First-time buyer · Châteauguay · 2026 programs and QPAREB Q2 figures
How much you need to earn, how much you need set aside, which programs to stack and which sectors to look at: the first purchase in Châteauguay in 2026, in numbers.
A first purchase in Châteauguay in 2026 starts under $550,000, and it is the only city in the western South Shore where that is possible for a house: a $525,000 median in the second quarter, 36 days, 302 houses active (+43 %), with the 1960s to 1980s bungalows of the centre and south below the median; the condo, at $400,000 (+11 %), goes in 30 days with only 47 listings. At $400,000 with 5 % down, the monthly payment is about $1,933 at 4.24 % over 30 years and the household must earn about $88,000 to pass the stress test; at $500,000, $2,417 and about $109,000. The FHSA ($8,000 a year), the HBP ($60,000), the $5,875 welcome tax refund and the 30-year amortization stack up. Here are the numbers, the programs and the sectors. Since Finances Québec's Information Bulletin 2026-2 (April 2026), this credit is reduced by 2.35 % of the portion of the price above $750,000 and disappears at $1,000,000: $4,700 at $800,000, $2,350 at $900,000.
Châteauguay (QPAREB sector 39) sold its median house for $525,000 in 36 days and its condo for $400,000 in 30 days in the second quarter of 2026, with 302 houses (+43 %, the South Shore's sharpest rise in supply) and 47 condos active, a seller's market up to $790,000. For a first-time buyer, the entry point is the house between $400,000 and $525,000 in the 1960s to 1980s streets, more affordable than Candiac's condo ($450,000), and the condo between $350,000 and $425,000. The table below puts numbers on the minimum down payment, the insurance premium, the monthly payment and the income required for five purchase prices. The monthly picture is on the South Shore's August 2026 report.
| Purchase price | Minimum down payment | CMHC premium (added to the loan) | Monthly payment at 4.24 %, 30 years | Payment at the stress-test rate (6.24 %) | Gross household income required (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $350,000 | $17,500 | $13,300 | $1,692 | $2,109 | $78,000 |
| $400,000 | $20,000 | $15,200 | $1,933 | $2,410 | $88,000 |
| $450,000 | $22,500 | $17,100 | $2,175 | $2,712 | $98,000 |
| $500,000 | $25,000 | $19,000 | $2,417 | $3,013 | $109,000 |
| $550,000 | $30,000 | $20,800 | $2,646 | $3,298 | $119,000 |
Assumptions: five-year fixed rate of 4.24 % (September 2026), stress test at 6.24 %, 30-year amortization (allowed for first-time buyers on insured loans), CMHC premium of 4 % for a down payment under 10 %, municipal and school taxes estimated at 0.9 % of the price, heating $1,800 a year, gross debt service ratio capped at 39 %. Every file differs; the pre-approval gives the real number.
| Program | Amount | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| FHSA | $8,000 a year, $40,000 lifetime, deductible at contribution, tax-free withdrawal, never repaid | open the account now to accumulate room; see the FHSA maximum |
| HBP | up to $60,000 withdrawn from the RRSP, repayable over 15 years; combines with the FHSA | contribute to the RRSP at least 90 days before the withdrawal |
| Welcome tax refund (Quebec) | up to $5,875 for a first residence, since January 1, 2026 | the claim is filed after the tax bill; see the welcome tax refund |
| First-time buyer tax credits | about $2,900 (federal and Quebec together) | claimed in the year of purchase |
| 30-year amortization | on first-time buyers' insured loans and on new homes | simulate the effect on qualification (table above) |
| GST eliminated on new homes | up to one million in purchase price | compare new and resale for an equal budget |
| Down payment | 5 % up to $500,000, 10 % on the portion from $500,000 to $1.5 million (since December 15, 2024) | count the CMHC premium and its 9 % tax payable in cash |
The full list and conditions are in first-time buyer programs in Quebec 2026; the first-time buyer guide (free PDF, in French) gathers the steps.
