Montreal, Quebec Real Estate Market Guide: Prices, Neighborhoods and Timing

Montreal prices have risen steadily but have not followed the same vertical trajectory seen in Toronto or Vancouver. As of September 2026, the median price for a single-family home on the Island of Montreal sits in the range of $680,000 to $720,000, depending on the borough. Condominiums, which make up a large share of the Montreal market, have a median closer to $430,000 island-wide, though that number swings sharply by neighborhood and proximity to metro stations.

Median Prices by Property Type

Montreal's housing stock breaks into four main categories, each with its own price band in September 2026. Condominiums (apartments in divided co-ownership) range from roughly $290,000 for a one-bedroom unit in outer boroughs to over $900,000 for a large unit with a view in Griffintown or the Old Port. Plexes, the iconic two-to-six-unit income properties that define Montreal's streetscapes, typically sell between $650,000 and $1.4 million depending on the number of units, the borough, and the current rental income. Detached single-family homes are relatively rare on the island itself and command a premium, with many selling above $900,000 in boroughs like Outremont or Westmount. Semi-detached and row houses in areas like Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie and Villeray often fall in the $600,000 to $800,000 range.

For a deeper look at how condo prices break down by metro station and neighborhood across the city, this detailed 2026 condo price map by neighborhood gives a granular picture that is worth bookmarking before you start your search.

How Montreal Compares to Its Own Recent Past

The Montreal market cooled noticeably from the frenzied pace of 2021 and 2022, when multiple offers and waived inspections were routine. By late 2023 and through 2024, higher interest rates slowed transaction volumes across Quebec. In 2025 and into 2026, rate reductions by the Bank of Canada brought buyers back, and activity has picked up meaningfully. The REMAX Greater Montreal Housing Market Outlook projects continued price appreciation through 2026, driven by population growth, sustained immigration to the Montreal metro area, and a persistent shortage of ground-oriented housing on the island.

According to the REMAX Greater Montreal Housing Market Outlook for 2026, the market is expected to see continued upward pressure on prices, particularly in the condo and plex segments, as demand from first-time buyers and investors remains active.

2. A Neighborhood-by-Neighborhood Price Breakdown

Montreal's neighborhoods are genuinely distinct from one another in terms of architecture, housing stock, and price. Understanding those differences is the core of any useful Montreal, Quebec real estate market guide, because buying in Plateau-Mont-Royal is a completely different financial and physical experience than buying in Saint-Laurent or LaSalle.

Central and Inner-Ring Neighborhoods

Plateau-Mont-Royal is one of Montreal's densest and most architecturally recognizable areas, built largely on long, narrow lots with the classic outdoor staircase duplexes and triplexes that define the city's visual identity. Condos here sell in the $450,000 to $700,000 range for a two-bedroom unit, and plexes routinely exceed $1 million. The Plateau sits roughly 4 kilometres from downtown Montreal, and the Mont-Royal metro station on the Orange Line puts residents about 15 minutes from McGill or the financial district.

Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie sits just east of the Plateau and offers a similar urban density but with slightly more availability of semi-detached homes and row houses. Median condo prices in Rosemont run between $380,000 and $550,000, and the area is served by the Rosemont and Beaubien metro stations. Griffintown, closer to the Lachine Canal, has seen a wave of new construction over the past decade; its condo inventory is newer but smaller in unit size, with one-bedrooms often starting around $380,000 and two-bedrooms reaching $650,000 or more for newer builds with amenities.

Outremont and Westmount are two of the island's most established areas for detached and semi-detached homes, with large lots, mature trees, and stone or brick construction from the early twentieth century. Detached homes in these areas frequently sell above $1.2 million, and the upper end of the market extends well past $3 million for large properties. If you are comparing options in the Plateau specifically, Charles Bilodeau has written a detailed look at the best-reviewed agents in Plateau-Mont-Royal that may help you understand who knows that micro-market well.

East End and North End Areas

Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension are two large boroughs in the eastern and northern parts of the island where prices remain more accessible than the central core. In Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, condos can still be found in the $280,000 to $420,000 range, and plexes are priced meaningfully below their Plateau equivalents. Villeray has seen consistent buyer interest over the past several years, with semi-detached homes selling in the $550,000 to $750,000 range and a stock of brick duplexes that attract both owner-occupants and investors.

Saint-Laurent is a large borough in the north-central part of the island with a mix of older bungalows, post-war semis, and newer condominium projects. Detached homes here sell in the $600,000 to $850,000 range, and the borough is well-served by Highway 40 and the future Réseau express métropolitain (REM) connections that are reshaping commute times across the Montreal region.

West Island and South Shore Corridors

The West Island municipalities, including Pointe-Claire, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Kirkland, and Beaconsfield, offer larger lots and a higher proportion of detached single-family homes than the central island. Detached homes in Pointe-Claire and Dollard-des-Ormeaux typically sell between $650,000 and $950,000, with waterfront or larger-lot properties in Beaconsfield reaching $1.2 million and beyond. The REM's West Island branch, now operational, connects these communities to downtown Montreal in roughly 25 to 35 minutes, which has added buyer interest to the corridor.

On the South Shore, Longueuil and Brossard have become significant markets in their own right. The REM's Rive-Sud branch connects Brossard's Panama terminus to downtown Montreal in under 20 minutes, and new condo towers around the Panama station have brought a wave of buyers from the island who want more space for their dollar. Detached homes in Longueuil sell in the $500,000 to $750,000 range, and newer townhomes near the REM corridor in Brossard start around $550,000.

