Luxury and tranquility go hand in hand in Town of Mount Royal
Town of Mount Royal (or TMR to its residents) is certainly one of the most popular neighbourhoods for luxury property buyers in Montreal. Homeowners choose to make Town of Mount Royal their home for its geographic location, its quality of life and the many attributes that make it a wealthy and culturally rich and diverse neighbourhood. The area has plenty of Carriage Trade listings on the most famous streets, with prices ranging from $800,000 to $4,000,000.
Strategically located at the heart of the city’s main highways, you can reach all four corners of Montreal within twenty minutes. Covering 7.43 km2 and housing a population of 21,198, there is a prevalent spirit of community among its residents, as well as good taste.
A stunning garden city
Next door the neighbourhoods of Outremont, Hampstead, Côte-des-Neige – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Ahuntsic, Town of Mount Royal owes its urban beauty to Frederick Gage Todd, a landscaper hired by the Canadian Northern Railway (now the Canadian National Railway) to make a garden city north of Mount Royal. The purpose of the project was to make the railway network between TMR and downtown more practical. Interest in this section of the city grew quickly, particularly in the industrial sector, resulting in an increase in land value. This railway legacy still exists and runs today via Canora station, where the Deux-Montagnes and Mascouche lines of the Agence Métropolitaine de Transport stop.
In honour of the city’s memory and founding principles, residents have made it their top priority to protect the environment and the built heritage. The neighbourhood has some 30 parks and more than 70 other green spaces, as well as private landowners who maintain their own land.
Luxury houses with character
A centennial city, Town of Mount Royal is one of Quebec’s the most exclusive cities. Most properties date back to the 40s and 50s, and red brick, slate and stone on the majority of exterior finishes give the homes a prestigious look. The perfect proportion of properties and land also makes an impression – a bylaw of the city prohibits a house from taking up more than 28 percent of the land, to preserve the green appearance of the neighbourhood.
There are eight distinct house styles in the garden city, from manors to detached and semi-detached single-family homes, most of which qualify as luxury properties. Living space can easily reach up to 4,000 square feet.
The average entry-level price for a 2,000 square foot semi-detached two-storey house in Town of Mount Royal is $1 million. The limited inventory of properties for sale makes it easy for demand, and inevitably the price of houses, to increase.
A detached property in the area ranges from $950,000 to $4,895,000. Distinctive features in this price range include high-end and modern materials, state-of-the-art appliances, a four-sided electric fireplace, an in-ground pool or hot tub, a fully-equipped backyard or a comprehensive fitness centre. Needless to say, the property value increases depending on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and the size of the rooms.
A series of municipal by-laws helps protect the unique style of Town of Mount Royal: maintenance of trees and plants is mandatory, only in-ground pools are permitted and temporary carports are prohibited, to name a few.
When you own a single-family home in Town of Mount Royal, you become the keeper of a haven of peace, a spacious property and landscaped grounds, like something out of an international luxury real estate magazine.
An ideal location
A property’s value is largely influenced by its location and Town of Mount Royal is no exception, since property prices have rapidly increased in the past few decades.
Located at the intersection of east-west and north-south roads, and about fifteen minutes from Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, this neighbourhood also has a wide range of grocery stores, restaurants and other local services, including the well-known Rockland Centre, which includes some 170 shops along the Autoroute Métropolitaine. The city is also planning the construction of a brand new urban centre in the next few years. The Royalmount project will connect hotels, businesses, offices, restaurants and theatres at the corner of Highways 15 and 40, providing even more services to residents of surrounding neighbourhoods. This investment will likely attract new customers and other high-end residential real estate developments.
Another project, the Réseau Electrique Métropolitain (REM) planned by the Caisse de depot et placement du Québec for 2020, will directly connect Town of Mount Royal to the airport, the west side of the island, Brossard, Nun’s Island and downtown, which will also increase property values. The city is also planning to move forward with a state-of-the-art sports centre project that includes an indoor pool, right in the heart of the city.
Between Outremont and Town of Mount Royal, the Université de Montréal is building its brand new science education complex, making it the perfect neighbour to replace the former Canadian Pacific Railway.
Families choose this neighbourhood for security
Town of Mount Royal also has one of the lowest crime rates on the island. This clearly makes it an ideal neighbourhood for raising children and enjoying family life. The typical portrait of Town of Mount Royal residents is a family with two children, with parents in their forties.
About the author
Marc Lefrançois has been working as a real estate broker since 2002, mainly in the regions of Mount Royal and Outremont. Along with the members of his team and his business partner Christine Lefrançois, Marc chose to focus on a specific geographical region and luxury residential real estate. A real estate enthusiast, he is one of Royal LePage Quebec’s most successful brokers year after year.