| The cheapest sectors (QPAREB, Q2 2026) | Median price | Days | Active listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| House, Châteauguay | $525,000 | 36 days | 302 |
| House, Southwestern South Shore (Saint-Constant, Delson) | $620,000 | 38 days | 208 |
| House, Brossard/Saint-Lambert | $803,000 | 41 days | 320 |
| House, Candiac, La Prairie | $820,000 | 39 days | 162 |
| Condo, Southwestern South Shore (Saint-Constant, Delson) | $395,000 | 31 days | 76 |
| Condo, Châteauguay | $400,000 | 30 days | 47 |
| Condo, Brossard/Saint-Lambert | $404,000 | 50 days | 524 |
| Condo, Candiac, La Prairie | $450,000 | 45 days | 157 |
The centre and south of Châteauguay, around boulevard Saint-Jean-Baptiste and old Châteauguay, sell the 1960s to 1980s bungalows below the $525,000 median: it is the western South Shore's first-time buyer house, to refresh, with 302 houses to compare. The northwest toward the 30 and Mercier sells the recent cottages at or above the median. For the condo, the buildings near boulevard Saint-Jean-Baptiste, the 132 and the river offer 47 units at $400,000: supply is thin, you have to be ready. The southwest (Saint-Constant, Sainte-Catherine: $620,000, condo $395,000 with 76 units) and Candiac-La Prairie ($820,000, condo $450,000) are the neighbours to compare; Mercier and Léry, in the same sector, offer larger lots.
Our pages on buying a condo in Châteauguay, first-time home buyers on the South Shore and the FHSA maximum complete the file.
Before making an offer in Châteauguay, our figures drawn from actual sales:
All four pages are built on listings sold over the last twelve months, not on regional averages. They exist to put a number on an offer rather than guess at one.
Before you sign: Certificate of location in Châteauguay: cost, timing and when to redo it
Bungalow or two-storey home in Châteauguay:
Single-storey homes make up 70% of sales in Châteauguay over ten years; our page gives both price series, the second-floor premium and who the bungalow is for.
What one more bedroom costs in Châteauguay:
Three price series (3, 4, 5 or more bedrooms) over ten years, the fourth- and fifth-bedroom premiums, and the size that rose the most in Châteauguay.
What one more bedroom costs in a condo in Châteauguay:
The median price of 1-, 2- and 3-plus-bedroom condos over ten years, the second- and third-bedroom premiums, and the size that rose the most in Châteauguay.
Days on market in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Median days for a house and a condo by year since 2016, the decade's four markets and what today's delay changes when selling in Châteauguay.
The number of sales in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Houses, condos and plexes sold per year since 2016, the record year, the high-rate trough and what today's volume changes when selling in Châteauguay.
Plex prices in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
The median price of a plex per year since 2016, next to houses and condos, the frenzy, the rate brake and what the plex-to-house ratio tells a buyer in Châteauguay.
How many homes are for sale in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Month-end inventory and new listings per year since 2016, the frenzy trough, absorption, months of inventory and why prices doubled in Châteauguay.
Sale price relative to asking price in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
At what percentage of asking houses have sold since 2016, the 2021 bidding wars, the return of negotiation and what the gap is worth in dollars in Châteauguay.
Houses that do not sell in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Listings expired without a sale per year since 2016, the failure rate against sales, average days next to median days and what today's rate tells a seller in Châteauguay.
The average house price in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
The average sale price per year since 2016, next to the median and the asking price, why the average is higher and which of the three prices to use to set yours in Châteauguay.
How many dollars of houses sell in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
The total sale prices per year since 2016, next to the number of sales and the average price: whether the rise comes from price or from the number of buyers in Châteauguay.
House appreciation in Châteauguay by year of purchase:
What a house bought in 2016, 2019, 2021 or 2024 is worth today at the median price, in dollars, in percent and per year, house and condo, and what is left for those who bought at the peak in Châteauguay.
