A REMAX Canada report finds 61% of surveyed communities logged higher detached activity in H1 2026
Buyers are returning to Canada's detached housing market, with activity picking up across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley in the first half of 2026, even as home values remain broadly flat.
The 2026 REMAX Canada Hot Pocket Communities Report, released Tuesday, surveyed 83 markets between January 1 and June 30. It found that 61%, or 51 of 83 communities, reported detached sales ahead of year-ago levels.
Just 6%, or five markets in total, posted year-over-year price gains, with four of those concentrated in the GTA.
"There's no question that buyers are cautiously optimistic, taking advantage of pricing that is off peak pandemic levels," said Don Kottick, president of REMAX Canada.
"Before we call it a 'recovery,' it's worth remembering that the rebound remains narrow, selective and far from guaranteed. Detached housing may be finding its footing, but affordability, confidence and potential shadow inventory remain wild cards in its comeback."
Greater Toronto Area home sales climbed 9.4% year over year in June 2026, with tightening inventory and improving affordability prompting the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) to forecast renewed price growth before year's end.https://t.co/BsGlwmmtad
— Canadian Mortgage Professional Magazine (@CMPmagazine) July 7, 2026
Fraser Valley leads the pack
The Fraser Valley was the report's standout region, with detached sales rising across all six communities examined — Abbotsford, Mission, White Rock/South Surrey, Langley, Delta North and the City of Surrey — four of which posted double-digit gains.
Greater Vancouver followed, with 59% of communities (10 of 17) recording an uptick in transactions. New Westminster led all markets nationally, with sales climbing 58.1% year over year.
Toronto's 416 area code also showed momentum, with 60% of markets (21 of 35) logging increased detached buying activity.
The C07 district — Newtonbrook West, Willowdale West, Westminster-Branson and Lansing-Westgate — posted the second-highest gain nationally at 52.5%.
The numbers point to a widening gap between Toronto and Vancouver's detached and condo segments that has persisted through much of 2026.
Prices steady despite rising volumes
Price growth has not matched the sales recovery. Of the five markets posting value increases, Toronto's W07 district — Stonegate-Queensway and Islington City Centre West — led with a 5.2% rise to $1,742,731.
Port Moody/Belcarra in Greater Vancouver was the only non-GTA market in positive territory, up 3.3%.
REMAX Canada notes that demand is concentrating in the most affordable pockets, particularly below the $1.2-million threshold, a trend consistent with new GTA single-family home sales clearing their 10-year average in April 2026.
Vancouver-based mortgage broker Kyle Green told Canadian Mortgage Professional in May 2026 that detached properties were likely to see values "flatten out in the second half for detached or perhaps even townhomes — or at least will be decreasing at a slower rate."
The REMAX Canada report warns that shrinking detached inventory could put upward pressure on prices, particularly at accessible price points, as the year progresses.
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