Montreal Inventory Passes Its 10-Year Average in 2026

In June 2026, a symbolic threshold was crossed: the Montreal area became the only region in Quebec whose for-sale inventory exceeds its ten-year average, by about 7%. Elsewhere in the province, supply remains below its historical level. After years of shortage, the metropolis has not merely rebalanced, it has moved back above normal. For the full monthly picture, see our June 2026 real estate statistics.

A symbolic threshold crossed

The ten-year average is a useful benchmark: it smooths cycles and shows what normal inventory looks like for a given market. During the recent shortage, the Montreal area sat far below that average, with very few homes available. In June 2026, it exceeds it by about 7%. This is not a supply glut, but a clean end to the drought: the Montreal buyer regains choice comparable to, and even slightly above, what a decade of the market considers normal.

Why Montreal normalizes faster

Two forces combine in the metropolis. First, sales are slowing: the area recorded about 4,012 transactions in June 2026, down roughly 8% year over year. When homes sell more slowly, they accumulate. Second, new sellers are listing again, especially condominiums, whose inventory has risen sharply. The condo segment, heavily present in Montreal and less so elsewhere, explains much of the metropolis's lead over the rest of Quebec.

The rest of Quebec still in deficit

Normalization runs at two speeds. Provincewide, about 8,492 sales took place in June 2026, down roughly 4%, a milder decline than in Montreal. Above all, most regional markets still show inventory below their ten-year average. In other words, a buyer looking for a home in Quebec City, the Eastern Townships or an outer ring often deals with less choice than the Montreal buyer. The rebalancing is real, but it does not advance at the same pace everywhere.

What it changes for a Montreal buyer

With inventory above its historical average, the area's buyer regains room they had lost: viewing without rushing, submitting an inspection-conditional offer without fear of being pushed aside, and negotiating price or terms. The Bank of Canada's pause, with the policy rate held at 2.25% in July 2026, adds financing visibility. This window stays relative, though: supply is back to normal, it does not overwhelm demand. Well-located, fairly priced homes still sell quickly.

What it changes for a seller

Supply returning above its average changes the game for the Montreal seller: they face more direct competition than at any point in recent years. The shortage-cycle reflex, pricing high on scarcity, becomes risky. The winning strategy is to set a fair price from the start, from recent comparable sales in the area, to stand out in a fuller field of choice. Precise positioning, rather than an optimistic asking price followed by cuts, remains the fastest path to a sale at the right price.