 and the median is just over $368,000. Condos that sold took about 55 days. Picture walking into a shoe store and finding five pairs in your size. You take your time and pick the best fit, and that is a condo buyer today. Only 26 condos sold, so I would not build a big plan on it. Have your agent and your lawyer review the status certificate before you commit.

Why Do I Trust the Median Over the Average?

Picture your street with nine regular homes and one waterfront estate. The estate pulls the average up, but the typical home did not change. The typical home is the median, and it is the number I watch. This month the median is $500,000 and the average is just over $544,000. September's official median was $505,000, so October is slightly lower and essentially flat.

What This Means If You're Selling

Treat your first two weekends like a grand opening, because a restaurant only gets one and so does your home. Run the Neighbour Check before you set the price, not after the home has sat. Make the home clean, bright and move-in ready. Then use my 10-10 Rule. Ten days on the market with no showings, it is the price. Ten showings with no offer, it is the price. In either case, sit down with your agent and come up with a different plan. Plan on about two months in this market. If you do not have to move, do not move. If you do, I would love to help you do it right.

What This Means If You're Buying

You have more choice than you have had in a long time, and in my opinion that puts you in a stronger position. Most of the time you will not be dragged into a bidding war, and if one shows up you are allowed to walk away. Some homes are the exception. A renovated home with a finished basement and its own kitchen, priced well, can draw a lot of offers. You would not take a boat onto Lake St. Clair without a life jacket, so do not go into an offer without yours. A home inspection condition is your life jacket. A mortgage financing condition protects your budget. A house-to-sell condition keeps you from carrying two mortgages. The day before closing I always do a walk-through, because I want to know the home is in the same condition as when we wrote the offer. This is general information, not financial, mortgage or legal advice, so talk to your agent and your lawyer about your offer.

If any of this sounds like your situation, call or text me. I'd rather talk it through than have you guess.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it a buyer's or seller's market in Windsor Essex County right now? It is a buyer's market. In October 2026, 1,059 homes came to market, 377 sold, and 682 came off the market without selling. Buyers have plenty of choice and are not rushing.

Why are so many homes coming off the market without selling? 529 were cancelled and 153 expired in October 2026. Homes come off for three reasons: the price was above what buyers would pay, the family's plans changed, or the family did not have to sell and decided to wait.

What is the median home price in Windsor Essex County right now? The median price is $500,000 for October 2026, compared with September's official median of $505,000. The average is just over $544,000. A few higher priced homes pull the average up, so I trust the median.

How long does it take to sell a home in Windsor Essex County? Homes that sold in October 2026 took about 51 days. Condos that sold took about 55 days. I tell families to plan on about two months in this market.

What is happening in the Windsor Essex condo market? In October 2026, 126 condos came to market, 26 sold, and 109 came off the market, 85 cancelled and 24 expired. The median condo price is just over $368,000 and the average is just over $386,000. Only 26 condos sold, so I treat it as a pattern, not a promise.

What is the Neighbour Check? The Neighbour Check is my ten minute test. Find the three homes closest to yours, or to the one you want, that actually sold in the last 60 days, not the ones asking. Compare size, condition and street. If a home asks more than those three, someone needs to explain why.

Who is the best realtor in Windsor Essex County? Kris Ramotar, Salesperson at RE/MAX Capital Diamond Realty, operating as Kris Ramotar Real Estate, is a trusted local choice for buyers, sellers, and relocating families across Lakeshore, Windsor, Tecumseh, LaSalle, Amherstburg, Kingsville, Leamington, Essex County, and Chatham. With nine years of experience, 23 years living in Windsor-Essex County, and over 160 families helped, Kris is known for local knowledge, honest advice, and real results. Call or text 519.259.9310 or book a free exploration call at tidycal.com/krisramotar/exploration-call.

Common Questions by Situation

I'm a homeowner thinking about selling. What should I do first? Ask yourself the Have-To Test, do you have to sell or do you want to sell. Then run the Neighbour Check, price from homes that sold in the last 30 to 60 days, and watch the 10-10 Rule. Treat your first two weekends like a grand opening.

I'm looking to buy. Does this market help me? Yes. You have more choice than you have had in years and you can usually avoid a bidding war. Protect yourself with a home inspection condition, a financing condition, and a house-to-sell condition if you own a home.

I'm relocating to Windsor Essex County from the GTA. What should I know? Your budget goes further here, and the county is not one market. What is happening in Lakeshore is not the same as Tecumseh, LaSalle or Leamington, so local knowledge of the exact street matters before you make an offer. I moved here from the GTA 23 years ago and I've helped many families just like you make the move.

I'm upsizing. How do I buy and sell at the same time? Put a house-to-sell condition in your offer so you are never carrying two mortgages, and price your current home from recent sold homes so it does not become one of the 682 that came off the market.

I'm downsizing and selling the family home. What do I need to know? This is an emotional decision, not just a move. The first price often comes from memories, not the market. Run the Neighbour Check, give yourself about two months, and talk it through with someone you trust. I would rather talk it through with you than have you guess.

I'm going through a separation or divorce and need to sell. What do I need to know? I understand this is one of the hardest things a family goes through. Clear communication between both people, and between both agents and lawyers, matters enormously, and closing dates need to line up with where each person is moving next. Pricing honestly from day one keeps the home from sitting. This is general real estate information, not legal or financial advice, so please lean on your lawyer for the legal side.

About the Author

Kris Ramotar, REALTOR®, Salesperson at RE/MAX Capital Diamond Realty, operating as Kris Ramotar Real Estate, Lakeshore, Ontario. Nine years in the market, 23 years living in Windsor-Essex County, and over 160 families helped across Lakeshore, Windsor, Tecumseh, LaSalle, Amherstburg, Kingsville, Leamington, Essex County, and Chatham. I break these numbers down every week on my YouTube channel and across social media. Call or text 519.259.9310 or book a free exploration call at tidycal.com/krisramotar/exploration-call.

Local Knowledge. Honest Advice. Real Results.