Verified November 2, 2026 by Local Toronto Editorial
Short answer: Selling a home in the GTA in winter can work well. TRREB’s 2026 figures show far fewer homes for sale in January than in May, so a listed home faces less competition, but there are also fewer buyers, and a smaller share of listings sold in January than in spring. Price it carefully, keep the walks and steps clear (each city has its own snow rules), keep the heat on if the home is empty, and plan your closing date around the holidays. Before you list, add up what you will actually net after commission, HST on the commission, any mortgage prepayment penalty and legal costs. The calculator below helps with that.
What the winter market looks like for sellers
The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) publishes monthly figures for the whole GTA. The 2026 numbers show two things at once. In winter there are fewer homes for sale, which means less competition for your listing. There are also fewer buyers, and a smaller share of the homes on the market sell each month.
| Month | Sales | New listings | Active listings | Average price | Sales as % of new listings | Sales as % of active listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 3,082 | 10,774 | 17,975 | $973,289 | 28.6% | 17.1% |
| February 2026 | 3,868 | 10,705 | 19,314 | $1,008,968 | 36.1% | 20.0% |
| April 2026 | 5,946 | 17,097 | 25,110 | $1,051,969 | 34.8% | 23.7% |
| May 2026 | 6,583 | 17,698 | 26,927 | $1,069,700 | 37.2% | 24.4% |
The last two columns are our arithmetic, not TRREB figures. For example, January sales of 3,082 divided by 17,975 active listings is 17.1%. May’s 6,583 sales divided by 26,927 active listings is 24.4%.
What the numbers say:
- Less competition. January had 8,952 fewer active listings than May (26,927 minus 17,975), about 33% fewer. New listings were about 39% lower (10,774 versus 17,698).
- Fewer buyers too. Sales in January were less than half of May’s (3,082 versus 6,583), and a smaller share of active listings sold.
- February picked up. February 2026 had almost the same number of new listings as January but 786 more sales, so 36.1% of new listings sold, close to the spring months.
- Prices were lower in winter, with a caveat. The January average was $96,411 below May’s ($1,069,700 minus $973,289), about 9.9% lower. Average prices move with the mix of homes sold each month, so this does not mean any one house sells for 10% less in January.
The most recent month published when we checked was September 2026: 5,040 sales, 16,500 new listings, 26,131 active listings, an average price of $1,006,409, an average of 34 listing days on market and an average sale price of 98% of the list price. For the latest monthly prices by city, see our GTA home prices by city tracker.
Pricing and timing a winter listing
Winter buyers tend to be people who need to move: a job change, a growing family, a lease ending, an estate. They have usually watched the market for a while and know what similar homes sold for. A price set well above recent comparable sales tends to sit, and in a month where only about one in six active listings sells, sitting costs you time.
- Use recent sales, not old list prices. Ask for sold prices of similar homes nearby from the last few months, and note how long they took to sell.
- Decide on an offer strategy up front. Holding back offers to a set date works when you expect several buyers. With fewer buyers, many winter sellers accept offers any time. Your agent should explain the trade-offs with your local numbers.
- Watch the calendar. In 2026, Christmas Day falls on a Friday, Boxing Day on Saturday, December 26, and New Year’s Day 2027 on a Friday. These are Ontario public holidays. Talk to your real estate lawyer before you agree to a closing date close to them, because lawyers, lenders and movers all need to be available that day.
- Know where rates stand. The Bank of Canada raised its policy rate to 2.50% on October 28, 2026, and its next scheduled decision is December 9, 2026. Our Bank of Canada rate explainer covers what that means for buyers’ budgets.
Our main guide to selling your home in Toronto and the GTA covers pricing, offers and negotiation in more depth. If you want a number for your own home, a free home evaluation is a good first step.
Snow, ice and showings: rules by city
A listed home brings a steady stream of buyers, agents, inspectors and appraisers to your door. A clear, salted path is basic courtesy and good for photos. It is also about liability. Since January 29, 2021, Ontario’s Occupiers’ Liability Act has required anyone injured by snow or ice on private property to give written notice within 60 days to the occupier or to the snow removal contractor, as summarised by practicePRO, LAWPRO’s risk management program. That rule is about how claims are made. It does not reduce your duty to keep the property reasonably safe.
