Move Smartly: The Podcast

Toronto and Vancouver's housing markets remain notably weak this month, with both cities continuing to see subdued sales and hesitant buyer activity. What stands out isn't just the slowdown itself, but how comfortable many buyers seem staying on the sidelines. In this month's Real Estate Roundtable, John Pasalis, Steve Saretsky, and David Larock unpack the factors reinforcing that caution. Rising interest rates, combined with ongoing geopolitical risks, are giving buyers plenty of justification to wait. Even those who are financially capable of purchasing are choosing patience, contributing to markets that feel stuck rather than competitive. We also take a closer look at the federal government's HST cut on new housing and what it actually means in practice. While the policy may support new housing starts at the margins, its more immediate impact could be on developers holding completed but unsold units. The change makes it easier for builders to sell these units to institutional investors at discounted prices, or to rent them out without triggering the same tax consequences they would have faced before. Overall, the discussion highlights a market that isn't just slow, but structurally constrained, where policy changes may ease pressure for developers without necessarily improving affordability or bringing buyers back into the market in the near term.

Housing economists say we need more supply. Politicians blame city planners. YIMBYs want less regulation. But the cities we admire most — Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam — weren't built by getting out of the way. They were built by bold, intentional planning. So what's actually going on? In this conversation, we sit down with Gregg Lintern, former Chief Planner of the City of Toronto and Dean of the Curtner Urban Leadership Program with ULI Toronto, to unpack the housing crisis as a system — not a soundbite. Gregg walks us through what a Chief Planner actually controls, what he tried to change from the inside with initiatives like EHON, and why blaming any single actor misses the bigger picture. We dig into the real barriers — regulatory, economic, and political — that make it so hard to build the kinds of housing Toronto needs. And we tackle the harder questions: in an era of cautious incrementalism, have we lost the appetite for the kind of transformative planning that shaped the great cities of the world? Follow John x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly About This Show The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!

In this episode, we tackle a few timely questions from listeners trying to make sense of today's housing market. We start with a seller who received a strong offer from buyers willing to purchase without conditions—but with a long closing because they still need to sell their own home. We unpack the real risk in that scenario: what happens if the buyers can't sell in time, and how sellers should think about these types of offers in a slower market. We also explore how AI is beginning to reshape the real estate industry and what agents should be doing now to stay competitive as things evolve. On the buyer side, we discuss how to approach timing in a market where some homes sit while others attract multiple offers, and whether buyers are finally regaining the ability to include conditions like financing and home inspections—even in competitive situations—and how to know when you can get away with it. Follow John x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly About This Show The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!

Ontario's residential construction sector is facing its worst crisis in decades. Pre-construction condo sales have plummeted 89%, single-family home sales are down 71%, and half the municipalities in the GTA and Golden Horseshoe are failing on housing. In this episode, we sit down with Richard Lyall, president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON), who has represented the building industry since 1991 and has never seen conditions this bad. Lyall walks us through the forces behind the collapse — from development charges that have ballooned tenfold in a decade to an approvals process that stretches 90-day timelines past 600 days — and lays out the policy reforms RESCON believes are needed to restart the housing pipeline. We dig into the new GST cut for first-time buyers, the case for rolling back development charges, and what Canada can learn from Germany's approach to building. Follow John x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly About This Show The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!

In this month's YouTube Live, we're unpacking some interesting shifts happening in the Toronto real estate market. While the overall market remains relatively slow, some Toronto neighbourhoods are seeing noticeably stronger competition. In these pockets, well-priced homes are attracting multiple buyers - a reminder that even in a quieter market, demand can still concentrate in certain areas. At the same time, activity isn't uniform across the city. Some segments are picking up while others remain fairly soft, highlighting how uneven the market has become. We also discuss the outlook for interest rates. With global uncertainty increasing and long-term bond yields moving higher, borrowing costs may start trending up again - a shift that could influence buyer confidence and housing demand in the months ahead. Set-up a meeting with John Pasalis and his agents at Realosophy to discuss your own real estate questions privately: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Sign up for our email list to be alerted to the next online market update to join our YouTube session live chat and ask your own Qs: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar We hope you enjoyed this month's update and found it valuable. Thanks for tuning in - we'll see you next month!

