OTTAWA REAL ESTATE
New Homes in Ottawa: New Construction Communities and Builders
By Jason Polonski, REALTOR®, Right at Home Realty · Updated October 2026
New homes in Ottawa are mostly being built on the city’s edges: Kanata and Stittsville in the west, Barrhaven, Riverside South and Manotick in the south, Orléans in the east, and villages such as Carp and Richmond. You buy new construction from the builder’s sales office, sign the builder’s own agreement, pay your deposit in instalments and usually wait several months to two years to move in.
This page brings together every new construction guide on the site, from choosing an area and a builder to financing, HST rebates, warranty protection and the final walkthrough. If you’re still exploring, start with the areas and builders. If you’re close to signing, read the step-by-step guide to buying a new build home in Ottawa and the warranty section below first.
Jump to: Areas · Builders · How it works · Warranty · Costs and HST rebates · Custom homes · Selling first
Where New Homes Are Being Built in Ottawa
Most new subdivisions sit where there is still open land. Each area has its own builders, lot sizes and price points, so choosing the area narrows your builder list quickly. The City of Ottawa’s planning and development pages show where new communities are approved.
| Area | Communities include | Builders include | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanata | The Pond at Kanata Lakes, Arcadia | Minto, Mattamy, Richcraft, Urbandale, HN Homes | New homes in Kanata, Arcadia |
| Stittsville | Union West, EdenWylde, Idylea, Bradley Commons, Magnolia | Glenview, Cardel, Tartan, Tamarack, Urbandale, Caivan | New construction in Stittsville |
| Barrhaven | Half Moon Bay, The Conservancy, The Ridge | Mattamy, Minto, Caivan, Tamarack, Phoenix | Barrhaven home builders |
| Riverside South | Ironwood and ongoing phases | Urbandale, Richcraft, Cardel, Glenview, HN Homes | Riverside South guide |
| Carp | Diamondview Estates | Phoenix Homes | New construction in Carp |
Communities sell out and new phases open regularly, so check current releases with each builder. In established communities from the last building wave, such as Blackstone and Monahan Landing in Kanata, homes now trade mainly as resale, which makes them a useful price check against a new build nearby. Half Moon Bay in Barrhaven and Diamondview Estates in Carp have their own community guides.
New Homes for Sale in Ottawa: Move-In Ready or Pre-Construction?
New homes for sale in Ottawa fall into two groups. Move-in-ready homes, sometimes called quick-close or inventory homes, are finished or nearly finished. You can close in weeks or a few months, see exactly what you are buying and arrange financing without a long rate hold. The trade-off is choice: the lot, layout and finishes are already set.
Pre-construction homes are sold from plans and model homes, often a year or two before closing. You get the widest choice of lots, elevations and upgrades, and more time to sell the home you own now. In exchange, your deposits are tied up longer and you carry more timing risk if the builder's closing date moves.
Builders post their inventory homes on their own websites, and many also list them on MLS®. For buyers who are selling at the same time, the choice usually comes down to how much time is needed between the sale and the purchase, which is the first thing Jason maps out with clients. For the west end, see new homes for sale in Kanata and new construction in Stittsville.
Choosing an Ottawa Home Builder
Your builder shapes almost everything that follows: the agreement you sign, the upgrade pricing, how deficiencies get fixed and how closely the finished home matches the model. Start with the Ottawa home builders list, which shows who is building, what they build and where. The best home builders in Ottawa guide groups builders into tiers, from entry-level production homes to fully custom. Once you have a shortlist, bring these questions to ask a new home builder to every sales centre.
Before you visit any sales office, look the builder up in the HCRA’s Ontario Builder Directory. It shows licence status, years active, homes built and warranty claims paid. It isn’t a rating system, but it is the most objective record available.
Builder guides
- Mattamy Homes: Canada’s largest home builder, in Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Richmond and the east end.
- Minto: founded in Ottawa in 1955, building in Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Manotick and Orléans.
- Caivan: an Ottawa-based builder in Barrhaven, Stittsville and Richmond.
- Richcraft Homes: a family-owned builder since 1983, including multi-generational homes.
- Urbandale Homes: a family-run builder and land developer with Net Zero Ready townhomes.
- Tamarack Homes and Tartan Homes: sister builders in the Taggart Group, building together at Idylea in Stittsville.
- Claridge Homes: communities and townhome types compared.
- Cardel Homes: EdenWylde in Stittsville and Ironwood in Riverside South.
- Glenview Homes: home of the award-winning Reveli at Union West.
- HN Homes: architect-designed modern homes at The Pond and in Riverside South.
- Phoenix Homes: bungalows and singles on larger lots at Diamondview Estates in Carp.
- Metric Homes: a custom builder that also builds at Trail View in Kanata South.
- Patten Homes: Shea Village in Stittsville and Huntley Chase near Carp.
