🏡 Simcoe County vs. GTA: Why First-Time Buyers Are Looking North
When it comes to choosing where to buy your first home, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Simcoe County both offer unique opportunities. But with housing costs, inventory levels, and affordability shifting in 2025, many buyers are weighing the trade-offs between staying close to Toronto and heading north to places like Barrie, Innisfil, or Orillia.
In Simcoe County, 425 homes sold in July 2025 — about 5% fewer than last year — but the real story lies in price trends. The average home price sits at $831,428, down nearly 8% year-over-year. Barrie’s average is around $708,500, while Orillia is even more affordable at $624,869. Compare that to the GTA, where the average price remains over $1,051,000 despite a 5.5% drop from last year.
For first-time buyers, that’s a difference of 💸 hundreds of thousands of dollars. In some cases, the cost of a detached home in Barrie is nearly what you’d pay for a townhouse or even a condo in Toronto.
Another big factor: supply. Simcoe County saw 1,552 new listings in July, up 17% year-over-year, with total active listings up more than 30%. Buyers have more homes to choose from, often with larger lots and more space compared to urban Toronto options.
In the GTA, sales activity was strong (6,100 homes sold in July) but new listings didn’t keep pace, rising only 5.7%. With tighter supply and higher competition, affordability challenges are even more pronounced.
Toronto offers quick access to jobs, transit, and big-city amenities 🚇 But many buyers are starting to prioritize lifestyle over commute time. In Simcoe, you can find detached homes, backyards, and community living for the same price as a condo in downtown Toronto. Cities like Barrie have also grown significantly, offering vibrant downtowns, access to Lake Simcoe 🌊, and new infrastructure that makes commuting more manageable.
Why New Buyers are Choosing Simcoe
Market Outlook 📈 – With Bank of Canada rate cuts creating more favorable borrowing conditions, entry into Simcoe’s market could set buyers up for future equity gains.
Affordability 💵 – Prices under $700,000 in Barrie or $625,000 in Orillia are a huge draw compared to over $1M in the GTA.
More Options 🏘️ – A surge in active listings means less pressure and more negotiating power.
Lifestyle Value 🌅 – Space, nature, and growing communities offer long-term appeal for families and first-time buyers.
For first-time buyers who feel priced out of Toronto…Simcoe County offers a compelling alternative: more space, more options, and much better affordability. While the GTA remains the economic hub, the north continues to grow as buyers trade in condo living for a detached home lifestyle — often at nearly half the cost.
Whether you’re exploring opportunities in Toronto or looking north toward Simcoe County.. Skill Realty has been selling in both markets for years and knows exactly how to help you find the right fit.
