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Episode 8
Why are home prices still rising when sales are falling and inventory is growing?
It sounds impossible, but that’s exactly what’s happening across parts of Canada, including Edmonton.
In Episode 8 of Smart Moves: Your Real Estate and Mortgage Podcast, we explore one of the biggest contradictions in today’s housing market. Sales are slowing. Inventory is increasing. Buyers have more choice. Yet prices continue to climb.
We connect local Edmonton housing data with one of Canada’s largest mortgage affordability studies to reveal what’s really happening beneath the headlines.
Inside this episode, you’ll discover:
- Why Edmonton home prices continue rising despite slower sales and growing inventory
- The surprising forces keeping detached home prices resilient
- What Canada’s “mortgage renewal cliff” means for millions of homeowners
- Why more Canadians are relying on rental income to afford homeownership
- How affordability challenges are changing the way people buy and own homes
- Why confidence in real estate remains remarkably strong despite economic uncertainty
For Edmonton Buyers, Sellers & Homeowners
✅ Buyers: With more homes on the market and properties taking longer to sell, buyers have more opportunities than they did a year ago. But waiting for prices to fall simply because inventory has increased may not be the winning strategy. This episode explains why some segments of Edmonton’s market continue to appreciate despite slower sales, helping you recognize where value exists before the next shift in market conditions.
✅ Sellers: A slower market doesn’t mean homes aren’t selling. It means strategy matters more than ever. Buyers have more choice today, making accurate pricing, strong presentation, and effective marketing essential. Learn why well-prepared homes continue to attract buyers, even as overall sales activity cools..
✅ Homeowners: Whether your mortgage renewal is approaching or you’re simply wondering what today’s market means for your home’s value, this episode offers important perspective. We explore the growing financial pressures facing Canadian homeowners, the rise of rental income as a financial strategy, and why real estate continues to be viewed as one of Canada’s strongest long-term investments despite ongoing affordability challenges.
What’s Next?
The Edmonton housing market isn’t behaving the way most people expect. Sales are slowing, inventory is growing, yet prices continue to show surprising resilience. At the same time, many homeowners are preparing for mortgage renewals while buyers are searching for the right opportunity.
The takeaway isn’t to predict the market. It’s to understand it.
By combining trusted local data, national research, and practical insights, this episode helps you separate headlines from reality so you can make informed decisions with greater confidence.
Whether you’re buying your first home, planning your next move, preparing for a mortgage renewal, or simply keeping an eye on your investment, Property Smart Advisors combines innovative digital tools with experienced local guidance to help you navigate every stage of homeownership.
Because smart real estate decisions aren’t built on fear or speculation. They’re built on knowledge, preparation, and a strategy designed around your goals.
Tools to Help You Act Strategically – Not Emotionally
Success in real estate isn’t about luck. It’s about having the right tools, at the right time, for the right move. These resources are designed to help you prepare, plan, and proceed with confidence; whether you’re buying, selling, or just mapping out what’s next.
- Property Smart App – Instantly check your affordability, run live rate comparisons, and complete a quick pre-qualification in minutes. Download the app
- Enhanced Mortgage Calculators – Dive deeper into payments, qualification amounts, and amortization insights with tools trusted by Alberta buyers and planners. Try the calculators
- Sold Data Access (with map search) – See what homes in your area actually sold for. Make more informed decisions with real-time, transparent sale data. View Sold Listings
- Smart Search Tool – Go beyond filters. Find homes by features you love, from ‘double garage’ to ‘vaulted ceilings’ or ‘near the dog park.’ Your dream home might be hiding behind the wrong label. Try Smart Search
Smart Moves Episode 8: Structured Transcript & Key Insights
This structured summary highlights the biggest insights from Episode 8, helping buyers, sellers, homeowners, and investors understand one of the most fascinating contradictions shaping Canada’s 2026 housing market.