- Uniform Urban Developments: a boutique builder at Copperwood Estate and Richardson Ridge in Kanata.
- Valecraft Homes: larger townhomes at Shea Village in Stittsville.
Buying in the south end? Barrhaven home builders compares who is building there now.
Sell Your Ottawa Home for Just 1% Listing Commission
Why pay 2.5% listing commission to sell your home when you don't have to? Jason Polonski lists Ottawa homes for a simple 1% listing commission. Full MLS® and REALTOR.ca exposure, professional photography, powerful online marketing, expert pricing, and a skilled negotiator fighting for every dollar of your sale price. Top-tier service — you just keep thousands more when your home sells. Smart sellers are already making the switch. Your home deserves the best, and your wallet deserves a break.
How Buying New Construction Works
A new build runs on a longer timeline than a resale purchase, with more decisions along the way. The usual order:
- Get pre-approved, and ask how long your lender will hold the rate. Closings can be a year or more away.
- Register your own agent before your first sales-office visit. Many builders require it on the first visit.
- Choose the community, lot and model, and check the site plan for parks, walkways and future roads.
- Have a lawyer review the agreement. Freehold purchases generally have no cooling-off period.
- Pay deposits on schedule and notify Tarion within 45 days of signing.
- Finish design-centre selections before the builder’s deadline.
- Do the pre-delivery inspection (PDI), then close.
The new build buying guide covers each step in detail, and the timeline for building a new home in Ottawa shows how long each stage usually takes. Two decisions come up early: whether to bring your own agent, covered in do you need a REALTOR® for new construction, and whether new is the right fit at all, compared in new build vs. resale. CMHC’s homebuying step-by-step guide is a useful neutral overview.
Near the end, the walkthrough with your builder matters more than most buyers expect. Use the new home PDI checklist to prepare for it.
Get Cash Back When You Buy a Home in Ottawa
Can you get cash back when buying a home in Ottawa? Yes. Jason Polonski, a Chairman's Club REALTOR® serving Ottawa and Kanata, shares part of his commission with buyers — up to $3,000 cash back at closing.* You still get full-service, award-winning representation: expert pricing, sharp negotiation, and hands-on guidance from first showing to keys in hand. No cut corners and no rebate-only shortcuts — just real money back in your pocket when you buy your Ottawa or Kanata home.
Warranty and Deposit Protection
Every new freehold home sold by a licensed Ontario builder comes with Tarion warranty coverage under the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act: one year on workmanship and materials, two years on water penetration, building envelope and major systems, and seven years on major structural defects. Deposits are protected too (see new build deposits in Ontario), up to $60,000 on homes under $600,000 and up to 10% of the price, to a $100,000 maximum, on homes above that. Freehold buyers who register their agreement with Tarion within 45 days of signing qualify for the maximum deposit coverage; registering late can mean lower coverage.
Freehold buyers can also claim up to $7,500 when a builder misses a firm closing date, under Tarion’s delayed closing rules. The new home closing delays guide explains your rights if your date slips, and the Tarion warranty guide explains how to make a claim. Coverage rules do change, so confirm the current terms with Tarion or your lawyer before signing.
What New Construction Really Costs
The price on the builder’s sheet is rarely what you pay. Most Ottawa builders quote prices that include HST, with the standard new housing rebates assigned to them, so whether you qualify for those rebates affects your final cost. Closing adjustments add more: Tarion enrolment, utility connections, development charges and grading or tree deposits, depending on the agreement. Lot premiums and design-centre upgrades add to the total too.
HST rebates in 2026: Ontario and the federal government announced an enhanced rebate of the full 13% HST, up to $130,000, on eligible new homes for agreements signed between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027. It isn’t limited to first-time buyers, but the home must be your primary residence or a qualifying rental. The full amount applies to homes up to $1.5 million and is reduced between $1.5 million and $1.85 million. Separate rebates exist for first-time buyers. The GST/HST new home rebate guide explains how they combine, and the CRA’s first-time buyer rebate page covers the federal side. Legislation was still being finalized in 2026, so confirm with your lawyer.
For a full budget, see new build closing costs in Ontario, closing costs in Ontario and the hidden costs of buying a home. Financing a new build has its own risks, from rate holds that expire before closing to appraisals that come in below your price. New build and construction financing in Ottawa explains how to plan for them.
Building a Custom Home Instead
If no subdivision model fits, a custom build on your own lot is the other route. It gives you full control over design and layout, but it takes longer and the costs vary more. Custom home vs. new build in Ottawa compares the two. If you’re looking at land outside the urban boundary, building a custom home on rural land in Ottawa covers permits, wells, septic and servicing, and rural zoning in Ottawa explains what you can build where.
When you’re ready to compare builders, custom home builders in Ottawa explains how to vet them and compare quotes, and the cost to build a custom home in Ottawa breaks down a realistic budget.
