Average sale price, Kingston and Area Real Estate Association
$571,928, down 7.6%As of October 2026.Source
Months of inventory, Kingston board area
5.9, up from 5.0As of October 2026.Source
MLS HPI benchmark, single-family, Kingston board area
$556,200, down 2.0%As of October 2026.Source
Population of Kingston (city)
132,485As of 2021 Census.Source
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Kingston counted 132,485 residents in 2021. Much of its work is institutional, which a lender reads as steady income, but the housing figures are softer.

Kingston’s October slide: 223 sales and a 7.6% lower average

The Kingston and Area Real Estate Association reported 223 sales in October 2026, down 9.3% from a year earlier. The average price was $571,928, down 7.6%, and total sales were $127.5 million, down 16.2%. There were 556 new listings, down 8.7%, and 1,311 active listings, up 6.8%. Months of inventory was 5.9, up from 5.0.

The MLS HPI composite benchmark was $534,000, down 1.7%. By type, single-family was $556,200 (down 2.0%), townhouse and row $398,900 (down 1.8%) and apartment $348,500 (down 5.2%).

The average fell much more than the benchmark. That suggests the mix of homes sold shifted toward lower-priced ones, so use the benchmark when you size a loan.

How room works at each price point

The 80% limit the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada describes plays out differently by home type. A single-family owner with a $300,000 mortgage has $144,960 of room. A townhouse owner with a $280,000 mortgage has $39,120, despite $118,900 of equity.

The difference between the two examples is mostly the value. Kingston’s cheaper housing types leave much less margin for fees and for a falling appraisal.

Jobs that lenders can read

We did not open a sourced list of Kingston employers, so this page names none. What a lender reads is your own file: how long you have held the job, how the pay is structured and whether it can be shown on paper.

A salaried public-sector employee has a simple file. A bank may be willing to lend, so ask for a bank quote before going to a private lender, and read what a private second mortgage is to know the difference. Private money is a way to fill a gap, not the cheapest option.

Renovation, rental and retirement

Kingston owners often plan renovations, and the renovation page explains when a second mortgage is the right tool. A loan of $80,000 on a $556,200 home may fit, but lenders care about what the home is worth after the work, which is often less than the cost. If you plan a plain loan against the house, the home equity loan page covers the basics.

For older owners, a loan can be weighed against a reverse mortgage. The reverse mortgage page sets out the difference: no monthly payment, but the debt grows and comes due when you leave the home.

Fees on a Kingston second mortgage

Ontario’s land transfer tax applies on a purchase. We found no such tax for registering a second mortgage, as the Ontario page sets out. Budget for an appraisal, legal fees, the registration fee and any lender or broker fee.

Where the arrears pressure is

CMHC’s October 2026 release said Ontario arrears were 0.32% in the second quarter of 2026 and are expected to keep rising through mid-2027, with the pressure concentrated in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and Southwestern Ontario. Kingston is outside both. The release did not name it, and it also noted delinquencies on cards and lines of credit are rising across Ontario.

A city with a steady base

Kingston’s population rose 7.0% over five years, from 123,798 to 132,485 residents, and the census metropolitan area grew 7.1% to 172,546. The 2021 Census counted 63,095 private dwellings in the city, 57,836 of them occupied.

Steady local employment is a real strength for a borrower. It does not stop home values from moving, as the 7.6% fall in the October average shows. Plan a loan around the home’s value today and your payment history, not around the stability of the local economy. Ask what happens at the end of the term, and have a written plan for repaying or renewing the loan, because a steady paycheque does not by itself make a short-term loan easy to refinance.

Choosing a licensed contact for a Kingston loan

Private lenders are reached through Level 2 agents and brokers in Ontario, and the regulator’s register will confirm the licence you are given. When your Kingston numbers are ready, use the options form for a licensed read.

A Kingston single-family home at the October 2026 benchmark

The $556,200 value is the Kingston board's single-family MLS HPI benchmark for October 2026, used as a stand-in for an appraisal. The $300,000 first mortgage and $80,000 renovation loan are made up. The 80% ceiling is the FCAC limit for second mortgages.

Home value used
$556,200
Equity before the loan
$256,200

$556,200 minus $300,000

80% of the home value
$444,960

$556,200 x 0.8

Combined loan-to-value with an $80,000 loan
68.3%

$380,000 divided by $556,200

Room under an 80% ceiling before the loan
$144,960

An $80,000 renovation loan fits with $64,960 of room left. The new value after the work is a guess, so do not count on it to raise the ceiling.

Illustration only. The figures are made up to show the arithmetic. They are not a quote, a rate or an offer.

A Kingston townhouse at the October 2026 benchmark

The $398,900 value is the Kingston board's townhouse and row MLS HPI benchmark for October 2026, used as a stand-in. The $280,000 first mortgage and $25,000 new loan are made up.

Home value used
$398,900
Equity before the loan
$118,900

$398,900 minus $280,000

80% of the home value
$319,120

$398,900 x 0.8

Combined loan-to-value with a $25,000 loan
76.5%

$305,000 divided by $398,900

Room under an 80% ceiling before the loan
$39,120

Equity of $118,900 shrinks to $39,120 of room, and a $25,000 loan leaves $14,120. Fees on a loan this small take a large part of it.

Illustration only. The figures are made up to show the arithmetic. They are not a quote, a rate or an offer.

Questions people ask

Does working for the military or a hospital help me borrow in Kingston?

Steady, documented income can help with a bank or a private lender, though each sets its own rules. Bring pay stubs and an employer letter, and ask each lender which documents it accepts.

Why is Kingston inventory higher than a year ago?

Active listings reached 1,311, up 6.8%, while sales fell 9.3%, so months of inventory rose to 5.9 from 5.0. Homes are taking longer to sell, which can make lenders more cautious about how much they will advance.

Are townhouses and apartments in Kingston harder to borrow on?

Their values have fallen more. The October 2026 townhouse benchmark was $398,900 and the apartment benchmark $348,500, down 1.8% and 5.2%. Smaller values leave less room under an 80% ceiling, and some lenders limit condo lending.

Do Queen's students affect a lender's view of my Kingston rental?

Lenders look at your lease, rent history and the property's condition. No lender sets a rule tied to the university. Ask whether they count rental income and how much of it.

Can an older Kingston owner stay in the home and still access equity?

Yes, by several routes: a line of credit, a second mortgage or a reverse mortgage. Each has costs and affects what you leave behind. Talk to a lawyer and a family member about the plan before you sign anything.

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Sources