Foreign Buyer Ban Reversal? Rising Fixed Rates in 2026 — Real Estate Roundtable (January 2026)

This month's real estate roundtable brings together John Pasalis, Steve Saretsky, and mortgage broker David Larock for a timely discussion on the latest developments shaping Canada's housing market as we head into 2026. We begin with the federal government's recent signal that it may reverse the foreign buyer ban in 2027. We break down what this announcement really means for the market today, how much impact foreign buyers actually have on housing demand, and whether lifting the ban would meaningfully change prices or investor behaviour. From there, we turn to mortgages — and why fixed mortgage rates may trend up rather than down in 2026, despite widespread expectations of easing. We discuss bond yields, inflation risks, and how lenders are pricing uncertainty into rates. We also look at what this means for buyers on the sidelines, households renewing this year, and investor sentiment heading into the spring market. We wrap up by sharing the key indicators we're watching in the months ahead and how they may shape the direction of Canada's housing market through 2026. Contact & Follow Follow John Pasalis on X/Twitter: @JohnPasalis | Email: [email protected] Follow Steve Saretsky on X/Twitter: @SteveSaretsky | Email: [email protected] Follow David Larock on X/Twitter: @Dave_at_IMP | Email: [email protected] Watch this episode on the Move Smartly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy the show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review, and comment — your support helps us reach more listeners.