Each city splits snow clearing differently, so check your own:
| City | Public sidewalk | Your own property | Other rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | The City clears about 98% of sidewalks when 2 cm or more falls. Under 2 cm, residents and businesses clear the sidewalk next to their property within 12 hours after the snowfall ends. | Driveways, parking spaces, steps, ramps and landings within 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Do not push snow onto sidewalks, roads or bike lanes. The City lists a fine of $500 plus a $110 victim surcharge. |
| Mississauga | The City treats all sidewalks as part of its snow clearing service. Residential sidewalks are salted or plowed within 24 hours for up to 15 cm, longer for bigger storms. | Your driveway, walkway and steps. Snow left by plows near the sidewalk is not cleared, and sidewalks blocked by parked cars are skipped. | Do not shovel snow onto the road (Highway Obstruction By-law). |
| Brampton | Owners and tenants must clear sidewalks of snow and ice by 11 a.m. the day after a snowfall (By-law 242-76). | Your driveway, walkway and steps. | After a complaint, an officer can order clearing within 8 hours. If it is not done, the City hires a contractor and adds the cost plus fees to your property taxes. Do not shovel snow onto the street. |
For more detail, including corner lots and help programs, see who has to clear the sidewalk in front of your house and who clears the snow windrow at the end of your driveway.
If you have already moved out, arrange a snow removal contractor or a neighbour before the first storm, and agree on who checks the property after each snowfall.
If the home is empty: heat, pipes and insurance
Many sellers buy their next home first and leave the old one empty for showings. In winter, an empty house needs more care.
- Keep the heat on. The City of Toronto advises keeping areas with water pipes above 8°C and insulating exposed pipes in basements, crawl spaces, garages and attics. It also says property owners are responsible for the pipe that runs from the property line into the home.
- Have someone check in. The Insurance Bureau of Canada advises that if you are away during the heating season, “even for a few days, leave the heat on and have someone you trust check on your home while you are away. Failing to do so can affect your coverage.”
- Call your insurer before you move out. Home policies often have specific conditions for a home that is unoccupied or vacant, and the wording differs between insurers. Read your policy and ask your insurer in writing what they require while the home is listed and empty.
- Know where the main shut-off is. Make sure whoever checks the home can find it and turn it off quickly.
Showing a home well in winter
Buyers who tour in January see the house as it really is in the cold. That can work for you.
- Warm and bright. Keep the house comfortably warm for showings, open blinds, and turn on lights. Short days mean many showings happen after dark.
- A dry entry. Put down a large mat and a boot tray, and leave space for buyers to take off boots. Wet floors look like a maintenance problem.
- Clear vents and the gas meter. Buried furnace vents or an iced-over meter tell a buyer the house is not being looked after.
- Have the records ready. A recent furnace service invoice, the roof’s age and invoice, and the age of the air conditioner answer the questions a winter inspection cannot. Snow on the roof and frozen ground mean a buyer’s inspector will often list items as not inspected.
- Use photos from other seasons. If you have good photos of the garden, deck or pool from summer, ask your agent to include them, clearly labelled as taken in another season.
- Consider a radon test before you list. Health Canada does not recommend radon testing during a sale because a reliable test takes at least three months, and one of its suggested options is for the seller to test before listing. Winter is a good time to run that long-term test.
For what buyers and their inspectors will be looking at, read our guide to buying a home in winter. If you are deciding what to fix before you list, see home improvements that pay back when you sell.
The costs of selling in Ontario
Sellers in Ontario do not pay land transfer tax. That falls on the buyer. Your main costs are usually these:
| Cost | What the rule is | How to estimate it |
|---|---|---|
| Brokerage commission | RECO says remuneration “must be an agreed amount or percentage of the sale price,” and agents “must not suggest that remuneration is fixed or approved by RECO, any government authority, or any real estate board.” | Whatever you agree to in writing in your representation agreement. |
| HST on the commission | Ontario’s HST rate is 13%. | Commission multiplied by 0.13. |
| Mortgage prepayment penalty | The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada says the penalty “will usually be the higher of” three months’ interest on what you owe or the interest rate differential (IRD). Selling and paying off the mortgage before the term ends can trigger it. | Ask your lender for a written payout statement. Ask whether you can port the mortgage to your next home instead. |
| Legal fees and disbursements | Your real estate lawyer handles the closing, pays out the mortgage and registers the discharge. | Get a written quote. It varies by lawyer and by how complex the file is. |
| Moving, storage and carrying costs | Heat, utilities, insurance, property tax and snow removal continue until closing. | Budget month by month, especially if you have bought your next home first. |
Under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act rules that took effect in December 2023, RECO says a brokerage’s written agreement with a seller must clearly set out, among other things, the date it takes effect and the date it expires, and the method for working out the brokerage’s pay. The expiry date must be shown prominently on the first page, and you must initial next to it. If you list in winter and the agreement expires in early spring, check that date before you sign.
