What We Are Seeing From the Field

In the News

We always get a kick out of some of the headlines we see about Toronto real estate.

We get it—journalists need to grab attention, and a dramatic headline is a great way to get people clicking and reading.

The problem? Sometimes those catchy titles can lead to a misunderstanding of the facts, which can stir confusion and even impact the market itself.

So, we thought we’d share a couple of recent headlines and offer some context. We’d love to hear your take, too! Feel free to reply to this email or give us a call. It’s always refreshing to hear perspectives from outside the Toronto real estate bubble we live in every day.

Headline: “Buyers offering way under asking price for homes in most parts of Toronto Area”

You might assume that prices have dropped significantly—but is that really the case? The truth is, listing strategies are always changing.

When a home sells “over asking,” it’s often just selling for market value. In many neighbourhoods, sellers will price a home below its true value to attract more buyers and spark competition. The goal? Drive the price up and sell “over asking.”

But that doesn’t always work.

Sometimes the market doesn’t respond, and the seller re-lists at a higher price with room to negotiate downward—closer to true market value. It all depends on the neighbourhood, timing, and what strategy is working that week. If we look at the average value of a home in the City of Toronto comparing March to February of 2025, the price has actually increased by 2.2%, which would prove that prices are not tumbling.

The market is always shifting and that’s why it’s extremely important to hire a professional who works in the market 7 days a week (that’s us!).

Headline: “Canadian Mortgage Arrears Climb To The Highest Rate Since 2021”

At first glance, that headline may have you thinking Canada is in serious trouble and homeowners are dropping their keys at the bank. But let’s take a breath and look at the facts.

First, a quick reminder: a mortgage is technically in arrears if a payment is just one day late. That’s it! And while the term sounds scary, it’s one of the most misunderstood economic indicators out there.

Yes, rising costs have made it harder for many households to stay perfectly on track. And yes, sometimes a late payment happens—not always because someone can’t afford their home, but because there’s simply less wiggle room these days.

Let’s look at the actual data:
The Canadian Bankers Association recently reported that the mortgage arrears rate in Canada rose slightly to 0.22% in January. That’s a 57% increase from the record low in 2022—but still well below 1%.

So, is that really a sign of mass panic? Or just a small shift in a very large system?

If you know us, you know we’re generally glass-half-full kind of guys. Of course, we never want to see anyone default on a mortgage—but let’s not let scary headlines paint an exaggerated picture. This is more of a blip than a crisis, in our humble opinion.

Do you have any other headlines that you’d like for us to analyze and provide perspective? Feel free to send them our way!

What We Are Seeing From the Field

Opportunity Knocks – On Multi-Unit Doors

Toronto’s multi-unit housing market is in a sweet spot, but the clock is ticking. Prices dipped when interest rates jumped, leaving investors struggling to make rental income work. But here’s the thing: rates have started to drop, more rate decreases are expected, and new lending rules have slashed down payment requirements—making NOW a prime opportunity before prices shoot back up.

How Much of a Difference Does This Make?

Let’s break it down with a real-world example on a $1.2M multi-unit home in Toronto:

Key Takeaways:

Drastically Lower Down Payment – Saving for a home has become harder with rising costs, but now you need $145K LESS upfront to get into the market. That’s nearly 5 years’ worth of savings for an average couple making $200K/year (assuming a 15% savings rate).

Waiting Could Cost You Big Time – If home prices conservatively rise just 3% per year, this same $1.2M home could be worth approximately $1.4M in five years. Why wait to pay more later?

“But What About the Monthly Mortgage Payment?”

We get it—$5,500/month isn’t pocket change. But what if a tenant helped cover a big chunk of that?

House Hack Your Way to Homeownership:
Let’s say you buy a 2-unit home (both units with 2 bedrooms), you live in one unit while renting out the other:

• Average rent for a 2-bedroom in Toronto = $3,200/month
• Property taxes (~$500/month) + Utilities (~$300/month)
• Your net cost to live in a multi-unit home = just over $3K/month

(That’s not a whole lot more than renting a 1-bedroom condo at $2,500/month while paying someone else’s mortgage!)

We don’t expect this window of opportunity to last long. If you’re serious about getting into the market before prices rise again, let’s chat and put a plan in place.

Reply to this email or DM us now—we’ll guide you every step of the way!