Real Estate Market — Greater Montreal

Sales count arm's-length transactions between a seller and a buyer. Transfers are broader — they include estate transfers, transfers between spouses and corporate ownership changes. Mortgages measure financing activity, which can diverge from sales when buyers pay cash or refinance.

When all three move up together, the market is dynamic. When sales fall but mortgages hold, refinancing is usually the explanation (rates moving, owners consolidating). When distress acts climb, that's a stress signal worth watching — though not on its own a crash predictor.

A seller's market (strong demand, thin inventory) shortens sale timelines and limits negotiation. For an owner weighing renting versus selling, this is often the right moment to lock in stable rental income — rental demand typically tracks purchase demand.

A buyer's market (supply outweighs demand) stretches timelines and gives buyers more leverage. Landlords can use the window to acquire additional units — while watching vacancy and rental-market competition closely.

In Quebec, the residential lease is governed by the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL, formerly the Régie du logement). The TAL's suggested annual rent increase is calculated from a grid factoring in major repairs, municipal tax and energy costs — it is not an automatic CPI indexation.

July 1 is "moving day": the vast majority of one-year leases start and end on that date. That creates a sharp cycle in rental and mortgage activity that no other province experiences with the same intensity.

To plan an investment, cross-reference this data with our rental-yield calculator and your municipality's property assessment roll.

Data is sourced from CMHC and the Quebec government's public registries, aggregated by quarter. CMHC typically publishes two updates per year. The numbers shown here reflect the most recent official release available.

For a sharper read on your area, compare these macro trends with the actual rents posted on our platform.