Happy November, Team Ballas family!
Well, the clocks have officially been set back, the Halloween candy is mostly gone, and November has arrived. Crisp autumn mornings have settled in across the Bay of Quinte region, and winter is just around the corner. If you haven't already, now is the time to embrace cozy sweater weather, hot drinks, and pre-winter preparations! In the meantime, enjoy the unusually warm weather we've been experiencing, with average temperatures around 6 degrees above seasonal.
Jason and Rochelle recently made their way to Niagara Falls for the Royal LePage Sales Convention, taking some time to connect with fellow real estate professionals and be part of the conversations happening across our industry.
As we roll into November, our thoughts turn toward Remembrance Day on November 11th. We take time to honour and show deep gratitude to our veterans and active service members, especially those connected to our local community around CFB Trenton.
With two former military members on our team, Jason and Max, we would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of this day. If you can, check out the parades at various cenotaph locations near you. For a list of locations, please feel free to reach out to us here at Team Ballas.
The Ballas Broadcast: Fall Home Maintenance Blind Ranking
Click the image above to watch the Ballas Broadcast, or click here.
With winter approaching, it's a good time to revisit the maintenance tasks that can help protect your home and avoid costly surprises. In this month's Ballas Broadcast, Jason takes on a blind ranking of six ways to prepare your home for fall and winter.
Without knowing what task is coming next, Jason has to rank each one by importance. Here's where they landed:
- Winterizing Your Plumbing: Jason's top priority. Disconnect exterior hoses, drain lines and shut off exterior taps to help prevent frozen pipes and potential flooding.
- Roof & Gutter Check: Clear out leaves and debris so melting snow and ice can drain properly.
- Cleaning Your Furnace: Heating is essential through the winter, so make sure your system is ready to keep your home warm.
- Draft Proofing: Check windows and doors for drafts. Keeping warm air inside can help reduce wasted energy and heating costs.
- Covering Your AC Unit: Protecting your outdoor unit from snow and ice can help extend the life of your air conditioner.
- Staging for Fall & Winter: A lower maintenance priority, unless you're selling. In that case, warm staging and welcoming lighting can make a difference for showings.
Do you agree with Jason's rankings? Watch the latest Ballas Broadcast on Facebook and see if you would put these tasks in the same order.
What's Happening in the Market?
Following the uptick in Buyer activity we saw through October, the November housing market is entering its traditional "pre-winter focus window."
- Serious Buyers Are Active: The casual window-shoppers from late summer have mostly stepped aside. The Buyers out in the market right now are motivated to finalize deals before the snow falls and winter hits.
- Balanced Dynamics: While inventory naturally tapers off toward the end of the year, serious Buyers are finding stable options and taking advantage of favourable Seller negotiations.
- Team Ballas Update: We've had a busy October guiding Buyers through tours across Belleville, Quinte West, and Prince Edward County, securing great deals before year-end.
Home Maintenance & Seller Tips for Late Fall
With colder temperatures on the horizon, getting your home ready for winter is key, whether you're planning to sell or just staying cozy.
- Winterize Plumbing: Make sure all exterior hoses are disconnected, lines are drained, and exterior taps are shut off to prevent frozen pipes.
- Roof & Gutter Check: Clear out late autumn leaves from gutters so melting snow and ice can drain freely.
- Draft Proofing: Check door seals and windows for cool drafts. A simple weather-stripping touch-up keeps heating bills low.
- Staging for Late Fall/Winter: If your home is currently listed, focus on warmth! Turn on exterior lighting early for late-afternoon showings, keep driveways and walkways clear of wet leaves, and keep your thermostat at a warm, welcoming temperature.
Community Gratitude & Local Fall/Winter Fun
With the holiday season right around the corner, community support is more important than ever. We encourage everyone to support local food drives and initiatives like the Belleville Gleaners Food Bank and the Trenton Care & Share Food Bank as demand increases over the winter months.
If you are looking to get outdoors this month:
- Take a quiet late-fall drive through Prince Edward County or along the Bay of Quinte.
- Check out local early-season holiday craft markets popping up around Belleville, Quinte West, and Brighton.
- Support local small businesses as early holiday shopping kicks into gear!
Interest Rate Talk
Following up on our October preview, the Bank of Canada met on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, and announced a 25-basis-point rate hike, bringing the key policy rate up to 2.50%. This is the first interest rate increase in over a year.
