Is the Toronto Market Frozen… Or Is There Opportunity Under the Ice?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmVb_OKdafw

Some might say the market is frozen over.

Snowstorms. Slower January numbers. Headlines pointing to a 20 percent drop in sales year over year. On the surface, it feels cold.

But here’s what I know.

When things feel frozen, strategy matters most.

I sit down with Dion Beg almost every week to unpack what’s really happening in the Toronto market. This month, the numbers told a clear story. Sales are down compared to last January. Average prices dipped below the $1 million mark. That sounds dramatic.

But context changes everything.

A healthy moving Toronto market often sees 4,500 to 5,000 sales per month. Recently, we’ve been closer to 3,000. That’s not collapse. That’s hesitation.

And hesitation creates opportunity.

We’re seeing first time buyers purchase real one bedroom condos under $500,000. We’re seeing properties that may have sold at $900,000 during the peak trading closer to $700,000 today.

As Dion put it during our conversation:

“For those people who are watching the market, the timing might be right right now. You just have to work very closely with your realtor and watch listings like a hawk.”

That’s not panic. That’s positioning.

The Bigger Conversation No One Is Talking About

Now let’s talk about something even more important.

Debt.

Not bankruptcy. Not crisis commercials. Strategy.

Dion shared a real case of a client who had:

• A condo worth roughly $700,000

• A $250,000 mortgage

• $40,000 in credit card debt at 20 to 29 percent interest

• A $40,000 car loan

Her total monthly debt payments were over $3,400.

The credit cards alone were costing her roughly $700 per month in interest.

When Dion broke down the math, the reality hit hard. If nothing changed and she simply carried the credit card balance long term, she could have paid close to $100,000 in interest on a $40,000 balance.

As Dion said:

“If you do nothing and just keep paying interest, over time you’re paying multiples of what you borrowed.”

That’s not financial pressure. That’s financial erosion.

The Strategy That Changed Everything

Through refinancing and consolidating the high interest debt into her mortgage at under 4.5 percent, her total monthly obligation dropped from roughly $3,400 to about $1,700.

That’s $1,700 per month back in her control.

Now here’s where mindset matters.

Many people resist consolidation because they don’t want a longer mortgage. They don’t want to feel like they’re going backwards.

Dion addressed that head on:

“It’s like trying to fix a tiny leak in the roof when your kitchen is on fire. Both matter. But the urgent issue is the 20 to 29 percent credit card debt.”

In her case, the freed up cash flow allowed her to stabilize. She didn’t need the full $1,700 for lifestyle. She only needed about $500.

The remaining $1,200 could be directed back onto the mortgage as prepayments.

Result?

A potential 12 year mortgage payoff plan.

Not going backwards.

Restructuring to win.

Who This Is For

This strategy is not for someone who just bought with 5 percent down and has no equity.

But if you have equity and you’re carrying high interest debt, this is a conversation worth having.

If you’re overwhelmed by multiple payments and unsure what your true interest cost is, this is a conversation worth having.

And if you’re worried about being judged, Dion said something powerful:

“Whatever situation you’re in, I’ve probably seen worse, and we’ve still managed to help those people.”

You are not the only one.

So Is the Market Frozen?

For some, it feels slow.

For others, it’s the best buying window in years.

And for homeowners quietly carrying high interest debt, this might be the moment to step back, look at the numbers, and restructure your financial foundation.

Markets shift.

Rates shift.

But disciplined strategy always wins.

If you want to unpack your situation, reach out. Whether it’s buying, selling, or consolidating debt, don’t wait two years wishing you’d made the call today.

Because under the ice, there’s always movement.