Relocating to Markham for work, whether joining one of the city's 1,500-plus technology companies, its 650-plus corporate head offices, or another employer, is an exciting opportunity. Navigating a housing decision in an unfamiliar city is a harder problem than most people expect.
Michael John Lau, top real estate agent in Markham Ontario, provides the orientation newcomers actually need.
Why People Relocate to Markham
Markham is a major employment centre. Canada's second-largest technology cluster, home to over 650 corporate head offices, more than 1,500 high technology and life science companies, and major employers including IBM, AMD, Apple, Microsoft, and TD Bank Financial Group. Professionals relocate here for roles across technology, finance, life sciences, and corporate functions.
Understanding Markham's Communities
Downtown Markham
Urban, walkable living in a mixed-use district with amenities, restaurants, and the York University campus. Suits professionals who want walkability and urban energy.
Unionville
Heritage charm and prestige, with the historic Main Street and Toogood Pond. Suits those who value character and a walkable destination lifestyle.
Angus Glen, Cachet, Berczy
Prestigious northern communities with executive and family homes and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau catchment. Suits families seeking space and top schools.
Cornell
New Urbanism design, Bill Hogarth Secondary, Rouge National Urban Park, and relative value. Suits families who value community design.
Milliken Mills
Accessible pricing, Milliken GO Station, Toronto proximity, and the IB program at Milliken Mills High School. Suits value-conscious buyers and commuters.
Wismer and Greensborough
The Bur Oak catchment, family homes, and strong community. Suits families whose priority is a top secondary school catchment.
Neeraj Moolchandani on Relocating Without Local Knowledge
Neeraj Moolchandani, REALTOR® at Kaizen Real Estate, tells relocating professionals that the most expensive mistake is buying in the first sixty days. Newcomers frequently anchor on the first community they are shown, or on whichever area a colleague happens to live in, and commit before they understand how differently Markham's neighbourhoods actually feel from each other.
Neeraj's usual recommendation for a newcomer without a hard deadline is to rent for a term first, deliberately, in a location central enough to explore from. A year of renting costs money; buying into the wrong community and moving again in two years costs considerably more once transaction costs, land transfer tax, and moving expenses are counted. For newcomers who do need to buy immediately, he pushes for the widest possible neighbourhood tour before any offer.
Housing Types and the Buy-vs-Rent Question
Markham offers detached homes at the top of the range, semi-detached homes and freehold townhomes providing family living at more accessible price points, condo townhomes, and condo apartments as the most accessible entry. Recent listing averages have run near $2,136,000 for detached and near $738,000 for condo apartments, though these vary substantially by community and shift with the market.
On buying versus renting, both are defensible. Renting first suits newcomers who want to learn the city, whose long-term plans are uncertain, or who need time to arrange financing. Buying suits those with clarity about their plans who want to establish themselves and build equity, and current buyer-favourable conditions make it more attractive than it has been in several years. Many newcomers rent for a term and then buy. That sequence costs a year of rent and prevents a much more expensive error.
Practical Guidance for Newcomers
Consideration | What to Actually Do |
|---|---|
Commute | Test the route at real rush hour before committing. Markham employment clusters along Highway 7, Woodbine, and Downtown Markham. |
Schools | Verify catchments at yrdsb.ca for specific addresses, checking elementary and secondary separately. |
Lifestyle | Be honest about whether you want urban walkability, heritage character, family space, or value and transit. |
Exploration | Visit communities at different times of day and on a weekend. They feel genuinely different. |
Local guidance | Work with someone who knows the communities rather than learning the city through your own purchase. |
Get Oriented Before You Commit
The widest tour before the first offer is the cheapest insurance in a relocation. Book a private consultation with the Kaizen Real Estate Team.
A Sensible Sequence
Confirm your employment location and commute tolerance first. Tour widely across at least four communities before narrowing. Verify school catchments if children are involved. Decide rent-first or buy-now deliberately rather than by default. Then search within a narrowed area with clear criteria.
Michael John Lau, top real estate agent in Markham Ontario, specializes in helping relocating professionals get oriented properly before they commit to a community.