Toronto and Vancouver's housing markets are off to a very slow start in 2026. Sales activity in both cities has come in well below last year's levels as buyers remain cautious amid broader economic uncertainty. In this month's Real Estate Roundtable, John Pasalis, Steve Saretsky, and David Larock discuss what's keeping buyers on the sidelines and what it might take for confidence to return. One of the biggest questions right now is the outlook for interest rates. While many economists had expected modest rate cuts this year, the war in the Middle East has added a new layer of uncertainty that could complicate the Bank of Canada's path forward. We also discuss a major policy development on the West Coast: the Musqueam Nation's agreement with the federal government, which could reshape how land is developed in Vancouver and raise important questions about governance, planning, and housing supply. Finally, we look at how multiplex policies are beginning to influence housing markets in both Vancouver and Toronto. While still early, these changes are starting to affect land values, redevelopment decisions, and the types of housing being built across both cities. Contact & Follow Follow John Pasalis on X/Twitter: @JohnPasalis | Email: [email protected] Follow Steve Saretsky on X/Twitter: @SteveSaretsky | Email: [email protected] Follow David Larock on X/Twitter: @Dave_at_IMP | Email: [email protected] Watch this episode on the Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy the show, please like, subscribe, share, review, and comment — your support helps us reach more listeners.

Housing affordability is usually framed as a supply problem or a price problem. But recent academic research suggests something deeper may be happening. The research finds that when young people begin to believe homeownership is permanently out of reach, their financial behaviour shifts in meaningful ways. Renters who feel shut out are more likely to consume more relative to their wealth, reduce work effort, and take on higher-risk investments. Meanwhile, those who still believe ownership is attainable tend to save more and double down on their efforts. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Preet Banerjee — behavioural finance researcher, Globe and Mail columnist, and founder of YourMoneyDegree.com — to unpack what this means for individuals and for the broader economy. We explore how housing may be reshaping motivation and long-term planning, whether this "giving up" effect is cultural or universal, and what the appropriate public policy response should be. If homeownership has long served as a near-term, concrete financial goal that anchors behaviour, what happens when that goal disappears for an entire generation? This conversation goes beyond housing prices. It's about belief in the financial life cycle — and what happens when that belief begins to erode. Follow John x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly About This Show The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!

In this episode of The Situation, John and Peter dive into buying strategy for first-time buyers and how real estate commissions really work. Our first question comes from a first-time buyer wondering whether it's smarter to buy a condo as a stepping stone or stretch for a small house under $1M. John and Peter discuss the pros and cons of each approach and what works best in today's market. Another listener asks how real estate commissions are calculated and whether a more transparent hourly-plus-expenses model could work. They break down where the money goes and why commission structures are set up the way they are. Finally, we explore how recent market shifts and economic uncertainty are affecting Toronto homeowners and their decisions. John and Peter share insights on how to think about risk, timing, and long-term strategy. FollowJohn x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly About This Show: The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!

In this month's live update, we break down the latest stats on low-rise homes and condos and what they're really telling us about today's market. Our team shares what we're seeing on the ground - tight inventory, declining listing quality, rising power of sales activity, and a mix of sellers who've adjusted to current conditions and others still holding onto unrealistic price expectations. We unpack what this means for buyers and sellers navigating the market right now. Plus, we dive into the Bank of Canada's policy rate, what it means to be in "neutral" territory, and why continued economic slowing and cooling inflation suggest more rate cuts could be on the horizon. Set-up a meeting with John Pasalis and his agents at Realosophy to discuss your own real estate questions privately: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Sign up for our email list to be alerted to the next online market update to join our YouTube session live chat and ask your own Qs: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar We hope you enjoyed this month's update and found it valuable. Thanks for tuning in - we'll see you next month!

