Closing Labour's conference in Brighton, he said people's views were changing, leaving his party as the "real centre of gravity".
Mr Corbyn used his 75-minute speech to try to portray Labour as a government in waiting.
He also promised rent controls and attacked the "forced gentrification" of housing estates.
The Labour leader - who was greeted by a chorus of the football terrace-style chant of "Oh Jeremy Corbyn" when he arrived, hailed his party's better-than-expected general election showing.
He mocked the hostile coverage of his campaign, saying attacks by newspapers like the Daily Mail had actually helped his party's polling.
"Never have so many trees died in vain," he said.
Mr Corbyn said the "centre ground" in British politics had shifted from where it was "20 or 30 years ago" and Labour now stood for the things most people "actually want", even if a "still broader consensus" was needed for the party to win power.
In his third keynote conference speech as party leader - Mr Corbyn also:
Said only Labour could unite EU Leave and Remain voters
Promised to "repair the damage done by austerity"
Said his principles come from his parents and the North London community he lives in
Urged Theresa May to call another snap election: "Take another walking holiday and make another impetuous decision."
Condemned the "intolerable" abuse aimed at Diane Abbott - and sang Happy Birthday to the shadow home secretary from the stage
"Rent controls exist in many cities across the world. And I want our cities to have those powers too and tenants to have those protections."
He added: "Regeneration is a much abused word.
"Too often what it really means is forced gentrification and social cleansing, as private developers move in and tenants and leaseholders are moved out."
A Labour government would require any redevelopment of a housing estate to be backed by a council ballot of residents, he said.
And anyone living there would be get a home on the same site on the same terms.
'Party united'
Mr Corbyn spent the summer touring marginal seats, and Labour aides said the party was currently selecting candidates in 76 Labour-Tory marginals, who would be in place by the end of the year.
Brexit has been another theme of the conference, with differences between MPs about the relationship with the EU single market Labour should pursue.
Mr Corbyn pointed the finger at divisions in Tory ranks, saying the Conservatives are "more interested in posturing for personal advantage than in getting the best deal for Britain".
"Never has the national interest been so ill-served on such a vital issue. If there were no other reason for the Tories to go, their self-interested Brexit bungling would be reason enough," he said.
"So I have a simple message to the cabinet: for Britain's sake pull yourself together or make way."
He backed Theresa May's call for a two-year transition period after Britain leaves the EU in March 2019 but claimed Labour was the only party that could "unite everyone in our country around a progressive vision of what our country could be" after Brexit.
Labour would push for "unimpeded access to the single market" and fight to protect jobs and wages, while rejecting immigration targets, he told delegates.
For much of his tenure, Mr Corbyn has faced heavy criticism from many of his MPs, including a no-confidence vote and a leadership challenge - but after the party's election gains he said this week showed his party was now united.
Promising in his speech to "make public services accountable to communities" and "business accountable to the public", he also said the challenge of automation must be urgently addressed.
"That is a threat in the hands of the greedy but what an opportunity if it's managed in the interests of society as a whole," he said, as he promised to focus on retraining and "management of the workforce".
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