First-time buyer · West Island · 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 the West Island in 2026, in numbers, in English and French.
A first purchase in the West Island in 2026 starts with the condo: a $418,500 median in the northern sector (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Pierrefonds), $517,500 in the southern sector (Pointe-Claire, Dorval), with 57 and 44 days on market that leave time to compare; the house starts at $760,000 in the north (Pierrefonds, Dollard, 502 active, the island's widest choice) and $820,000 in the south, with Dorval and Pierrefonds as entry doors below the median. At $475,000 with 5 % down, the monthly payment is about $2,296 at 4.24 % over 30 years and the household must earn about $104,000; at $760,000 (10 % on the portion above $500,000), $3,607 and about $161,000. The FHSA, the HBP, the $5,875 welcome tax refund and the 30-year amortization stack up; the West Island rose the least in the region in five years (+13 % in the south, +22 % in the north), which limits the risk of overpaying. 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 West Island sold its median house for $820,000 in the south and $760,000 in the north in the second quarter of 2026, in 38 and 42 days, and its condos for $517,500 and $418,500 in 44 and 57 days. For a first-time buyer, the entry point is the condo between $400,000 and $500,000 (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Pierrefonds, Dorval, central Pointe-Claire) and, for a house, the bungalows of Pierrefonds and Dorval below the median, between $650,000 and $780,000. Vaudreuil-Dorion ($604,500), just across the bridge, is the alternative when the budget does not stretch. 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 island'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.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $20,000 | $15,200 | $1,933 | $2,410 | $88,000 |
| $475,000 | $23,750 | $18,050 | $2,296 | $2,862 | $104,000 |
| $550,000 | $30,000 | $20,800 | $2,646 | $3,298 | $119,000 |
| $650,000 | $40,000 | $24,400 | $3,103 | $3,869 | $139,000 |
| $760,000 | $51,000 | $28,360 | $3,607 | $4,497 | $161,000 |
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, Ouest-de-l'Île-Nord | $760,000 | 42 days | 502 |
| House, Ouest-de-l'Île-Sud | $820,000 | 38 days | 325 |
| Condo, Ouest-de-l'Île-Nord | $418,500 | 57 days | 196 |
| Condo, Ouest-de-l'Île-Sud | $517,500 | 44 days | 211 |
The northern sector (Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Île-Bizard) is the West Island's entry level: Pierrefonds' 1960s to 1980s bungalows and cottages around boulevard de Pierrefonds, the semi-detached homes and townhouses of northern Dollard, the 1980s to 2000s condos along des Sources, with the Sunnybrooke and Roxboro-Pierrefonds stations (Deux-Montagnes line) and 502 houses active, the island's widest choice; the Rivière des Prairies requires reading the flood zone on the certificate for riverside streets. The southern sector (Dorval, Pointe-Claire, Kirkland, Beaconsfield) is pricier, but Dorval sells its post-war bungalows under $800,000 between the station and des Sources, and central Pointe-Claire its 1970s to 2000s condos near Fairview, with four stations on the Vaudreuil-Hudson line and the future REM (western branch without a date). Our guides living in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, living in Dorval and living in Dollard-des-Ormeaux detail these sectors.
Our pages on buying a condo in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, buying a condo in Pointe-Claire and the best neighbourhood for families in the West Island complete the file.
About $104,000 in gross household income for a $475,000 condo, $139,000 for a $650,000 house and $161,000 for $760,000, with 5 % down (10 % on the portion above $500,000), a 30-year amortization and the stress test at 6.24 %.
The northern sector (Pierrefonds, Dollard-des-Ormeaux) for a house ($760,000 median, with Pierrefonds bungalows under $700,000) as for a condo ($418,500); Dorval for a southern-sector bungalow under $800,000; Vaudreuil-Dorion ($604,500) just across the bridge if the budget does not stretch.
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, which in the West Island makes the difference between a condo and a house.
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.