This month's real estate roundtable brings together John Pasalis, Steve Saretsky, and mortgage broker David Larock to break down the latest developments shaping Canada's housing market in early 2026. We begin with the slow start to the year in both Vancouver and Toronto, where home sales are down more than 20% compared to last year. With buyers holding back and inventory building, prices have also begun trending lower across several market segments. We discuss what's driving the slowdown and why economic uncertainty continues to weigh on demand. From there, we explore what it might take for confidence — and buyers — to return in a meaningful way. We also turn to interest rates and the growing divide in forecasts. While the consensus expects modest Bank of Canada cuts by year's end, some economists still warn rates could finish the year higher. We unpack what's behind these competing views and what they mean for buyers and upcoming renewals. Finally, we discuss the sharp slowdown in new condo sales and how it could lead to fewer housing starts and completions in the years ahead. We wrap up with the key indicators we're watching as we head into the spring market, and what they may signal for the rest of 2026. Contact & Follow Follow John Pasalis on X/Twitter: @JohnPasalis | Email: [email protected] Follow Steve Saretsky on X/Twitter: @SteveSaretsky | Email: [email protected] Follow David Larock on X/Twitter: @Dave_at_IMP | Email: [email protected] Watch this episode on the Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy the show, please like, subscribe, share, review, and comment — your support helps us reach more listeners.

What happens when a government openly acknowledges that its tax system is favouring landlords over ordinary households — and then actually changes it? In this episode, John Pasalis breaks down new research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on the UK's post-2016 tax reforms aimed at curbing buy-to-let investor demand. The findings suggest these policies meaningfully shifted the housing market: fewer investor purchases, more homes flowing out of the private rental sector, and significantly more first-time buyers becoming homeowners than would have otherwise. Drawing on insights from an interview with report author Darren Baxter, John explores why the UK experience challenges the supply-only framework that continues to dominate housing policy in Canada — and why any serious affordability strategy must confront not just how many homes we build, but how housing is financed, who owns it, and whether it remains a lucrative investment vehicle for capital. Follow John x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly About This Show The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!

In this episode, we break down three real housing dilemmas that many households are facing in today's uncertain market. We start with a common challenge for homeowners looking to move up: how to upsize when you need to sell your current home and buy another at the same time. With slower sales, uncertain prices, and the risk of being forced into a short-term rental, we walk through how families can think about sequencing these two transactions. Next, we discuss a family-owned Toronto property and the question of adding a garden suite for multigenerational living. We explore how secondary units can affect resale value, buyer demand, and how families can think about fairness when one sibling invests money into a shared property. Finally, we look at a decision facing many small landlords right now: whether to sell a vacant property, rent it short- or mid-term to stay flexible, or lock in a long-term tenant while waiting for better market conditions. We unpack the trade-offs between flexibility, income stability, and risk. Follow John x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly About This Show The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!

In this month's live update, we explain why 2026 is likely to be a tougher year for housing before conditions start to improve. Sales remain near multi-decade lows as trade tensions, slowing growth, and rising geopolitical risks weigh heavily on consumer confidence. When activity stays this weak, the market becomes more fragile. Sellers who can wait are choosing to hold back, while households that need to move face a much thinner pool of buyers. At the same time, power of sales are becoming more common as mortgage payments reset and household finances tighten. More owners are falling behind, and with demand already weak, distressed sellers have less ability to quietly exit the market. That pushes more forced listings onto the MLS and adds downward pressure on prices. We also discuss the fallout from the Department of Justice's criminal charges against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the growing uncertainty around the Fed's independence. These political shocks matter for Canada. If confidence in the U.S. central bank weakens, it can lead to higher bond yields, more volatile currencies, and ultimately higher mortgage rates, adding another headwind for housing. Set-up a meeting with John Pasalis and his agents at Realosophy to discuss your own real estate questions privately: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Sign up for our email list to be alerted to the next online market update to join our YouTube session live chat and ask your own Qs: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar Today's show links: John's latest articles on the Toronto area real estate market are on realosophy.com https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/author/john-pasalis Dave Larock's latest weekly blog post on mortgage rates on MoveSmartly.com: https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/author/david-larock Contact Us: John Pasalis, President and Broker, Realosophy Realty, Toronto | Email: [email protected] | X-Twitter: @JohnPasalis David Larock, Mortgage Broker and Analyst and Realtor | Email: [email protected] | X-Twitter: @Dave_at_IMP About This Show: The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this and every episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please subscribe and leave us a positive rating on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from — thank you!!

