Buying a home in Markham means buying into one of the GTA’s strongest reputations for schools and one of York Region’s largest tech and business employment bases. Markham has roughly 2,570 active MLS® listings on Condohill as of September 2026, and while the city is best known for its detached-home neighbourhoods, it also has a real and growing condo market, particularly around Downtown Markham and Unionville.
This guide covers what things cost right now, how Markham’s neighbourhoods differ, and the Ontario purchase process that applies once you’ve found a home.
How Much Does a Home Cost in Markham Right Now?
Based on Markham’s active detached and condo listings synced to Condohill as of September 2026:
| Property type | Typical low end | Median price | Typical high end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condo apartment | $479,920 | $639,000 | $998,000 |
| Detached house | $1,085,600 | $1,600,000 | $3,499,978 |
These are the 10th-to-90th-percentile range and median across Markham’s active listings, not a fixed average. Markham’s condo median sits slightly above both Vaughan and Mississauga, a reflection of Downtown Markham’s newer, more amenity-heavy buildings relative to older condo stock elsewhere in the GTA’s outer municipalities.
Markham’s Neighbourhoods, by Buyer Type
Unionville
One of the GTA’s most recognizable heritage neighbourhoods, with a historic Main Street, mature tree-lined streets, and consistently strong demand tied to its school catchments. Detached homes here generally command a premium over the rest of Markham.
Downtown Markham
A newer, master-planned mixed-use district built around walkable retail and Markham’s highest concentration of condo towers — the closest thing Markham has to a City Centre-style condo market.
Cornell
A newer, New Urbanism-inspired community in southeast Markham, generally offering more moderate detached and townhouse pricing than Unionville, built with walkability and a town-centre layout in mind.
Berczy Village and Box Grove
Established and newer family subdivisions respectively, both known for strong school catchments and generally requiring a car for daily commuting given their distance from Markham’s GO stations.
Markham’s Reputation for Schools
Markham consistently draws buyers specifically for its school catchments, particularly in Unionville and parts of Berczy Village, which is reflected in sustained demand and pricing for detached homes in those specific areas relative to comparable homes elsewhere in York Region. Buyers prioritizing a specific school catchment should confirm current boundaries directly with the York Region District School Board or York Catholic District School Board, since catchment boundaries can change and shouldn’t be assumed from a neighbourhood’s general reputation alone.
Markham vs. Vaughan vs. Richmond Hill
Markham, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill are the three largest York Region municipalities buyers typically compare directly, and each has a distinct identity beyond just price. Markham’s edge is its school-catchment reputation and its large tech and business employment base, notably around Highway 7 and the Consumers Road corridor shared with North York. Vaughan’s edge is Vaughan Metropolitan Centre’s direct subway access — something neither Markham nor Richmond Hill currently offers. Richmond Hill sits geographically between the two, along Yonge Street, with its own established neighbourhoods and GO Transit access via the Richmond Hill line. See our Vaughan buying guide for the subway-access comparison in more detail.
Markham’s Commute Options
Markham is served by GO Transit’s Stouffville line, with stations including Markham, Unionville, and Milliken, offering direct rail service into Union Station without a subway connection. York Region Transit and the Viva bus rapid transit network provide local and cross-region connections, including to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre’s subway station for buyers who want to combine a Markham home with eventual TTC access. Neighbourhoods farther from the Stouffville line — including much of Berczy Village and Box Grove — are more car-dependent for daily commuting.
Markham’s Community and Employment Base
Markham was officially designated a city in 2012, having grown from a township into one of Canada’s more ethnically diverse municipalities, with a large and long-established Chinese-Canadian community reflected in Markham’s retail, dining, and cultural institutions, particularly around Pacific Mall and the Unionville and Milliken areas. On the employment side, Markham hosts a significant concentration of technology and corporate head offices along the Highway 7 corridor, a factor that draws buyers specifically working in that sector and looking to minimize their commute to those employers rather than to downtown Toronto.
This employment base is one reason Markham’s housing demand doesn’t track downtown Toronto commute times the way some other GTA suburbs do — a buyer working at a Highway 7 corridor employer may prioritize proximity to that specific area over subway or GO access into Union Station, which is a meaningfully different calculation than the one most Vaughan or Mississauga buyers make, and worth factoring in explicitly rather than defaulting to a downtown-Toronto-commute assumption when comparing Markham against other York Region cities.
