Housing market forecast: What buyers and sellers should expect in 2026, according to Re/Max

ReMax Canada expects national home sales to increase by 3.4 per cent next year, with demand from potential homebuyers and built-up inventory creating sales.

TORONTO — Strong demand among potential homebuyers and built up inventory could pave the way for a sales rebound in 2026 after a roller-coaster year plagued by economic uncertainty.

Re/Max Canada released its 2026 housing market outlook on Wednesday, projecting national home sales to increase 3.4 per cent next year.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel following a decline in home sales from coast to coast in 2025,” it said in a news release.

The forecast comes as a Leger survey commissioned by Re/Max said one in 10 Canadians plan to buy a home in the next 12 months, half of them for the first time. That’s up from seven per cent in the fall.

One-quarter said they believe the market in their region will become more affordable next year.

“Amid looming economic clouds, Canadians are maintaining their interest in home ownership,” said Re/Max Canada president Don Kottick in a statement.

“The resilience that began to emerge in the fall is anticipated to continue into 2026, with first-time buyers in particular finding creative ways to save and enter the market.”

The report said home sales fell year-over-year in 32 of 38 markets analyzed between January and October.

Families, new Canadians, and retirees drove a larger share of sales in 2025 than the prior year, when first-time buyers led sales across most Canadian markets.

“Time will tell how the buyer profile shifts we’ve seen over the past year will influence overall homebuying decisions,” said Kottick.

But inventory has grown as new listings increased year-over-year across all regions, including a 21 per cent increase in Ontario.

There were 189,000 properties listed for sale across Canada at the end of October, according to the latest data from the Canadian Real Estate Association, up 7.2 per cent from a year earlier.

Re/Max said this has helped lead to balanced conditions that should entice buyers, with average prices expected to fall 3.7 per cent in 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2025.