Markham, Ontario
Living in Downtown Markham
The only part of Markham that was designed to be urban. Condo towers, restaurants, a cinema and a university campus, all built on what was farmland within living memory.
Downtown Markham at a glance
| Price range | TODO: entry to upper range, TRREB, month and year |
|---|---|
| Property types | Condo apartments, stacked and executive townhomes, a small number of detached homes on the edges |
| Schools | Elementary options in the surrounding neighbourhoods, plus the York University Markham Campus for post secondary |
| Transit | Unionville GO a short distance south, Viva bus rapid transit on Highway 7, YRT routes |
| Commute downtown | TODO: scheduled train time from Unionville GO to Union Station |
Price bands in Downtown Markham
| Band | Range | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | TODO | One bedroom condo apartments |
| Mid | TODO | Two bedroom condos and stacked townhomes |
| Upper | TODO | Larger condos and executive townhomes |
| Premium | TODO | Penthouse and the largest townhome plans |
Figures are general information for the period stated and are not an appraisal of any specific property.
The short answer
Downtown Markham is the one part of the city built to be walked. Condo towers, ground floor restaurants, a cinema, public squares and the York University Markham Campus, all laid out on a street grid on the Highway 7 corridor.
If you are moving from downtown Toronto and dreading the suburbs, this is usually the first place we take you.
What homes cost
TODO: fill the price band table in this file’s frontmatter with TRREB figures for a stated month and yearCondo pricing works differently from house pricing and the difference catches people out. Two units with the same asking price can carry very different monthly costs once maintenance fees are counted and fees are not a fixed feature of a building. Read the status certificate and the reserve fund study every time, without exception.
New supply is also a factor. Buildings continue to be delivered in this area and that affects both resale competition and rents in a way it does not in a finished neighbourhood.
The campus and what it changed
The York University Markham Campus brought students, staff and daytime activity into the centre. For residents it means a more active street level than a purely residential condo district and for investors it means a rental pool that did not exist a decade ago.
Amenities and daily life
Restaurants, a cinema, grocery and services are at street level or a short walk away. Public squares and programmed space give the area a centre, which almost nothing else in Markham has.
The honest trade-off: it is new. The public realm is still maturing, some blocks are still construction sites and the neighbourhood does not yet have the settled feel of Unionville a few minutes away. If you want mature trees and quiet, this is the wrong address.
Transit and the commute
Unionville GO on the Stouffville line is a short distance south and runs into Union Station. Viva bus rapid transit runs along Highway 7, connecting west toward Richmond Hill and Vaughan and east toward Cornell. Highway 404 and Highway 407 are both close.
TODO: confirm the current scheduled train time from Unionville GO to Union StationWho Downtown Markham suits
It suits people relocating from downtown Toronto, first time buyers who want walkability, downsizers leaving a house in Markham who want to stay in the city and investors focused on transit and the campus.
It does not suit buyers who want a yard, mature streets or a detached house.
Downtown Markham questions
Is Downtown Markham an actual downtown?
It is a purpose built urban centre rather than a historic one. Streets, towers, restaurants and public space were planned together, which makes it genuinely walkable in a way the rest of the city is not.
Who lives there?
A wide mix. Young professionals, downsizers leaving houses elsewhere in Markham, students and staff connected to the university campus and investors.
What about maintenance fees?
Condo fees are the single biggest ongoing cost people underestimate. Read the status certificate, check the reserve fund and compare fees per square foot across buildings rather than in absolute dollars.
Is it a good investment area?
Transit access, the campus and the amenity base all support rental demand. That said, new supply arrives here regularly, which affects both resale and rents. Run your own numbers.
How is the commute downtown?
Unionville GO on the Stouffville line is a short distance away, which makes this one of the more practical addresses in Markham for a downtown Toronto commute.
Are there houses here?
Some townhomes and a small number of detached homes on the edges, but this is overwhelmingly a condo and townhome market.
Market data. Price information on this page is general information drawn from Toronto Regional Real Estate Board data for the period stated. It is not an appraisal, not an opinion of value for any specific property and not guaranteed.
Not advice. Nothing here is legal, tax, mortgage or investment advice. School catchments are set by the school boards and are reviewed periodically. Confirm the boundary for any specific address with the board directly.
Book a 30-minute conversation about Downtown Markham
No pitch and no pressure. We will tell you what your budget reaches here and whether this is the right neighbourhood for what you actually need.