Luxury Real Estate in Woodstock, Ontario: What $800K+ Actually Buys You

By Jay Friesen, REALTOR® in Woodstock, Ontario

"Luxury" means something different in Woodstock than it does in Toronto. There are no penthouse condos or $5-million glass towers here. Instead, luxury in Woodstock and Oxford County is about space, lot quality, finish level, privacy, and scarcity. A home backing onto the Thames River on nearly two acres. An executive build on Ridgewood Drive with a pool and premium lot. A fully renovated heritage property in a walkable neighbourhood.

This guide breaks down what the luxury segment actually looks like in our market: how it's defined, what's selling, what it costs, and what current conditions mean for buyers considering higher-end properties here.

What Counts as "Luxury" in Woodstock?

There is no official Canadian definition of "luxury" at the local level, so any useful definition needs to come from the data. In Woodstock, the local MLS® system uses "above $800K" as the top price bracket for single-detached home sales reporting. That is where the luxury conversation starts here.

To put that in context: the Q4 2025 median price for a single-detached home in the board region was about $612,500. An $800,000 home is roughly 1.3 times the median. That's not "trophy pricing" by big-city standards, but in a secondary market like ours, it represents the clear upper tail of the market where the buyer pool narrows and properties need stronger positioning to sell.

I think of it in two tiers:

Where the Market Stands Right Now

The broader Woodstock-area market ended 2025 closer to balanced but tilting toward buyers. Here are the key numbers from the December 2025 board report:

• Annual home sales: 1,631 (essentially flat year-over-year)
• Annual average price: $627,496 (down 3.6% from 2024)
• MLS® HPI benchmark (single-family): $598,600 (down 7.4% year-over-year)
• Active listings: 533 at end of December, the highest December inventory in over a decade
• Months of inventory: 5.2, well above the long-run December average of 3.4

For the luxury segment specifically, Q4 2025 saw roughly 53 single-detached sales above $800K, making up about 19% of all single-detached sales that quarter. That's down from the pandemic peak of Q4 2021, when about 141 luxury sales represented 35% of the mix, but it shows the segment remains active. Luxury didn't vanish. It just became more selective.

The practical impact: this is a market where luxury buyers have more choice, more time, and more negotiating leverage than they've had in years. Sellers, meanwhile, need strong pricing discipline and well-presented properties to attract the smaller pool of qualified buyers at these price points.

Four Types of Luxury Property in Woodstock and Oxford County

Luxury here falls into four main categories, each with its own appeal and its own considerations.

1. Executive Subdivision Homes

These are the workhorses of the local luxury market. Think newer or extensively upgraded single-detached homes with 2- to 3-car garages, finished basements, pools, and premium lots backing onto green space. Streets like Ridgewood Drive, Masters, Alberni, and Westview Court are where you'll find this type of product.

Recent examples: 427 Masters sold for $1,661,635. 1236 Alberni sold for $1,100,000. 997 Ridgewood Drive sold for $1,191,000 with a pool and premium positioning. 10 Westview Court sold for $940,000. These homes appeal to move-up families and professional households, and they represent the largest share of luxury transactions in Woodstock.

When priced correctly, these sell. The buyer pool is local professionals, families upgrading from starter homes, and relocations from higher-cost markets.

2. River-Adjacent and Acreage Estates

This is where Woodstock and Oxford County genuinely differentiate from denser markets. The ability to buy acreage with river adjacency and real privacy, while staying close to town services, is something you simply can't get in the GTA at any price point.

A good example: 391 Tecumseh Street sold for $950,000 and sits on nearly two acres with proximity to the Thames River. The price-per-square-foot on that property was $493, the highest in recent luxury sales, because so much of the value is in the land itself.

These properties require more due diligence. You're looking at potential floodplain considerations, setbacks, conservation authority regulations, and possibly septic and well systems in rural locations. But for buyers who want land and water, this is the product type that makes Woodstock worth a serious look.

3. Heritage and Character Homes

Woodstock has a stock of older homes where luxury isn't about sheer square footage. It's about craftsmanship, walkability, mature lots, and character that can't be replicated. Some of these cross the $800K threshold based on renovation quality and lot value, though not all heritage homes will.

If you're considering a heritage property at this price point, municipal zoning and site plan controls matter more than usual. Setbacks, addition approvals, parking requirements, and heritage considerations all factor into what you can do with the property after purchase. For a deeper dive on what to watch for, take a look at our guide to buying a century home in Woodstock.

4. New Builds and Custom Infill

Luxury new construction in Woodstock is primarily detached homes in newer growth areas. The total cost of ownership here includes development charges from both the City and the County, which can add significantly to the final price.

If you're weighing a luxury new build against resale, understanding development charges and closing cost differences is essential. Our guide to buying new construction in Woodstock covers that in detail.

Recent Luxury Sales in Woodstock

Here are 10 recent sales above $800,000 in Woodstock. This comp set shows the range of what luxury looks like locally, from executive homes in the low $800s to a $1.19-million property at the top.

A few things stand out. Price-per-square-foot varies widely, from $222 to $493. That spread tells you land and lot quality drive a huge portion of value at this level. The highest $/sq ft in the set is the Tecumseh Street property on nearly two acres, where the land itself is a major part of what you're paying for. One thing worth noting: listed square footage doesn't always include finished basement space, so the actual livable area in some of these homes may be larger than what the numbers suggest. Take $/sq ft as a useful reference point, not a precise apples-to-apples comparison.

