加拿大豪宅市场新定义：3万美元以上即为豪宅

“Luxury” is one of the most overused terms in real estate – a verbal coat of gold paint applied to anything with a high ceiling or large square footage (or not). Naturally, its definition is often subjective and relative. It’s also changing. In today’s climate, luxury real estate is being defined by three distinct pillars: Policy, design, and changing consumer behaviour. A Tale of Two Markets Sotheby’s International Realty’s 2026 Luxury Outlook paints a picture of a real estate market that has officially split in two: The general market and the luxury market. While the missing middle and entry-level buyers are struggling with high costs, the luxury tier is operating on entirely different physics. According to the report, luxury real estate has decoupled from the broader market, driven by a historic intergenerational wealth transfer and a buyer base that’s largely immune to economic factors like interest rate hikes. This is especially true with ultra-luxury homes (AKA those reserved for the “one percent”). According to the Engel & Völkers 2025 Year-End report, while the broader Canadian market moved with (understandable) hesitation, the ultra-luxury $10-million-plus segment in Toronto actually saw average prices climb by $1 million. It is a market that doesn’t move in lockstep with the economy, but rather with the specific – and changing – needs of the ultra-high-net-worth individual (UHNWI). While everyone else waits for a rate cut, the ultra-wealthy are being opportunistic. Toronto’s $3-Million Line From a policy perspective, in 2026, the City of Toronto essentially unofficially classified luxury as $3M+ by implementing a new higher graduated Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLTT) bracket for residential properties sold for more than $3 million, effective April 1, 2026. The move dramatically increases closing costs for these homes: 4.40% for the $3M-$4M bracket, 5.45% for $4M-$5M, 6.50% for $5M-$10M, 7.55% for $10M-$20M, and 8.60% for any amount exceeding $20M. This d…