Greater Montreal in August 2026
Montreal still posts year-over-year price gains across all three property types, but every volume measure moved the other way in August. Sales fell 13% to 2,853 while new listings rose 7% to 5,874 and active listings climbed 18% to 20,128. Sales volume came in at $1.97 billion, down 10% on the year.
The appreciation itself has narrowed. Single-family medians are up 3% at $650,000, unchanged from July. Plex prices, which had been the strongest segment at 6% a month earlier, now sit 2% higher at $856,000. Condominiums rose 4% to $437,250 — which makes them, for the first time in months, the fastest-appreciating of the three rather than the laggard.
That does not mean the condo market strengthened. Its weakness moved from price into time: condominiums took 62 days to sell in August against 50 a year earlier, and on the Island of Montreal specifically 72 days against 55. Condo sales fell 18%, the sharpest decline of any segment, while condo active listings rose 19%. Buyers have more room there than the price line suggests.
Median Prices — August 2026
Montreal uses median price (rather than MLS® HPI benchmark) as its primary metric. Plexes — income-generating multi-unit properties unique to Quebec's market — still command the highest median at $856,000, but their appreciation has cooled sharply, from 6.1% a month ago to 2% now.
| Property Type | Median Price | MoM | YoY | Sales | Sales YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Family | $650,000 | — | ▲ 3.0% | 1,498 | ▼ 9.0% |
| Condominium | $437,250 | ▲ 1.3% | ▲ 4.0% | 1,046 | ▼ 18.0% |
| Plex (2–5 units) | $856,000 | ▼ 1.0% | ▲ 2.0% | 307 | ▼ 14.0% |
Source: Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB), August 2026, Montreal CMA. Montreal uses median sold price — note that QPAREB does not publish MLS® HPI benchmark prices. Month-over-month figures compare with the July 2026 release.
Supply and Demand Breakdown
The same composition effect still holds, and it is worth being explicit about it: condo sales fell 18% while single-family fell 9% and plex 14%, so the mix of what sold shifted toward higher-priced property and flattered the overall price story. Median prices are a mix-sensitive measure, and QPAREB publishes no MLS® HPI benchmark for Montreal to correct for that.
The supply side is unambiguous. Active listings are up 18% year over year and new listings up 7%, while sales are down 13%. On the Island of Montreal, condo days-on-market went from 55 to 72 — seventeen days longer to sell the same property, which is the clearest buyer's advantage anywhere in this market.
What's Driving Montreal's Market
Value relative to other cities: A single-family home in Montreal at $650,000 median costs less than a condo apartment in Vancouver ($688,000 benchmark) and substantially less than a condo in Toronto ($636,000 average, but benchmark at $934,600). Montreal offers the best square-footage-per-dollar of any major Canadian city, drawing buyers who want space without sacrificing urban amenities.
Plex market: Quebec's plex market — duplexes, triplexes, and quads — is unique to Montreal. Buyers purchase a plex, occupy one unit, and rent the remaining units to offset mortgage costs. The 6.1% year-over-year price appreciation in this segment reflects tight supply and durable investor demand even in a slower sales environment.
French-language market dynamics: Roughly 70% of Montreal transactions occur in French. The provincial government's language requirements (Bill 96) have modestly reduced English-speaking inter-provincial migration, maintaining Montreal's more moderate price growth compared to peers. The market remains bilingual in practice but regulatory friction adds steps for anglophone buyers and sellers.
Welcome Tax (Taxe de Bienvenue): Quebec charges a land transfer tax — the "Welcome Tax" — on every property purchase. On a $650,000 home the tax is approximately $7,950. First-time buyers who are Quebec residents receive no full exemption (unlike Ontario or BC), though municipalities may offer partial rebates. Factor this into your closing cost budget.
Montréal Rents — July 2026
Montréal asking rents averaged $1,940/month in July 2026, down 1.6% year-over-year — a more modest decline than Vancouver or Calgary. Month-over-month rents ticked lower from June to July. At $97 below the national average, Montréal remains one of Canada's more affordable large-city rental markets, though StatsCan data notes asking rents have risen nearly 71% since 2019.
Source: Rentals.ca August 2026 National Rent Report. View full Canadian rent report →