RE/MAX Gets Bought

🚨 Real Brokerage Buys RE/MAX In Mega Deal

Source: WSJ

The 411: Real Brokerage is acquiring RE/MAX in an $880M deal, creating a global brokerage group with 180,000 agents.

• Real Brokerage is acquiring RE/MAX in a deal valued at about $880 million.

• The merger will create a new company called Real REMAX Group.

• Combined, the firms would have generated $2.3 billion in 2025 revenue.

• The new group will support more than 180,000 agents across 120 countries.

• RE/MAX shareholders can choose $13.80 per share in cash or shares in the new company.

• Real shareholders are expected to own 59% of the combined firm, while RE/MAX shareholders will own 41%.

• The companies expect about $30 million in annual cost savings by the end of 2027.

• RE/MAX and Motto Mortgage will keep their brand names and franchise models.

📉 Toronto Rents Hit 16 Quarter Low

Source: Urbanation

The 411: Toronto rents fell 3.8% as vacancy hit 5.4% and incentives surged across rental buildings.

• Vacancy in GTHA rentals hit 5.4% in Q1, up from 3.6% last year and more than double 2024 levels.

• The availability rate climbed to a record 8.0%, as more tenants moved chasing better deals.

• Net rents fell 3.8% year over year to $3.52 psf, a 16-quarter low.

• Incentives are everywhere, with 66% of buildings offering perks like free rent.

• Two months free rent is now the most common deal, offered in nearly half of projects.

• Incentives are cutting effective rents by 13%, or about $379 per unit.

• Developers are still building, with over 10,000 rental starts in the past year.

• Nearly 9,000 new units are set to hit the market over the next 12 months.

Why This Matters: because a surge in supply is finally pushing rents down after years of increases. Rising vacancy and heavy incentives show landlords are struggling to fill units. If this trend holds, it could ease rental costs, but only while supply stays elevated.

💰 Ultra Luxury Buyers Keep Buying

Source: The Globe and Mail

The 411: Toronto’s ultra-luxury condos remain resilient, with $10M+ units seeing minimal price drops despite a weak market. While most of Toronto’s condo market is frozen, the ultra-luxury segment is holding steady.

• There are roughly two dozen condos listed above $10 million, with some pushing close to $20 million.

• Prices in this segment are down less than 7–8%, compared to a ~25% drop in the broader condo market.

• Buyers here are less rate-sensitive and often own multiple properties, making decisions less tied to market swings.

• Many deals happen off-market, with about 30% of transactions never hitting public listings.

• Security and privacy are becoming key drivers, with wealthy buyers shifting from large homes into luxury towers.

Why This Matters: While most of the market is under pressure, capital at the top end remains relatively insulated. Canada doesn’t have one housing market, it has several moving in different directions.

😬 Toronto Condos Hit Zero

Source: The Star

The 411: Toronto saw zero new condo launches in Q1 as sales hit a 35-year low and prices continue to fall.

• For the first time ever, zero new condo projects launched in the GTA in Q1. Not one.

• New condo sales collapsed to 246 units, down 52% year over year and 94% below the 10-year average.

• Resale condo prices are down roughly 25% from the 2022 peak, marking the largest correction on record.

• New condos are still about 20% more expensive than resale, killing demand despite falling prices.

• Inventory is piling up. There are 92 months of supply for completed new units at current demand levels.

• Developers are pulling back fast, cancelling 963 units in Q1 and over 11,000 since 2024.

• Many cancelled projects are being converted into rentals as the investor pool dries up.

Why This Matters: The condo market isn’t just slowing, it’s effectively paused. When launches drop to zero, the future supply pipeline starts disappearing, even if today’s market still looks oversupplied. That creates a messy setup, too many units now, not enough new ones later, and a potential shortage once buyers finally come back.

🔑 Edmonton Becomes A Renter’s Market

Source: CBC

The 411: Edmonton rents are falling as a building boom floods the market with supply and demand weakens.

• Edmonton has flipped into a renter’s market as new supply floods in and demand softens.

• Average rent across all unit types fell 2.4% year over year to $1,589 in March.

• One-bedroom rents dropped to $1,288, down 1.7% from last year.

• Developers have been building aggressively, driven by federal incentives and zoning changes.

• Rental construction is now dominating housing activity across major Canadian cities.

• Demand is weakening due to factors like youth unemployment, affordability concerns, and fewer temporary workers.

• Landlords are offering perks like free rent and incentives just to fill units.

Why This Matters: This is what happens when supply actually shows up. More units hitting the market at once can quickly flip pricing power from landlords to renters.

🤔 WTF of the Week:

Canadian colleges are laying off staff, merging programs, and cancelling courses as international student numbers drop.

Those students were not just filling classrooms, they were filling budgets, rentals, and local service jobs.

Now the pullback is hitting campuses first, but the ripple effects could show up in weaker rental demand, softer spending, and fewer future workers.

🛠 Our Trusted Providers

Finding the right service providers in real estate isn’t easy. Our Trusted Providers are handpicked by Urban 411 to help you work with professionals you can rely on.

Cardinal Law

Know your deals are legally bulletproof
Not sure if your corp, holdco, or JV actually protects you from the CRA or lawsuits? Cardinal Law ensures your legal framework is built for growth and protection. Our subscribers get a FREE Corporate Structure Review (a $500–$1,000 value).
👉 Learn More About Cardinal Law

Atena Construction Group

Turn your backyard into an income stream & increase your property value
With over 30 years of experience in the GTA, Atena Construction specializes in building laneway and garden suites—helping homeowners unlock new income streams and boost their property's value. 👉 Learn More About Atena Construction

Zown

Empowering Canadian home buyers with innovative solutions.
Zown is reshaping the home-buying journey with offering 1.5% cash back on purchases. Their growing realtor network also enables licensed agents to unlock additional income while providing unmatched value to homebuyers.
👉 See Zown’s Offering

👉 Missed last week's 411? View it here​
👋 Follow us on Instagram for daily news bites!

1