The distinction that matters for 2026 specifically is that conditions vary sharply by price point and property type rather than applying evenly across the whole city. A starter condo can sit for weeks while a well-priced family home in a popular school catchment draws several offers in the same month.
Buyers do have more room to negotiate on an overpriced or dated listing than they did two years ago, since a seller asking above what comparable sales support now faces real competition from better-priced alternatives rather than a guaranteed quick sale.
Calling 2026 a buyer's market citywide overstates what is really a market where negotiating leverage depends heavily on the specific listing. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.