On the penalty, the FCAC says the IRD usually applies when your mortgage rate is higher than the current rate and you signed your contract less than five years ago. Fixed-rate penalties can be much larger than three months’ interest, so get the exact figure before you set a closing date. If you are also buying, our breakdown of how much cash you need to close covers the buyer side.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or mortgage advice. Confirm your own penalty with your lender and your closing costs with a real estate lawyer.
Net proceeds calculator
What will you walk away with?
Enter your own numbers. The starting values are example inputs only, not quotes or typical rates. Commission is whatever you agree with your brokerage.
How the example works: a $1,000,000 sale at an example 4% commission is $40,000. HST at 13% adds $5,200, for $45,200. The $5,625 penalty is three months’ interest on a $500,000 balance at an example rate of 4.5% ($500,000 times 0.045 divided by 4). With a $500,000 mortgage payout and $2,000 entered for legal and other costs, the estimate is $1,000,000 minus $45,200, $500,000, $5,625 and $2,000, which is $447,175. Your own figures will differ.
Thinking about selling this winter? We can walk you through recent sales near you and a realistic timeline. Start with a free home evaluation, or talk to us about buying your next home. Our GTA moving checklist helps once you have a closing date.
Common questions
Is winter a bad time to sell a house in the GTA?
Not necessarily. TRREB’s figures show about 33% fewer active listings in January 2026 than in May 2026, so there is less competition. There are also fewer buyers: about 17% of active listings sold in January, compared with about 24% in May. Careful pricing matters more in winter.
Do I have to shovel the sidewalk while my house is listed?
It depends on the city. In Brampton, owners and tenants must clear sidewalks by 11 a.m. the day after a snowfall. In Toronto, the City clears most sidewalks when 2 cm or more falls, and residents clear lighter snow within 12 hours. Mississauga clears all sidewalks. In every city you are responsible for your own driveway, walkway and steps.
Can I leave my house empty while it is for sale in winter?
Yes, but keep the heat on, have someone check the home regularly, and talk to your insurer first. The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that not leaving the heat on and arranging checks while away during the heating season can affect your coverage. The City of Toronto advises keeping areas with water pipes above 8°C.
Is real estate commission negotiable in Ontario?
Commission is an agreed amount. RECO says remuneration must be an agreed amount or percentage of the sale price, and agents must not suggest it is fixed or approved by RECO, the government or a real estate board. HST at 13% is charged on top.
Will I pay a penalty if I sell before my mortgage term ends?
Usually, if you pay the mortgage off. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada says the penalty is usually the higher of three months’ interest or the interest rate differential. Ask your lender for a payout statement and whether you can port the mortgage to your next home.
Should I avoid closing near Christmas or New Year’s?
Plan carefully. Christmas Day 2026 is a Friday, Boxing Day is Saturday, December 26, and New Year’s Day 2027 is a Friday, all Ontario public holidays. Confirm with your lawyer, lender and movers that everyone can complete the closing on the date you choose.
Sources
- TRREB Market Watch: January 2026, February 2026 (March 5, 2026), April 2026 (May 5, 2026), May 2026 (June 3, 2026) and September 2026 (October 6, 2026).
- City of Toronto, Clearing snow and ice from your property (July 16, 2026) and Prevent or thaw frozen pipes (October 19, 2026).
- City of Mississauga, Snow clearing (November 2, 2026).
- City of Brampton, Sidewalk snow clearing.
- practicePRO (LAWPRO), New 60 day notice requirement in the Occupiers’ Liability Act (updated September 10, 2021).
- Insurance Bureau of Canada, Winter safety.
- Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Mortgage fees: Prepayment penalties.
- Canada Revenue Agency, GST/HST rates by province.
- RECO, Bulletin 2.3: Representation agreements and Sector Advisory: Agreements must comply with the legislation (December 19, 2023).
- Government of Ontario, Public holidays.
- Bank of Canada, Interest rate announcement, October 28, 2026 and Policy interest rate schedule.
- Health Canada, Radon and real estate.
Images: AI-generated illustrations created for this guide. They do not show real properties.
Local Toronto, HomeLife Landmark Realty Inc., Brokerage.