Twenty-six per cent of single Canadians are considering purchasing a home on their own, with Atlantic Canada leading the pack at 34 per cent

Fifty-two per cent of single Canadians said economic uncertainty and expensive home prices are the biggest factors impacting their decision not to purchase a home on their own

As Canadians’ household debt ratio creeps higher across the country, single Canadians who are interested in buying a home on their own (26 per cent), seem to be on a different path. According to a recent RE/MAX survey conducted by Leger, almost half of respondents (43 per cent) have less than $5,000 in debt, casting doubt on claims that debt is impacting their decision to purchase a home.

For more than half of single Canadians, the decision not to purchase is driven by economic uncertainty and high home prices (52 per cent). Meanwhile, 81 per cent of singles who want to purchase a home say that they have the ability to do so and finance a property on their own. More than one-third (37 per cent) of single home buyers will use a loan or mortgage, and 35 per cent have the savings available to make the down payment.

“It’s concerning to see qualified buyers showing hesitancy toward home ownership. Price and economic factors aside, the additional unnecessary layers of government intervention have left many feeling pushed out of the market, or uncertain of it,” says Christopher Alexander, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Ontario-Atlantic Canada.

However, despite these factors, it’s important to remember that buying Canadian real estate is still one of the safest and most reliable financial investments one can make.

Single Canadians who want to buy a home are in agreement, with 38 per cent saying it is a good investment, which is especially the case for those living in urban areas (51 per cent). The second most-common reason for single Canadians wanting to purchase a home is to have more flexibility in their living space (27 per cent).

“Purchasing a property alone often reaps great long-term benefits from an investment perspective,” says Elton Ash, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Western Canada.

There is a great opportunity for asset growth, particularly as home prices continue to increase in cities like Toronto and Vancouver, pushing the average sales price up in all surrounding regions as well.

Key findings from the 2019 RE/MAX Single Home Buyers Omnibus Survey

  • Canadian single buyers are more interested in purchasing single-detached homes (12 per cent), than any other type of property.
  • Men are twice as likely as women to say that they are considering purchasing a home on their own (37 per cent versus 17 per cent).
  • Single Canadians living in urban areas are more hesitant than single Canadians living in suburban areas to invest due to high home costs (48 per cent versus 43 per cent).

More to Explore

Couple with mortgage adviser discussing if porting a mortgage is worth it

Is Porting a Mortgage Worth It?

October 2, 2025

Calgary real estate

5 Things That Will Affect Calgary Real Estate in the Next 10 Years

September 30, 2025

Best places to live Toronto

Liveability is a Top Selling Feature When Listing Your Home

September 26, 2025

Family moving in and talking about How Much to Budget for Moving Costs

How Much to Budget for Moving Costs

September 25, 2025

Exploring your neighbourhood

Fall Homebuying and Exploring Your Neighbourhood with Man’s Best Friend

September 23, 2025

A couple talking about How Long Does Mortgage Approval Take After Pre-Approval

How Long Does Mortgage Approval Take After Pre-Approval?

September 22, 2025

Selling your Home this Fall

6 Tips for Selling your Home this Fall

September 22, 2025

Design Trends for Fall 2025

Design Trends for Fall 2025

September 19, 2025

Two women in the garden talking about What Is Homesteading in Canada All About

What Is Homesteading in Canada All About?

September 18, 2025

Find the
Right Agent

Sign up
For Our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
This field is hidden when viewing the form

Next Steps: Sync an Email Add-On

To get the most out of your form, we suggest that you sync this form with an email add-on. To learn more about your email add-on options, visit the following page (https://www.gravityforms.com/the-8-best-email-plugins-for-wordpress-in-2020/). Important: Delete this tip before you publish the form.
Untitled(Required)

*RE/MAX, LLC, 5075 S. Syracuse St., Denver CO, 80237; RE/MAX Western Canada and RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic, 639 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2B7, 905-542-2400