Market Media Monday - January 26, 2026

A curated list of recent headlines relevant to real estate in Canada or locally, with short excerpts. Click each headline link to read the full article on the source site.

[ Real estate market expected to remain 'buyer friendly' ]
"Buyers heading into the spring market have a “meaningful advantage” over last year, namely lower borrowing costs, stable or lower property prices, and choice, Royal LePage president and CEO Phil Soper reports. “Together, these conditions are creating a genuine window of opportunity, particularly for first-time buyers in Canada’s most expensive markets,” he says."

[ What a likely Bank of Canada rate hold means for buyers, sellers and mortgages in 2026 ]
"For buyers, sellers and those renewing their mortgage at the start of 2026, Canada’s housing market faces a very different interest rate environment compared to a year ago, with economists in general agreement that the Bank of Canada (BoC) is likely in a holding pattern."

[ Warren Buffett’s buy-and-hold real estate lesson — and why it still matters for Canadian homeowners ]
"That quiet, steady approach offers an important lesson to Canadian investors — especially at a time when real estate is often treated as a short-term speculation rather than a long-term decision. Here’s where Buffett’s strategy really shows its success, and how it can apply north of the border."

[ Rental market swings back in tenants’ favour with lower prices and move-in incentives ]
"Landlords across Canada are increasingly dangling such incentives, along with other common perks like free parking, waived pet fees and moving allowances, to compete for new tenants. After a post-pandemic surge in rental costs, real estate watchers say the scales have tipped back in favour of renters amid falling prices, higher vacancy rates, and uncertainty in the housing market overall. "

#Terminology Tuesday: Freehold

"Freehold" refers to the form of property ownership where the buyer owns both the building and the land it sits on outright. When you purchase a freehold property, you are not paying ongoing fees to a landlord or condominium corporation for maintenance or ownership of the structure or the land itself. Your ownership is registered on title and continues indefinitely, subject only to laws, zoning, and municipal regulations. Simply put, "freehold" is what most people mean when they say they "own a property."

Freehold properties most commonly include detached homes, semi-detached homes, townhouses (non-condo), and rural properties. As the owner, you are responsible for all maintenance, repairs, insurance, and property taxes. You also generally have more freedom to renovate or modify the property, provided changes comply with local bylaws and building codes in Ontario.

It’s important to note that some properties may be listed as freehold but still have a condominium element and ongoing payment, via a common elements condominium corporation. We'll look at that next week.  

This content was generated with some AI contribution reviewed/edited for accuracy.

Market Media Monday - January 19, 2026

A curated list of recent headlines relevant to real estate in Canada or locally, with short excerpts. Click each headline link to read the full article on the source site.

[ Trade war jitters send Canadian housing market into year-end slump, CREA reports ]
"The Canadian Real Estate Association expects national home sales to grow 5.1 per cent in 2026, marking a rebound from last year’s tariff-induced slowdown in the market."

[ Canada's luxury home market remains stable as prices hold up ]
"Engel & Völkers has released its 2025 Year-End Canadian Luxury Real Estate Market Report, and it shows Canada’s luxury markets are no longer moving in lockstep. Instead, the luxury market has become much more regionalized, with performance increasingly reflecting local fundamentals, including employment stability, housing supply, investor activity, pricing relative to incomes and lifestyle appeal."

[ Housing starts up 5.6% in 2025 from 2024 ]
"Nationally, the housing starts total for all areas in Canada in 2025 was 259,028, the fifth highest annual total on record and up 5.6% compared to 2024 (245,367). Actual 2025 housing starts in centres of 10,000 population and over were up 6%, with 241,171 units recorded, compared to 227,697 in 2024, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). These increases were driven by a second consecutive year of record rental housing starts which made up just over half of all housing starts in Canada’s urban centres."

[ Mortgage renewers take note: there's never been a better time to switch lenders ]
"Robert McLister: Record renewal volumes and weak home sales are keeping lenders hungry, discounts are historically strong, flexibility is more important than ever and the menu of mortgage options has never been larger."

Can a REALTOR® help you find a place to rent?

You might be surprised, but yes.  A real estate professional can show you any rental property or unit listed in the local MLS® system and help to write an offer to lease it and typically get paid by the landlord via the listing brokerage, just like when someone is buying a home.  I've helped clients with these from time to time.

The main limitation is that the majority of MLS® listings are for sale, not for rent.  So our selection might be somewhat limited, compared to properties advertised directly by landlords. 

And landlords who are leasing the property themselves are also significantly less inclined to pay any commission than someone selling, so if you want a professional's help on one of these, you might have to pay your agent's commission yourself.  A typical commission is half a month's rent.

Many real estate agents don't actively pursue rental business, and some simply refuse it, because the work involved is the same as a property sale (if not more sometimes) for significantly less money.  It sounds cold, but it's true. 

Personally, I'm willing to work with rental clients, so if you know someone who's looking to rent, I'd be happy to have a conversation with them and show them anything that might be suitable within the MLS® listing inventory as a starting point. 

There might not be anything available that fits, but you never know... there just might be something there for them.

#Terminology Tuesday: Title Insurance

Title Insurance is a one-time insurance policy that protects homeowners and lenders against certain problems related to a property’s title or ownership. In Canada, it is commonly purchased when buying or refinancing a home and remains in effect for as long as you own the property. Unlike most insurance, there are no ongoing premiums.

This coverage can protect against issues such as title fraud, errors or omissions in public records, unknown liens, encroachments, zoning or building permit problems, and mistakes made during the closing process. If a covered issue arises, the policy can help pay legal costs and financial losses, providing peace of mind long after the transaction is complete.

Title Insurance does not replace a lawyer’s role in a real estate transaction; instead, it works alongside legal due diligence as an added layer of protection. For many homeowners, it offers a cost-effective safeguard against risks that may not be discoverable at the time of purchase but could be expensive to resolve later, without the need to a property survey.

[ Read more on the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario's site. ]

This content was generated with AI assistance and reviewed/edited for accuracy.

Market Media Monday - January 12, 2026

A curated list of recent headlines relevant to real estate in Canada or locally, with short excerpts. Click each headline link to read the full article on the source site.

[ Sales in Canadian housing market, including GTA, saw drop not seen in decades ]
"According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), there were 62,433 home sales in the GTA last year, down 11.2% when compared to 2024. In fact, the GTA hasn’t seen a number this low since 2000, when 60,783 properties traded hands."

[ ‘It’s going to get worse in Ontario:’ Here’s what experts predict will happen to the housing market in 2026 ]
"While some real estate firms are predicting slight rises in home prices in major markets across the country this coming year, several cities in Ontario and British Columbia are not included in those hopeful predictions."

[ Recreational property markets stabilize as domestic purchasers return ]
"As the turbulent headwinds associated with COVID-19 continue to subside, recreational real estate agents across B.C. and Alberta are welcoming a return to consistency that’s being driven largely by domestic investment."

Market Media Monday - January 5, 2026

A curated list of recent headlines relevant to real estate in Canada or locally, with short excerpts. Click each headline link to read the full article on the source site.

[ 'Somewhere to put worker bees': Why Canada's micro-condos are losing their appeal ] 
"The downturn has reignited debate over whether developers catered too much to real estate investors by building smaller, more affordable units that minimised square footage to keep prices low in areas where land values are high, and which were often designed to be rented out or flipped for profit."

[ Housing and interest rate forecasts for 2026 ] 
"Looking ahead, most forecasters expect the recovery to continue, but at a measured pace. While lower borrowing costs should support demand, higher household debt loads, renewal pressures and uneven regional conditions are expected to keep the market from overheating."