Last year, a client calls me: he just found a vacant lot of 12,000 sq ft in Brossard, commercial zone, unbeatable price. Three months later? He resold it for $200k more to a developer. No magic involved. He knew exactly what to look for.
Buying vacant land and reselling for development has become serious business on the South Shore. Good land is scarce, prices are climbing, and developers are digging everywhere. But most people who try this strategy fail. Why? They buy with their eyes closed.
Why vacant land is becoming gold on the South Shore
Longueuil, Boucherville, Saint-Lambert: the South Shore is densifying. Vacant lots that sat around for 20 years, old orchards, abandoned parking lots — someone wants them now. Cities are approving residential conversions, commercial projects, mixed-use. Supply drops. Demand rises.
Concrete example: an 8,000 sq ft lot in La Prairie that nobody looked at in 2020? Today, a developer is eyeing it for a small condo project. Well-located land — near the metro, schools, services — is now selling for 60 to 80% more than five years ago. That spread is where you profit.
Three non-negotiable criteria before you buy
First: zoning. Land in R1 residential zone is far more limiting than mixed-use. Always ask the City exactly what's permitted. Dreams of getting rich on a small 3,000 sq ft lot in pure residential? Forget it.
Second: access to services. Sewers, water, electricity already on the street? Perfect. Need them brought in from far away? That's heavy. We're talking $50k to $150k in infrastructure before you even start building. Developers know this. They'll lower their offer accordingly.
Third: clean title. No hidden mortgages, no weird easements, no floodplain issues. Get a complete title search. Two hundred bucks today to avoid a two-year nightmare. It's common sense.
Developers see the same lots you do. If it's sat empty for 10 years, it's rarely by accident.
Converting a heritage home into rental: the other path
Alongside buying vacant land for resale, there's a lesser-known play on the South Shore: buy an old heritage home (Saint-Bruno, downtown Longueuil) and convert it into a multi-unit rental. A legal triplex, short-term rental units, multi-dwelling — it depends on zoning.
These old homes often have large lots. Architecturally sound. And the City prefers to see them filled with tenants rather than abandoned. You invest $80k to $150k in renovations, you boost your revenue flow by $1,500 to $2,500 a month. Far less spectacular than a $200k resale profit, but more stable.
Heads up: short-term furnished rentals aren't a free-for-all
Many people think: buy vacant land, put a small short-term rental house on it, get rich. Stop. On the South Shore, legal short-term furnished rentals mean following strict rules. Most cities now require permits, revenue restrictions, guarantees.
Brossard, Saint-Lambert, Boucherville: check with your municipality. Some areas flatly refuse Airbnbs. Others allow only one or two units. If you buy based on short-term rentals that turn out to be illegal, you just paid an expensive lesson.
How to structure your deal to actually win
Buying vacant land for resale and development is a margins game. You buy for $450k, resell for $650k, the developer takes their cut, transaction fees eat $40-50k. In the end, it's not wild profit if you count your time and risk.
Real players do this instead: buy a lot, legally subdivide it into two or three (if zoning allows), then resell separately. A 15,000 sq ft lot becomes two 7,500 sq ft lots. Twice as many potential buyers. Twice the price.
Then invest risk capital into permits, geotechnical studies, architectural plans — just enough to make the land attractive to a developer, not enough to start construction. Costs $15-25k, but can double your resale value.
If you really want to maximize, work with a broker who knows local developers. Simple: big developers buy regularly. One call, one site visit, one solid offer. No need to list it publicly if the right buyer is already identified.
Buying vacant land for resale remains a solid strategy on the South Shore, but only if you do your homework. Zoning, services, title, tax structure, developer contacts. It's work. But done right, it's the kind of move that pays real dividends.
