Three in four core East End freehold sales closed under $1.5 million in September, up from two in three last September
September in the core East End (E01–E03, from Leslieville and Riverdale through the Beaches and the Danforth) was tight for freehold homes. They sold for an average of 105.5% of list, with 2.4 months of inventory. The average sale price was $1,282,744, down 8.4% on the year, mostly because sales moved toward lower prices.
Core East End freehold sales and prices down in September
September's 136 freehold sales are down 6.8% from last September. Sale-to-list slipped 2.5 points from 108.0% but is up 4.4 points from August. The average sale price was $1,282,744, against $1,400,434 a year ago.
Most of the 8.4% price drop is mix: hold the price bands constant and the average is down 2.4%
Sales moved toward lower prices. In September, 76% of freehold sales fell under $1.5M, up from 67% (about two in three) a year ago, and homes over $1.5 million fell from 32.9% of sales to 24.3%. A lower-priced mix pulls the average down even when no individual home sold for less. In the $1 million to $1.5 million band, where 46% of sales happen, the average is down only 1.0%.
The two upper bands show bigger drops, but they had only 7 and 3 sales in September, so I would not lean on them. The price band matters more than the headline: a $1 million to $1.5 million home is selling roughly where it did a year ago, and a lower average does not mean the same house costs 8% less.
The $1–1.5 million range in the core has 2.0 months of supply, at $2 million to $3 million it has 5.3
Active freehold listings rose from 246 to 331 over the month, and months of inventory fell from 3.2 to 2.4. The tightest bands are $1 million to $1.5 million (2.0 months) and $1.5 million to $2 million (1.9); under $1 million is at 2.7. The $2 million to $3 million band is the soft spot at 5.3 months.
As a rule of thumb, under 3 months sellers set the terms and over 5 buyers do, so the higher bands are closer to buyer territory: $2 million to $3 million is above 5 months and $3 million and over is at 3.7. The top two bands had only 7 and 3 sales in September, so they swing a lot from month to month.
In the core East End, the average freehold home had 22.6 showings before it sold, and it sold in about 20 days. There were roughly 2.8 offers for every sale.
Leslieville and Riverdale led: E01 detached homes sold for 114% of list in 8 days
Leslieville and Riverdale (E01) were the tightest: detached homes sold for 114% of list in 8 days and semis for 113% in 12. The Beaches (E02) followed, and the Danforth and East York (E03) had the most room, with detached homes selling at 99% of list in 24 days.
What this all means if you are...
Buying a house under $2 million in E01 or E02: supply is 2.7 months or less in every band under $2 million, and detached homes in Leslieville and Riverdale sold at 114% of list. Treat list price as a starting point, not a ceiling (more often than not). If E01 and E02 keep pricing you out, E03 has more room: detached homes there sold at 99% of list in 24 days.
Buying a house over $2 million: the $2 million to $3 million band has 5.3 months of supply, so there is typically more room to negotiate. Specific pockets (Beaches, North Riverdale, Leslieville) may still be competitive on a great house.
Selling a house: price to your band, not the headline. A $1 million to $1.5 million home is selling roughly where it did a year ago, and sale-to-list is still 105.5%. Prepare the house properly and price strategically.
Upsizing within the East End: moving from a $1 million to $1.5 million home toward the $2 million to $3 million range means selling in one of the tightest bands (2.0 months of supply) and buying in the softest (5.3). That is the favourable direction, but sequence still matters: know your current home's real number, plan the bridge between the two closings, and budget conservatively.
Christian Torok, Broker · Porchlight Realty (RE/MAX Hallmark) · October 7, 2026
Sources: REALM sales data for E01–E03 freehold (Porchlight analysis, October 1, 2026 pull); TRREB Market Watch, September 2026, for detached and semi-detached district figures and the City of Toronto comparison; Porchlight's showings dashboard (October 5, 2026) for showings, offers and days before sold, freehold only. Months of inventory for the core, like-for-like prices and price-band averages are Porchlight calculations. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.