Closing Costs to Budget for in Markham
Beyond the down payment, a Markham purchase carries several one-time closing costs worth planning for:
| Cost | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| Ontario Land Transfer Tax | Varies by price — see calculation guide linked above |
| Legal fees and disbursements | Typically $1,500–$2,500 |
| Home inspection | Typically $400–$700 for a detached home |
| Title insurance | Typically $250–$400 |
First-time buyers should check eligibility for Ontario’s land transfer tax rebate before closing — see first-time home buyer benefits in Ontario for the full list of provincial and federal programs, including the Home Buyers’ Plan.
Condo or Detached: Which Makes Sense in Markham?
With Markham’s condo market starting around $480,000 and detached homes starting near $1.09M, the two markets suit different priorities more than different budgets alone. A Downtown Markham condo suits a buyer who wants walkable retail and lower maintenance responsibility over school-catchment priorities; a detached home in Unionville or Berczy Village suits a family specifically choosing Markham for its school reputation, where a condo generally wouldn’t deliver the same school-boundary certainty a house on a specific street does. See how much house you can afford to work through the stress-test math for either scenario.
How the Buying Process Works in Markham
The purchase process in Markham follows the same Ontario framework used everywhere in the GTA: an Agreement of Purchase and Sale, a deposit (commonly 5% of the purchase price), and negotiated conditions — typically financing and home inspection. See our full GTA buying process guide for the complete sequence.
Two transaction-specific costs are worth budgeting for:
- Ontario Land Transfer Tax — payable on every Ontario purchase; see how it’s calculated. Markham is in York Region, so there is no additional municipal land transfer tax beyond the provincial one.
- Home inspection — worth doing on any freehold purchase, particularly in Unionville’s older heritage-area homes; see what an inspection covers.
Financing a Markham Purchase
With Markham’s detached median around $1.6M — well above the $1,000,000 mortgage insurance threshold — most Markham detached purchases require a minimum 20% down payment. Markham’s condo market, with a median around $639,000, has more flexibility, potentially qualifying for as little as 5% down. See how mortgage pre-approval works before house-hunting.
FAQ
Is Markham good for schools?
Markham has a strong general reputation for school quality, particularly in Unionville and Berczy Village, which is reflected in sustained buyer demand for those areas. Always confirm current school catchment boundaries directly with the relevant school board rather than assuming based on neighbourhood reputation.
Is Markham more expensive than Vaughan?
They’re close. Based on current Condohill listings, Vaughan’s detached median (around $1.74M) runs somewhat higher than Markham’s (around $1.6M), while Markham’s condo median (around $639,000) runs slightly above Vaughan’s (around $619,000). See our Vaughan buying guide for a direct comparison.
Does Markham have GO Transit access?
Yes, via the Stouffville line, with several stations across the city. Unlike Vaughan, Markham does not currently have subway access.
Is there a municipal land transfer tax in Markham?
No. Markham is in York Region, so buyers pay only the provincial Ontario Land Transfer Tax, unlike a purchase inside the City of Toronto.
What is the best Markham neighbourhood for a condo?
Downtown Markham has the city’s highest concentration of condo towers and its most walkable mixed-use retail, making it the typical starting point for condo buyers in Markham.
How much down payment do I need for a Markham detached home?
With a median detached price around $1.6M — above the $1,000,000 mortgage insurance threshold — most Markham detached purchases require a minimum 20% down payment.
Is Markham a good area for tech workers?
Markham has one of York Region’s largest concentrations of technology and head-office employers, particularly along the Highway 7 corridor, making it a common choice for buyers working in that sector without a downtown Toronto commute.
What is Unionville known for?
Unionville is Markham’s best-known heritage neighbourhood, with a historic Main Street, mature streetscapes, and consistently strong buyer demand tied to its reputation and school catchments — reflected in detached home prices that generally run above Markham’s city-wide median.
To see what’s actually available today, browse current Markham homes for sale on Condohill, filtered by property type, price, and bedroom count.
Sources
Price ranges reflect Condohill’s synced MLS® listing data for Markham as of September 2026, not an official TRREB monthly report. For official regional statistics, see the TRREB market statistics page and CMHC’s homebuyer resources.