Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
When your listing expires unsold, the agreement ends and you can relist, switch brokerages, wait or rent the home out, but a holdover clause may still apply. It is common: from January to October 2026, TRREB recorded 145,345 new listings and 52,694 sales. Fix the real cause, usually price, before relaunching.
This guide is for GTA homeowners whose listing is about to expire, or already has, without a sale. You will learn what happens to your listing agreement, how common this is going into 2027, and the real options from here: relist, wait for spring, rent it out or change your plan, with the rules and costs that come with each.
What happens when your listing expires without a sale?
Your listing agreement simply ends on its expiry date. RECO, Ontario’s real estate regulator, says the expiry date must appear prominently on the first page, and its guidance to brokerages says you should initial next to it. There is no standard length: an agreement can run for days, weeks or months, so check yours now.
After expiry you are free to relist with the same brokerage, hire a different one, sell privately or keep the home. But one clause can follow you.
The holdover clause
Most listing agreements include a holdover clause. RECO explains that it can require you to pay the brokerage’s fee if you sell after the agreement expires, within the holdover period, under the conditions the clause sets out. The clause itself defines which sales are covered, so read it closely. There is no minimum or set length for a holdover, so read yours. My post on the holdover clause explains how it works with a new agreement.
How common is it for GTA homes not to sell?
More common than most sellers expect. From January to October 2026, TRREB recorded 145,345 new listings and 52,694 sales across its area. That does not mean nearly two-thirds of homes failed to sell, because new listings include relists, and some owners withdrew on purpose. But it does show that many listings end without a sale, or end and start again.
Another clue is days on market. In October 2026, homes that sold had been on the market for an average of 31 days on their final listing. Counting earlier listings with the same brokerage, the average was 49 days. That 18-day gap reflects sellers who relisted before they sold. I explained these two measures in detail in my post on what days on market hides.
The wider market also explains the slower pace. TRREB said uncertainty about inflation and borrowing costs kept many buyers on the sidelines in October 2026. The Bank of Canada raised its policy rate to 2.50% on 28 October 2026, and its next decision is on 9 December 2026.
Why do houses fail to sell in the GTA?
In my experience the cause is almost always one of four things, roughly in this order:
- Price. The list price was above what recent comparable sales support, often because it was based on older, higher sales.
- Presentation. Weak photos, no floor plan, clutter or an empty home that looks cold online.
- Access. Showings were hard to book, or tenants limited viewing times.
- Condition. Buyers found something in person, such as water, wiring or a smell, that the price did not reflect.
Find the real cause before you do anything else. Showing feedback, the number of showings and how your price compared with homes that did sell nearby will usually point to it. My guide on why a house is not selling walks through each cause.
Can you relist right away or switch agents?
Yes, once the agreement has expired. Before expiry, the agreement stays in force unless it is ended under its own terms. RECO says an agreement should list every circumstance in which it can be terminated, and any costs that apply, so read that section before you ask to cancel early.
When you relist, you get a new listing and a fresh start online, but buyers and their agents can usually see the history, including the earlier price. A relist at the same price with the same photos rarely changes the result. Change the thing that caused the problem.
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Should you take your house off the market and wait for spring?
Waiting can make sense if your timing is flexible, because spring brings more buyers. TRREB’s monthly figures show how much sales swing through the year.
| Month | GTA home sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| November 2025 | 4,963 | $1,039,575 |
| December 2025 | 3,667 | $1,006,141 |
| January 2026 | 3,044 | $968,468 |
| February 2026 | 3,833 | $1,007,347 |
| March 2026 | 4,992 | $1,015,058 |
| April 2026 | 5,916 | $1,051,878 |
| May 2026 | 6,544 | $1,069,716 |
| June 2026 | 6,730 | $1,058,789 |
| October 2026 | 5,603 | $1,024,108 |
Source: TRREB Market Watch, October 2026, monthly sales and average price, all TRREB areas. Average prices mix home types and are not a measure of value change.
Sales in June 2026 were more than double January’s. But more sellers also list in spring, so a home that did not sell because of price will face the same problem with more competition. For a fuller look at timing, read my post on selling in December or waiting for spring.
Costs of waiting
While you wait you still pay the mortgage, property tax, insurance, utilities and upkeep. If you own in the City of Toronto and the home will sit empty, check the Vacant Home Tax. For the 2026 tax year it is 3% of the property’s assessed value, and it can apply to a home left unoccupied for six months or more in a calendar year, unless it is a principal residence, rented for at least six months or covered by an exemption. Every Toronto owner must file a declaration for 2026 by 30 April 2027.
Should you rent out your house instead of selling?
Renting can cover costs while you wait for a better market, but it changes your future sale.
- Rent increases are limited. Ontario’s guideline is 1.9% for increases taking effect in 2027, with 90 days’ written notice and at least 12 months between increases. Units first occupied for residential purposes after 15 November 2018 are exempt from the guideline.
- Showings get harder. To show a rented home to a buyer you must give the tenant at least 24 hours’ written notice, with entry between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
- A tenant may stay after a sale. Selling with a tenant in place limits your buyers to investors unless the tenancy ends under Ontario rules. Read my guide on selling a rented home in Ontario before you sign a lease.
There can also be tax effects when a home stops being your principal residence. Speak with an accountant before you rent it out.
What if you have already bought your next home?
