Selling a GTA home is taking much longer than it did during the market peak. New analysis shows condos took an average of 36 days to sell in the second quarter of 2026, compared with well under two weeks during 2022. Detached homes averaged about 25 days, compared with only nine days at the early-2022 peak.
For sellers, this changes the strategy. In the old market, homeowners could list high and wait for buyers to compete. Today's buyer has more choices and more time. If a property is overpriced during its first few weeks on the market, buyers may simply move on — and the listing can become harder to sell later.
That does not mean sellers should automatically slash their price. Presentation, photography, staging, timing, and understanding the competition matter more in a slower market. A property that looks like good value from day one has a much better chance of creating urgency than one that starts too high and repeatedly reduces its price.
For buyers, longer selling times can create opportunities. A home that has been listed for several weeks may come with more negotiating room on price, financing conditions, inspection, or closing date. The seller may also be more open to an offer that would have been rejected immediately a few years ago.
The takeaway: today's GTA market rewards patience for buyers and preparation for sellers. A home taking longer to sell does not necessarily mean something is wrong with it — but it does mean both sides have more room to negotiate than they did during the frenzy years.