Many Ontario homeowners in their sixties and seventies want to downsize and cannot find anything suitable to move into. A 2026 REMAX Canada survey found that 65% of seniors reported limited or no downsizing inventory where they live. The home most of them want is a bungalow, and bungalows are the one type of house that builders largely stopped making. Here is why the squeeze exists and how to work around it.
Key takeaways
- 49% of Canadians say downsizing options are scarce, and 8% say there are none.
- Among seniors, 65% report limited or no suitable inventory.
- 46% of seniors now plan to stay in their current home.
- Few new bungalows are built because they use more land per square foot.
- Widening your search by style and area is the most reliable fix.
What the research found
REMAX Canada’s report, released in April 2026, described a slow-moving downsizing wave. Canadians aged 65 and over made up 18.9% of the population in 2023 and are projected to pass 21% early next decade. Yet only 16% of seniors said they plan to move to a smaller home in the next ten years, and almost half intend to stay put.
The report’s conclusion was that this is not only a matter of preference. People are staying because they cannot find the right place to go. That in turn keeps larger family homes off the market for younger buyers.
Why bungalows are so hard to find
- Land cost. A 1,500 square foot bungalow needs roughly twice the footprint of a two-storey with the same space. On expensive GTA land, builders choose the two-storey.
- Teardowns. In older neighbourhoods, postwar bungalows on wide lots are bought for the land and replaced with larger homes. Each one is a bungalow removed from supply for good.
- Owners stay longer. A bungalow is easy to age in, so people rarely leave until they have to.
- Competing buyers. Downsizers compete with young families, investors looking for basement suite potential and builders.
Our article on bungalow teardowns and infill looks at the second point in more depth.
Seven ways to find a bungalow anyway
- Search every one-level style. Include raised bungalows, bungalofts with a main-floor primary bedroom and bungalow townhomes. A bungaloft often gives you one-level living plus a guest loft.
- Look one town over. Communities such as Barrie, Whitby, Oshawa, Niagara and Collingwood have more bungalows, and more new ones, than the core GTA.
- Consider adult-lifestyle communities. These are where most new bungalows in Ontario are being built.
- Set up instant alerts. Good bungalows can sell quickly even in a slow market. Seeing a listing on day one matters.
- Buy first if you can. In today’s market, some sellers will accept an offer conditional on the sale of your home. Ask your agent what is realistic locally.
- Be open to a cosmetic project. A dated but solid bungalow is easier to win than a renovated one, and one-level renovations are simpler.
- Check the layout before the finishes. Entry steps, door widths and a main-floor laundry matter more over time than a new kitchen.
Bungalow tip: Count the steps from the driveway to the front door and from the garage into the house. A bungalow with a no-step entry is rare and worth paying attention to.
Is this a good time to downsize?
It can be. Prices for larger detached homes have softened, but so have bungalow prices, and buyers currently have more time and negotiating room than they did a few years ago. The gap between what you sell for and what you buy for is what counts, and that gap has stayed fairly steady.
Frequently asked questions
Are bungalows more expensive than two-storey homes?
Per square foot of living space, usually yes, because of the larger lot. In total price, a bungalow is often less than a newer two-storey on the same street.
What if I cannot find a bungalow in my neighbourhood?
Consider adapting your current home in stages while you keep looking. Our guide to aging in place renovations covers the options.
Is a condo a better choice than a bungalow for downsizing?
It depends on how you feel about stairs, elevators, monthly fees and outdoor space. See our bungalow vs condo comparison.
Start your search
Browse bungalows for sale across Ontario and save your search to be notified the moment a match is listed. Our downsizing guide for empty nesters covers the rest of the move.
