Last week's numbers tell two stories at once. Fewer homes are selling on the South Shore, but the ones that sell go for more than they did a year ago. Here is how to read that before back-to-school season.
What July's numbers say
The QPAREB released its July 2026 statistics on August 6. On the South Shore, 747 properties changed hands last month, down 4% year over year. That is a fourth straight monthly decline. Single-family homes remain the heart of the market with 470 sales (-3%), condos follow at 239 (-7%), and plexes, rarer in summer, total 36 transactions.
Volume has been sliding since spring. We were at 1,284 sales in March, then 1,167 in April, 1,103 in May, 928 in June. July at 747 is the continuation of a slowdown, not a collapse. Summer always cools the market. This year, buyers are also taking their time, because they finally have choice.
Prices are still rising, in every segment
This is the point I repeat most these days. Fewer sales does not mean falling prices. In July, the median single-family price on the South Shore reached $643,000, up 2% year over year. Condos followed at $410,650 (+3%). And the plex stands apart with a median of $810,000, a 14% jump.
A year earlier, in August 2025, the median single-family home sold for around $630,000. So values kept climbing while the number of transactions fell. This is a market correcting on volume, not on price. The distinction looks small on paper, but it changes everything when it is time to set an offer or an asking price.
Inventory has genuinely changed
The real story of the summer is choice. There were 3,588 properties for sale on the South Shore in July, 24% more than a year ago. After years of shortage, buyers can breathe. That surplus shows up most in condos, where selling time has stretched to 49 days, fifteen more than last year. Single-family homes hold steady at 34 days on average, barely one more. In short, supply is climbing, but a good home that is well priced still moves quickly.
Financing has not moved
The Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25% on July 15, a sixth hold in a row. The next announcement lands on September 2. That stability works in your favour: it lets you plan the fall without surprises on your monthly payment. A five-year insured fixed rate sits around 4% in mid-August.
Keep the stress test in mind. The bank does not qualify you at the rate you will pay, but at your contract rate plus two points, or 5.25%, whichever is higher. That figure sets your real budget. With more homes on the market, the right question isn't "what's available," it's "how much do I qualify for." Get that number worked out before you visit anything.
On the ground, in our cities
The South Shore sits below the island median, which makes it a more accessible entry point for families. Candiac, La Prairie, Saint-Bruno, Boucherville, Saint-Lambert: these are areas where underlying demand does not fade, even when the pace of sales slows. What I see this summer is more signs on front lawns and sellers who need to be patient and well prepared. September will be telling: the number of new listings will show how badly sellers want to move before winter.
What it means for you
- If you're buying: take advantage of the choice. With 24% more listings, you have real room to move, especially in condos, where selling time reaches 49 days. But single-family homes still go in 34 days. Keep your pre-approval current and your budget worked out at the stress-test rate before you start viewings.
- If you're selling: you have competition on your street. The asking price becomes the deciding tool. Priced right, your home still sells in a little over a month. Listed 5% too high, it stays online and feeds the inventory statistics instead of selling. The starting price decides almost everything.
- If you're investing: the plex posted the strongest price gain of the month, at a median of $810,000, up 14%. Rental demand on the South Shore stays firm because homeownership remains out of reach for many households. The segment still leans toward sellers.
These figures are benchmarks for the whole South Shore, not the picture of your street. Candiac doesn't move like Longueuil, and a bungalow doesn't sell like a new two-storey. If you want to know what your property is worth in today's market, request an evaluation or write to me. We'll look at your numbers together. You can also read my analysis on the fall rebalancing.