Realty Check issue 11: Spring is here, but the market isn’t (yet). Here’s what you should know. From the founders: subdued spring market The spring market is usually a time of renewed activity, but people’s ongoing anxiety about the state of the world is subduing expectations. People are no longer expecting housing to be a guaranteed investment, and that uncertainty is showing in the past month’s sales activity. Buyers are taking longer to decide, asking more questions, and looking beyond price to understand what homeownership actually means for them long term. For real estate professionals, this is an opportunity to refocus conversations on what really matters: Is this a home your client can live in for the long term? Do they fully understand their closing costs? What do best- and worst-case scenarios actually look like? We always believe that clarity and transparency are crucial in an emotionally and financially charged purchase like homebuying and selling. Having honest conversations with your client, backed by data, will help you build an honest profile of where they’re at and help them move forward with trust and confidence. Joel Fox COO Market snapshot: Ontario was on pause in March The Toronto Region Board of Trade shows a slight uptick, until you dive deeper GTA realtors reported 5,039 home sales through TRREB’s MLS system in March 2026, a 1.7% increase compared to March 2025. At first glance, that sounds like momentum is building. But new listings totalled 14,442 — down 16.7% year-over-year, pointing to a more cautious market on both sides. OREA shows that home sales are holding, but still well below normal Residential sales activity in Ontario reached 12,424 units in March 2026, down just 0.2% from March 2025. But zooming out, sales were 24.1% below the five-year average and 36.7% below the 10-year average, reinforcing how far activity still has to go. Our take: Even with prices declining in many of Canada’s biggest markets (including Ontario), activity isn’t moving meaningfully, with many would-be sellers worried about taking a loss, and would-be buyers concerned about the economy and tariff surprises. We’re in a waiting game, and it will likely take clearer signals on the economy, job stability and confidence returning before activity picks up in a meaningful way. On our radar Ontario’s HST rebate was one of the biggest pieces of news in the budget, but what does it actually mean for you and your clients? We love this breakdown on when to expect it to come into effect, how it impacts pre-build purchases and understanding how it can save people money. Everyone talks about the impact of falling prices on the housing market, but one often-overlooked group could fundamentally change how the market operates: singles. Even with a surplus of solo-homeowner-ready condos, unaffordability is still impacting this growing demographic; our COO, Joel Fox, unpacks the long-term effects. Ownright in the news The Budgette chatted with Ownright about the oft-overlooked importance of lawyers in the real estate closing process, and how tech is changing real estate. Canadian Mortgage Professional Canadian Mortgage Professional asked for our thoughts on why Canadians aren’t falling for falling home prices at this time. In his monthly RENX column, Joel writes about what’s really important to Canadians in a market with falling prices. Client spotlight: A first home, years in the making After years of renting, Melissa Williams, a single mother of two, was ready to make a long-held goal a reality. She and her children spent more than four years saving, even downsizing their living space, to put themselves in a position to finally buy a home of their own. The journey wasn’t without uncertainty. She wasn’t sure she would qualify for a mortgage, but with the support of her broker and agent (who she said was available “24/7 and never let us feel discouraged,”), things moved quickly. When a home they had previously viewed dropped into her price range, they acted fast and had an accepted offer that same night. “Once I got the green light, everything fell into place. It still feels surreal.” She found Ownright through a Google search, and what stood out immediately was the clarity and responsiveness. From receiving a same-day quote to navigating the closing process online, everything felt easy to follow. The entire process was so convenient. I always knew what I needed to do and when. There was no guessing. M Melissa Ownright client The Ownright advantage Have a client in need of a real estate lawyer? We'd love to support them. Refer a client now About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Ownright Inc. 545 King Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1M1