From condo to house in Châteauguay, the gap to close:
The median price of the house and the condo year by year since 2016, the gap between them, and whether the gain on a condo bought in 2016, 2019, 2021 or 2023 covers the jump in Châteauguay.
The Châteauguay market in one table:
Price, growth, sales, volume, days on market, inventory, over-asking, unsold, condo and appreciation, each with the city's rank among 50 and ten years of detail in Châteauguay.
How much down payment to buy in Châteauguay:
The legal minimum on the median house, the 20% that avoids the CMHC premium, the premium at the minimum, what a FHSA and an HBP cover, the condo, and ten years of perspective in Châteauguay.
How many condos are for sale in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Condominium inventory at each month-end and new listings per year since 2016, absorption, months of inventory, and the comparison with single-family houses in Châteauguay.
When to sell in Châteauguay, ten years of sales month by month:
The month with the most home sales, the quietest month, spring versus winter, the best-paying month and when to list to sell at the right time in Châteauguay.
Condos that do not sell in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Condo listings expired without a sale per year since 2016, the failure rate against sales, the same rate for houses, and what it tells a condo seller in Châteauguay.
When to sell a condo in Châteauguay, ten years of sales month by month:
The month with the most condo sales, the quietest month, spring versus winter, the best-paying month, houses alongside and when to list in Châteauguay.
How much buyers negotiate a condo in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Sale price as a percentage of asking for condos, year by year since 2016, the ratio on the original price, houses alongside and the dollar gap on the median condo in Châteauguay.
What the median house costs a month in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
The monthly payment on the house in the middle every year since 2016 with the Centris price and the 5-year rate actually charged, the share of price and the share of rate, the renewal shock and the income it takes in Châteauguay.
What the house really gained in Châteauguay, once inflation is removed:
Each year's median price converted to 2026 dollars with the Quebec CPI, the real increase, the years of real decline, the peak in purchasing power and the condo alongside in Châteauguay.
What the median condo costs a month in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
The monthly payment on the condo in the middle every year since 2016 with the Centris price and the 5-year rate actually charged, the share of price and the share of rate, the renewal shock and the income it takes in Châteauguay.
Châteauguay or the city next door: where to buy in 2026, matchup by matchup:
Each matchup puts Châteauguay and a neighbouring city side by side over ten years of Centris sales: house and condo prices, gap, days on market, inventory, bidding, unsold listings and monthly payment.
How much is a semi-detached or row house in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
The median price by house type year by year since 2016, the number of sales, the shared-wall discount and how it moved in Châteauguay.
How many houses still sell under $500,000 in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Sales under $500,000 and under $400,000 year by year since 2016, their share, the tipping year and what is still available under the threshold in Châteauguay.
At what price houses sell in Châteauguay, range by range:
The distribution of sales by price bracket in 2020, 2023 and 2026, the best-selling range, the share under $500,000 and above $750,000 in Châteauguay.
How long to sell by price in Châteauguay:
Median days on market by price bracket over the past twelve months, the fastest bracket, the slowest and what it changes for selling or buying in Châteauguay.
How much the lot is worth in a house price in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
The median price of houses on small lots and on large lots year by year since 2016, the large-lot premium and how it moved in Châteauguay.
How many dollars of condos sell in Châteauguay, ten years of perspective:
Condo sales volume year by year since 2016, the number of sales and the average price behind it, and the condo's share of the market in Châteauguay.
The average condo price in Châteauguay, and why it exceeds the median:
The average sale price of condos year by year since 2016, beside the median price and the asking price, and the gap between the two in Châteauguay.
How long to sell a condo by price in Châteauguay:
Median condo days on market by price bracket over the past twelve months, the fastest bracket, the slowest and what it changes for selling or buying a condo in Châteauguay.
What sells at what price in Châteauguay:
The 2026 sales crossed by price range and category: what sells under $300,000, who holds the million, where houses, condos and plexes compete in Châteauguay.