This month's real estate roundtable brings together John Pasalis, Steve Saretsky, and mortgage broker David Larock for a timely discussion on the latest developments shaping Canada's housing market as we head into 2026. We begin with the federal government's recent signal that it may reverse the foreign buyer ban in 2027. We break down what this announcement really means for the market today, how much impact foreign buyers actually have on housing demand, and whether lifting the ban would meaningfully change prices or investor behaviour. From there, we turn to mortgages — and why fixed mortgage rates may trend up rather than down in 2026, despite widespread expectations of easing. We discuss bond yields, inflation risks, and how lenders are pricing uncertainty into rates. We also look at what this means for buyers on the sidelines, households renewing this year, and investor sentiment heading into the spring market. We wrap up by sharing the key indicators we're watching in the months ahead and how they may shape the direction of Canada's housing market through 2026. Contact & Follow Follow John Pasalis on X/Twitter: @JohnPasalis | Email: [email protected] Follow Steve Saretsky on X/Twitter: @SteveSaretsky | Email: [email protected] Follow David Larock on X/Twitter: @Dave_at_IMP | Email: [email protected] Watch this episode on the Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy the show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review, and comment — your support helps us reach more listeners.

This week on Move Smartly, I'm joined by Doug Hoyes, Licensed Insolvency Trustee and co-founder of Hoyes, Michalos & Associates, one of the most experienced consumer debt relief firms in Canada. Doug works on the front lines with households facing financial distress, giving him a real-time look into what's happening beneath the surface of the economy — long before it shows up in official data. We unpack what he's seeing inside his practice today: who's struggling, what's driving the rise in consumer proposals and bankruptcies, and how closely those trends are connected to housing costs, mortgage renewals and rising debt loads. We discuss the growing role of HELOCs, the psychology of debt in a real-estate-obsessed culture, and whether insolvency trends could signal more forced home sales and pressure on the housing market in 2025. This is an important conversation for anyone following the housing market, the growing financial strain facing Canadian families, and the economic risks building beneath the headlines. Follow John x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly About This Show The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!

John Pasalis presents his latest data and top stories on Toronto area real estate in conversation with fellow Realosophy agents Gus Papaioannou and Davin McMahon and our Move Smartly mortgage expert, David Larock - and you, our viewers, who join the discussion in our live chat!! This week on our live show, John and the team break down what could be coming in 2026 - including the possibility of interest rates rising again. So the big question is: Will higher rates finally push those buyers who've been sitting on the sidelines to make a move? We're already seeing early signs that some are starting to jump back in before affordability shifts again. Dave Larock, our mortgage expert, provides a breakdown of November's big job gain and why that headline might be more hype than reality. Dave believes rates will hold steady in the short term, but he's predicting rate cuts coming in 2026. Set-up a meeting with John Pasalis and his agents at Realosophy to discuss your own real estate questions privately: https://www.movesmartly.com/meetjohn Sign up for our email list to be alerted to the next online market update to join our YouTube session live chat and ask your own Qs: https://www.movesmartly.com/monthly-public-webinar Today's show links: John's latest articles on the Toronto area real estate market are on realosophy.com https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/author/john-pasalis Dave Larock's latest weekly blog post on mortgage rates on MoveSmartly.com: https://www.movesmartly.com/articles/author/david-larock Contact Us: John Pasalis, President and Broker, Realosophy Realty, Toronto | Email: [email protected] | X-Twitter: @JohnPasalis David Larock, Mortgage Broker and Analyst and Realtor | Email: [email protected] | X-Twitter: @Dave_at_IMP About This Show: The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this and every episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please subscribe and leave us a positive rating on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from — thank you!!