Click to expand full summary transcript
- The Edmonton Paradox: Residential sales fell 19.6% year-over-year while the average home price climbed 6% to $455,208, defying traditional supply and demand expectations.
- Detached Homes Defy Gravity: Active detached inventory surged 23% year-over-year and sales declined 13%, yet average detached home prices still increased 5.7% to $589,610.
- The Mortgage Renewal Cliff: One-third of Canadian mortgage holders expect to renew within the next year, and 67% of those borrowers are anxious about facing higher interest rates.
- Financial Pressure Is Growing: Nearly half of all mortgage holders have limited flexibility. Six percent are already struggling with payments, while another 44% would face hardship if payments increased by less than 15%.
- The Rise of House Hacking: More Canadians are relying on rental income to afford homeownership. Today, 36% say they need to rent part of their home, up from 25% in 2021.
- Newcomers Face Greater Challenges: More than half of newcomers to Canada either rely on or plan to rely on rental income to make homeownership financially sustainable.
- Confidence Remains Strong: Despite affordability challenges, 76% of Canadians still believe real estate is a solid long-term investment, while 74% consider mortgages to be good debt.
- A Changing Housing Landscape: Rising prices, growing inventory, and increased financial pressure are reshaping how Canadians approach buying, financing, and owning real estate.
- Strategic Takeaway: Market headlines only tell part of the story. Understanding local trends alongside national affordability pressures creates better decisions than relying on assumptions alone.
- Final Thought: Canada’s housing market may seem to be defying gravity, but beneath the surface the numbers reveal important opportunities and challenges for anyone planning their next real estate move.
Research & Data Sources
The insights and statistics discussed in this episode are based on trusted industry research and publicly available housing market data available at the time of recording.
- Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) – May 2026 City of Edmonton Monthly Statistics
- Mortgage Professionals Canada – Canadians’ Mortgage and Homeownership Outlook 2026
Missed Previous Episodes?
Catch up on expert insights, smart tools, and practical advice from earlier episodes of Smart Moves: Your Real Estate and Mortgage Podcast. Browse All Past Episodes
- Smart Moves 101: Mortgages, Pre-Approvals & the Home Buying Journey
Your complete beginner’s guide to navigating Canadian mortgages and real estate. - AI Meets Emotions: How Technology Is Reshaping the Home Buying Experience
Discover how AI tools and emotional decision-making intersect in real estate. - Canada’s 2025 Housing Outlook: Rates, Tariffs & Whether to Wait
We break down TD’s market forecast and what it means for real buyers and sellers. - Edmonton Q1 Market Recap: Stats, Surprises & Strategic Moves
Dig into the data: what Q1 2025 means for Edmonton homeowners and investors. - When to Buy or Sell Real Estate in Edmonton
Timing the market: why playing the waiting game could actually cost you more. - Navigating Edmonton’s Fall Market – Prices, Pressure, and Possibilities
Cooler Market, Smarter Moves: Edmonton Housing Trends, September 2025. - The Supply Paradox: Why More Buyers Could Mean Fewer Homes
Rising demand could actually lead to tighter market conditions.
Real estate decisions don’t happen in isolation. Buying, selling, financing, and understanding today’s market are all connected. The better you understand how those pieces work together, the better equipped you’ll be to make confident decisions.
At Property Smart Advisors, we bring real estate and mortgage expertise together under one roof, helping Edmonton buyers, sellers, and homeowners navigate every stage of their journey with local market insight, innovative digital tools, and personalized guidance.
Our real estate services are proudly delivered in partnership with Coldwell Banker Mountain Central, giving clients access to an integrated system, experienced professionals, and exclusive programs like Your Home SOLD Guaranteed, or We’ll Buy It!, Cash Offer Program, and Revitalize: Fix Now, Pay Later, Sell for More.
Whether you’re purchasing your first home, preparing for a mortgage renewal, exploring your home’s current value, or planning your next move, Property Smart Advisors is here to help you make smarter real estate and mortgage decisions with clarity and confidence.
