With the average house price in Durham Region still sitting at $835,854, many homeowners who are not willing to move but hoping to earn a little extra money to grapple with the high cost of living might consider renting out their basements.
A recent study from Canadian real estate platform Wahi found that people who own single-family homes in the GTA with basement apartments suitable for tenants could earn anywhere from $1,700 to $2,400 extra per month, depending on location.
Durham Region municipalities such as Oshawa, Pickering, Ajax and Whitby are listed in the report, with data suggesting that Oshawa homeowners can earn quite a bit in rent relative to the median price of their home.
In Oshawa, the median home sale price is $755,000, while the median annual rental yield is $21,600. The study notes that while Oshawa median monthly rent of $1,800 is the fourth-lowest in the GTA, the city also has the lowest median sale price in the region by more than $150,000. That means that 12 months of the median rent represented the highest share of the median sale price at 2.9 per cent of any GTA community surveyed in the report.
While Toronto condo buyers have been benefiting from significantly and continually lower prices as the market corrects, single-family prices have remained firmer, Wahi economist Ryan McLaughlin said in the study. Fortunately, for single-family home buyers facing higher barriers to entry, there is the option of purchasing a property with a secondary suite — something we have seen elevated interest in during recent years, he added.
Wahi 2025 What Homeseekers Want survey found that one in five Ontarians identified a separate entrance — often necessary to create a rental unit within a larger home — as an important attribute for a home they would consider moving into. The preference highlights a growing awareness among buyers that rental income potential can make homeownership more affordable.
To learn more about possible rental income, Wahi analyzed median asking rents for one- and two-bedroom lease listings from 2025 for detached and semi-detached homes in the GTA, with a focus on basements. Twenty-nine communities were analyzed across the region.
In Ajax, the median yearly rental yield is $21,600 in a home that costs about $935,000. In Whitby, homeowners could also make $21,600 in rent in a home that costs about $990,000. In Pickering, the median yearly rental yield is $21,000 in a home that would sell for about $1,050,000.
The study notes that four of the five communities with the highest median rents are located in Toronto, with Oakville rounding out the top five.
For Durham homeowners, the findings paint an encouraging picture. Basement rental income can significantly offset mortgage costs and help ease the financial pressure of homeownership in a market where prices remain well above pre-pandemic levels.
As housing affordability continues to dominate conversations across the GTA, secondary suites offer a practical solution for homeowners looking to maximize their property earning potential without having to sell or relocate.
