More Foreigners Are Moving to Montreal!

In Toronto and Vancouver and a lot of other cities in Canada, the real estate market is really picking up. Prices of houses have really spiked up in those places. But here in Montreal, the real estate market is very calm and sedate. The prices of Montreal condos and homes have remained basically the same. That’s a good thing for those who are looking for affordable options. There are lots of condo options for young adults and new families that won’t break their budget.

But now you know what’s coming? Foreigners to Montreal, that’s what. While they account for just 15% of the real estate market in the city, that’s still double the percentage from 2010.

Why Montreal?

To be fair, Montreal has always appealed to people from other lands. Its charm is undeniable, and it has a mystique that Toronto and Vancouver can’t match. It has retained a virtually permanent reputation for elegance that smacks of the old world, and that’s something the more modern cities can’t really brag about.

Then there’s also its unmistakable air of European sophistication.  It’s chic and stylish and when you’re from another Canadian or US city then you’ll immediately notice the difference. It’s like a place where the uneducated seem to have no place.

That’s especially true if your stupidity is about racism. Montreal is still mostly white, but white people have no problems with their foreigner neighbors. The ethnic diversity is great, and the quality of life is constantly near the top.

Where Are They Coming From?

They foreigners moving here are basically coming from all parts of the globe. About 2 out of 3 new buyers are from Asia, but that’s always been the case for many years anyway. The Asian minority in the city is quite sizable, and we even have a Chinatown. We have West Asians, South Asians, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Arab, and people from other Southeast Asian countries.

But now there are lots more people coming in from the US. It’s not really true that people in Montreal hate Americans. That’s a myth. The people in Montreal may hate US foreign policies—who outside the red states like them anyway?—but they don’t hate Americans for being Americans.

They may have a problem however, if they don’t speak French! The truth of the matter is that it’s not that bad if they don’t speak French. It’s mildly annoying when they’ve lived here a while and they still haven’t learned the language. What can be truly infuriating is that sometimes they think that French speakers don’t understand English, and speak an infantile English to communicate.

Word to the wise: most of the people who speak French in Montreal also speak English!

And of course there’s the European contingent. If they’re going to the New World, then a constant old world air can at least minimize the sting of homesickness.

So if you’re looking for Montreal condos, be ready for competition. You may also need to get used to new ways with a neighbor from another part of the world.