EspaceProprio reached out to more than 2,000 Quebecers across the province to gain a deeper understanding of their relationship with their home and their current city, as well as to examine their housing concerns and aspirations. Here are the results of the latest Well-being at home survey!
EspaceProprio index
Well-being at home appears to be thriving in the province with Quebecers reporting an average satisfaction rate of 7.7 out of 10. People who live in the northernmost regions, in Abitibi, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and Nord-du-Québec (8.0 out of 10), say they are the most satisfied with their homes, while Montreal ranks last with an average of 7.3.
Best places to live!
Quebecers living in the Capitale-Nationale, Lower St. Lawrence, on the North Shore and in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine regions think their city is the most suitable place to live (7.5 out of 10), above the Quebec average (7.1 out of 10). Conversely, Laval (6.8), Lanaudière (6.7) and Outaouais (6.7) are three regions where respondents say their city does not meet their expectations.
Overall in the province, no fewer than three out of four people (76%) say they are attached to their current city. We observe that this emotional attachment increases with age to reach 85% among those ages 65-74. People who live in the Chaudière-Appalaches region are the most attached to their city (85% very or moderately attached) while those in Lanaudière rank last (64% very or moderately attached).
Montrealers animated but concerned
At-home satisfaction (7.3 out of 10) and pride (7.1 out of 10) rates reported in Montreal are lower than elsewhere in the province. Nevertheless, more than three-quarters (78%) of Montrealers say they are attached to their city. The numbers back them up: City residents stay at home less and feel more stimulated, active and animated in their city than anywhere else in Quebec.
In the current context, housing is listed as a stress factor (32%) more often than elsewhere (26% in Quebec). As for their future aspirations at home, people living in Montreal were more likely to mention the desire for tranquility (30%) and a bigger property (28%).
Residents in Quebec City love their city
Though the at-home satisfaction rate compares to the provincial average (7.7), Quebec City residents stand out for how they describe the relationship with their city. More than two out of five people (42%) in Quebec City say they are very attached to their city – a record number! It is also the place where people most often consider their city to be ideal. As well, we note that the Quebec City (60%) and Chaudière-Appalaches (62%) areas also have the highest proportion of Quebecers who say they feel happy in their city.
Happier when buying, selling or renovating
One major finding in this study reveals that real estate projects seem to make Quebecers happy. Both access to property and recent sales or renovation projects are determining factors of happiness at home.
No fewer than nine out of 10 Quebec homeowners (90%) say they are satisfied with their home compared to only 66% of tenants. Home ownership appears to increase the level of happiness (87% of homeowners vs. 66% of tenants), improve pride (88% vs. 60% of tenants) and significantly reduce housing concerns and stress.
For their part, Quebecers who have carried out renovation projects in the last 24 months are also on the radar for having a much more positive relationship with their home. Their renovations have made them happier at home more often (86% vs. 76% of non-renovators), prouder (87% vs. 73%) and more satisfied (89% vs. 77%) with their home.
The effect is similar among those who recently decided to sell their home who say they are more consistently happy (90% vs. 78%). So, regardless of the real estate project in hand, we see the connection that people feel to their home considerably strengthens after things get done.
“We were surprised to see how recent real estate projects can influence the levels of happiness and satisfaction at home,” says Thomas Bourque, marketing research advisor at EspaceProprio who led the study. “While it’s not always easy taking action in the current market, our numbers show that those who do are reaping the benefits. In a way, it’s reassuring to see how the projects we help to carry out on a daily basis have a real impact on people’s well-being at home,” he says.
There’s no place like home
All the results point to the same conclusion: Quebecers like to be at home. Almost all respondents (92%) believe this is where they feel the best. Almost half (44%) say they are at home almost all of the time, while 47% spend at least the majority of their time there outside working hours.
What’s happening at home?
Relaxation/personal time is the number one activity to do at home for 39% of respondents. Work (32%), chores (13%) and cooking (10%) are some of the other activities that people spend the most time doing at home.
We observe that men are more inclined to relax and entertain at home (42% vs. 36% of women), while women devote more time to chores and cooking (16% vs. 10% of men). It is worth noting that residents of the Greater Quebec City area are more likely to entertain and visit (46% in the top three ranked activities at home) than residents elsewhere in Quebec. Could this be part of the winning formula it takes to be happier in your city?
Creating a home in your image
The vast majority of respondents (82%) believe their home reflects their image, a perception especially reinforced among homeowners (88%) and those who have recently renovated (87%).
“The pandemic obviously had a huge impact on the connection we feel to our home by reinforcing the idea of creating a cocoon in our image, says Pascal Laflamme, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Integrated Experience Officer at EspaceProprio. “For a majority of us and more than ever before, this place has become the centre of our lives and well-being. The advent of telework means that people now spend more time at home and that has driven them to redefine certain spaces. The result: people enjoy being at home, feel in their element there and adapt it to their taste,” he adds.
On the topic of interior design at home, men prefer a simple décor (42% vs. 34% of women), while more women are decorating with recycled or second-hand materials or items (16% vs. 10% of men). Gentleman, you are more likely to choose collectors’ items to make your space more you at home (12% vs. 5% of women). Finally, ages 55-74 have a tendency to decorate with mementos (21%).
