How far would Canadians travel to find a home they can actually afford? For nearly half of the population, the answer stretches up to an hour away from their current communities, as persistent affordability pressures force prospective buyers to dramatically rethink their traditional notions of homeownership.
According to the Remax Canada Fall Housing Market Outlook released Wednesday, affordability remains by far the single most dominant factor influencing how Canadians calculate their paths into the real estate market. When surveyed about what matters most when choosing where to buy a home, 60 per cent of respondents pointed directly to affordability as their primary consideration. Neighbourhood safety followed closely behind as the second most common priority, cited by 47 per cent of those surveyed.
Faced with a challenging economic landscape, Canadian buyers are increasingly willing to pick up and move. The data reveals that 63 per cent of overall respondents would be prepared to relocate entirely if it meant securing a home that better suited their practical needs and financial realities.
Don Kottick, president of Remax Canada, notes that this widespread willingness to compromise marks a distinct shift in consumer behavior rather than a total retreat from the property ladder.
"There’s a difference between compromising and settling," Kottick says. "Rather than giving up on homeownership, Canadians are making different choices about how to get there. For some, that means looking outside their current community or reconsidering the type of home they buy. For others, it means making different financial choices. Buyers are identifying what matters most and where they have room to be flexible."
How far would buyers go?
When examining the physical distances prospective buyers are willing to cover, the Remax report outlines a tiered willingness to commute and migrate. Thirty per cent of survey respondents indicated they would move up to 30 minutes away from their current community, while an additional 17 per cent stated they would be comfortable expanding their search radius to between 30 and 60 minutes away.
For others, the search for affordability requires an even more drastic geographical shift. Five per cent of respondents would be willing to move one to two hours away from their current base, three per cent would travel more than two hours, and eight per cent would consider packing up and leaving their province of residence altogether.
This growing appetite for compromise extends far beyond mere distance. Thirty-one per cent of Canadians surveyed said they would willingly live farther away from a traditional city centre to secure a roof over their heads, while 21 per cent would accept living at a greater distance from essential amenities like restaurants, shops, and entertainment districts.
Compromises are also being made regarding the physical attributes of the properties themselves. Twenty per cent of respondents would accept buying an older home or one that requires significant renovations to be livable. Another 20 per cent would settle for a smaller yard or reduced outdoor space, and 18 per cent would consider an entirely different housing type—such as trading a detached house for a townhouse or condominium. Meanwhile, 15 per cent of prospective buyers are prepared to take on a longer daily commute to their place of work or school.
Even so, there are clear boundaries to what consumers will endure. Eighteen per cent of respondents firmly stated that they would not be willing to make any of the compromises listed in the survey, signaling that for a significant minority, current market conditions remain a complete barrier.
Making the finances work
For many buyers, bridging the affordability gap requires tightening the purse strings at home rather than changing locations.
Household budgeting has become a primary battleground for aspiring homeowners. Forty-one per cent of survey participants said they would actively cut back on discretionary spending—such as vacations, travel, and dining out—to channel every possible dollar toward a down payment and mortgage carrying costs. Nearly one-quarter of respondents stated they would extend their mortgage amortization period to lower their monthly payments, despite the long-term financial trade-offs involved.
Financial survival strategies also involve external support networks and lifestyle overhauls. Twenty per cent of buyers would accept direct financial help from family members to break into the market. Another 17 per cent said they would take on a second job or seek out alternative sources of income to boost their qualifying purchasing power. An equal 17 per cent indicated they would be forced to delay their retirement or push back other long-term savings goals.
Buyers gaining ground in some markets
While consumers navigate these personal compromises, broader macroeconomic and regional conditions are slowly beginning to shift in favour of buyers in certain parts of the country.
Data analyzed by Remax between January 1 and July 31 reveals that home sales declined year over year in 81 per cent of the housing markets examined. However, average residential prices still managed to rise in 56 per cent of those same markets, reflecting the complex interplay between low inventory and stubborn price floors. Looking ahead, Remax projects that the national average residential price will finish the year about 2.3 per cent below 2025 levels, with overall sales volumes finishing approximately two per cent lower.
Real estate broker and agent outlooks suggest that 32 per cent of the markets analyzed will be firmly planted in buyers’ territory by the fall, marking a notable increase from the 15.2 per cent recorded just a year prior.
Yet, these national averages mask significant regional divergence. Greater Vancouver remains firmly entrenched as a buyer-favourable market. Calgary presents a more segmented picture, where detached and semi-detached homes remain generally balanced, but elevated condo inventories have pushed the multi-family segment firmly into buyers’ territory. Saskatoon, by contrast, continues to favour sellers.
In Ontario, the Greater Toronto Area maintains its status as a buyer-favourable market, backed by an average residential price that is down 5.1 per cent year over year while sales volumes remain essentially flat. Nearby Kitchener-Waterloo and the Niagara region are also experiencing buyer-favourable conditions.
That dynamic reverses entirely in places like Thunder Bay, where severely constrained housing inventory has kept the market firmly in sellers’ territory and pushed the average price up by 10.5 per cent year over year.
Atlantic Canada has also charted a distinct course. Average residential prices rose year over year in every single Atlantic market analyzed by Remax, even as transaction volumes declined across the region. Greater St. John’s remains seller-favourable, while Halifax, Truro-Colchester, and Greater Moncton are currently balanced. Charlottetown stands as an exception in the region, resting comfortably in buyers’ territory.
Montreal remains an overall seller-favourable market, though Remax reports that buyers there have increasingly adapted by opening up to the idea of condominiums, smaller living spaces, and searching in neighborhoods outside their original target zones.
Policy measures having limited effect
The report also evaluated whether recent federal policy interventions have made a measurable dent in the overarching housing affordability crisis.
Three-quarters of the Canadians surveyed indicated they were aware of the federal first-time homebuyers’ GST/HST rebate. Opinions on its effectiveness were mixed: 45 per cent of respondents felt it was helping some buyers, while 16 per cent believed it made homeownership tangibly more attainable for first-time entrants. Just 14 per cent said the rebate had directly influenced their own personal purchase plans.
In a separate survey of Remax brokers and agents, professionals noted that while the rebate has proved useful for helping qualifying buyers clear financing hurdles, its benefits are largely concentrated among individuals who were already on the verge of purchasing a home. Furthermore, its reach remains severely constrained in communities where new residential construction is scarce or where baseline prices remain out of reach for first-time buyers altogether.
The federal foreign homebuyer ban received an even more muted review from industry insiders. In 79 per cent of market responses, brokers reported that the ban has had little to no noticeable impact on either local housing affordability or the pace of new construction development.
When Canadians were asked directly what policy changes would make the single biggest difference for first-time buyers, responses were split. Twenty-one per cent pointed to the introduction of more affordable housing programs, while another 21 per cent argued that lower mortgage interest rates would provide the most relief. Fourteen per cent emphasized the fundamental need to increase overall housing supply.
"Canadians are showing that they’re prepared to adapt, but buyers can only control so much," Kottick concludes. "Rebates and other measures can help, but affordability ultimately depends on a combination of factors, including supply, financing costs and having the right mix of housing available. Buyers are focused on decisions they can control but broader affordability challenges remain."
The online survey of 1,532 Canadians aged 18 and older was conducted by Leger between July 17 and July 19.