Where to buy Montreal real estate in 2017

Overview

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Montreal Skyline from Kondiaronk Belvedere / Mont-Royal. (Marc Bruxelle/Shutterstock) where to buy montreal real estate — (Marc Bruxelle/Shutterstock)

C I T Y D E T A I L S

Montreal’s market continues to be hot, even after last year’s mortgage regulation changes, which were introduced to slow activity in Canada’s hotter real estate markets. By the end of the first two months in 2017, sales of $1-millon+ homes had increased in Montreal by 13% and the trend doesn’t seem to be stopping. Not surprising, property prices increased most on the Island of Montreal, which is why we were excited to see a suburban island neighbourhood make it to the top of our ranking this year.

While average prices in Pointe-Claire can be twice as much as homes in surrounding north or south shore communities, this gem may just be the answer for commuters who want to avoid bridge and tunnel commuting. As in previous years, our ranking found good, solid value in downtown neighbourhoods as well as in commuter communities on both the south and the north shore. For those in the market to buy, the key right now is to find a neighbourhood that can withstand a potential correction in this hot housing market.

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Montreal at a glance…

	City	Top 25
Average Neighbourhood Price	$386,454	$396,774
Median	$314,010	$314,010
Max	$1,607,439	$1,218,582
Min	$188,084	$188,084
Below $500K	76%	92%
Average 1-year return	3.0%	5.1%
Average 3-year return	6.1%	9.3%
Average 5-year return	11.9%	15.5%
Realtor grade (out of 5)	★★★	★★★½

Montreal’s top five neighbourhoods

1. Pointe-Claire (2 : Ouest de l’île sud)

This is simply the “heart of Montreal west,” explains Peter Rawski, realtor with Londono Group. While a suburb of Montreal, this neighbourhood is still on the island which makes it a popular community for commuters, particularly those with families who want a little outdoor space and a larger home to call their own. While most homes are two-storey, there are bungalows and other housing types, such as condos. One big attraction is the revitalization project that was approved last year for the village centre on Cartier Avenue. While the history of the three-century-old village will be maintained, the revitalization will update recreational and commercial facilities to meet the growing community needs.

2. Mont-Royal (12 : Centre)

Despite the high average home price Mont-Royal is still considered a jewel in Montreal’s downtown, says Rawlski. “Many come to this neighbourhood while going to university and then never leave.” That’s because this is a community that’s close to downtown, with easy access to students (to help you lease that mortgage helper). As for location, the large urban Parc du Mont-Royal is a big plus, and the homes are often quite large. If they are lucky, buyers might find a semi (also known as a side-by-side) for around half a million.

Photo gallery: Top 25 Montreal neighbourhoods »

3. Brossard (39 : Brossard/Saint-Lambert)

Just across the Champlain bridge is the community of Brossard. Almost 80,000 people live in this community with a range of ethnic backgrounds. One reason for its popularity is the more accessible price point, due in large part to the overwhelming number of semi-detached houses in this community. Almost half (44%) of the housing stock is classified as a semi, while less than a third of the dwellings are made up of low-rise apartment buildings where units are sold much like condos.

Residents are well serviced here: Much of the south shore’s commercial and retail space is located in the Brossard community. “This neighbourhood is undervalued by many investors,” says Rawlski. “Yet, it has a number of housing options, including new development, and it’s only a 10- or 15-minute commute to downtown.”

4. Les Coteaux (35 : Soulanges sud)

Located on the North Shore, Les Coteaux is often considered by local Montrealers as not being part of the city. But as more and more families and buyers look for larger homes, this municipality just over the Mgr Langlois Bridge is looking more and more appealing. A somewhat dated but solid four-bedroom will cost less than a condo in the city centre. That’s appealing to families who want enough space for two cars, a backyard and a chance to get out of an urban setting.

5. Gore (33 : Saint-Jérôme)

Further north from Les Coteaux is Gore—the urban equivalent of Barrie, Ont. to Toronto, explains Rawlski. While the average price point for homes—which sits at less than $200,000 for a single-family detached home—is one draw to this community, so are the mountains. Gore sits at the foothills of the Laurentian Mountains and is only an hour’s drive to Mont-Tremblant, one of the biggest ski resorts in Quebec. For those who love the outdoor lifestyle and don’t mind a commute, Gore offers good deals in real estate.

Photo gallery: Top 25 Montreal neighbourhoods »

Where they land on a map

Tap or click to see where to find the top five Montreal neighbourhoods.

Top 25 neighbourhoods ranked

Click here to see the full ranking of Montreal neighbourhoods.

