Signs of the much-anticipated spring market finally materialized in June as greater inventory and softer overall values reinvigorated buyer intentions and bolstered demand for detached housing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, according to a new report from ReMax Canada.

ReMax Canada’s 2025 Hot Pocket Communities Report examined 83 markets across the Greater Toronto Area, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2025, and found that almost 23 per cent of markets reported detached housing sales on par or ahead of year-ago levels in the first half of the year, while slightly more than 19 per cent reported an upswing in values.

In terms of sales during the six-month period, the GTA’s 416 area code led in rebounding momentum, with 34.2 per cent of Toronto 416 neighbourhoods experiencing stable or growing activity in the detached home segment – ahead of the GTA’s more suburban 905 area code.

Limited inventory levels in key areas of Greater Vancouver and Toronto proper – especially at affordable price points – are supporting price appreciation in the detached home category.

“After a prolonged period of uncertainty, we’re starting to see slow but building momentum in Canada’s largest real estate markets,” says Don Kottick, president of ReMax Canada. “Buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines for months, prepared and ready to pounce, are finally starting to make their moves. Life moves forward and eventually, necessity dictates action. Sellers are more accommodating as well, often willing to work with buyers to achieve a sale. Timing is crucial, as buyers are well informed and markets appear to have bottomed out.”

Detached home sales in the GTA fell to 13,991 in the first half of the year, according to Toronto Regional Real Estate Board data – the lowest level on record in more than a decade and nearly 34 per cent below the 10-year average. Still, the detached category remains the frontrunner in terms of percentage of overall sales year-to-date, representing the lion’s share of activity at 45.2 per cent of total residential sales in the first six months of the year.

Growing urgency for affordable homes in Toronto was identified by ReMax Canada as a major driver in recent weeks, with many buyers in the $850,000 to $1.2 million price range worried that the window of opportunity is already starting to close.

“In fact, certain microcosms cropping up within Toronto markets – including hot pocket communities such as Leaside, East York, Riverdale, Trinity-Bellwoods, Davisville and Little Italy – are consistently experiencing healthy demand for detached homes,” says Tim Syrianos, broker at ReMax Ultimate Realty Inc. and ReMax Condos Plus. “And while many of those properties will sell in multiple offers, make no mistake – today’s buyers are laser focused on value and will walk away from properties if sellers are unreasonable.”

“Buyers are cautiously re-entering detached housing markets, taking advantage of more balanced market conditions, especially at affordable price points,” says Tim Hill, of Tim Hill and Associates, ReMax All Points Realty. “Most are young professionals who have spent years saving for a downpayment and are well-positioned to now move forward with their purchase plans.”

Greater Toronto Area

While overall housing sales in the GTA have declined compared to year-ago levels, demand for detached housing continues to bolster the market, with the segment representing nearly half of total sales. First-time buyers have been driving detached sales in recent weeks, spurred by the increase in May’s average price, with many realizing that as detached property values rise, the window of opportunity is closing.

Certain microcosms within the Toronto market – including Leaside, East York, Riverdale, Trinity- Bellwoods, High Park, Davisville, and Little Italy – are experiencing healthy activity in the $850,000 to $1.2 million price range, with some properties selling in multiple offers. Average days on market in the central core, for instance, was considerably less than the overall average at this price range, with most homes moving within 19 days during the first six months of the year. The market for homes priced between $1.8 million and $2.2 million is also solid across the city, particularly in established traditional neighbourhoods.