During the pandemic, historically low interest rates kept buyer demand going strong, sending both sales volumes and house prices in Whitby, Ontario, to record levels. As more buyers jumped into the market, housing inventory became increasingly tight even though new listings continued coming onto the market – available homes were being snapped up by buyers in no time. Once the pandemic was over, however, the story started changing as higher interest rates cooled overall market activity. Sales pulled back from their peak levels, and at the same time, new listings also dropped, causing available inventory to tighten even further right after the pandemic. Then, starting in 2023, more sellers started coming back to the market, resulting in a gradual increase in new listings. In recent months, fewer homes are selling while new listings continue to arrive steadily, causing inventory to grow steadily.
Low interest rates kept buyer confidence on the rise, drawing more people into the Whitby real estate market. Monthly transactions typically ranged from 100 to 280 units. Inventory, meanwhile, remained fairly limited, with around 320 to 580 homes available for sale throughout most of this period.
Following the surge, sales activity settled into a slower pace, with transaction volumes mostly ranging between 100 and 270 units. Rising home prices and stricter mortgage qualification rules likely kept buyers on the sidelines. Housing inventory, on the other hand, remained elevated, typically ranging from 500 to 1020 units.
Demand strengthened again as historically low interest rates and the growing preference for more space for the same price brought many homebuyers to the real estate market in Whitby. Property sales typically ranged from 110 to 420 units during this stretch. Since properties were being sold more rapidly, inventory stayed well below the previous few years, with between 350 and 840 homes available for sale.
As interest rates climbed, affordability became a growing challenge, causing buyer confidence to soften. During this period, home sales fell to between 80 and 200 units. Inventory, meanwhile, initially fell to its lowest level before gradually building again as slower sales allowed more homes to remain on the market. Available listings in Whitby typically ranged between 250 and 680 units.
According to Whitby real estate news, housing demand has been gradually improving in recent months, although it remains well below the exceptionally active market seen a few years earlier. Sales volumes have stabilised, generally ranging between 80 and 200 units. At the same time, the number of homes available for sale has remained between 400 and 1,000 properties, giving buyers one of the widest selections seen in recent years.
Absorption rates remained above 70% and even climbed to nearly 90% in February 2017. Buyers had fewer homes to choose from and faced competition, whereas sellers were in a favourable position for pricing and negotiations.
Throughout this period, absorption rates stayed between 40% and 60% across the Whitby housing market, with a few months rising above that range.
Demand strengthened noticeably, with absorption rates remaining above 70% for almost the entire period and climbing past 90% in several months.
Following the exceptionally active conditions of the previous phase, absorption rates generally ranged between 45% and 75% in the Whitby market, although a handful of months came in higher.
This period saw absorption rates rise above 40% in several months, with April 2023 recording nearly 93% in the Whitby real estate market.
Absorption rates have generally held between 30% and 50%, indicating a balanced market with a slight advantage for buyers.
Source: Based on analysis of historical information made available from respective real estate boards.
Houses continued to dominate the market, recording a combined 13,647 sales. Detached homes led the way with 12,919 sales, while semi-detached homes contributed 728. Based on home price trends in Whitby, detached homes averaged $959.15K, while semi-detached homes averaged $731.99K.
Townhouses recorded a combined 4,604 sales, including 3,648 freehold townhouse sales and 956 condo townhouse sales. Average prices reached $715.85K for freehold townhouses and $579.89K for condo townhouses.
Condo apartments recorded 932 sales, the lowest among all property types, with an average price of $538.23K, the most affordable in the market.
Steady population growth, ongoing infrastructure projects, and strong transportation connections have all played their part in helping the Whitby rental market maintain steady growth. Together, these factors have helped rental house prices in Whitby climb over the long term while continuing to support healthy short-term growth.
How much have rental prices increased in Whitby, Ontario?
17% in 1 year
33% in 5 years
70% in 10 years
The Whitby rental market showed steady growth throughout this period, with average rents climbing from around $1,480 to $1,980. At the same time, leasing activity picked up, and leased homes usually ranged between 30 and 50 units.
Rental prices continued higher overall, averaging between $1,800 and $2,180. The number of leased homes also remained stronger than in earlier years, with leased properties generally reaching between 30 and 65 units.
This period brought a noticeable jump in rental prices, with most homes leasing for between $2,300 and $2,700. Rental demand also picked up, with leased units commonly ranging from 30 to 100.
The rental market became even busier, with monthly leased units usually ranging between 70 and 110. Rental house prices in Whitby, Ontario, stayed fairly steady at high levels throughout these two years, with most homes leasing between $2,400 and $2,960.
Rental prices remained fairly steady overall, generally ranging from $2,500 to $2,700. Meanwhile, the pace of leasing stayed strong, with monthly leased units typically reaching between 55 and 110 units.
Whitby’s relative affordability compared to Toronto, steady population growth, excellent commuter connectivity, and several other factors have all fuelled this housing market’s long-term growth. Home prices in Whitby have climbed by an impressive 81.70% over the past ten years alone. With solid long-term growth like this, it’s no surprise Whitby continues to rank among the top places for real estate investment. The market’s biggest surge came during the pandemic, when Whitby home prices soared by nearly 87% between June 2020 and February 2022. However, once the pandemic boom faded, home prices corrected and gradually stabilised as buyer demand weakened. Currently, house prices in Whitby continue to stay steady – they are up 3.97% year-over-year and 9.29% year-to-date. The pandemic housing boom was not just about prices, though; back during the pandemic, homes were also selling at a rapid pace, in just 5-10 days on average. Fast forward to today (2025-mid 2026), that timeline has stretched to 20-40 days, clearly showing the market has transitioned into more balanced conditions.
House prices kept climbing almost every month as favourable economic conditions and low interest rates fuelled competition among buyers. The average sold price increased from about $458K to $652K, while most homes sold within just 8-15 days.
The introduction of the mortgage stress test and stricter lending policies cooled demand, bringing the rapid rise in prices to an end. Throughout most months, the average house price in Whitby stayed between roughly $500K and $615K. Buyers became more selective, and homes usually took between 10 and 40 days to sell.
Once the pandemic period arrived, historically low interest rates, the remote work trend, and higher household savings sparked another wave of buyer demand, making this the decade’s most competitive period. The Whitby average house price climbed quickly through 2021 before reaching the decade’s highest monthly average of $1.16M in February 2022. At the same time, homes regularly sold within just 5-10 days.
After the record highs, Whitby house prices settled lower and generally remained between $800K and $950K. Homes spent longer on the market than during the previous phase, with average selling times commonly ranging from 10 to 25 days.
Over the past several months, house prices in Whitby, Ontario, have generally remained between about $730K and $970K. Homes have also been selling within 10 to 40 days, showing buyers are taking extra time to compare different properties before making their final decision.