Rank	Neighbourhood	Area	Average price	Average price vs. area	Average price vs. metro district	Average price vs. greater city area	1-year price change	3-year price change	5-year price change	Realtor grade
1	Pointe-Claire	2 : Ouest de l'île sud	$418,405	83.8%	75.9%	115.4%	9.60%	17.58%	20.4%	★★★★
2	Mont-Royal	12 : Centre	$1,218,582	92.0%	221.2%	336.0%	14.37%	21.85%	18.1%	★★★★
3	Brossard	39 : Brossard/Saint-Lambert	$399,351	93.1%	122.8%	110.1%	4.10%	10.68%	16.1%	★★★★
4	Les Coteaux	35 : Soulanges sud	$215,527	90.9%	68.0%	59.4%	6.30%	5.87%	18.3%	★★★
5	Gore	33 : Saint-Jérôme	$188,084	84.1%	69.1%	51.9%	-2.01%	14.36%	19.0%	★★★
6	Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu	46 : Chambly	$274,035	83.4%	84.3%	75.6%	4.12%	21.72%	18.0%	★★½
7	Vaudreuil-Dorion - Secteur Dorion	33 : Vaudreuil-Dorion	$273,318	88.0%	86.2%	75.4%	2.26%	9.45%	7.7%	★★★★
8	Le Sud-Ouest	5 : Le Sud-Ouest	$483,431	100.2%	87.7%	133.3%	13.94%	14.99%	39.0%	★★★½
9	Hampstead	10 : Centre	$1,104,633	83.4%	200.5%	304.6%	14.22%	11.29%	11.0%	★★★½
10	Richelieu	45 : Chambly	$268,860	81.8%	82.7%	74.1%	4.97%	3.33%	17.0%	★★½
11	Vaudreuil-Dorion - Secteur Vaudreuil Ouest	35 : Saint-Lazare/Hudson	$321,252	84.2%	101.3%	88.6%	2.85%	-7.08%	13.7%	★★★★
12	Pierrefonds-Roxboro	3 : Ouest de l'île nord	$358,519	83.5%	65.1%	98.8%	3.61%	8.14%	9.2%	★★★
13	Pincourt	34 : Île-Perrot	$309,926	100.9%	97.7%	85.4%	13.03%	9.97%	12.3%	★★★★
14	Lachine	4 : Lachine/LaSalle	$383,539	95.4%	69.6%	105.7%	3.96%	8.26%	10.8%	★★★½
15	Verdun	4 : Le Sud-Ouest	$478,949	99.3%	86.9%	132.0%	7.85%	9.06%	24.9%	★★★
16	Pointe-Calumet	26 : Ouest de la Rive-Nord	$196,789	78.5%	72.3%	54.3%	-4.19%	8.83%	18.8%	★★
17	Rosemont/La Petite-Patrie	12 : Rosemont	$490,102	100.0%	89.0%	135.1%	3.49%	7.11%	22.5%	★★★
18	Vaudreuil-Dorion - Secteur est	36 : Vaudreuil-Dorion	$305,141	98.3%	96.2%	84.1%	0.49%	5.39%	9.8%	★★★★½
19	Chambly	47 : Chambly	$314,010	95.6%	96.6%	86.6%	3.93%	6.64%	13.6%	★★★
20	Greenfield Park	40 : Vieux-Longueuil	$281,158	90.5%	86.5%	77.5%	-0.99%	2.42%	9.7%	★★★★
21	La Plaine	29 : Terrebonne	$220,372	82.3%	81.0%	60.8%	3.54%	7.45%	8.9%	★★½
22	Deux-Montagnes	24 : Ouest de la Rive-Nord	$240,080	95.7%	88.3%	66.2%	5.58%	7.91%	15.0%	★★½
23	L'Île-Perrot	32 : Île-Perrot	$272,368	88.7%	85.9%	75.1%	-0.25%	4.57%	4.4%	★★★★
24	Sainte-Dorothée	19 : Sainte-Dorothée	$414,145	96.0%	124.3%	114.2%	0.70%	5.38%	11.4%	★★★★
25	Candiac	39 : Candiac/La Prairie	$488,794	114.6%	150.3%	134.8%	10.83%	16.50%	18.5%	★★★★

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Gore is south of Les Coteaux. We have fixed the error.

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Comments Cancel reply

James Shearing says:

May 9, 2021 at 1:55 pm

You mention Mount Royal at #2 for best cities in Montreal. Your shows Plateau Mont Royale (almost no single family homes) which is located east 1 -2 km east of the mountain Mont Royale. Most buildings are 3 floor multi family walkup flats built in 1920s to 1940s.

Town of Mont Royal is north of the mountain , a rich suburb built in the 1920s. Homes are very expensive. It is not near the mountain at all. The closest part of the city is at least 3 -4 km walk.

Reply
Louise Niemi says:

December 6, 2021 at 8:49 pm

Nuns’ Island is part of Verdun, yet a separate entity that deserves to be in the top 5 neighbourhoods. Don’t you agree?

Reply