Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeReal EstateCanadian home sales post first 'meaningful' gain in 2026, CREA saysMay saw the strongest month over month increase after a sluggish start to the yearLast updated 28 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.'Sold' signs are displayed outside of homes in Whitby, Ont. Photo by Mark Sommerfeld/Bloomberg filesCanadian home sales were up in May, with the strongest month-over-month increase in what has otherwise been a sluggish year to date.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorIn its latest housing market report released Tuesday, the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) said the number of home sales recorded in the MLS systems rose by 5.5 per cent from April.“While it was just the first month in 2026 to see any meaningful upward momentum in headline demand, under the surface conditions have been improving for some time,” CREA senior economist Shaun Cathcart said.However, actual sales activity remained 5.1 per cent below levels reported from May 2025.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againWhile sales increased nationwide, May’s jump was “disproportionately” led by Ontario, according to Cathcart.“The national sales increase from April to May was broad-based but driven disproportionately by Ontario, suggesting the HST rebate on new builds may have only briefly drawn the attention of buyers away from the existing home market,” he said.Home prices continued to stabilize in May as the national benchmark price declined by a mere 0.1 per cent, amounting to $657,000 month over month. On an annual basis, the decline was 3.9 per cent. The MLS Home Price Index itself was down 4.1 per cent over the same period of time.Meanwhile, market conditions tightened as new listings edged down one per cent month over month and the sales-to-new-listings ratio climbed to 49.2 per cent from 46.2 per cent in April. By CREA’s historical standards, the market is becoming more balanced –– defined by a ratio falling between 45 per cent and 65 per cent.The association suggests that buyers and sellers are starting to align when it comes to price expectations. CREA pointed to tightening sale-to-list price ratios and shorter periods between listings and sale dates as evidence of an increasingly efficient market.More to come… Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.