Economic Uncertainty Kept GTA Homebuyers on the Sidelines in September

TORONTO, ONTARIO, October 6, 2026 – Homebuyers were in a holding pattern in September, as uncertainty surrounding the economy, inflation and borrowing costs weighed on Greater Toronto Area (GTA) home sales. 

GTA REALTORS® reported 5,040 home sales through TRREB’s MLS® System in September 2026 – down nine per cent compared to September 2025. New listings entered into the MLS® System amounted to 16,500 – down by 14.4 per cent year-over-year. 

On a seasonally adjusted basis, September 2026 home sales and new listings were down month-over-month compared to August 2026. “Housing is one of the biggest issues on voters’ minds, and the upcoming municipal election will help shape housing policy across the GTA and Simcoe County for the next four years. The decisions our next mayors and councillors make on affordability, housing supply and the costs associated with buying a home can also influence buyer demand and confidence in the market,” said Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) President Daniel Steinfeld. 

The MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) Composite benchmark was down by 4.7 per cent year-over-year in September 2026. The average selling price, at $1,006,409, was down by 5.1 per cent. On a seasonally adjusted basis, both the MLS® HPI Composite and average selling price edged lower month-over-month compared to August 2026. 

“We know there is substantial pent-up demand in the GTA, with many households fully intending on purchasing a home in the months ahead. These would-be homebuyers want to take advantage of today’s more affordable housing market, but they need to be confident that their employment situation will remain solid and inflation will not put pressure on borrowing costs over the long term,” said TRREB Chief Information Officer Jason Mercer.

“Governments must make homeownership more attainable by reducing barriers such as Toronto’s Municipal Land Transfer Tax and opposing its expansion across the GTA and Simcoe County,” said TRREB CEO John DiMichele. “With trade uncertainty and tariffs continuing to affect Canada’s economy, maintaining a strong housing sector is critical to supporting consumer confidence, economic growth, and the significant spin-off spending generated by every MLS® transaction,” continued DiMichele. 

GTA REALTORS® Release August Stats

TORONTO, ONTARIO, September 3, 2026 – The number of homes available for sale in August 2026 was down noticeably compared to last year in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Following this trend, home sales also edged lower, as the number of transactions was arguably limited by less choice in some neighbourhoods. Less choice and more competition between buyers could ultimately result in renewed price growth in the months ahead. 

GTA REALTORS® reported 5,057 home sales through TRREB’s MLS® System in August 2026 – down 2.1 per cent compared to August 2025. New listings entered into the MLS® System amounted to 12,075 – down by 14.1 per cent year-over-year. 

On a seasonally adjusted basis, August 2026 home sales were down slightly month-over-month compared to July 2026, while new listings were up. 

“If inventory tightens and home prices begin to rise, some buyers may face a trade-off between waiting for greater economic certainty and purchasing before prices move higher. At the same time, improving market conditions for sellers could bring more listings to market, providing buyers with additional choice,” said Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) President Daniel Steinfeld. 

The MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) Composite benchmark was down by 4.5 per cent year-over-year in August 2026. The average selling price, at $993,410, was down by 2.7 per cent. On a month-over-month seasonally adjusted basis, MLS® HPI Composite was essentially flat compared to July 2026. The average selling price edged up over the previous month. 

“Ownership housing in the GTA has remained relatively affordable over the past year, with average prices dipping and mortgage rates remaining somewhat flat. Recent news on the overall economy and job creation has been positive. The main hold-back for many households has been concerns around trade with the United States and the potential for higher inflation and borrowing costs in the future,”said TRREB’s Chief Information Officer Jason Mercer.

“A more balanced resale market is a positive development, but it does not address Ontario’s ongoing housing supply and affordability challenges. Governments should take advantage of this opportunity to eliminate barriers to attainable housing, including restrictive zoning policies, high taxes and development charges, and lengthy approval processes. Municipalities, in particular, play a significant role in determining how much housing is built, how quickly projects move forward, and the overall cost of delivering homes,” said TRREB CEO John DiMichele. 

GTA REALTORS Release May Stats

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) resale housing market tightened in May 2026 compared to last year. Sales increased year-over-year, whereas new listings declined over the same period. As standing inventory has been absorbed, competition between buyers has likely increased in some neighbourhoods. This should see the price trend flatten and ultimately trend upwards in the months ahead.

“Spring sales have been stronger than last year, reflecting improved affordability stemming from lower selling prices and borrowing costs. Sales are forecast to improve further as we move through the second half of this year. Recovery would be further bolstered by positive news on the trade front along with an easing of geopolitical tensions and related uncertainty,” said TRREB President Daniel Steinfeld.

“Inventory levels trended lower over the past year, but buyers continued to have substantial negotiating power through the spring, helping with affordability. Looking ahead, if sales strengthen further relative to listings, selling prices will level off and even start to grow as we move into 2027,” said TRREB Chief Information Officer Jason Mercer.

GTA REALTORS® reported 6,583 home sales through TRREB’s MLS® System in May 2026 – an increase of 6.3 per cent compared to May 2025. New listings entered into the MLS® System amounted to 17,698 – down by 18.9 per cent year-over-year.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, May 2026 home sales were up by 10 per cent month-over-month compared to April 2026 and new listings were down by 2.1 per cent – pointing to a monthly tightening of market conditions as well.

The MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) Composite benchmark was down by 6.7 per cent year-over-year in May 2026. The average selling price, at $1,069,700, was down by 4.6 per cent compared to May 2025.

On a month-over-month seasonally adjusted basis the average selling price was up slightly compared to April 2026 and the MLS® HPI Composite edged slightly lower.

“TRREB supports Bill 98, the Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2026, which contains a simple but critical truth: if we want more attainable housing, we need to make it easier, faster, and less expensive to build homes. Many of the concrete measures contained in Bill 98 align with recommendations in TRREB’s recently released policy report, Removing Roadblocks: Tackling Municipal Barriers to Housing Supply and Affordability in Ontario,” said TRREB Chief Executive Officer John DiMichele.