Homes are selling like hotcakes again in these parts of the GTA

Toronto area real estate has had a harrowing go over the last year-plus, with sales sinking to lows not seen in decades as values likewise fall, pushing developers to go as far as cancelling major complexes due to lack of interest.

But amid all of the tumult, which likely has many people wondering if they made a mistake by chasing the dream of homeownership in the region, there are still some outliers that manage to resist the overall negative trend.

The townhome segment is one that's seen glimmers of hope in 2025 — in contrast to condos, which are virtually in a death spiral — while certain geographical pockets have proven a bit more immune to the volatility than others.

Along with the change in average price point and sales activity over time, one very good indication of how well parts of the market are faring is how long properties are sitting up for sale before they change hands.

And, the disparity across GTA neighbourhoods is surprisingly enormous right now.

In the face of a ridiculously high influx of new listings — more than ever recorded, as of this summer — owners are wringing their hands, watching their properties remain up for grabs with no bites.

The average number of days homes in the region stayed on the market started spiking in 2024, and in some areas, remains concerningly high. But in others, it's almost like we're back to the market heyday of early 2022.

Local real estate firm Wahi, which regularly assesses these types of stats, released its latest roundup of where condos, houses and townhomes are selling the fastest in and around Toronto lately.

Based on  October's data, Wahi found that the difference in the average time span homes typically stayed on the market in the hottest and coolest neighbourhoods was a staggering 95 days.

"After a brief uptick in fall market activity, GTA home sales continue to show striking contrasts between neighbourhoods," the firm wrote this week. "While some communities saw homes snapped up in less than two weeks, others took between two and four months to find a buyer."

The locales where properties were snapped up the quickest were spread across downtown Toronto, York and Scarborough, and included Runnymede (average of 8 days on the market), Riverdale (11 days), Birch Cliff (12 days), Lambton Park (12 days) and Parkdale (13 days).

Chart from Wahi, based on October 2025 figures.

Meanwhile, sellers in Burlington's Freeman neighbourhood, Milton's Nelson district, North York's Flemingdon Park and Yorkdale, and Milton's Timberlea struggled the most to garner any interest in their homes, with the average days on market for these areas ranging from 65 to a shocking 103.

Chart from Wahi, based on October 2025 figures.

Factors impacting the present desirability of a given community, Wahi says, include the typical things people look for when moving, which are more important in this current downturn than ever: proximity to transit, family-friendliness, affordability, and the balance between sufficient square footage and access to downtown amenities.