It is the most common move in Markham real estate, and one of the most consequential. The family that has outgrown their condo and is ready for the space, the private outdoor area, and the multi-level living of a townhouse. This upsizing journey, from condo to townhouse, is the natural progression for thousands of Markham households, and 2026 offers a specific set of conditions that make timing this move particularly important.
Michael John Lau, top real estate agent in Markham Ontario, explains how to navigate the condo-to-townhouse journey in the current market.
Why Condo to Townhouse Is Markham's Most Common Upsize
The condo-to-townhouse move is the natural next step for a specific and common household situation. A couple who bought a condo as first-time buyers, now expecting or raising children, needing more space and a ground-floor lifestyle but not yet ready for (or able to afford) a detached home.
The townhouse, particularly the freehold townhouse, is the ideal bridge. It offers multiple levels of living space, private outdoor area (a backyard or patio), often a garage, and the ground-floor multi-level living that a growing family needs, at a price point meaningfully below detached homes. For families making the transition from condo living, the townhouse is the sweet spot between the condo they have outgrown and the detached home that may be beyond their current reach.
The Missing Middle Star Segment
TRREB's analysis confirms this segment's importance. The missing middle (semi-detached homes and freehold townhomes) is predicted to be a star performer, offering the perfect balance between space and price point for growing families. The condo-to-townhouse move is exactly the journey this missing-middle demand represents.
The 2026 Upsize Math — Why Buyer Markets Favour Movers
Here is what makes 2026 a particularly favourable year for the condo-to-townhouse move. The current market conditions work in favour of the upsizing buyer in a specific way.
You are selling a condo and buying a townhouse. The math favours you. When you are moving up the property ladder, a market-wide price adjustment actually works in your favour. Here is why. If townhouse prices and condo prices have both declined by a similar percentage, the dollar gap between what you sell your condo for and what you pay for your townhouse narrows.
Scenario | Condo Value | Townhouse Value | Dollar Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
Peak market | $650,000 | $950,000 | $300,000 |
Current market (~10% decline both) | $585,000 | $855,000 | $270,000 |
Adjustment saves you | — | — | $30,000 |
The market adjustment has reduced the cost of your upsize by $30,000. In a rising market, the opposite happens. The gap widens, making the upsize more expensive the longer you wait.
Neeraj Moolchandani on Condo-to-Townhouse Upsizing in a Buyer's Market
Neeraj Moolchandani, REALTOR® at Kaizen Real Estate, works alongside Markham clients navigating exactly the situation this article describes. His specialty is translating complex market dynamics into a clear plan of action, whether that involves timing, negotiation strategy, or protecting long-term family wealth.
When Neeraj advises clients on condo-to-townhouse upsizing in a buyer's market, the conversation always starts with what matters most to the family, not what the market is doing this week. That is the difference between transactional advice and the kind of counsel Markham clients return to for a decade.
This is the fundamental advantage of upsizing in a buyer's market. The move up the property ladder is cheaper when prices are lower, because the dollar gap between your current property and your target property is smaller. The current market, with prices adjusted from peak across both condos and townhouses, offers upsizing families a genuinely favourable window to make the move.
How to Coordinate the Buy-Sell Transaction
Understand the buy-sell coordination. The central challenge of any upsize is coordinating the sale of your condo with the purchase of your townhouse. In the current buyer-favourable market, sellers are accepting conditions, including sale-of-property conditions, more readily than in years. This means you may be able to make an offer on your townhouse conditional on selling your condo, giving you the coordination flexibility that the peak market never allowed.
Consider the sequence carefully. The two approaches, sell first then buy, or buy first then sell, each carry different risks in the current market. Selling first gives you certainty about your budget but may require interim housing. Buying first (with a sale-of-property condition) gives you certainty about your new home but requires selling your condo within the condition period. The right sequence depends on your finances, your risk tolerance, and current conditions.
Sell First
Certainty about budget for the townhouse purchase. May require interim housing between the closings. Removes uncertainty about the sale proceeds available.
Buy First With Condition
Certainty about the new home. Requires selling your condo within the condition period. Sale-of-property conditions are more accepted in current buyer market.
Simultaneous Closing
Same-day close of sale and purchase eliminates interim housing but requires precise coordination and typically bridge financing during the moving process.
Bridge Financing
Allows you to close on the townhouse before your condo sale funds arrive. Requires lender approval and short-term interest cost. Removes closing-date pressure.
Targeting the Right Townhouse Segment
Target the right townhouse segment. Freehold townhomes (no condo fees, full ownership) command a premium over condo townhomes but offer the complete ownership experience. Well-located freehold townhomes in Cornell, Greensborough, Wismer, and Berczy Village offer the family lifestyle, school catchments, and community infrastructure that upsizing families value.
Plan Your Condo-to-Townhouse Move
The buyer market makes upsizing cheaper. The coordination requires expertise. Book a private consultation with the Kaizen Real Estate Team.
Executing the Move With Confidence
Act while the upsize math is favourable. The current market's adjusted pricing makes the condo-to-townhouse upsize more affordable than it will be when the market recovers and the dollar gap between properties widens again. The forecasters (CREA, CMHC) see Ontario prices recovering in 2027. Upsizing families who act during the current adjustment capture the favourable upsize math before the recovery makes the move more expensive.
Michael John Lau, top real estate agent in Markham Ontario, specializes in the coordinated buy-sell transactions that upsizing requires. Helping families sell their condo and purchase their townhouse with the timing, sequencing, and negotiating strategy that makes the move smooth and financially advantageous.