Buying an existing home on acreage instead? See buying a rural property in Ottawa.
Buying New While Selling Your Current Home
Most new-build buyers already own a home, and the long gap between signing and closing makes timing the sale tricky. Sell too early and you may need somewhere to live; sell too late and you could carry two homes at once. The move-up buyer guide, bridge financing in Ottawa and how to avoid carrying two mortgages cover the options, and selling your home while buying a new build lays out the timeline step by step. The Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association is also a good source on local building activity.
Explore Ottawa New Construction Guides
Every guide in this section, grouped by where you are in the process.
Builders
- Ottawa Home Builders List
- Best Home Builders in Ottawa
- Barrhaven Home Builders
- Caivan Homes
- Cardel Homes
- Claridge Homes
- Glenview Homes
- HN Homes
- Mattamy Homes
- Metric Homes
- Minto Homes
- Patten Homes
- Phoenix Homes
- Richcraft Homes
- Tamarack Homes
- Tartan Homes
- Uniform Urban Developments
- Urbandale Homes
- Valecraft Homes
Buying Process
- New Construction Realtor in Ottawa
- Buying a New Build Home in Ottawa
- Do You Need a Realtor for New Construction?
- Pre-Construction Homes in Ottawa
- New Build vs Resale
- Timeline for Building a New Home
- New Build Financing
- GST/HST New Home Rebate
- Tarion Warranty
- New Home PDI Checklist
- Questions to Ask a New Home Builder
- New Build Deposits in Ontario
- Builder Purchase Agreements
- Negotiating with New Home Builders
- New Build Upgrades Worth It
- Lot Premiums on New Homes
- Quick Possession Homes
- Assignment Sales
- New Build Closing Costs
- New Home Closing Delays
- Selling While Buying a New Build
Custom and Rural Builds
- Custom Home Builders in Ottawa
- Cost to Build a Custom Home
- Custom Home vs New Build
- Buying a Rural Property in Ottawa
New Home Communities
- New Homes for Sale in Kanata
- The Pond at Kanata Lakes
- Arcadia, Kanata
- Copperwood Estate, Kanata
- Iron Valley, Kanata
- Mapleton, Kanata
- Richardson Ridge, Kanata
- Trail View, Kanata South
- Brookline vs Arcadia
- Iron Valley vs Copperwood Estate
- New Construction Homes in Stittsville
- Abbott’s Run, Stittsville
- Bradley Commons, Stittsville
- Magnolia, Stittsville
- Mainhaven, Stittsville
- Shea Village, Stittsville
- Westwood, Stittsville
- Abbott’s Run vs Mainhaven vs Magnolia
- EdenWylde, Stittsville
- Idylea, Stittsville
- Union West, Stittsville
- Half Moon Bay, Barrhaven
- New Construction Homes in Carp
- Mahogany, Manotick
Work With Jason Polonski on Your New Build
Jason Polonski is a REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty and has helped buyers across Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Carp and the rest of Ottawa for more than 15 years. Before real estate he worked in construction and the electrical trades, so he reads a builder’s specifications and walks a pre-delivery inspection with a tradesperson’s eye. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University with a double major in Marketing and Finance, which helps when comparing deposit schedules, incentives and financing.
He’ll help you shortlist builders, review the agreement with your lawyer and coordinate your new build’s closing with the sale of your current home. Here’s how his buyer representation for new builds works. Read more about Jason or see what clients say on his Google Business Profile.
New Construction in Ottawa: FAQ
Mostly on the city’s edges: Kanata and Stittsville in the west, Barrhaven, Riverside South and Manotick in the south, Orléans in the east, and villages such as Carp and Richmond. Each area has its own builders and price points.
It isn’t required, but the builder’s sales staff represent the builder. In most Ottawa new-home sales the builder pays the buyer’s agent, so your own representation usually costs you nothing extra, as long as your agent is registered on your first visit.
Plan for several months of approvals and design work after you sign, then roughly 8 to 24 months of construction depending on the home type. Move-in-ready homes can close much sooner.
One year on workmanship and materials, two years on water penetration, the building envelope and major systems, and seven years on major structural defects. Deposits are protected up to $60,000 on homes of $600,000 or less, and 10% of the price to a $100,000 maximum above that.
Yes. For agreements signed between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027, eligible buyers can get back the full 13% HST, up to $130,000, on a new home used as a primary residence. It isn’t limited to first-time buyers. Confirm eligibility with your lawyer.
It depends on how far away your closing is. With a long build, buying first and selling closer to closing usually works better. With a move-in-ready home, you may need to sell sooner or arrange bridge financing.
Look the builder up in the HCRA’s Ontario Builder Directory for licence status, homes built and warranty claims, visit finished communities, and read the builder’s standard feature sheet and agreement with your lawyer before signing.