Key Takeaways for Homeowners & Buyers
- Prime Rate Adjustment: In response to the central bank's announcement, major commercial banks have bumped their Prime Lending Rate up to 4.70%.
- Variable-Rate Mortgages: Variable-rate mortgage holders will see their interest rates move up by 0.25%. If you have a fixed-payment variable loan, a slightly larger portion of your monthly payment will now go toward interest rather than principal.
- Fixed Mortgage Rates: 5-year government bond yields remain elevated near recent highs, keeping fixed-rate pricing firm.
- Next Announcement: The final Bank of Canada interest rate announcement of 2026 will take place on Wednesday, December 9, 2026.
Strategic Advice: With over 1 million Canadian mortgages up for renewal this year and next, staying proactive is essential.
- For Buyers: Securing a rate pre-approval now will shield your purchasing power against potential market shifts or rate fluctuations through the winter.
- For Owners Renewing Soon: Reach out early to review your options before your term expires.
Market Trends & Statistics
The October real estate data for our region showed classic late-fall patterns:
- Inventory Trends: New listings slowed slightly throughout October as Sellers chose between listing now or waiting until spring 2027. This tighter inventory means well-priced homes are facing less direct competition on the market.
- Pricing & Value: Price stability remains the theme across the Quinte region. Well-priced, move-in-ready properties are selling efficiently, while Buyers remain price-sensitive and value-focused.
- Speed of Sale: Days on market held steady through October, driven by pre-approved Buyers who moved quickly when the right property popped up.
Belleville
For the month of October, Belleville saw 12 more sales than September, with 69 sales versus 57 in September. This represents a 21% increase in sales month over month.
The average sale price for the month dropped 6%, down to $495,268 from an average of $529,994 in September. Looking at the average sale price for October 2026 versus October 2025, we are only seeing a small 2% drop for the same period last year.
Brighton
Brighton had a better month in October than in September, with 22 sales versus 18 in September, a 22% increase.
The downward push in pricing was evident in Brighton as well, with the average sale price for the month dropping 8% from September. Looking at Brighton year over year, the average sale price has only dropped 1.3% for the year (2025 versus 2026), and it remains one of the higher-priced markets, with an average sale price for the year of $662,942.
We have two great listings in Brighton located at 60 Shewman Road and 179 Ontario Street.
Prince Edward County
The County had 13% more sales in October than September, increasing from 30 in September to 34 in October.
Unfortunately, the average price for the month dipped 15% from September, but the average sale price for the year stayed above $700K at $724,050, which is an 8.6% drop from the same period in 2025.
PEC's listings versus sales still improved, pushing the months of inventory down by a month and a half.
Quinte West
Quinte West, which includes Trenton, Frankford, Murray Ward and Sidney Ward, saw an impressive 17% increase in sales month over month, with 41 sales in September versus 48 sales in October.
Total listings dropped a little bit, but the combination of fewer listings and more sales brought the months of inventory down from 7.9 to 6.13 for October, which is good.
The average sale price for October went up slightly, by 1%, from September, and the yearly numbers remain very steady compared to 2025 figures, only dropping 0.25% year over year.
Quinte West remains the most stable in almost all categories, although we see fewer sales in the off-season with fewer Military transfers.
Stirling-Rawdon
The Stirling area saw an increase of 50% in sales, but this represents only 3 sales in October versus 2 sales in September. With a smaller market, small changes make a bigger impact.
The average sale price for the month stayed relatively steady, only dropping 2% month over month. When you look at Stirling year over year for the same time period, prices have dropped 5% since 2025, the second-biggest drop next to Prince Edward County.
Higher development costs and distance from the 401 corridor are the biggest contributors.
Comparing the Numbers
Want to see how the market has changed? Take a look at our previous statistics to compare October 2026 with September 2026 and October 2025.
September 2026 Market Statistics
October 2025 Market Statistics
Team Ballas Strategy
Whether you are buying or selling, timing and strategy are everything as we approach the end of the year:
- Thinking of Selling? Listing late in the fall can actually work to your advantage. You face far fewer competing listings, and the Buyers in the market right now are high-intent. We continue to offer no-obligation Market Evaluations to help you weigh the pros and cons of listing now versus early spring.
- Looking to Buy? We organize streamlined, multi-home tours to help you compare neighbourhoods, values, and features side-by-side without wasting your weekends.
Have questions about your home's value or navigating rates? Give Team Ballas a call or send us a message anytime. We are always here to help!