Which sells fastest in Châteauguay, house, condo or plex:
Days on market of houses, condos and plexes compared price range by price range over twelve months in Châteauguay.
At what price condos sell in Châteauguay, range by range:
The distribution of condo sales by price bracket in 2020 and 2026, the best-selling range, the share under $300,000 and under $400,000 in Châteauguay.
The pros and cons of living in Châteauguay:
The good reasons to live there and what you have to accept, who it suits and who it does not, written without embellishment by a team that sells there.
With children:
Schools, parks, commutes, the pros and cons seen with children, and what gets checked street by street.
The market in Châteauguay this month:
Days on market, sold against asking, inventory and September 2026 verdict in Châteauguay, over the past twelve Centris months.
The condo market in Châteauguay this month:
Days on market, sold against asking, median price and September 2026 verdict for the condo in Châteauguay, compared with the house, over the past twelve Centris months.
The welcome tax on the median house in Châteauguay, 2016 against 2026:
The tax computed year by year on the Centris median price with the city's 2026 grid, and what a first-time buyer pays net in Châteauguay.
Which houses linger by price in Châteauguay:
Average against median days on market by price bracket over the past twelve months, the ratio between the two and the bracket where listings linger the most in Châteauguay.
Split-level, storey-and-a-half, bungalow or two-storey in Châteauguay:
Four house types side by side over ten years: median price, gap between types, share of sales and the one that rose the most in Châteauguay.
How much buyers negotiate on a house by price in Châteauguay:
Sold-to-asking ratio by price bracket over the past twelve months, the bracket negotiated the most, the one where asking or more is paid, and what it changes for selling or buying in Châteauguay.
How much buyers negotiate on a condo by price in Châteauguay:
Sold-to-asking ratio by price bracket over the past twelve months, the bracket negotiated the most, the one where asking or more is paid, and what it changes for selling or buying in Châteauguay.
Where the money goes by price in Châteauguay:
Share of dollars against share of sales by price bracket over the past twelve months, the average ticket and the bracket that weighs the most in Châteauguay.
How much condo sellers cut their price before selling in Châteauguay:
Condo sale prices as a percentage of the original and of the last asking price, by price bracket over twelve months, and the bracket where sellers adjust the most in Châteauguay.
What one more bathroom costs in Châteauguay:
Three price series (1, 2, 3 or more bathrooms) over ten years, the second- and third-bathroom premiums, and the class that rose the most in Châteauguay.
One of the team's Châteauguay listings, for sale right now:
It has all three features that lift a house's price the most in Châteauguay: the garage, the pool and the fireplace.
Property taxes in Châteauguay:
The tax bill, increase and rate published by the city for 2026, the assessment roll year and the school tax, with sources.
About $78,000 in gross household income for a $350,000 condo, $98,000 for $450,000 and $109,000 for a $500,000 house, with 5 % down, a 30-year amortization and the stress test at 6.24 %.
The centre and south of Châteauguay for the house (1960s to 1980s bungalows under $525,000), the only house under $550,000 in the western South Shore; the buildings near Saint-Jean-Baptiste and the 132 for the condo ($400,000).
Yes: up to $40,000 from the FHSA (never repaid) and $60,000 from the RRSP through the HBP (repaid over 15 years), per person, for the same property. A couple can therefore gather up to $200,000 in tax-sheltered down payment.
Published forecasts (Desjardins, QPAREB, CMHC) expect stable to moderately rising prices in 2027 and a policy rate around 2.75 %; waiting does not lower the price, but it gives time to fill the FHSA. Our page buy in 2026 or wait until 2027 puts numbers on both scenarios.
Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.
Équipe no 1 de RE/MAX Platine en 2024 et en 2025, 6e au Québec, 15e au Canada et dans le top 50 mondial au classement officiel RE/MAX. Réponse en moins de 24 heures, sept jours sur sept.