The math that actually matters is your own carrying cost, not the calendar. CMHC's lending guidelines cap housing costs at 39 percent of gross income (GDS) and total debt at 44 percent (TDS), and a mortgage pre-approval locked in today tells you exactly what you can carry, which is more useful than guessing where rates go next quarter.
For a buyer trading up or downsizing on a deadline, the bigger risk is usually indecision. New listings rose 12.3 percent year over year, which gives buyers more selection than a year ago, but well-priced homes in good condition still move quickly against that supply.
If you are weighing buy now against wait and see, the honest answer depends on your financing, your timeline and what you are selling to fund the purchase. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.