First-time buyer · North Shore · 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 on the North Shore in 2026, in numbers.
A first purchase on Montreal's North Shore in 2026 is the cheapest in Greater Montreal short of the far suburbs: a condo in Saint-Jérôme ($315,000 median in the second quarter), Repentigny ($334,200) or Mascouche ($362,250); a house in Saint-Lin-Laurentides ($490,000), the eastern sector ($549,000), Saint-Jérôme ($573,000) or Repentigny ($580,000, 25 days). 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; at $575,000, about $2,760 and $124,000. The FHSA, the HBP, the $5,875 welcome tax refund and the 30-year amortization stack up. The North Shore sells in 28 days and rose 52 % in five years: the first-time buyer must be pre-approved before the first viewing. 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.
The North Shore sold its median house for $600,000 and its condo for $370,000 in the second quarter of 2026, in 28 and 38 days, with the region's strongest five-year rise (+52 %) and 848 condos active (+40 %). For a first-time buyer, the entry point is the condo between $315,000 and $380,000 (Saint-Jérôme, Repentigny, Mascouche, Terrebonne) and the house between $490,000 and $585,000 (Saint-Lin, the east, Saint-Jérôme, Repentigny, Terrebonne). The Saint-Jérôme and Mascouche trains replace the metro; Highway 25 is tolled. 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 North 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.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $325,000 | $16,250 | $12,350 | $1,571 | $1,958 | $72,000 |
| $375,000 | $18,750 | $14,250 | $1,812 | $2,260 | $83,000 |
| $450,000 | $22,500 | $17,100 | $2,175 | $2,712 | $98,000 |
| $525,000 | $27,500 | $19,900 | $2,531 | $3,156 | $114,000 |
| $575,000 | $32,500 | $21,700 | $2,760 | $3,441 | $124,000 |
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, Saint-Lin-Laurentides | $490,000 | 33 days | 91 |
| House, Eastern North Shore (L'Assomption, Lavaltrie) | $549,000 | 29 days | 178 |
| House, Saint-Jérôme | $573,000 | 33 days | 333 |
| House, Repentigny | $580,000 | 25 days | 191 |
| Condo, Saint-Jérôme | $315,000 | 33 days | 96 |
| Condo, Repentigny | $334,200 | 44 days | 142 |
| Condo, Mascouche | $362,250 | 31 days | 94 |
| Condo, Western North Shore (Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes) | $365,000 | 32 days | 98 |
Saint-Jérôme (house $573,000, condo $315,000, 33 days) is the Laurentians' hub city, with a CEGEP, a university, a hospital and a terminus station: the cheapest first purchase among the big cities, in a market that rose 59 % in five years. Repentigny ($580,000 in 25 days, condo $334,200 in 44 days) is the gateway to eastern Montreal via the 40, no toll, with the slowest and therefore most negotiable condo. Terrebonne ($583,500, 345 houses active) offers the widest choice, Terrebonne-Ouest and La Plaine as entry level. Mascouche ($615,000, condo $362,250) sells in 23 days. Saint-Lin-Laurentides ($490,000) and the east (L'Assomption, Lavaltrie, $549,000) are the cheapest, 45 kilometres out and more. Our guides living in Saint-Jérôme, living in Repentigny and living in Terrebonne detail these sectors.
Our pages on buying a condo in Terrebonne, house prices on the North Shore by sector and foreclosures in Quebec complete the file.
About $78,000 in gross household income for a $350,000 condo, $98,000 for $450,000 and $124,000 for a $575,000 house, with 5 % down (10 % on the portion above $500,000), a 30-year amortization and the stress test at 6.24 %.
Saint-Lin-Laurentides ($490,000) and the eastern North Shore ($549,000) for a house, then Saint-Jérôme ($573,000) and Repentigny ($580,000) among the big cities; Saint-Jérôme ($315,000) and Repentigny ($334,200) for a condo, in the second quarter of 2026.
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 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 6, 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.