3. Market Conditions: Buyers, Sellers, and What the Data Says

In September 2026, Montreal sits in a moderate seller's market for most property types, though conditions vary by segment. Well-priced condos in central neighborhoods are moving in 30 to 45 days on average. Plexes, where demand from both investors and owner-occupants converges, are selling faster, often in under 30 days when priced correctly. Detached homes on the island are taking slightly longer, averaging 45 to 60 days, because the pool of buyers at those price points is smaller.

Inventory Levels and Days on Market

Active listings on the island of Montreal have increased compared to the lows of 2021 and 2022, but total inventory remains below the 10-year average. This means buyers have more choice than they did four years ago, but well-priced properties in sought-after boroughs still generate competitive offers. The absorption rate, which measures how quickly available homes are being bought, sits at roughly 60 to 70 percent across the island, indicating that the market is absorbing new listings at a healthy but not frenzied pace.

Overbidding, while less universal than in 2021, still happens regularly in the $400,000 to $650,000 condo range and in the plex market. Buyers who come in with a pre-approved mortgage and a clear understanding of comparable sales are in a much stronger position than those who are still gauging their budget when they find a property they want.

The Plex Market: A Montreal Specialty

Montreal's plex market is unlike anything you will find in most other Canadian cities. A duplex or triplex allows an owner to live in one unit while rental income from the other units offsets the mortgage, which makes them attractive to a wide range of buyers. In boroughs like Rosemont, Villeray, and Verdun, a well-maintained triplex with market rents can generate $3,500 to $5,500 per month in gross rental income across the tenant units, depending on unit size and finishes.

Quebec's rental laws, administered through the Tribunal administratif du logement, govern rent increases and tenant rights in ways that directly affect plex valuations. Buyers considering a plex should understand the distinction between units with long-term tenants paying below-market rents and units that are vacant or recently re-rented at current market rates. That distinction can meaningfully affect the income calculation and the price you should be willing to pay.

4. Timing Your Purchase or Sale in Montreal

Timing matters in Montreal more than in many markets because of the city's unusual lease cycle. Quebec has a long-standing tradition of July 1 lease renewals, which means a large portion of the rental population moves on that date. This shapes both the spring real estate market and the pace of owner-occupied transactions in ways that are specific to this city.

The Spring and Fall Windows

The Montreal real estate market has two primary active seasons: spring, running from March through June, and fall, running from September through November. Spring is the busiest period. Sellers list in March and April to capture buyers who want to close before the summer and be settled before the school year begins in September. Competition among buyers is highest during this window, and properties priced correctly tend to sell fastest.

The fall market, which we are entering right now in September 2026, is the second-strongest window of the year. Sellers who list in September and October reach buyers who missed the spring market and are motivated to close before the holiday slowdown. Inventory tends to be somewhat lower than spring, which can work in a seller's favour, but buyer urgency is also high because most people do not want to be house-hunting in January.

When to Move Against the Crowd

Buyers who can be flexible about timing sometimes find better conditions in December and January, when competition is lower and sellers who are still on the market may be more open to negotiation. This strategy works best for buyers who are not constrained by a school-year deadline or a lease end date. The trade-off is that inventory is at its thinnest in winter, so the selection of available properties is narrower.

For sellers, listing in late August or early September, as many do, means catching the first wave of motivated fall buyers. Properties that sit through October without selling tend to face increasing price pressure as November approaches, because buyers know the seller is now facing a winter listing. Getting the price right from day one matters more in fall than in spring, when demand can compensate for a slightly ambitious asking price.

5. What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know Before Acting

The mechanics of buying and selling in Quebec differ from other provinces in several important ways. Notaries, not lawyers, handle real estate closings in Quebec, and the notary fees are a closing cost the buyer typically pays. The promise to purchase (offre d'achat) is the binding document used in Quebec transactions, and understanding its conditions, including the inspection clause, the financing condition, and the legal title condition, is essential before you sign anything.

For Buyers: What to Budget Beyond the Price Tag

Montreal buyers need to account for several costs that sit on top of the purchase price. The welcome tax, known in Quebec as the taxe de bienvenue or droits de mutation, is a land transfer tax paid to the municipality at closing. For a $650,000 property in Montreal, the welcome tax is approximately $8,500 to $9,500, calculated on a tiered scale. Notary fees typically run between $1,200 and $2,000. Mortgage insurance through CMHC applies if your down payment is below 20 percent, adding a premium of 2.8 to 4 percent of the insured mortgage amount to your loan balance.

For condo buyers, the monthly condo fees (charges de copropriété) and the health of the building's contingency fund (fonds de prévoyance) deserve serious attention. Quebec law requires condo syndicates to maintain a contingency fund study, and a building with an underfunded reserve is a financial risk that can result in special assessments after you close. Always request the last three years of meeting minutes and the most recent contingency fund study before removing your inspection condition.

If you are new to the Montreal buying process, the complete 2026 buyer's guide for Montreal homes covers the full purchase process from mortgage pre-approval through closing in more detail.

For Sellers: How Pricing Affects Your Timeline

Pricing strategy in Montreal is more nuanced than picking a number that feels right. Properties listed within 3 to 5 percent of their true market value sell in the shortest time and often attract multiple offers. Properties listed more than 7 percent above market value typically sit for 60 days or more and eventually sell below what they would have achieved with a correct initial price, because buyers perceive a stale listing as a signal that something is wrong.

Sellers also need to understand Quebec's mandatory disclosure obligations. The seller's declaration (déclaration du vendeur) requires you to disclose known defects, work done without permits, water infiltration history, and a range of other material facts. Failing to disclose accurately can expose you to legal liability after closing, so working through this document carefully with your agent before listing is not optional.

For a detailed look at how the selling process unfolds from listing to closing, including what affects your final net proceeds, see the guide on selling a home in Montreal: pricing, timeline and what to expect.