When asked about their dream interior, Quebecers surveyed placed contemporary/modern décor first (24%) before traditional (15%), country (14%) or minimalist (9%).
Telework: well established
Nearly half of Quebec workers surveyed (48%) say they work from home at least occasionally. Telework is most widespread in Laval (66%) and in the Chaudière-Appalaches (61%).
While one out of two Quebecers (50%) are lucky enough to work from home in a closed office, this ratio drops to one out of four (25%) among ages 18-24. Fun fact: this younger demographic is the uncontested winner of working from home in bed, 29% of them admit to doing it, a much higher proportion than noted in other age groups. Youthful idleness or simple lack of space, you be the judge!
The regions beckon…
We asked Quebecers where their ideal home would be (urban, suburbs or rural). We found that only 25% of respondents want to live in an urban setting (compared to 37% who say they currently live there). For many people, living in a city is more of a necessity than a choice. Our study shows that one in three Quebecers (33%) live in an area they do not consider to be ideal, a proportion that rises to 44% in Laval and 37% in Montreal.
Nature and tranquility top the list
Closer to nature (26%) and more peace of mind (24%) are the two most common housing aspirations in Quebec. We find this to be consistent throughout Quebec, an indication of the top billing given to green spaces. The issue of space (or lack thereof!) especially impacts those ages 18-34. The numbers clearly show how they aspire to have a larger property (39%) or a larger plot of land (33%). For those ages 55 and over, the idea of reducing maintenance and responsibilities (31%) is most appealing.
“The needs and aspirations of Quebecers evolve as they age. The issue that youth have with their lack of living space becomes immediately apparent when we unpack the study results,” says Thomas Bourque. “Next comes the working life years. The hectic pace of everyday life and the need to live near the workplace inspires people to dream more of nature, calm and tranquility. It's from the age of 55 onwards that people seem to mellow and become more satisfied with their homes. At this stage, people generally have more means to achieve their ambitions and more freedom when it comes to housing,” he concludes.
Single-family homes get top billing
Nearly half of the Quebec population (45%) see themselves living in a single-family home in 10 years, far in front of all other housing types (condo: 17%, apartment: 13%, multi-generational home: 7%, chalet: 5%). Condos remain the go-to for Montrealers (21%) who are twice as likely to report living in one compared to those residing outside major urban centres (11%).
Growing old in your own home
As mentioned earlier: the attachment we feel to our home tends to grow with age as it becomes a place filled with memories. It is not surprising to see the tendency to want to grow old in your own home becoming more widespread in Quebec. Our numbers show that even among those ages 65-74, 39% of respondents see themselves still in their house in 10 years’ time.
Real estate outlook: time for some tough decisions
Around 68% of Quebecers are worried about the current real estate environment, especially women (72% vs. 64% of men). The concern clearly weighs more on youth (78% among ages 18-34 vs. 58% among ages 55-74) as they are impacted by financial factors.
When people were asked to use one word to describe how they feel about the current situation, high prices, inflation and payment increases were repeatedly mentioned. As far as we can observe, it is not surprising that this situation triggers stress and discouragement most of the time.
If you had to sum up in one word how you feel about the current real estate environment, what word would you use?
Money limits ambitions
Half (49%) of Quebecers say they cannot afford to realize their housing ambitions. These numbers are all the more striking when you consider that three Quebecers out of five (61%) believe they would be happier living in a home more to their liking.
Access to home ownership
Nearly two out of three Quebec tenants (64%) aspire to become homeowners in the future and that ratio rises to 89% among 18-34 year-olds. That being said, in the current context where access to home ownership is an important issue, only 24% of tenants are convinced they will be able to buy their first property within five years. Faced with this market reality, many aspiring homeowners have resigned themselves to making concessions to reach their goal: buying a property requiring minor repairs (42%), working more (37%) or moving further away (34%).
Maintenance and renovations: send in the cavalry!
When asked whether they feel property maintenance takes up too much time, 37% of Quebecers said this was the case, especially among 35-44 year olds (46%).
When it comes to renovations, a third (32%) of respondents say they lack talent despite having good intentions and just over one-fourth (27%) simply prefer to let someone else do the work. Our figures show that lack of time and inadequate manual skills limit many Quebecers in realizing their projects.
“With the recent launch of its new HomeExpress online referral service, RenoAssistance has positioned itself as a key player in the industry for small installation, repair and maintenance jobs. It was designed to address the very real need that many Quebecers have for guidance and support, even for smaller jobs,” explains Pascal Laflamme.
EspaceProprio has the right resources to complete your project, whether you have renovation or maintenance needs or are looking to buy or sell your property. Get in touch with the EspaceProprio advisory team who will direct you to trustworthy and certified professionals. The numbers don’t lie: Quebecers who take action are ultimately happier at home… so why wait, there’s no time like the present!
Survey methodology
The Ad hoc Recherche web panel survey was conducted from December 4 to 13, 2023, on behalf of EspaceProprio, among 2,014 Quebecers ages 18 to 74. Data were weighted by region, age, gender, language and residence status (owner/tenant) to best represent the study population. Some regions were grouped together in order to achieve a sufficient number of respondents for each regional grouping.
