Quebecers in the market for a new home prefer the suburbs: survey

MONTREAL — A survey carried out for RE/MAX Quebec during the last two weeks of March shows that 46 per cent of respondents who were considering buying a property wanted to settle in the suburbs, especially households with a child.

The city came in second place at 28 per cent, and the country in third, at 21.

Among future sellers, the Léger survey shows that 58 per cent would sell their properties to upgrade to a larger yard, and 55 per cent to a larger home.

A significant portion of older people, aged 55 to 64, would sell their property to move somewhere less expensive, the survey shows.

RE/MAX Quebec president Sylvain Dansereau said the dates the survey was conducted weren’t modified despite the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the second part of the survey, which is set to take place in the fall, will allow the firm to measure the impact the pandemic had on Quebecers’ intentions when it comes to buying and selling property.

The real estate industry got the green light from the government to start back up again on May 11.

The survey was carried out from March 17 to March 29 among 1,400 residents scattered across six Quebec regions. The margin of error was established at about 2.6 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2020.