In the City of Toronto, according to the Royal LePage® House Price Survey and Market Forecast, the aggregate(1) price of a home decreased 4.8 per cent year over year to $1,070,600 in the first quarter of 2026. On a quarterly basis, however, the aggregate price of a home in the GTA increased a modest 0.7 per cent. Meanwhile, the median price of a single-family detached home in Toronto decreased 9.7 per cent year over year to $1,528,900, while the median price of a condominium decreased 3.8 per cent to $660,600.

Uncertainty around interest rates has prompted a small segment of first-time buyers to enter the market in recent weeks. With fixed mortgage rates increasing amid pressure on bond yields, many are choosing to act now while they have a favourable mortgage rate locked in place, before their loan pre-approvals expire.

The Toronto spring real estate market is steadily building momentum, marked by a modest year-over-year increase in home sales at the close of the first quarter. However, month-over-month price growth remains flat, as high inventory levels keep the market balanced.

“In a typical spring, Canada’s housing market would already be gaining momentum, but persistently low consumer confidence remains a drag on activity – especially in our most expensive markets,” said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage. “That hesitation is being driven by uncertainty beyond our borders. For many Canadians, the headlines are hard to ignore.”

That sentiment can be seen in a Bank of Canada survey conducted in the fourth quarter of 2025, where Canadians were asked when they believe Canada–U.S. trade tensions had - or will have - the greatest impact on the economy and inflation. Half of respondents (50%) indicated that the most significant effects are still to come, while 27 per cent believe the worst has already passed.(2)

“First-time buyers are the engine of the housing market, and when they pause, it ripples through every segment. Move-up buyers are also taking a more measured approach, often choosing to sell before committing to their next purchase; a behaviour we haven’t seen in years. 

This stands in contrast to the previous year's spring market, which underperformed. Current stable pricing and healthy inventory levels are attracting buyers, establishing a foundation for more robust activity in 2026. Although buyers are actively researching the market, most are not yet making aggressive offers.

Royal LePage is forecasting that the aggregate price of a home in the Greater Toronto Area will decrease 4.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2026, compared to the same quarter last year.

1 Aggregate prices are calculated using a weighted average of the median values of all housing types collected. Data is provided by RPS Real Property Solutions and includes both resale and new build.
2 Canadian Survey of Consumer Expectations—Fourth Quarter of 2025, Bank of Canada, January 19th, 2026

For some homeowners, traditional emergency savings can feel rigid or hard to maintain. It can help to think of them as “freedom funds” instead. The language matters because it changes the way the savings are framed, moving it from something fear-based to something empowering. 

Instead of saving for worst-case scenarios, a freedom fund creates breathing room around your finances. It gives you peace of mind, knowing you have a cushion when expenses come up and you’re better prepared to handle financial pressure.

One of the easiest ways to build savings is by setting up dedicated funds for specific expenses. You might have one for home repairs, travel, and seasonal expenses like back-to-school shopping or holidays. You can also get specific, either saving for a trip, ongoing car expenses, or a larger purchase you’ve been planning.

What makes this approach work is that you’re not trying to save one large lump sum every month. Instead, you decide how much to put into each category based on what’s coming up. Those amounts can shift throughout the year, and over time you get a clearer sense of what needs topping up.

Many banks now make this easier by offering separate savings buckets within your existing accounts, all viewable through your phone app.

It’s a more flexible way to save, and for many people it’s easier to stick with. Even small, consistent contributions can take the pressure off when expenses come up.

That’s what makes a freedom fund so useful. Having savings in place means fewer financial surprises turn into stressful times, and that can make a real difference in how you move through daily life.

With travel costs continuing to rise, summer at home can be an opportunity to do things differently. Instead of seeing it as a compromise, it can be a chance to create a space that feels relaxing, and tailored to how you like to spend your time.

For homeowners with backyards, it can be as simple as building around how you already like to spend time outside. That might mean setting up a comfortable spot for morning coffee, adding a table for outdoor meals, or creating an area where friends can gather on summer evenings. 

Simple additions like a portable pizza oven, rolling bar cart, or even a stock tank plunge pool can make a backyard feel more inviting. A small solar-powered fountain can add ambience. Outdoor movie nights are another easy upgrade using an inexpensive projector and a white sheet as a screen. String lights, outdoor rugs, and oversized floor cushions can help make the area feel comfortable.

For condo owners, balconies can be just as purposeful. A railing bar ledge can create space for outdoor dining. Vertical herb walls, solar lanterns, compact hammock chairs, and self-watering planters can transform a compact space. Outdoor movie nights work just as well with a blank wall doubling as your screen.

The best part is that none of these ideas require a major renovation or large budget. Creating a space that feels restful and enjoyable will make a summer at home feel like its own kind of oasis.

There are details about your home you don’t think about until you need them. How old is the water heater? When was the roof last inspected? What was the name of the plumber who fixed that leak last fall?

These details often end up scattered across inboxes, drawers, or on scraps of paper. Over time, they become harder to find, especially when something needs attention quickly. What should be a simple repair can turn into a frustrating search through old receipts, warranty papers, or email archives.

That’s where Royal LePage’s Home Handbook can make a difference. It’s a place to keep track of important information like installation dates, warranties, service history, and contact details for contractors.

It can also be useful for smaller details like furnace filter schedules, paint colours, appliance model numbers, or seasonal reminders like when to shut off outdoor water lines.

Having everything in one place makes things easier to manage. It’s one less thing to think about, and it brings a little more peace of mind knowing that when something comes up, you’ll be able to find what you need without the scramble.

To help you get started, we’ve created a printable template you can use to build your own Home Handbook.
Click here to grab your copy!

Since 2023, the Royal LePage® Shelter Foundation™ has proudly supported the work of the Moose Hide Campaign, a grassroots, Indigenous-led movement to end gender-based violence which is grounded in ceremony, healing, and collective action.

By pinning a small square of moose hide or animal-free fabric to their lapel, the wearer signifies a commitment to honouring, respecting and protecting the women and children in their life and working together to end violence against all those along the gender continuum.

Every moose hide pin is a gift of medicine that sparks conversations, strengthens commitments, and builds safer communities across Canada. Over 7.5 million pins have been shared, more than 500,000 people have been welcomed into Moosehide ceremonies, and in 2024 alone, age-appropriate education and cultural learning was delivered to more than 380,000 youth.

Expanding our Work Together

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is pleased to announce a gift of $10,000 to fund distribution of the Moose Hide Campaign’s we are medicine online learning course to shelters across Canada. This investment will ensure that frontline shelter staff — many of whom support Indigenous women and families — have access to a culturally relevant, trauma-informed training resource they could not otherwise afford.

Research shows that when service providers receive culturally competent training, care becomes more trusted, effective, and healing. With hundreds of rural, remote and northern communities across Canada facing financial challenges, this gift will support shelter staff who need it most in creating safer spaces, breaking cycles of violence, and building stronger bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

As part of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s enduring commitment to creating safe homes and stronger communities, this new partnership with the Moose Hide Campaign aims to extend and deepen our impact in communities where women and children face some of the highest rates of violence, and Indigenous women are at disproportionate risk. Working together, we can ensure that every family, in every region of Canada, has the opportunity to live free from violence.

Visit moosehidecampaign.ca to learn more about this initiative.