Commercial brokerage — North Shore · Laval · Greater Montreal
Commercial real estate broker
Selling or acquiring an income property, a plex, a business premises or a commercial building is not like a house: here, it’s the income, the leases and the building’s potential that set the value. I hold both licences — residential and commercial — and I support investors and owners in a niche where complete expertise in French remains rare in Quebec.
Ernso Cléus, residential and commercial real estate broker — RE/MAX Crystal
Two licences, a complete reading of the market
In Quebec, the real estate brokerage licence comes in two distinct categories: residential and commercial. The vast majority of brokers hold only the residential licence — so they cannot act in a commercial transaction. I hold both, issued by the OACIQ: residential since 2021, commercial since 2022.
In practice, this means one and the same contact can follow you from the condo to the income property, from the single-family home to the commercial premises. And because I know buildings — I hold a diploma in building-inspection technology — I know which elements will be verified before a buyer or their lender raises them.
At a glance
- Residential and commercial licence (OACIQ)
- Income properties, plexes, premises, commercial buildings, land
- North Shore, Laval and Greater Montreal
- An approach through income and leases, not just comparables
- Service in French, English and Haitian Creole
The commercial properties I support
From the neighbourhood plex to the income property, each type of commercial property follows its own logic of valuation and financing.
Income properties and multi-unit buildings — five units and up: value is calculated from net income and the rate of return, and financing falls under commercial credit, often with the support of CMHC programs. A field where the quality of the file — leases, expenses, condition of the building — makes a direct difference on the price.
Plexes (2 to 4 units) — the bridge between residential and investment: highly sought after on the North Shore and in Laval by first-time investors as well as owner-occupants. Positioning a plex well means speaking both market value and rental yield.
Premises and commercial spaces — shops, offices, service spaces: the sale or lease is negotiated around the lease, its term and its structure (gross, net, triple net), as much as the square footage.
Commercial and industrial buildings and land — mixed-use buildings, warehouses, land to develop: transactions where permitted use, zoning and the location’s potential often weigh more than the existing structure.
Commercial is valued differently
A house is compared to other houses sold. An income property, on the other hand, is valued first by what it earns: rental income, expenses, the rate of return expected by investors in the area. Two identical buildings can be worth very different sums depending on their leases and their management. That’s why preparing a commercial sale starts with getting the file in order: rent roll, income and expense statements, certificate of location, zoning compliance.
Then comes the reading of the building. Before listing, I recommend a verification of the building by independent professionals — building inspector, engineer or specialist as the case may be — so that you know the property’s real condition before a buyer or their lender uses it to renegotiate. You sell from a position of strength, with the answers in hand rather than the surprises.
An income property or premises to sell?
Let’s talk about your commercial property: positioning, income, potential and marketing strategy. First meeting free of charge and with no obligation, in French, English or Haitian Creole.
Ernso Cléus, residential and commercial real estate broker — RE/MAX Crystal · I also cover residential in Terrebonne, Blainville and Sainte-Rose.
