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The REMAX Fall 2026 Canadian Housing Market Outlook finds 65% of Canadians would make at least one compromise to afford a larger or more suitable home, including living farther from a city centre.
Another 63% would relocate to a home that better meets their needs, including 47% who would move up to an hour from their current community while another 16% would move even farther.
The report found 31% would live farther from a city centre, and 21% would live farther from shops, restaurants and other amenities.
The outlook also found that 41% would cut discretionary spending to afford a home, while 24% would extend their mortgage amortization.
“People are showing a willingness to relax where it is they want to live,” said Don Kottick, President of REMAX Canada.
“In terms of they’re willing to give up discretionary spending to get into the game or just go a little farther in terms of recruiting to find that house that meets their criteria.”
Buyers are also reconsidering properties themselves, with 20% willing to purchase an older home or one requiring renovations.
One in five Canadians would take money from a family member to buy a home
The report says 20% would accept financial help from family, and 17% would take on a second job or additional income source, and another 17% would delay retirement or other long-term savings.
“Once again this report just reaffirms that home ownership is near and dear to the culture of Canadians to the point that even if it’s somehow difficult to get in the game – if it’s an affordability aspect – people are kind of willing to go to creative ways to try and get into the housing market,” said Kottick.
“Regardless of what we’re hearing out there. Most Canadians aspire to home ownership in some degree or another.”
Buyer-favourable conditions have become more widespread, with 32% of markets analyzed expected to sit firmly in buyers’ territory this fall, compared to just 15.2% a year ago, while 22% expected to be a sellers market.
According to data and insights from REMAX brokers and agents surveyed for the report, home sales declined year over year in 81% of markets analyzed between Jan. 1- July 31, 2026, while average residential prices increased in 56% cent of markets.
Affordability remains the top consideration when choosing where to buy, cited by 60% of respondents, followed by neighbourhood safety at 47%.
REMAX Canada’s fall outlook adjusted to sales finishing approximately 2% below 2025 levels , based on expectations provided by REMAX brokers and agents.
“I think we have some major headwinds that we need to look at,” said Kottick. “If we could ever get our government to resolve the tariff issues that would go a long way to seeing the market take off. I think the other aspect is the price of oil so if the war ever resolved that would remove another major headwind. And the other thing is interest rates. There’s a general thinking out there that interest rates are at the bottom. But coming into the fall market, there could be an opportunity now with rates starting to creep up towards the end of 2026 and into 2027 so we might see some savvy buyers view this as an opportunity as well.”
Regionally, the GTA remains a buyers’ market, with average residential prices down 5.1% year over year and sales essentially flat.