First half of 2026 recap: what the Greater Montreal and South Shore real estate market actually did

Market · Mid-year 2026

Fewer sales, more choice, prices that hold: here are the first six months of 2026 with the official APCIQ figures and our reading for the South Shore.

In the first half of 2026, Quebec sold a little less (23,354 transactions in the first quarter, down 2 %, then 27,296 in the second, down 5 %) while supply climbed fast (41,466 active listings in Q2, up 14 %). Prices held: $523,250 for a single-family home in Quebec (+5 %), $645,000 in the Montreal CMA (+3 %). On the South Shore, the median single-family home sold for $648,500 in Q2, in 30 days. August confirmed the trend: 2,853 sales in the CMA (-13 %) and 28 % more listings on the South Shore. The market is rebalancing, not falling.

Sales: a third straight quarter of decline

According to the APCIQ (release of July 14, 2026, Centris data), Quebec brokers closed 27,296 residential sales in the second quarter of 2026, 5 % fewer than in the same quarter of 2025, the third consecutive quarterly decline after a first quarter at 23,354 sales (-2 %). In the Montreal CMA, Q2 ended at 13,365 transactions (-7 %), with a sharper drop for condominiums (-10 %) than for single-family homes (-6 %) and plexes (-5 %).

Regions diverged: Quebec City (+2 %), Saguenay (+3 %) and Trois-Rivières (+9 %) grew, while Gatineau (-15 %), Sherbrooke (-9 %) and Drummondville (-3 %) fell.

Supply: the real change of 2026

What changed in the first half is not demand but supply. Quebec had 41,466 active listings in Q2 (+14 % year over year), with a 20 % rise for condos. In the Montreal CMA, the quarterly average was 20,735 listings (+14 %). By August the CMA count stood at 20,128 (+18 %), and the South Shore posted the strongest increase of any suburban ring: +28 %.

For a seller, that means the buyer is comparing. For a buyer, that time is finally on their side a little, without prices giving way.

Prices: holding, and single-family homes still rising

Median price, Q2 2026QuebecMontreal CMA
Single-family$523,250 (+5 %)$645,000 (+3 %)
Condominium$405,000 (+1 %)$430,000 (+1 %)
Plex$690,000 (+2 %)$874,000 (+5 %)

Provincial selling times in Q2: 38 days for single-family homes (-5), 43 days for plexes (-10), 46 days for condos (+4). Condos are the only category getting slower, consistent with their 20 % supply increase. In August, CMA selling times were 42 days (single-family), 62 days (condo, +12) and 52 days (plex).

The South Shore, sector by sector

The South Shore median single-family price was $648,500 in Q2 (+5 % over twelve months, +39 % over five years), with 30 days on market. August's monthly statistics showed $655,000 (+4 %) and 37 days, for 664 sales (-15 %) and 3,703 active listings (+28 %). The APCIQ barometer by sector:

APCIQ sector (Q2 2026)Median single-family price12 months5 yearsDays on market
South Shore (all)$648,500+5 %+39 %30
Candiac and La Prairie$820,000+7 %+33 %39
Brossard and Saint-Lambert$803,000+7 %+26 %41
Boucherville and Saint-Bruno$800,000+5 %+38 %20
Chambly$727,000+8 %+43 %36
Old Longueuil$623,000+7 %+36 %21
Saint-Hubert$602,500+4 %+36 %29
South-west South Shore (Delson, Saint-Constant, Sainte-Catherine)$620,000+6 %+42 %38

Two readings. Boucherville and Saint-Bruno sell in 20 days, the shortest on the South Shore; Brossard and Saint-Lambert in 41 days, with the widest choice. Chambly posted the strongest annual increase (+10 % for the quarter). Each sector has its own page: Brossard, Longueuil, Saint-Lambert, Chambly.

The policy rate: the other half of the story

The Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25 % on September 2, 2026, the seventh consecutive hold. Variable rates are stable, but long-term bond yields rose, which can push fixed rates up. The next announcement is October 28, 2026.

What the APCIQ expects for the rest of 2026

In its July release, the APCIQ anticipates a 6 % decline in residential sales for 2026 as a whole and a 5 % increase in the median single-family price. In other words, a calmer market, not a falling one. For 2027, see our 2027 forecast.

What it changes for you

Frequently asked questions

Did the real estate market fall in the first half of 2026?

Sales fell (-2 % in Q1, -5 % in Q2 in Quebec), prices did not: single-family homes rose 5 % in Quebec and 3 % in the Montreal CMA, according to the APCIQ.

Is 2026 a buyer's market?

No. Despite 14 % more listings, the APCIQ still describes seller-favourable conditions in most sectors. On the South Shore, every price range under $1 million remains in the seller's favour.

Which South Shore sector rose the most?

Chambly, with +10 % year over year for single-family homes ($727,000 in Q2). Over five years, it is the Sainte-Julie and Varennes sector (+49 %).

Also available in French: version française de ce guide.

Published September 1, 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.

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