Detached housing shook off first-quarter malaise and came back swinging in the second quarter of 2026, as sharper pricing and narrowing bid-ask spreads pulled buyers back into the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley real estate markets.
REMAX Canada examined 83 markets across the Greater Toronto Area, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley between January 1 and June 30, 2026 and found that 61 per cent (51/83) reported detached housing sales ahead of year-ago levels in the first half of the year, while just six per cent of markets (5/83) posted increases in values.
Prices remain flat while sales climb
REMAX identified Fraser Valley as having the strongest sales activity, with detached housing sales up across all six communities: Abbotsford, Mission, White Rock/South Surrey, Langley, Delta North, and the City of Surrey, with four of the markets reporting gains in the double digits.
Communities in Toronto’s 416 area code posted solid growth, with 60 per cent (21/35) reporting an increase in detached home-buying activity. Greater Vancouver followed with nearly 59 per cent of areas (10/17) recording an uptick in sales. The two strongest markets – Greater Vancouver’s New Westminster and the GTA’s Newtonbrook West/Willowdale West/Westminster-Branson/Lansing-Westgate (C07) – recorded sales gains of more than 50 per cent.
REMAX agents and brokers have reported that, while activity is starting to increase, buyers are still taking a cautious approach, given some uncertainties on the economic front, but life moves forward and necessity dictates action prompting buyers to make moves particularly amid more favourable conditions.
With most markets reporting prices below year-ago levels, opportunity exists, and those who can are taking advantage of some of the best values in years, while others find the narrowed trade-up gap an enticing impetus.
Overall, the GTA (comprising the 416 and 905 regions combined) reported that 60 per cent of all communities analyzed (36/60) experienced a year-over-year increase in detached housing sales. Select a region below to explore the top performing markets.
Toronto proper matched the overall GTA trend with 21/35 markets (60 per cent) recording an upswing in sales, while Toronto’s west end (W-district) posted slightly stronger momentum with 70 per cent of markets (7/10) noting sales growth from January to June year-over-year.
Overall detached inventory levels are dwindling as more product is absorbed which could place upward pressure on values in the future. In the GTA, new listings in the detached segment hovered at 8,470, with the 416-area code representing 1,986 units in June 2026. During the same period in 2025, there were 9,307 detached homes listed for sale in the GTA, with 2,096 detached homes in Toronto.
Detached Housing Values, Trends Across All Markets
Detached values told a different story, with just five markets of 83 (six per cent) reporting price growth year-over-year. The bulk of markets reporting price gains were reported in Greater Toronto (4/5), with two markets in the central core and two in the West Toronto seeing an uptick in values. Only one other market – Port Moody/Belcarra – in Greater Vancouver posted an increase in median price. Price appreciation was modest in all markets recording an increase.
Most Affordable Communities
Affordable housing options remain sought after throughout the GTA, GVA and Fraser Valley. The most affordable communities, based on lowest average/median price for a detached home.
Trends Shaping the Market
Affordability and relative value are driving detached housing activity. Across the GTA, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, buyers are re-engaging in areas where prices have softened, selection has improved, and the cost of moving up has become more attainable. For example, in Vancouver, trade up buyers are willing to lose on the sale on their existing home because the home that they’re purchasing has seen a greater loss.
Market re-entry is largely value driven. Buyers are not chasing the market the same way they were during the pandemic. They’re doing the math, identifying opportunities, and move when the price, property and neighbourhood make sense.
The market is comprised of real buyers, not emotional buyers. The people transacting today are focused on value, lifestyle and long-term positioning. That is a much healthier foundation than the frenzy we experienced a few years back, but it also means recovery will be measured, uneven and highly dependent on local economic conditions.
Luxury bargain hunters are also on the lookout for once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Case in point is the uptick in Vancouver West where sales rose 23.3 per cent from 296 in the first half of 2025 to 365 in 2026 – Median price in the area is over $3 million. Similar findings in the GTA where sales in the C12 district including the prestigious Bridle Path area rose 26.8 per cent year-over-year and average price hovers at $4,246,736.
Capital deployment at the top end of the market has also sparked recreational sales including Greater Vancouver’s Whistler/Pemberton market where 58 sales occurred in the first six months of 2026, up 20.8 per cent. Median values hovered at $2.6 million.
The gap between buyers and sellers is narrowing but caution remains. Delayed spring activity gained momentum in the second quarter of 2026, with more well-priced detached properties changing hands. However, economic uncertainty, financing concerns, and elevated carrying costs continue to influence buyer behavior.
Demand is strongest in affordable and value-oriented pockets. In the GTA, activity is concentrated in communities where detached homes remain relatively attainable, including Toronto’s West End, North Toronto pockets such as Newtonbook West, Willowdale West, Westminster-Branson and Lansing-Westgate (C07), where values hover at $1,650,000, and the 905 area code where homes are priced between $1 million and $1.5 million.
TO READ FULL EXTENSIVE REPORT WITH COMPLETE REGIONAL SUMMARIES, INCLUDING CHARTS & MAPS, CLICK HERE
SOURCE, REMAX
To learn more, visit REMAX CANADA
