After years of watching the Greater Toronto Area market, the one question I get more than any other is some version of: "Where are the deals?" Everyone assumes there aren't any left. There are — they're just not where most buyers are looking. If you're willing to look at the categories of listings most people scroll past, the GTA still has real value in 2026. Here's where I'd start.
Power of sale listings
A power of sale happens when a lender takes over a property after the owner defaults, and the lender's goal is to recover what's owed — not to squeeze out the last dollar of market value. That gap is where buyers find room. These listings move fast and they're often a little rough, but the pricing can be noticeably below comparable homes on the same street. I keep an eye on the power of sale homes in Scarborough because the inventory there turns over quickly, and the broader power of sale listings across Toronto are worth checking weekly since new ones appear without much warning.
A word of caution: power of sale homes are usually sold as-is, with no warranties, so budget for an inspection and a contingency. The discount is real, but so is the risk if you skip due diligence.
Fixer-uppers (where most of the value still lives)
If you can tell the difference between cosmetic problems and structural ones, a fixer-upper is still the most reliable way to buy below market in the GTA. Dated kitchens, ugly carpet, and bad paint scare off the average buyer, and that fear is exactly what creates your margin. Demand is strongest in the city core, which is why the fixer-upper homes in Toronto tend to get multiple offers, while pockets like East York and Scarborough still have quieter listings. The rule I give people is simple: pay for cosmetic, walk away from structural, and always get the foundation, roof, and electrical checked before you fall in love with the layout.
Multi-family and income properties
If you want the mortgage to partly pay itself, a legal duplex or triplex changes the math entirely. Hamilton has been one of the better value stories in this category for a few years now, and the multi-family properties in Hamilton still offer rent-to-price ratios that are hard to find closer to downtown Toronto. The key word is legal — a duplex that isn't registered can turn into an expensive headache, so confirm the zoning and the existing permits before you count the second unit's rent in your budget.
Detached homes under the seven-figure line
The "you can't get a detached home under a million in the GTA" line isn't really true anymore if you broaden your map. Once you look past the central neighbourhoods, the detached homes under $800k across the GTA and the homes under $1 million in Scarborough open up a surprising amount of inventory — especially in the eastern suburbs where commute times have stopped scaring people off since hybrid work stuck around.
How to actually move on these
The deals in all four categories share one trait: they don't last. Bank-owned and underpriced listings get found, and the buyers who win are the ones who saw them first and had financing ready. Two practical moves make a bigger difference than any single listing — get pre-approved before you start looking so you can act the same day, and set up alerts for the specific categories above rather than refreshing the big portals hoping to get lucky. That's the whole game in 2026: look where others won't, and be ready to move when something good shows up.
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