This is the hardest case, because you have a fixed closing date. Talk to your lender now about bridge financing, which can carry the purchase until your sale closes, and find out how long they will offer it. Then work back from your purchase closing. Ideally your sale closes on or before that date; if not, bridge financing has to cover the gap, and you carry two homes until it does. That usually means pricing to sell within weeks, not months.
How do you relaunch a house that did not sell?
Treat the relaunch as a new listing, not a continuation.
- Reset the price to the most recent comparable sales, ideally from the last three months.
- Fix or get quotes for anything buyers mentioned in feedback.
- Shoot new photos, add a floor plan and rewrite the description.
- Switch to offers anytime unless your home type is clearly drawing multiple offers.
- Open up showing times, especially weekends.
Set a review date before the relaunch goes live, about two to three weeks out, and agree with your agent what you will change if there is no offer by then. Deciding in advance takes the emotion out of the next step. It also stops a second listing from drifting for months, which is how a home starts to look stale to buyers.
Before you sign a new listing agreement, check the holdover clause in the old one. If a buyer who saw your home during the first listing buys it during the holdover period, you could face a fee dispute, or owe more than one brokerage, depending on how the two agreements are worded. Ask both agents to confirm in writing how an overlap would be handled.
When a listing expires, I sit down with the seller and look at three numbers: showings, feedback and the sale prices of homes that actually sold while we were listed. In my view, the answer is usually in those three. If buyers came and said the price was high, waiting for spring rarely fixes that. If buyers never came, the launch needs to change. Either way, a relaunch with the same price and photos is the one option I would avoid.
What to do next
- Find your listing agreement and note the expiry date, termination terms and holdover period.
- Ask for every piece of showing feedback and the list of homes that sold nearby during your listing.
- Get a fresh value range from the estimator on this page and compare it with your old price.
- Decide between relaunching now, waiting for spring or renting, and write down the costs of each.
- If you relaunch, change the price, photos and showing access together, not one at a time.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my house doesn’t sell before the listing expires?
The listing agreement ends on its expiry date, and you are free to relist, hire another brokerage, sell privately or keep the home. In Ontario, RECO says the expiry date must appear prominently on the first page. A holdover clause may still require you to pay a fee if you later sell to a buyer covered by that clause.
Can I relist my house with a different realtor in Ontario?
Yes, once your current listing agreement has expired or been ended under its terms. Before expiry, the agreement stays in force. RECO says agreements should list when they can be terminated and any costs. Check the old agreement’s holdover clause too, so you understand what you might owe if a buyer from the first listing buys your home.
What is an expired listing in real estate?
An expired listing is a property whose listing agreement reached its end date without a firm sale. The home comes off the MLS System until the owner relists it. In the GTA in 2026, expired and relisted homes were common: in October 2026, sold homes averaged 31 days on their final listing but 49 days counting earlier listings with the same brokerage.
How common is it for houses not to sell in the GTA?
Fairly common in 2026. From January to October 2026, TRREB recorded 145,345 new listings and 52,694 sales. New listings include relists and some withdrawals, so this does not mean two-thirds failed. But it shows many GTA listings ended or restarted before a sale, as buyers held back over inflation and borrowing costs.
Should I take my house off the market until spring?
It can help if your timing is flexible and your price was right. GTA sales rose from 3,044 in January 2026 to 6,730 in June 2026, according to TRREB, so spring has more buyers. If buyers rejected your price, more spring listings will not fix that. In Toronto, check whether the Vacant Home Tax could apply if the home sits empty.
Does Toronto’s Vacant Home Tax apply if my house didn’t sell?
It can. For the 2026 tax year, Toronto’s Vacant Home Tax is 3% of the property’s assessed value. It can apply to a home left unoccupied for six months or more in a calendar year, unless it was a principal residence, rented for at least six months or covered by an exemption. All Toronto owners must declare by 30 April 2027.
Should I rent my house if it doesn’t sell?
Renting can cover carrying costs, but it limits your next sale. In Ontario, rent increases in 2027 are capped at 1.9% for units first occupied on or before 15 November 2018, and showings need 24 hours’ written notice to the tenant. A tenant may also stay after a sale. Speak with an accountant about tax effects before renting out a former principal residence.
How long should I wait before relisting my house?
There is no required waiting period in Ontario once the listing agreement has expired. What matters is changing what did not work, such as price, photos or showing access. Relisting at the same price with the same photos rarely changes the result. Check the old agreement’s holdover clause first, and set a clear review date for the new listing.
Do I still pay commission if my listing expires without a sale?
Usually not, if nothing sells. Commission is normally owed on a sale. The exception is the holdover clause: if you sell during the holdover period to a buyer covered by that clause, you may owe the original brokerage its fee. RECO says there is no minimum or set length for a holdover period, so read your agreement.
Sources
- TRREB Market Watch, October 2026
- TRREB news release: Inflation and borrowing costs impacted October GTA real estate market (4 November 2026)
- Bank of Canada press release, 28 October 2026
- RECO: Signing a contract with a real estate brokerage
- RECO Bulletin 2.3: Representation agreements
- City of Toronto: City opens the 2026 Vacant Home Tax declaration period
- Government of Ontario: Residential rent increases
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (section 27, entry with notice)
Related reading
- Seller Closing Costs in Ontario for 2027: Every Fee Before You Get Paid
- How to Sell a House in Toronto, Step by Step (2027)
- Closing Costs on a New Build in Ontario: What Builders Add
- How Much Is My House Worth in Caledon? (2027)
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.