More homes are listed, but fewer are selling — and that changes what buyers and sellers should expect

More homes are on the market in Nova Scotia than at any March point in over five years — but fewer are selling, and that shifts the balance between buyers and sellers. Active residential listings reached 3,601 units by the end of March 2026, up 1.3% from the same month in 2025, according to the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors. That’s the highest March inventory level in more than five years. Yet home sales across the province declined year-over-year in March, with the Halifax-Dartmouth region seeing a nearly 10% drop. Year-to-date sales totaled over 1,860 units, down more than 9% from the same period in 2025. The dollar value of all home sales in March 2026 was $357.6 million, a decrease of 8.2% from March 2025. New listings actually fell by nearly 4% across the province during the month, even as total active inventory rose. Meanwhile, the average price of homes sold increased by just 0.2% compared to the previous year.