What a slow downsizing wave means for brokers
More than one third of survey respondents, or 34%, believed increased downsizing by older owners would make it easier for younger buyers to enter the market, compared with 26% who said it would make it harder and 29% who expected little impact.
Federal and industry studies pointed to strong demand and limited new construction in seniors’ housing, even as the over‑65 population swelled.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, meanwhile, estimated millions of additional homes would be required nationally over the next decade to restore pre‑pandemic affordability levels.
Younger buyers and the next decade of demand
REMAX found that 23% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 plan to buy their first home in the next 10 years, even as older owners showed limited appetite to move. That mismatch – rising first‑time demand, frozen move‑up and downsizing segments – echoed past reports on how aging‑in‑place trends and reverse mortgage growth are reshaping lender strategies around Canadians 55 and over.
The findings came from a REMAX Canada survey conducted on March 30 to April 1, 2026, among 1,507 adult Canadians in the Angus Reid Forum.