Buyers return to detached homes as prices hold steady across major markets

Detached homebuyers are returning to many Greater Toronto Area, Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley markets, even as prices remain largely unchanged, according to a new report from Remax Canada.

The 2026 Hot Pocket Communities Report found detached home sales increased in 61 per cent of the 83 communities it analyzed during the first half of the year, while only five markets posted gains in home values. 

The report points to improving affordability and a narrowing gap between buyer and seller expectations.

“While we’re seeing warming momentum, buyer behaviour has shifted in tune with a recovering market,” said Don Kottick, president of Remax Canada. “Value, affordability, lifestyle and opportunity are the primary drivers.”

Buyers become more selective

Economic uncertainty continues to influence housing activity, but buyers are showing greater willingness to act when properties are priced appropriately, the report said. Detached homes that entered the market at competitive prices attracted stronger interest as the delayed spring market gathered momentum.

Kottick said today’s purchasers are approaching transactions with a long-term outlook rather than making emotional decisions. Buyers are “prepared and selective,” he said, adding that many are waiting for the “right product, right community, right price” before making an offer.

Fraser Valley posts broad-based gains

The Fraser Valley recorded the strongest detached home sales growth among the regions studied, with all six communities analyzed reporting year-over-year increases.

Delta North led the region with a 21.4 per cent increase in detached sales, followed closely by White Rock/South Surrey at 20.5 per cent. Across Greater Vancouver, 10 of 17 communities posted sales gains, led by New Westminster, where detached home sales climbed 58.1 per cent. Vancouver West and Whistler/Pemberton also recorded increases.

The report said detached demand has strengthened as improved affordability encourages more buyers to consider moving up the property ladder, while elevated condominium inventory and softer demand continue to weigh on the broader housing market.

Toronto markets regain momentum

Detached home sales also picked up across much of the Greater Toronto Area, with 36 of the 60 communities analyzed reporting year-over-year gains. Toronto proper mirrored that trend, with sales increasing in 21 of the city’s 35 markets.

The strongest-performing area was the city’s C07 district — including Newtonbrook West, Willowdale West, Westminster-Branson and Lansing-Westgate — where detached sales rose 52.5 per cent from a year earlier. Nearby C14 also recorded sales growth of more than 30 per cent, while higher-end neighbourhoods such as St. Andrews-Windfields and Bridle Path-Sunnybrook-York Mills saw more affluent buyers take advantage of softer pricing to move up.

Local markets tell different stories

While detached home sales have strengthened across many communities, the report suggests conditions continue to vary widely from one neighbourhood to another.

Overall inventory remains healthy, giving buyers more choice, but Kottick said some sought-after neighbourhoods are beginning to tighten as available homes are absorbed. Certain “blue-chip neighbourhoods” are already seeing lower days on market and, in some cases, multiple offers, he said.

As detached inventory continues to decline in some markets, the report suggests upward pressure on prices could emerge, particularly in more affordable communities where demand continues to build.

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