For Sale by Owner in Ottawa: Sell Privately on MLS®
Yes, you can sell for sale by owner in Ottawa, from Kanata and Barrhaven to Orléans, and still be on realtor.ca: a flat fee MLS® listing puts your home on the MLS® System from $69.99 a month, while you show it and negotiate yourself. Below: Ottawa homes listed by owners, the Vacant Unit Tax, and renting out instead.
Updated October 5, 2026
Homes listed by owner in Ottawa right now
$349,000910-530 Laurier Ave W, OttawaMLS® #X13079802
What sellers say
“Rocket Listings saved me thousands in commission fees while still getting my property on MLS. Highly recommend!”
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“I was skeptical at first, but Rocket Listings delivered exactly what they promised. Professional service throughout.”
“Since discovering Rocket Listings I'll never go back to listing on FB Marketplace, the tenant pool is much better on Realtor.ca”
Flat fee MLS® prices
| Plan | Price | 🎁 With code FREEUPGRADE |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Subscription | $69.99 / month | — |
| 2-month Listing | $99.99 | You get the 3-month Listing, free |
| 3-month Listing | $119.99 | You get the 6-month Listing, free |
| 6-month Listing | $149.99 | You get the MAX Exposure Listing, free |
| MAX Exposure Listing | $239.99 | — |
Plus 13% HST on Ontario listings; no tax on Alberta listings. The monthly plan can be cancelled any time.
Flat fee vs. paying a commission
Ontario figures with 13% HST. Both sides leave out the buyer agent's commission, which you offer whichever way you list.
Homes for sale by owner in Ottawa
Ottawa homes listed by their owners turn up on realtor.ca like any MLS® listing, on Kijiji, and on private-sale services such as ForSaleByOwner.ca and Grapevine. The homes on this page are listed by their owners through us.
Ottawa's MLS® System changed in late 2024: the Ottawa Real Estate Board moved its more than 4,000 REALTORS® to the PropTx MLS® System on November 25, 2024. Our listings go on PropTx, so Ottawa agents see an owner's listing in the same system they use every day, alongside agents in Toronto, Kingston and Cornwall.
Buyers contact the owner directly to book a showing or make an offer, with a real estate lawyer reviewing it.
Selling elsewhere in Ontario? See Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Durham Region, Barrie or Niagara Region.
What selling by owner costs in Ottawa
In Ottawa your costs as an owner-seller are the listing fee, your real estate lawyer and the commission you choose to offer a buyer's agent. You keep the listing side of a full-service commission; real estate commission in Ontario shows what that's worth. Ottawa has no municipal land transfer tax, so buyers pay Ontario's only.
One Ottawa cost to watch if the home sits empty while it's for sale: the city's Vacant Unit Tax, charged on a home left vacant for 184 days or more in a year. Every residential owner has to file a declaration each year; as the city's fact sheet puts it, a principal residence "is not subject to the tax, however, a property declaration is still required." The 2026 deadline was March 19. If you've moved out and the sale is taking time, keep the declaration in mind.
Renting out your Ottawa home by owner
CMHC's 2025 Rental Market Report put Ottawa's purpose-built vacancy rate at 3.0%, up from 2.6%, with an average two-bedroom rent of $1,926, up 3.4%. Vacancy ran higher in Gloucester North and Orléans, so price from what's renting nearby. A rental listed on the MLS® System reaches agents with tenants ready to sign; see list a rental on MLS®.
Ottawa's Rental Housing Property Management By-law applies to every landlord. You must give tenants:
- Up-to-date contact details for you or your property manager, including a mailing address, a phone number and at least one way to reach you electronically.
- A way to make service and repair requests, and the building's site-specific information.
- For buildings of 3 or more storeys or 10 or more units, a capital maintenance plan as well.
Ottawa rent increases in 2026 and 2027
If your Ottawa unit was first occupied on or before November 15, 2018, Ontario's rent increase guideline caps yearly raises for a sitting tenant: 2.1% in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027. Units first occupied after that date are exempt from the guideline, though the 12-month rule and written notice still apply.
Between tenants, you set the new rent yourself, which is why the asking rent on your MLS® listing matters.
Selling by owner in Ottawa: questions
Can I sell my house by owner in Ottawa?
Yes. Ontario doesn't require a listing agent. A flat fee listing puts your Ottawa home on the MLS® System and realtor.ca; you show it and negotiate, and a real estate lawyer handles the closing.
Which MLS® System do Ottawa REALTORS® use?
PropTx. The Ottawa Real Estate Board moved its members to the PropTx MLS® System on November 25, 2024. Our listings go on PropTx, so Ottawa agents see them directly.
Do I need to declare the Vacant Unit Tax if I live in my Ottawa home?
Yes. Every residential owner files a declaration each year, even for a principal residence, which isn't taxed. The tax applies to homes vacant 184 days or more in the year.
What are a landlord's duties under Ottawa's rental by-law?
Give tenants your contact details, including a mailing address, phone number and an electronic contact; a way to request repairs; and site-specific information. Larger buildings also need a capital maintenance plan.
How much can I raise the rent on my Ottawa rental?
For a sitting tenant in a unit first occupied on or before November 15, 2018, up to Ontario's guideline: 2.1% in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027, once every 12 months with written notice. Newer units are exempt from the guideline, and between tenants you set the new rent yourself.
How much does it cost to list an Ottawa home on MLS®?
Our plans are $69.99 a month, $99.99 for 2 months, $119.99 for 3, $149.99 for 6, or $239.99 for MAX, which renews free until sold, plus 13% HST. FREEUPGRADE gets you the next plan up free.
Sell by owner in Ottawa, on MLS®
From $69.99 a month. Use FREEUPGRADE at checkout to get the next plan up free.