Most plan to act soon, yet fewer than half feel confident enough to commit
Nearly half of Canadians planning to buy a home within two years say now is the right time, even as three-quarters of that same group admit economic uncertainty is making them more cautious.
RBC's latest Home Ownership Poll said that tension defines the market heading into the second half of 2026.
Among prospective buyers, 45 percent say now is the right time to buy, compared with just 27 percent of all Canadians polled.
Driving that optimism is a belief that affordability is improving: 58 percent expect lower home prices to let them buy their first or next home, and 54 percent point to interest rates.
The same buyers, however, sense the opportunity is fleeting.
More than half (53 percent) believe only a small window exists before prices climb again, and 49 percent expect interest rates to rise this year.
That combination is pushing many to act before conditions shift.
Rising costs and shifting economic conditions have made each step of the homebuying journey feel higher-stakes, said Janet Boyle, senior vice-president of home equity finance at RBC.
Canadians now feel real pressure over whether to act, she said.
Yet confidence is thin.
Fewer than half (49 percent) of those intending to buy within two years feel confident making decisions in today's market, and only 56 percent say they have the information they need.
The gap widens among homeowners facing renewal within two years, just 44 percent of whom feel confident about their mortgage decisions.
While 65 percent of that group believe their household could absorb a rate increase, nearly one in five (18 percent) admit they have not considered what they could afford if rates rise.
Demand for advice is correspondingly high.
According to the poll, 82 percent of prospective buyers and homeowners approaching renewal say expert advice is essential when navigating major home ownership decisions.
Economic uncertainty remains the dominant pressure.
Among those intending to buy within two years, 72 percent call it the biggest challenge to buying a home, and 67 percent worry it will affect their plans.
Many clients want to buy but "economic uncertainty is making it harder to feel confident about timing," said Brad Evjen, senior mortgage specialist at RBC.
He said his focus is helping them weigh their options, control what they can and plan ahead for the right moment.
Rising costs are eroding savings before buyers reach that point, with 71 percent of those planning to buy within two years saying inflation is causing them to save less.
Trade-offs have risen sharply since January: 69 percent now say they must delay major purchases, up from 54 percent, and 53 percent plan to redirect retirement savings toward a home, up from 49 percent.
Sentiment on the broader market is split by region.
Nationally, 36 percent see a seller's market and 27 percent a buyer's market with Quebec (57 percent) and Atlantic Canada (52 percent) the strongest seller's-market regions, while BC and Ontario lean toward buyers.
