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When an agency has brokers in several regional cities, it is tempting to broadcast one message: "the regional market is holding up." Centris statistics for Q3 2026 show that this formula does not hold. Markets with similar median prices are moving at very different speeds, and those gaps should change the content, follow-up and indicators of each local team.
This article compares six markets for which the APCIQ publishes readable data: three census metropolitan areas (Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Drummondville) and three agglomerations (Granby, Saint-Hyacinthe, Rimouski). The recommendations are editorial suggestions, not official requirements.
The provincial benchmark
Across Quebec, the median price of a single-family home reached $500,000 in Q3 2026 (+2%), and a single-family home sold in 45 days on average (+1 day). Source: APCIQ, provincial news release of October 14, 2026, Centris statistics for Q3 2026.
Comparison table
| Market (Q3 2026) | Residential sales, year-over-year change | Active listings, change | Single-family median price | Days on market, single-family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherbrooke CMA | 569 (+12%) | 825 (+17%) | $490,750 (+7%) | 33 (-6) |
| Trois-Rivières CMA | 372 (+12%) | 447 (+54%) | $395,000 (+8%) | 32 (+6) |
| Drummondville CMA | 220 (+5%) | 389 (+50%) | $445,000 (+11%) | 46 (+3) |
| Granby agglomeration | 286 (+10%) | 446 (+7%) | $529,500 (+8%) | 56 (+10) |
| Saint-Hyacinthe agglomeration | 162 (+25%) | 182 (+46%) | $499,000 (+8%) | 29 (+2) |
| Rimouski agglomeration | 120 (-16%) | 151 (+16%) | $390,000 (+3%) | 36 (-6) |
Sources: Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières and Drummondville CMAs: CIEMCQ and APCIQ, news release of October 14, 2026, Q3 2026. Granby, Saint-Hyacinthe and Rimouski agglomerations: APCIQ, Province of Quebec Residential Barometer, Q3 2026, tables 1 and 2 for each agglomeration. Changes calculated by the APCIQ against Q3 2025. CMAs and agglomerations do not share the same geographic definition; the comparison is indicative.
Three profiles calling for three kinds of marketing
Our reading groups these markets into three profiles. The grouping is an editorial analysis, not an APCIQ classification.
Profile 1: supply surges, demand absorbs it. Trois-Rivières, Drummondville and Saint-Hyacinthe show listing increases of 46% to 54% while sales keep rising. The APCIQ places Trois-Rivières and Saint-Hyacinthe among the markets where conditions remain very advantageous for sellers. Source: APCIQ, provincial news release of October 14, 2026, Q3 2026.
In these markets, owners see more signs and more competing listings. Useful marketing explains how to stand out in a fuller inventory: preparation, presentation, price positioning. The message "everything sells fast" becomes less credible, even if it is still true for some properties.
Profile 2: supply barely moves, but selling times stretch. Granby shows a modest increase in listings (+7%) and rising sales, yet the average selling time for single-family homes reached 56 days in the quarter, ten more than a year earlier. Over 12 months, however, that time is 49 days, down 11 days. Source: APCIQ, Province of Quebec Residential Barometer, Q3 2026, Granby agglomeration, table 2.
This mixed signal calls for caution: one slower quarter is not a trend. For a local team, it justifies tracking selling time every quarter and preparing content on patience and pricing strategy, ready to use if the signal is confirmed.
Profile 3: fewer transactions, fast sales. In Rimouski, sales fell 16%, but single-family homes sold faster (36 days, -6) and the APCIQ ranks the agglomeration among markets very advantageous for sellers. Sources: APCIQ, Province of Quebec Residential Barometer, Q3 2026, Rimouski agglomeration; provincial news release of October 14, 2026.
When the number of transactions drops, each listing matters more. Useful marketing there relies on a constant presence with owners and rigorous follow-up of the inquiries received, rather than on volume.
Sherbrooke sits between these profiles: sales growth driven by single-family homes, a more moderate rise in supply (+17%) and shorter selling times. The CIEMCQ notes that activity was particularly strong in the City of Sherbrooke and less pronounced in Magog and the surrounding area. Source: CIEMCQ and APCIQ, news release of October 14, 2026, Q3 2026.
What this changes for an agency's marketing governance
1. An editorial calendar for each market. Each market gets its own quarterly column, based on its barometer data, with the source and period under each figure. The OACIQ advertising guideline specifically targets any statistic published without its source; this is a marketing summary, not legal advice. Source: OACIQ, guideline on advertising, section 6.4, last updated June 17, 2026.
2. Shared templates, local messages. The agency provides the structure, brand rules and approval process. The substance changes with the market's profile. This avoids both improvisation and repetition.
3. Comparable indicators across teams. Whatever CRM you use, each inquiry should carry the market, property category and source. Then compare inquiries, appointments held and signed brokerage contracts by market, flagging missing data. A slower market is not necessarily a weaker team.
4. A quarterly review aligned with APCIQ publications. With each new barometer, the agency checks whether each market's profile has changed and adjusts its messages. Nothing requires this rhythm; it simply has the advantage of relying on a public, dated source.
5. Central validation of claims. Before anything goes out, a designated person checks the figures, their sources and that no "Coming soon" ("À venir") type post appears before the brokerage contract is signed and the listing is entered, as the OACIQ guideline provides. Source: OACIQ, guideline on advertising, section 6.1.
Fictional example
Fictional example, for illustration only. An agency has brokers in Drummondville and Granby. It used to publish the same monthly post on "the strength of the regional market." It creates two separate columns: in Drummondville, the focus is on rising supply and property preparation; in Granby, on tracking selling times. Both follow the same template and approval process.
Key takeaways
Quebec's regional markets are not a single block. Similar median prices hide very different dynamics in supply, sales and selling times. An agency that governs its marketing market by market, with sourced data and comparable indicators, gives each team a more accurate message.
Next step: request a proposal for a market-by-market marketing plan for your agency's brokers. Tell us the markets you actually cover, the number of brokers involved and your current approval process.
Note interne, ne pas publier : [Formulaire relié au CRM de Roy Marketing]
Sources consulted on November 9, 2026 (Toronto time)
- CIEMCQ and APCIQ, RMR de Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières et Drummondville : trois marchés qui résistent au ralentissement observé ailleurs au Québec, news release of October 14, 2026, Q3 2026 data (French page).
- APCIQ, Q3 2026 statistics, province and regions, news release of October 14, 2026, July to September 2026 data (French page).
- APCIQ, Province of Quebec Residential Barometer, Q3 2026 (PDF), Granby, Saint-Hyacinthe and Rimouski agglomeration sections, Q3 2026 and last 12 months (French document).
- OACIQ, guideline on advertising, last updated June 17, 2026 (French page).
All sources were read in French; figures are rendered in English for this adaptation. The profiles and recommendations are the brand's editorial analysis. They are not a requirement of the APCIQ or OACIQ, nor a guarantee of inquiries, listings or rankings. No brand in the network claims an office in these markets.