A new report from Ownright, Ontario’s trusted company for closing real estate transactions, finds that Canada’s housing market is defined by hesitation as buyers and sellers delay decisions amid economic uncertainty.
The Ownright Operators Report, based on responses from more than 1,000 real estate professionals across Canada, examines how economic uncertainty is impacting deal activity and how the real estate industry is adapting to consumer sentiment.
The findings show a clear shift away from the fast-moving, pandemic-era market:
- 67% of professionals say clients are more risk-averse than they were pre-2022
- 40% cite broader economic uncertainty — such as recession fears — as the primary driver of hesitation, compared to employment or income stability (17%) and interest rates (15%)
- Nearly one in four professionals (23%) say U.S. political or economic instability frequently impacts transactions, while 69% say it plays a role at least occasionally
“During the pandemic, people felt pressure to move quickly because they were worried prices would keep rising or rates would change overnight. That urgency is gone,” says Joel Fox, co-founder and COO of Ownright. “Even as prices decrease in some markets, buyers are taking more time, asking more questions, and trying to understand where the economy is headed before making a major financial decision. Uncertainty itself has become a market force.”
How are real estate professionals advising clients in today’s market?
In an uncertain market, the safest advice is also the most telling: stability over upside.
41% recommend fixed-rate mortgages, compared to 30% who would recommend variable rates, indicating a preference for stability in an uncertain environment.
Looking ahead, sentiment on the market remains mixed. 43% of professionals say they are confident the market will rebound in the next 12 months, while 25% are pessimistic and 28% remain neutral, highlighting the industry’s fragmented perception.
The divide in outlook reflects just how much the real estate landscape has changed: in a market where confidence used to be a given, nearly half the industry is hedging its bets. Until there’s a clearer signal on the economy, these fractures are likely to persist.
What’s causing failed transactions in 2026?
Closing deals is becoming more complex for real estate professionals, with 34% saying financing failure is the leading cause of collapsed transactions.
Both behavioural and financial factors are slowing down timelines: client indecision is the top cause of transaction delays (38%), followed by financing and mortgage approvals (28%). More broadly, 38% say more deals are collapsing due to financing issues compared to two years ago.
The combination of indecision and financing challenges is a compounding problem. When buyers wait longer to commit, conditions change and financing windows close, turning hesitation into a deal risk of its own.
The hidden pressures facing Canadian real estate professionals
Beyond market conditions, real estate professionals point to increasing operational strain in their work.
More than half (56%) of professionals say compliance or administrative demands reduce the time they can spend with clients. However, these pressures are impacting day-to-day operations more than earnings, with only 10% reporting lost income as a result.
The findings do point to concerns about long-term sustainability in the industry: 30% say they have considered leaving the industry due to regulatory or administrative burdens.
Losing nearly a third of the industry to burnout shows a structural problem. As transactions become more complex and client demands increase, the administrative load that hasn’t kept pace with modern tools impacts capacity.
How AI is impacting real estate
In response to these pressures, professionals are increasingly turning to new tools.
Six in 10 (60%) say they are using or testing AI-enabled tools, reflecting strong interest in the technology across the industry. However, 28% believe the real estate transaction system is outdated, suggesting that while there’s an openness to tech adoption, it has not yet translated into widespread structural change.
Adoption is outpacing transformation. Professionals are reaching for new tools, but the underlying infrastructure of how deals get done has been slow to follow. The technology is there — the question is whether the industry is ready to build around it.
About Ownright
Ownright is Ontario’s trusted law service for real estate transactions, designed to simplify home transactions through seamless automation, expert legal guidance, and a client-first approach. With thousands of transactions completed and over $1 billion in total transaction value, Ownright is the trusted legal partner for homebuyers, sellers, and real estate professionals across Ontario.
About the Ownright Operators Report
The Ownright Operators Report is a bi-annual poll of real estate professionals across Canada, designed to capture how transactions are unfolding on the ground—from buyer behaviour and financing challenges to administrative complexity and technology adoption.
Methodology
This survey was conducted by Ownright, Ontario’s trusted law service for real estate transactions, between March 27, 2026 and April 29, 2026. The results are based on responses from 1,015 real estate professionals across Canada (excluding Quebec), including sales representatives, brokerage managers/administrators, and brokerage owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260526003812/en/
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