If you’ve been wondering “Is the market up, down, or just confusing?” — you’re not alone. The quick answer is

this: 2025 was calmer, slower, and more price-sensitive than the past several years, especially compared to the

record results of these past years that many people still have burned into their memory.

Since a lot of the public commentary uses a bunch of technical gobbledygook and tends to focus on the wider GTA

area, let’s break it down in plain language for those living (or wanting to live) specifically in East Gwillimbury.

In short, we have seen three very different years.

2023 was still riding the wave of earlier market highs. Prices were stronger, homes sold quickly, and buyers felt

more urgency. The first part of 2023 in particular delivered higher averages and shorter selling times. Even though

things had cooled from the extreme highs of 2021–2022, sellers still had momentum.

2024 was a bit busier than 2023, but not stronger. More homes sold (512 vs. 492) but average price went down to

$986K from $1.013M. Buyers were active, but cautious. Homes didn’t fly off the shelf the way they had before, and

pricing mistakes showed up quickly. This was the year where strategy started to matter again.

Perhaps 2025 was actually the most balanced — and the most honest and thoughtful — market of the three. The 436

sales were the lowest in 10 years, so prices softened again, and it generally took longer to sell. Buyers showed far

less urgency; they had options, asked more questions, and took their time making decisions. Sellers had to earn the

sale with presentation, condition, and realistic pricing.

This is not surprising given the supply side of the equation: during 2023 the average number of homes for sale each

month was 122. In 2024 this was 169 per month and in 2025 it jumped to 217. So with so many more homes for

buyers to choose from it makes sense that buyers could be much more selective and much less willing to open their

wallets as in previous years.

To summarize, sellers found out that 2025 rewarded preparation and punished overconfidence.

Digging a little deeper, we see that detached homes continue to dominate. In the last three years, 3 out of every 4 EG

sales were detached homes. They make up the majority of sales and still command the highest prices. That hasn’t

changed for years. But what did change in 2025 was how they sold.In 2023, well-located detached homes often sold quickly and confidently. And while not quite as on fire as the records set in 2022, on average they sold at about $1.4M. 

In 2024, more detached homes sold than the previous year (echoing the entire market noted above) but at roughly a 4.5% lower average price. In 2025, sales dropped by almost 14% from 2024, while prices were down by just over 6%. Keep in mind that while 2025’s average sale price was down about 15% from 2022’s record, it’s still a very respectable $1.3M.

In addition, it took a bit more time to sell in each successive year: from 26 days on average in 2023 to a month in

2024 to 33 days in 2025. So to some sellers it might have seemed like an eternity, it was really only about a week

longer over the three year period - not too huge.

The market had shifted and buyers had the luxury of time and choice. The detached homes that sold fastest were the

ones that felt “easy”: easy to live in, easy to maintain, and easy to justify financially.

But what about semi-detached & townhomes? These property-types are a more significant part of the recent new

development in the Town, and as these new neighbourhoods mature, these smaller and generally lower priced homes are weaving their way into the resale housing market, far more than any other time in the Town’s history.

Over the past few years sales volume followed similar patterns to larger, more expensive, detached homes. But the

average sale price followed a slightly different path. The drop in average sales price from 2023 to 2024 was less than

detached homes (only 2.6%) as the market started to show signs of slowing, but then the price sensitivity more

typical of buyers of these types of homes kicked into high gear for 2025, down 8.5% from the previous year.

Here we should acknowledge the reality of math/averages - the year over year price changes are not completely due

to market instability but rather the fact that with a relatively small number of transactions each one carries more

weight in the data.

In the end, 2025 highlighted that buyers of semi’s and townhomes are extremely payment-focused. Value mattered

more than ever, and homes that felt overpriced compared to similar options sat longer or required bigger price

adjustments.

What does all of this mean for sellers?

If you own a detached home, you’re still in a strong position — but only if you respect the market you’re in, not the

one you remember. Pricing ahead of the market instead of behind it is critical. Homes that are well-presented and

realistically priced are still selling. Homes chasing yesterday’s numbers are not.

If you own a semi or townhome, you’re competing directly on value. Buyers are comparing everything: fees,

condition, location, and monthly cost. The good news? There’s still demand. The reality? Strategy matters more than

ever.

What does all of this mean for buyers?

2025 gave buyers something they haven’t had in a long time: breathing room. More choice. Less pressure. Better

ability to negotiate — especially on homes that are overpriced or sitting longer. That doesn’t (or shouldn’t) mean

lowball chaos. It means smart buying, thoughtful decisions, and fewer emotional bidding wars will create great

outcomes.

East Gwillimbury remains a highly desirable place to live. What changed in the real estate market isn’t the

community — it’s the expectations.