🏡 Buyers Have Something They Haven’t Had in Years: CHOICE!

Why Cornwall & SD&G’s Growing Inventory Could Create Opportunity

For the last several years, one of the biggest frustrations I heard from home buyers was pretty simple:

“There’s nothing to buy!”

When a good property hit the market, buyers often had to make decisions quickly. Multiple offers were common, negotiating power was limited, and sometimes buyers felt pressured to compromise on price, conditions — or even the home itself.

Well… things have changed. 👀

Today, buyers in Cornwall, SD&G and throughout Eastern Ontario are seeing something we haven’t had a lot of in recent years:

🏡 CHOICE!

And that could create one of the more interesting buying opportunities we’ve seen in quite some time.

📊 More Homes Are Coming to Market

Recent Cornwall & District Real Estate Board statistics show a significant increase in available inventory.

In June, 624 new residential listings came onto the market — the highest number for the month of June in a decade.

There were approximately 1,305 active residential listings, an increase of more than 26% compared with the previous year.

At the same time, homes are still selling.

That distinction is important.

This isn't a market where nobody is buying. Instead, we are seeing a market where buyers have more properties to choose from and sellers have more competition.

And that changes the conversation.

🤔 A Buyer’s Advantage Isn't Just About Price

When people hear the words “buyer’s market,” they often immediately think:

LOWBALL OFFER! 💰

But negotiating power can mean much more than simply getting a lower purchase price.

Depending on the property and the seller's circumstances, today's buyer may have an opportunity to negotiate:

✅ Purchase price
✅ Financing conditions
✅ Home inspection conditions
✅ Longer conditional periods
✅ Closing dates
✅ Appliances and other inclusions
✅ Repairs or deficiencies
✅ Seller concessions
✅ And, in certain situations, even Vendor Take-Back financing (VTB)

Every property and seller is different, of course. But when there are more homes competing for fewer buyers, a well-prepared buyer may have options that simply weren't available during the frenzy of a few years ago.

💵 What About Interest Rates?

This is where I think buyers need to look at the whole picture, rather than focusing on one number.

I regularly hear:

“I'm waiting for rates to come down.”

Fair enough.

But what happens if rates fall and thousands of other buyers who are currently waiting decide it's time to jump back into the market too?

More buyers can mean:

🔥 More competition
🔥 Less negotiating room
🔥 Faster decisions
🔥 Multiple offers on desirable properties
🔥 And potentially upward pressure on prices

A lower mortgage rate doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a better overall deal.

🧮 Consider the Purchase Price Too

Suppose today's market allows you to negotiate $10,000, $15,000 or even $20,000 from a seller's asking price.

That's real money.

Now compare that with waiting for a potentially lower interest rate — which may or may not happen when expected — while the price of the property or level of competition changes.

There's another important consideration:

You can potentially refinance a mortgage later.

You can't renegotiate yesterday's purchase price.

That doesn't mean everyone should rush out and buy a house tomorrow. Far from it.

It means buyers should consider all the numbers, not simply the mortgage rate.

🏠 The Best Properties Still Sell

More inventory doesn't mean every seller is desperate — and it certainly doesn't mean every property is a bargain.

Good homes that are properly priced, well maintained and in desirable locations can still attract plenty of attention.

That's why understanding actual comparable sales matters.

The question isn't simply:

"How much below asking should I offer?"

The better question is:

“What is this property actually worth in today's market?”

Then we build the offer strategy from there.

Sometimes that means negotiating aggressively.

Sometimes it means paying close to asking price for an exceptional property.

And occasionally it means walking away.

The numbers need to make sense.

📍 And Remember — Cornwall & SD&G Isn't Toronto

National housing headlines can be useful, but they don't always tell us what's happening here.

Cornwall, SD&G and Eastern Ontario have their own supply, demand, pricing and economic fundamentals.

That's why I always encourage buyers to look at the local numbers rather than making a decision based solely on a national headline.

Our market remains considerably more affordable than many larger Ontario centres, while buyers currently have something they haven't enjoyed in quite some time:

Selection.

⏰ So… Is This the “Perfect” Time to Buy?

There probably isn't one.

There will always be a reason to wait.

Interest rates.

The economy.

An election.

Tariffs.

Prices.

Job uncertainty.

The next Bank of Canada announcement.

The challenge with waiting for everything to look perfect is that when everyone feels confident again, you're probably not the only buyer who noticed.

Sometimes opportunity exists precisely because other people are hesitant.

🏡 Don't Try to Time the Market — Understand the Opportunity

If you're thinking about buying your first home, next home or an investment property, this may be a very good time to at least find out what's possible.

Get your financing organized.

Understand your budget.

Look at actual comparable sales.

Tour some properties.

And when the right opportunity comes along, negotiate from a position of knowledge rather than emotion.

You don't have to buy.

But you should know what your options are.

Because right now, buyers have something they haven't had much of for several years:

CHOICE. 🏡🔑

☕ Thinking About Buying? Let's Talk.

Whether you're ready to buy today, six months from now, or you're simply trying to figure out whether buying makes sense, I'm Always Happy to Chat.

As both a Realtor and Mortgage Agent, I can help you look at the property and the financing so we can determine what the numbers actually look like for you.

📞 Rick Parks — 613-551-2866
🌐 ParksRealEstateGroup.com

For All Things Real Estate or Mortgage — Call 613-551-2866 — Anytime.

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