Early 2026 is shaping up as a market where buyers have more time and more options, while sellers need sharper strategy. Region-wide, inventory has been trending higher and days on market are longer, which is often what a market looks like as it searches for a “new normal” after a correction.
Market snapshot (Region-wide, February 2026)
Cornerstone’s February commentary highlights three practical themes: inventory is up, sales improved modestly month-over-month, and the pace is slower, giving buyers more time and choice.
Regional highlights (February 2026):
- Home sales +7.4% month-over-month
- New listings -2.0% month-over-month
- MLS® HPI +1.6% month-over-month, -7.9% year-over-year
- Inventory +2.2% year-over-year, ending around a 3.5-month supply across all property types
Quick Glance note: you also shared a “Monthly Quick Glance” block (sales 505, average price $797,140, new listings 1,182, months supply 3.5, DOM 51, as of March 2, 2026). Those figures appear to be shown as a graphic on the stats page, and I couldn’t retrieve that exact table as selectable text via web tools, so keep them only if they match what you see on your Cornerstone page/graphic. (No independent text source available to cite.)
“With inventory levels up and a modest month-over-month increase in sales, the Hamilton-Burlington market area is showing signs of stability. With more inventory to choose from and longer days on market, buyers are benefiting from more time and options. The HPI has posted two consecutive monthly increases, and in February, it reached its strongest level over the past four months, suggesting we may be approaching a new equilibrium after last year’s price corrections.”
Bill Duce, Cornerstone CEO
Burlington snapshot (January 2026, ITSO Monthly Indicators)
Burlington, Monthly Quick Glance
- Home sales: 111 (-2.6% year-over-year)
- Average price: $1,066,177 (+1.7% YoY)
- New listings: 253 (-17.6% YoY)
- Months of supply: 3.0 (+25.0% YoY)
- Days on market: 51 (+121.7% YoY)
Hamilton snapshot (February 2026, ITSO Monthly Indicators)
Hamilton’s ITSO February numbers show a similar “slower, more choice-driven” feel:
- Sales: 324, down 19.6% YoY
- New listings: 755, down 20.1% YoY
- Inventory: 1,616, up 1.1% YoY
- Months of supply: 3.6, up 12.5% YoY
- Days on market: 51, up 30.8% YoY
- Prices: median $670,000 (down 3.9% YoY), average $720,197 (down 5.9% YoY)
- Sellers received: 97.0% of list price on average (down from 98.5%) ITSO-Hamilton-Monthly-Indicator…
What this means for buyers?
When inventory rises and days on market stretch out, buyers often get:
- More choice
- More time to compare properties
- More room to negotiate, especially on homes that need updates or are priced a little aggressively
That “more time and options” theme is also exactly how Cornerstone described the February market environment.
What this means for sellers
This is less of a “set it and forget it” market and more of a “win on preparation” market:
- Price correctly from day one
- Present the home well (clean, staged, sharp photos)
- Use strong distribution so you’re not relying on one channel
The goal is simple: don’t blend into a growing set of alternatives. Burlington’s higher inventory and lower % of list price received supports that point. Burlington-Jan-2026
Bottom line
Region-wide February commentary points toward stability and a potential new equilibrium, while the city-level ITSO numbers show a market with softer year-over-year pricing, longer selling times, and more negotiating room than last year—especially where inventory is building
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