The Home Front - February 2026

It’s been a very productive month on both the work and home fronts. I attended the Royal LePage Tri-City kickoff, where I had the chance to meet CEO Phil Soper and hear his thoughtful (and encouraging) outlook on the year ahead. I also spent a full day at Real Estate Development Day in Kitchener Waterloo, connecting with local agents and brokers and digging into practical ways to strengthen and grow our businesses. Between conferences, learning, and client work, it’s been a busy but motivating start to the season.

At home, a TikTok-inspired idea turned into a full kitchen project: Blake is building a custom dining banquette so we can host more dinners, while I handled the IKEA cabinet inserts for extra storage (practical and satisfying). We finished it with wainscoting, trim, and a soft eucalyptus paint colour *because aesthetics matter*, leaving just the tabletop to go before we’re ready to host.

We also spent a weekend making pizza completely from scratch with our nephews, including homemade mozzarella (a science experiment that paid off) and sauce from tomatoes we grew and froze last summer.

To round out the month, I squeezed in a much-needed self-care night at Vettä Nordic Spa and escaped the cold with Blake for a week in Playa Mujeres, soaking up sunshine with family before jumping back into winter and work mode.

Market Updates

Guelph has firmly shifted into a buyer’s market as inventory continues to outpace sales.

January saw 67 homes sold, down 34% year over year, while new listings jumped nearly 39% to 245.

The sales-to-new-listings ratio fell to 27.35%, giving buyers more choice and negotiating power.

Prices have adjusted accordingly, with the average sale price down 6% to $741,343 and the median down 7.5% to $724,000.

Homes are also taking longer to sell, with average days on market rising to 46.

Spring economic outlook:

No Bank of Canada policy rate change is expected this year, keeping rates steady as core inflation remains near the upper end of the 1–3% target range. Monthly mortgage payments are down 28% from their peak, and affordability has improved to roughly 2022 levels.

Economic growth is weakening, with Q4 2025 GDP expected to turn negative, raising the odds of future rate cuts if data stays soft.

The mortgage renewal wave peaks this year: about half of renewing borrowers will see payments rise 0–10%, while nearly 25% face increases over 20%. Meanwhile, a shift toward purpose-built rentals and slowing non-permanent resident growth is creating surplus rental supply, pointing to a softer rental market through the year.

While there’s still uncertainty ahead, steadier rates and easing affordability are giving many buyers, sellers, and renters a bit more breathing room, as well as a chance to make thoughtful, well-timed decisions this spring.

ACCESS COMMUNITY MARKET REPORTS HERE:

My Culinary Chronicles

Culinary Chronicles is where I share simple, comforting recipes through a short monthly video These are dishes rooted in tradition and real life, easy to make, satisfying, and perfect for busy days.

This month I’m sharing brothy rice and chicken dumpling. A god-send when things are busy and there’s minimal food in the fridge. Getting creative with what was in the pantry, I put together this warm and comforting dish.