Lorraine is a planned town. Founded in 1960 by a group of businessmen, it was designed from the start as a residential town: no industry, no high-density housing, buried utilities and not a single traffic light. More than sixty years later, that is still what defines its market. It is an area I cover on the same footing as the others.
An almost entirely single-family market
According to the 2021 census, 88% of dwellings in Lorraine are single-detached houses and 98% of households own their home. More than half of the houses were built between 1961 and 1980.
Highway 640 splits the town into two parts, linked only by the boulevard De Gaulle overpass. It is worth looking at on the map before visiting, because it changes everyday trips.
The Grand Coteau forest, shared with Blainville and Sainte-Thérèse, offers about 6 km of trails on the Lorraine side. Being close to the woods is a concrete selling point for the streets that border it.
Domaine Garth, a heritage estate on the Rivière des Mille Îles, rounds out the access to nature in a town that made it its signature.
What to check here
The age of the systems. A home from the 1960s or 1970s has often been through one or two rounds of renovation. Roof, windows, electrical, plumbing and French drain: ask for the invoices, not just the dates.
Proximity to water. Lorraine borders the Rivière des Mille Îles and the Rivière aux Chiens runs through the town. For any property near either one, check the flood zone mapping in force on the date of the offer.
Zoning rules. A planned town has its rules: check them before buying with an extension, a garage or a pool in mind.
Selling and buying in Lorraine
Since the vast majority of properties are single-detached houses, the lot, the condition and the renovations make the price difference. Comparables have to be chosen street by street, not at the scale of the town.
The comparative analysis is prepared at no charge. On the buying side, set your range with the affordability calculator, and compare with Rosemère and Blainville, its immediate neighbours.