Many selling their US homes are bringing their capital back north, report reveals
Growing political tensions and a changing economic landscape in the US is prompting a significant number of Canadians to reconsider their residential property assets south of the border.
More than half (54%) of Canadians with US property are thinking about selling it within the next year, with 62% citing the current political administration as their main reason. Other factors include personal and financial reasons (33%) and increasingly extreme weather conditions (5%), such as hurricanes and wildfires.
The stats are revealed in a new survey from Royal LePage which finds that 44% of those that sold their US property in the last year attributed their decision to the current political administration, with personal reasons and extreme weather conditions following at 27% and 22% respectively.
“The polarizing political climate in the United States is prompting many Canadians to reconsider how and where they spend their time and money,” says said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage.
“Canadians have been the most important foreign investors in America’s residential real estate market for years, and a significant wave of property sales would leave a noticeable mark on the regional economies that snowbirds support. Places like Florida, Arizona and California stand to lose millions in economic activity – and thousands of neighbours – if Canadian owners pull their capital from US housing markets.”
The National Association of Realtors reports that Canadian transactions have been significantly lower over the last five years compared to the 2010s and the decline in Canadian travel to the US is also a factor, with Statistics Canada reporting a 10.8% decrease in trips and a 7.9% drop in spending by Canadian residents in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year.
Almost one-third of survey respondents who have recently sold or are planning to sell said they intend to reinvest the earnings into the Canadian real estate market, aligning with the broader ‘Buy Canadian’ movement sparked by ongoing tariff threats.
“Many who are selling their US properties are opting to bring that capital back home, with some reinvesting in local recreational property, reinforcing confidence in the long-term strength and stability of Canada’s economy,” says Soper.
It’s not only Canadians who are reacting to the political climate; Americans are also looking north.
“We’re seeing a clear and growing trend: moments of political unrest in the United States are directly correlating with surges in interest from American visitors to our website,” explains Soper. “Whether it's protests, presidential debates or elections, these spikes suggest that a growing number of Americans are exploring Canadian real estate as a safe and stable alternative – even if the reality of being granted residency is more complex than a simple home search.”
