March 26, 2025 – TORONTO
Despite ongoing economic turbulence and geopolitical uncertainties, Canada’s recreational housing market is showing remarkable resilience. According to a new forecast by Royal LePage®, the national median price for recreational single-family homes is expected to rise by 4.0% in 2025, reaching $652,808. This upward trend is largely driven by tight supply across the country’s most desirable cottage regions.
While the broader housing market continues to respond to economic pressure, the recreational segment stands strong — with Atlantic Canada leading the pack. The region is forecasted to experience an 8.0% increase in single-family home prices, while also posting the highest year-over-year gain for waterfront properties in 2024, at 12.6%.
“The pandemic-era scramble for recreational properties, once reminiscent of a modern-day gold rush, has thankfully eased… Demand remains strong but balanced,” said Phil Soper, President and CEO of Royal LePage. “Many families share a deep-rooted desire to own a recreational home, and that is unlikely to change.”
In 2024, the weighted median price of a recreational single-family home rose 2.3% year over year to $627,700. Meanwhile, waterfront properties dipped by 3.6% to $1,063,400, and condominiums held steady with a 0.2% increase, reaching $431,700.
Though demand has softened slightly since the pandemic highs, experts say supply remains the dominant factor in price trends. A recent survey of 153 recreational real estate professionals revealed:
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46% observed similar buyer demand year-over-year
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72% reported the same or reduced inventory
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55% noted an increase in the average days on market
Soper added, “Unlike the mainstream market, buyers in the recreational space often have the financial flexibility to continue purchasing even during uncertainty. While some have paused to monitor events like the U.S. trade dispute or the upcoming federal election, the long-term appetite for these properties remains strong.”