The Tier A ($800K to $1M) segment is mostly executive subdivision homes. To break into Tier B ($1M+), you generally need either exceptional interior finish and amenities, a premium lot feature like acreage or river frontage, or a combination of both.

How Woodstock Compares to Nearby Markets

The affordability gap between Woodstock and larger nearby markets remains the biggest structural driver of interest in our luxury segment. Here are 2025 annual average prices across three markets:

The gap is significant enough that a mid-market buyer in Toronto can be a luxury buyer in Woodstock. Someone selling a $1-million home in the GTA has the purchasing power to buy one of the top properties in our market, with money left over.

This isn't theoretical. Relocation from higher-cost markets has been a consistent source of luxury demand here, and it tends to pick up when interest rates stabilize and qualifying capacity improves. For a broader look at what life in Woodstock offers, including neighbourhoods, schools, commute options, and community amenities, our complete guide to living in Woodstock covers it all.

What Luxury Buyers Should Know About Costs

Buying at the higher end of the market brings transaction costs that deserve planning. Here are the main ones.

Property Taxes

The 2025 total residential tax rate for Woodstock is approximately 1.82% (combining City, County, and education components). That rate applies to assessed value, not necessarily market value, but it's a useful estimator. On an $800,000 assessed property, you're looking at roughly $14,500 per year. On a $1-million property, about $18,200.

Ontario Land Transfer Tax

For a $1,000,000 purchase, the provincial land transfer tax comes to $16,475. There is no municipal land transfer tax in Woodstock (unlike Toronto, which adds its own). First-time buyer rebates may apply, though they're capped and may not offset much at luxury price points.

Financing and the Stress Test

As of late January 2026, the Bank of Canada's policy rate sits at 2.25%. That helps, but the mortgage stress test still requires qualifying at the higher of your contract rate plus 2% or the 5.25% floor.

Most luxury purchases involve at least 20% down, putting them in the uninsured mortgage category. This means the stress test qualification rate applies but mortgage insurance premiums do not. The larger down payment requirement is worth planning for, especially if you're selling in another market and coordinating closing dates.

Zoning Considerations

Zoning matters more in luxury because buyers at this level often plan additions, accessory structures like pools or detached garages, or garden suites. Within Woodstock, the City's zoning by-law controls setbacks, heights, lot coverage, and permitted uses. In Oxford County's rural areas, agricultural zoning can set minimum lot sizes as high as 30 hectares, which limits the creation of new estate lots and keeps true rural estate properties relatively scarce. If you're looking at rural property, understanding what you can and can't build is essential before you commit.

Where the Luxury Market Is Heading

Predicting real estate markets is never exact, but looking at the conditions in front of us, there are three reasonable scenarios for the Woodstock luxury segment through 2026 to 2028.

Most Likely: Gradual Normalization

If the policy rate holds around current levels and inventory stays above long-run averages, expect luxury prices to stay roughly flat or move modestly in either direction. Sellers will need strong pricing and presentation. Days on market will stay longer than the mid-market average. Well-positioned properties will sell; overpriced ones will sit.

Optimistic: Renewed Buyer Confidence

If rates hold steady or ease and buyer confidence picks up while listing supply tightens, luxury could see renewed competition for premium lots and amenities. Executive homes in established neighbourhoods would benefit most. Ultra-luxury properties could set new local highs on standout features.

Pessimistic: External Shock

If macro conditions deteriorate through trade disruption, sluggish growth, or credit tightening, the luxury segment becomes less liquid. Sellers face price reductions. The quality gap widens, meaning the best properties in the best locations hold value far better than average product. Short-hold investors are most exposed because of transaction costs (land transfer tax, carrying costs, and longer sales timelines).

Across all three scenarios, the same fundamentals apply: location quality, lot scarcity, and finish level determine how any individual property performs. The luxury market here rewards patience and precision, not speculation.

Key Risks for Luxury Buyers

If you're looking at properties above $800K in Woodstock, here are the specific risks worth understanding:

• Liquidity risk: Fewer buyers at this price point means longer days on market and more sensitivity to pricing and condition. A mispriced luxury home can sit for months.
• Valuation risk: With fewer comparable sales, appraisals can gap. This is especially true for acreage or heavily upgraded homes where no two properties are alike.
• Regulatory risk: Zoning constraints, agricultural parcel policies, and growth boundary decisions can affect both what you can build and the long-term supply of competing properties.
• Carry-cost risk: Higher property taxes, insurance, and maintenance on premium properties mean carrying costs matter more on a per-month basis. This is particularly relevant if you're holding as an investment.

None of these are reasons to avoid luxury. They're reasons to do proper due diligence and work with someone who understands the specific dynamics of this segment in this market.

The Bottom Line

Luxury in Woodstock is not about flash. It's about getting more property, more privacy, and more quality for your money than you'd find in the GTA, Guelph, or London. The current market gives buyers real advantages: more inventory, less competition, and room to negotiate. But luxury homes still require careful evaluation because the stakes are higher, the buyer pool is smaller, and the right property at the wrong price will not move.

If you're considering a luxury property in Woodstock or Oxford County, I'm happy to walk through what's currently available, how specific properties compare, and what the numbers look like for your situation. No pressure. Just the kind of information that helps you make a clear-eyed decision.

Jay Friesen is a REALTOR® based in Woodstock, Ontario, serving buyers and sellers throughout Oxford County. Reach out anytime to start the conversation.