Price forecast for 2026 – March sales barely moved
CREA now more pessimistic about outlook
Canadian home sales in March 2026 barely budged, but the mood in the mortgage market clearly darkened.
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has downgraded its forecast for 2026 sales amid a stormy economic climate and continuing uncertainty over the housing market.
The association reported that transactions through MLS systems dipped just 0.1% from February, with actual activity 2.3% below a year earlier and prices still drifting lower.
A spike in oil prices late in the month stoked inflation fears; plus, a mid‑March jump in fixed mortgage rates, just as the critical spring market approached. CREA’s senior economist Shaun Cathcart said that combination has weighed on already fragile sentiment.
CREA now expects national home sales to rise just 1% in 2026, to about 475,000 transactions. That’s down from the 5.1% growth it projected in January.
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