Buyer's Guide

A Complete Guide for Newcomers Buying Property in Quebec

By Georges Matar · July 16, 2026 · 7 min read

For anyone arriving from abroad, the Quebec real estate system is completely opaque: the mortgage structure, the legal framework, the tax implications, the cultural norms around negotiation. All of it has to be learned from scratch.

That is the reason for this guide. If you are a newcomer to Quebec (whether from the Arab world, from francophone Africa, from South America, or anywhere else), this is the information worth having on arrival.

Who Can Buy Property in Quebec?

Permanent residents have the same rights as Canadian citizens to purchase real estate in Quebec. You do not need to be a citizen.

A federal law currently prohibits non-Canadians, meaning people who are neither citizens nor permanent residents, from buying certain residential properties: buildings of 1 to 3 dwelling units, including semi-detached houses and condos, located in a census metropolitan area or census agglomeration. It provides exceptions, notably for some work permit holders, some students, protected persons such as refugees, and a spouse buying with a citizen or permanent resident. The prohibition currently applies until January 1, 2027. If you hold permanent residency, it does not apply to you. If you do not, have your situation checked by a lawyer or notary before you sign anything.

The Mortgage System: How It Works Here

In many countries, buying property means paying in cash or receiving family support. In Quebec and Canada, the vast majority of buyers finance their purchase with a mortgage (hypothèque).

Here is how it works:

You pay a down payment of 5% to 20% of the purchase price in cash
A bank or lender provides the remaining 80% to 95% as a loan
You repay the loan monthly over 25 to 30 years, with interest

If your down payment is less than 20%, you are required to purchase CMHC mortgage insurance. This protects the lender, not you, and costs 2.8% to 4% of the loan amount, added directly to your mortgage.

Building Credit History: Start Now

One of the most common challenges for newcomers is qualifying for a mortgage without Canadian credit history.

Canadian lenders rely heavily on your credit score. If you are new to Canada, you likely have no credit file, which means lenders have no data to assess your risk.

Start building credit as soon as you arrive:

Open a Canadian bank account immediately
Apply for a secured credit card (requires a deposit, but starts building your file)
Pay every balance in full and on time, every month
Avoid applying for many credit products at once, as each application is recorded

With consistent discipline, you can build a strong credit file in 12 to 24 months. Some lenders have “newcomer mortgage programs” that accommodate buyers with limited Canadian credit history; ask specifically about these options.

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA): Open It Now

The FHSA is one of the most powerful tools available to first-time buyers in Canada. It was introduced in 2023 and many newcomers are not yet aware of it.

Here is how it works:

You can save up to $40,000 lifetime in this account
Contributions of $8,000 per year are tax-deductible (like an RRSP)
Withdrawals for a qualifying home purchase are completely tax-free (like a TFSA)
It is available to residents of Canada for tax purposes (permanent residence is not a condition), aged 18 to 71, who have not lived, in the current year or the previous four calendar years, in a home that they or their spouse owned, in Canada or abroad

Open this account as soon as you qualify. Contribution room only starts accumulating once the account is opened, and unused room carries forward to the next year, but never more than $8,000. Even if you are not ready to buy for two or three years, opening the account now starts that room.

Combined with the Home Buyers’ Plan (RAP, which allows you to withdraw up to $60,000 from your RRSP), the FHSA can fund up to $100,000 of down payment per person, if the savings are there.

The Quebec Notarial System

Quebec uses a notary (notaire) system for property transfers. This is different from most other Canadian provinces, where lawyers handle the conveyancing.

In Quebec, all property transfers must be processed by a licensed notary. The notary:

Verifies that the seller is legally the property owner
Checks for any mortgages, liens, or legal encumbrances on the title
Verifies that there are no unpaid taxes that could become your responsibility
Prepares and explains every document you sign

The notary is legally neutral; they protect both parties’ interests. In most transactions, the same notary represents both buyer and seller, though you always have the right to choose your own.

Notary fees: No fixed tariff. Published 2026 estimates run from about $1,500 to $3,500 for a financed purchase, taxes and registry fees included. Ask for a written quote.

One important note on language. Brokerage forms exist in French and English, and a notarial deed can be drawn up in English. The land registry, however, accepts only French: a deed in English needs a certified translation, which adds time. As a buyer, you have the right to have everything explained to you in your preferred language. Your broker can communicate with you in English or Arabic, and a notary who speaks your language can walk you through each deed. Whatever the language, you fully understand what you sign.

The Welcome Tax (Taxe de Bienvenue)

This is a one-time tax paid to the municipality when you purchase property in Quebec. It applies to all buyers, regardless of whether you are a first-time buyer or not.

The tax is calculated on a sliding scale based on the property value. With the 2026 thresholds, a $400,000 property comes to about $4,100. At $600,000, it is about $7,100 at the base rate, about $7,350 in Montreal and about $8,600 in Laval, which has charged 3% above $500,000 since 2026.

The municipality sends the bill a few months after the notary signing, and it is payable within 30 days of that bill. Budget for it, as many buyers are caught off guard.

For a first purchase, Quebec announced in April 2026 a refundable tax credit that gives back up to $5,875 of this tax, for a home acquired on or after January 1, 2026. See first-time buyer tax advantages.

The Building Inspection

In Quebec, buyers have the right to include an inspection condition in their offer to purchase. This means a qualified building inspector (check their RBQ certificate or professional association) examines the property (roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, insulation, windows) and provides a detailed written report.

Never purchase a property without this inspection. Even in competitive markets where some buyers waive conditions to win bidding wars, waiving the inspection is strongly discouraged.

A building inspection costs $500 to $900. It can reveal defects that cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix. The cost-to-risk ratio is entirely in favour of always doing the inspection.

A Step-by-Step Path for Newcomers

For a newcomer who wants to own property in Quebec, here is the roadmap to follow:

Year 1:

Open a Canadian bank account immediately
Apply for a secured credit card and use it responsibly
Open an FHSA account (as soon as you qualify)
Begin saving consistently (even $500/month adds up)

Year 2:

Your credit file is beginning to establish itself
Continue building savings in your FHSA and other accounts
Begin learning the local market: visit neighbourhoods, attend open houses (without pressure to buy yet)
Consult a mortgage specialist about your qualifying potential

Year 2-3:

With a stable employment history and established credit: seek pre-approval
Engage a buyer’s broker: when the seller has a broker, yours is usually paid out of the remuneration the seller pays. If that share is lower than what your brokerage contract provides, or if the seller has no broker, that contract sets what you pay
Begin your serious property search
Proceed toward purchase

The timeline is longer than many newcomers hope. But the foundations you build in those first two years make the actual purchase process dramatically smoother.

Working With a Bilingual Broker

This may be the most practical piece of advice in this guide: choose a broker who speaks your language. Literally.

The Quebec real estate process involves dozens of conversations, documents, and decisions. Being able to ask questions and receive explanations in your native language is not a luxury. It is a condition for making fully informed decisions.

Service is available in French, English and Arabic, and each family’s preferences are taken into account: some want the extended family involved in the decision, others place great weight on privacy, prefer long-term stability to short-term speculation, or care above all about owning something that is truly their own.

Those values align well with what Quebec real estate, done right, can offer.

Are you a newcomer navigating the Quebec real estate market? The conversation can happen in whatever language works best for you. Get in touch.