Living in the city is great and the suburbs can be lovely, but sometimes what you really need is a little bit of the great outdoors in your own backyard. Luckily for you, there are plenty of fixer-uppers and recently renovated chalets sprinkled across the Quebec countryside within an hour and a half's drive from Montreal that you could invest in today with less than $200,000.
With costs of living rising in the city and wages stagnating across the country, investing in a cheap starter home is more difficult but also more enticing than ever before. Rather than pay your salary towards high-cost city groceries, consider putting that money toward a cute chalet in the Laurentides!
From lakeside cottages with water access and private roads to cozy homes nestled among century-old pine forests, you're sure to find something worth investing in among these promising properties.
Cottage in Henryville
A small white house with a front lawn.
Re/MAX
Address: 4 Rg Melaven, Henryville
Price: $159,000
Description: Built in 1966, this property is located an hour south of Montreal, not far from the U.S. border and right next to Richelieu River, with water access at the back. It's a comfy chalet which could easily be transformed into a four-season home, with no rear neighbours and a large solarium.
View the listing here
Pleasant home in Montcalm
A square house surrounded by forest.
Re/MAX
Address: 596 Route du Lac-Rond S., Montcalm
Price: $99,900
Description: This two-bedroom, one-bathroom home sits on a property just larger than 35,000 square feet, with a trail leading to the beautiful Lake Beaven, where you could easily build a dock and enjoy some much-needed time on the water. It's 20 minutes from Morin-Heights and just over an hour from Montreal, and you get plenty of forest space to do with what you will.
View the listing here
Quaint chalet in Val-Morin
A quiant chalet painted red and green.x
Re/MAX
Address: 2038, chemin du Relais, Val-Morin
Price: $199,000
Description: This large three-bedroom home sits on 15,510 square feet of property less than an hour from the city. It has water access and forest acreage to boot, with a recently renovated kitchen.
View the listing here
Small home in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts
The home's living space.
Re/MAX
Address: 5000, ch. Renaud, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts
Price: $199,900
Description: With a lot stretching over 75,000 square feet in the beautiful Laurentides, this home is sure to please. It's just a ten-minute drive to the lac des Sables and the small town of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts.
View the listing here
Small home near Rawdon
A small cream home.
Re/MAX
Address: 3447 Rue Viau, Sainte-Julienne
Price: $199,500
Description: This small, cozy home is just over 500 square feet but sits on a 20,000-square-foot lot just near Rawdon. There are centenary pines surrounding the home for a little extra privacy, and some much-needed nature.
View the listing here
Home near Sainte-Marcelline-de-Kildare
The home's dining area.
Re/MAX
Address: 361 Route des Lacs, Sainte-Marcelline-de-Kildare
Price: $185,000
Description: Described as a "charming chalet," this home about 90 minutes from Montreal, not far from Rawdon, sits in a picturesque waterfront locale with enough privacy for you to forget about Montreal traffic. Each room has a forest view and nature is really this home's main selling point: it's cozy, comfy and surrounded by trees.
View the listing here
Cozy home in Saint-Jean-de-Richelieu
A small white house.
Re/MAX
Address: 200 Rue Harris, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Price: $175,000
Description: A small home that's inhabitable year-round (which is understandably ideal), this cottage sits on a lot cultivated like a traditional English garden. Whether you're looking for a small starter home or a long-term investment, this house could be the place for you.
View the listing here
Chalet in Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez
A small home on the water.
Re/MAX
Address: 161 Rue Dontigny N., Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez
Price: $125,000
Description: This cozy home sits on the edge of lac Dontigny around an hour and a half north of Montreal. The lake is restricted to non-motorized watercraft only, so you can use canoes and kayaks to get around, and enjoy the peace and quiet. It's in a quiet area with a private road, a new septic tank (woo!) and the perfect bones for a luxurious renovation project.
View the listing here
Cottage in Chertsey
A small, cute home in the woods.
Re/MAX
Address: 745 Ch. Roy, Chertsey
Price: $195,000
Description: This charming cottage is a four-season home, renovated since 2016 with a nearby boat-entry to lac Grenier. Just an hour and a half from Montreal, this home is surrounded by woods and the quiet burbling of a small river in the backyard.
View the listing here
Beautiful chalet in the forest
A wooden home.
Re/MAX
Address: 1361 Ch. Desmarais, Sainte-Émélie-de-l'Énergie
Price: $175,000
Description: Located in the beautifully named Sainte-Émélie-de-l'Énergie, this cozy home north of Montreal has been winterized and has access to the gorgeous lac Beaudoin. It's perfect for nature-lovers with a veranda-style living room with plenty of windows to show off the stunning forests around the home. With its own private road, this home could be your getaway from the bustle of the city.
View the listing here
Charming home in Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides
A small white house on the lakefront.
Re/MAX
Address: 2118 Crois. Galarneau, Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides
Price: $159,900
Description: This three-season home is located in a quiet lakeside area not far from Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts with plenty of beach access and a lot of more than 9,000 square feet. The property has an open-plan concept and a beautiful view of the lake as well as two bedrooms and a bathroom.
View the listing here
Blue cottage in Prévost
A cute blue home.
Re/MAX
Address: 1733 Ch. David, Prévost
Price: $199,000
Description: This beautiful Prévost property (not far from Saint-Sauveur) is situated amidst plenty of nature on a massive lot of over 25,000 square feet. It's in a calm, peaceful area near the services you'll need, with two bedrooms and good light in each room. There's also obviously plenty of space to roam outside the house, and you can enjoy the great outdoors all year long.
View the listing here
Cute home in Saint-André-d'Argenteuil
A view of a small white cottage.
Re/MAX
Address: 24 Rue des Érables, Saint-André-d'Argenteuil
Price: $165,000
Description: Located right in the heart of Saint-André-d'Argenteuil, about an hour west of Montreal, on a massive wooded lot with no rear neighbours, this cute cottage is calm, peaceful and a short walk from a primary school. It's charming, affordable and ready for your renovation skills to bring it into a new life as a year-round home for someone lovely.
View the listing here
