Dear David,

We are thinking of making a move in 2026, but are watching the real estate news, which  continues to be negative. My partner wants to buy now, but I feel we should wait. We’ve been renting for years and are in a comfortable situation, why make a change if there’s no real urgency? – WAITING IT OUT

DEAR WAITING: I get this question frequently, and honestly, there is no universal “right time to move”. The ideal timeline is different for everyone, since it depends on your circumstances, your timeline, and what the market is doing at that exact moment. What I can say with confidence, is that buyers are not dialing 911 right now. The FOMO (fear of missing out) we saw during COVID has disappeared, and the real estate market has lost its sense of urgency. 

Following the interest rate announcement this week, a few things have become clear: rate changes are very likely done for the foreseeable future unless something significant happens globally, and collectively. We need to move past the 2020-2021 market mindset. The two percent mortgage is gone, rates are stable, and the $1 million average sale price in Waterloo Region is currently sitting in the low $700’s. The daily volatility we’ve witnessed across the border has somewhat settled down as well.

At this point, there is plenty of inventory, and buyers often still have leverage. Just last week, I was involved in a multiple-offer situation. We won the deal with a selling price that was $30 thousand below the property’s most recent list price, and over $100 thousand below where the home had been priced a few months earlier. As we move toward 2026, buyers who have been waiting on additional rate cuts will realize those cuts may not arrive as imagined, and like you, they’ll make the decision to get into the market.

We are entering a time when many sellers pull their listings off the market for the holidays, which naturally tightens inventory. This alone can create enough pressure to get things moving in the spring, and if that happens, prices may start to trend upwards. So, the real question isn’t whether real estate news feels positive or negative, it’s whether moving right now makes sense in your situation, based on today’s market (and not the one we remember from three or four years ago).

PRO TIP: The federal and provincial governments recently announced incentives for first-time buyers purchasing new homes. While these programs may help, there’s a real possibility that some of the support will be absorbed into builders’ bottom lines, since construction has stalled and many new homes won’t be built for six to twelve months. These incentives may also put more pressure on the resale market, as “new” homes effectively become a bit cheaper. Agents and buyers need to watch the market closely over the next few quarters. Opportunities are everywhere right now for those who are paying attention. #Advice #AskDavid #TheNegotiator 

David is a top-selling Broker in Kitchener-Waterloo Region. He works personally with you when selling or buying your home. Moving? Get it right. Ask David today! Call or text 519-577-1212.