The math is straightforward once the upfront costs are on the table. Legal fees, the inspection, title registration through ISC and possibly PST on your CMHC, Sagen or Canada Guaranty premium all land in the first few weeks, and none of that comes back to you if you sell again within a year or two.
Job stability and family plans matter as much as the market. A downsizer who already knows their next move is different from a buyer who might be transferred again, and that certainty should drive the decision more than trying to time appreciation.
Joel Dyck walks buyers through this breakeven math against their specific situation before they make an offer. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.