Housing Costs Are Changing What Canadians Will Sacrifice to Buy a Home

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published October 7, 2026

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Rising housing costs are forcing Canadians to reconsider what they need from a home and where they are willing to live, with 65% prepared to make at least one compromise to secure a larger or more suitable property, according to a new national housing outlook released Wednesday by RE/MAX Canada.

Relocation is emerging as one of the biggest areas of flexibility. Sixty-three per cent of respondents said they would move for a home that better meets their needs, while 47% would relocate up to an hour away from their current community and another 16% would consider moving even farther.

Location is not the only trade-off buyers are considering. Thirty-one per cent would live farther from a city centre, 21% would accept greater distance from shops and restaurants, and 20% would consider an older home or one requiring renovations if it helped them find a property within reach.

The financial sacrifices can extend well beyond the purchase itself. Forty-one per cent said they would cut discretionary expenses such as travel and dining out, while 24% would extend their mortgage amortization period. Another 20% would accept financial support from family, and 17% would take on a second job or another source of income.

Affordability, however, remains the factor buyers are least willing to overlook. Sixty per cent ranked it as their top consideration when deciding where to buy, followed by neighbourhood safety at 47%.

The shift in buyer behaviour comes as conditions are becoming more favourable to purchasers in a larger share of Canadian markets. RE/MAX expects 32% of the markets it analyzed to sit firmly in buyers’ territory this fall, compared with 15.2% a year earlier. Home sales were also down year over year in 81% of the markets examined between January and the end of July.

Prices have not weakened everywhere despite slower sales. Average residential prices increased year over year in 56% of the markets analyzed, highlighting the uneven conditions buyers continue to face across the country.

The consumer survey was conducted online by Leger between July 17 and 19, 2026, among 1,532 Canadians aged 18 and older. The results were weighted to reflect the Canadian population, while the market outlook also incorporated local data and assessments from RE/MAX brokers and agents.