Toronto’s commercial rental market is bouncing back, with office availability sliding to 17.1% in Q1 from just over 20% the quarter before.
Downtown, more offices are getting leased again, and landlords aren’t offering those pandemic perks anymore.
So what’s driving this? The biggest factor is return-to-office mandates. The Ontario government just announced all provincial public servants are heading back, and more private employers are following their lead.
And as more offices fill up, surrounding businesses — from cafés to gyms — stand to see a big boost too.
I just had the privilege of helping a truly lovely family through a big life transition. Mom and Dad decided it was time to downsize, so we sold their longtime home and moved them into a retirement community where they could enjoy more freedom and less stress. What made it even more special was that the sale gave them the chance to help their daughter purchase her very first condo. Seeing one generation make a graceful move while lifting up the next was inspiring — a reminder that real estate isn’t just about property, it’s about family, legacy, and new beginnings.
I was helping a client review a business listed at $134,000. On paper, it looked great — about $40,000 a month in sales. But once we dug into the financials, the high wages and operating costs pushed it into a loss of nearly $50,000 a year.
For my client, who wants a more hands-free investment, it wasn’t the right fit. But for someone more hands-on — willing to rebrand, streamline operations, or pivot the concept — it could be a turnaround opportunity.
The key takeaway: whether it’s real estate or buying a business, you’ve got to look behind the numbers. Gross sales don’t tell the story — the net does.
Here’s your boots-on-the-ground GTA market update 👇
The average home price right now is about $969,000, down just over 5% from last year. Detached houses are around $1.18M, and condos are averaging $571,000 — both trending lower year-over-year.
Inventory’s building: almost 27,500 homes are on the market, which is over 20% more than last year. New listings are up about 12%, and the sales-to-new-listings ratio has slipped to 37% — that’s a clear buyer’s market.
Homes are also taking longer to sell, with the average days on market now closer to 49 days.
So what does this mean? Buyers have leverage — more choice, more negotiating power. Sellers? It’s not just about listing — it’s about standing out. The winners are strategic; everyone else waits.”
Who you work with matters.
