The Short Answer
For a single buyer in Markham, Ontario, a condominium apartment is the lower entry point and the more flexible purchase, averaging approximately $632,000 in 2026 with maintenance fees that cover most building costs. A condominium townhome averages approximately $813,000 and a freehold townhome approximately $1,031,000, offering more space, private outdoor area and, in the freehold case, no monthly fee. The right answer depends on down payment, tolerance for monthly carrying costs, how long the buyer intends to stay, and whether resale liquidity or living space matters more.
Want this applied to your own property? Call the Kaizen Real Estate Team at (647) 370-8885.
Where the Markham Market Sits in 2026
Context first, because the numbers have shifted meaningfully.
In August 2026, the average Markham sale price across all home types was $1,208,692, with a median of $1,095,000. Homes sold at 98 percent of list price after an average of 33 days on market. Markham active listings fell 10.7 percent year over year, and sales rose 17.5 percent, which tightened the market compared to a year earlier.
The condominium segment moved differently. Greater Toronto Area condominium apartment prices fell 7.5 percent year over year in the second quarter of 2026, to an average of $634,972. Markham condominium apartments averaged $632,662 in the same quarter, taking 43 days to sell at 96 percent of list price. That is ten days slower and two percentage points weaker than the Markham market overall.
For a single buyer, that combination is worth reading carefully. It means condominium buyers currently have more negotiating room than any other buyer group in Markham, and it also means a condominium purchased today should be held long enough to ride out a soft segment.
Questions About Your Situation?
Every Markham property and every timeline is different. Call the Kaizen Real Estate Team at (647) 370-8885 and speak to a REALTOR® who works this market daily.
Markham Price Comparison by Home Type
Home type | Approximate average price, 2026 | Monthly fee | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
Condominium apartment | ~$632,000 | $480 to $1,000 | First time and single buyers |
Stacked townhome | Varies, often $600,000 to $750,000 | $280 to $480 | Entry level, low fee seekers |
Condominium townhome | ~$813,000 | $380 to $620 | Buyers wanting space plus managed exterior |
Freehold townhome | ~$1,031,000 | None | Long term owners, future families |
Semi detached | ~$958,000 | None | Buyers prioritizing land |
Detached | ~$1,610,000 | None | Families, move up buyers |
Maintenance fee ranges are Markham specific benchmarks published by local brokerages and should be verified building by building. As a rule of thumb, a well run newer Markham high rise runs $0.60 to $0.75 per square foot per month, a full amenity building runs $0.75 to $0.95, and anything above $0.95 warrants a closer look at the reserve fund study.
The Case for a Condominium Apartment
Lower entry price and lower down payment
The gap between a Markham condominium apartment and a Markham detached home is roughly $978,000. That is not a small difference in lifestyle, it is a different mortgage entirely. For a single income buyer, the condominium is often the only path to ownership in Markham without a co signer or a large family gift.
Predictable costs
Maintenance fees cover building insurance, exterior maintenance, snow removal, landscaping, amenities and, in many older Markham buildings in Milliken and Markham Village, heat and water as well. A single owner does not wake up to a $14,000 roof.
Location and transit
Markham's condominium supply is concentrated where transit is strongest. Downtown Markham and the Highway 7 corridor sit on Viva Purple, which runs every 15 minutes, and within reach of Unionville GO, roughly 40 minutes from Union Station. Commerce Valley and Leitchcroft add supply on the Thornhill side with Highway 404 access.
Buyer leverage right now
Markham condominiums sold at 96 percent of list price in the second quarter of 2026 and averaged 43 days on market. In a segment where sellers are waiting, a prepared buyer negotiates.
Neeraj Moolchandani on Comparing Monthly, Not Sticker
Neeraj Moolchandani, REALTOR® at Kaizen Real Estate, refuses to let a first-time buyer compare list prices alone. A $632,000 condominium with an $800 maintenance fee can carry higher every month than a $760,000 stacked townhome with a $350 fee. The cheaper home on paper is frequently the more expensive home to own.
The document Neeraj wants read before anything becomes firm is the status certificate. Reserve fund balance, planned special assessments, litigation, rental restrictions. A healthy building and a struggling one look identical from the lobby and completely different in a lawyer's summary.
The Case for a Townhome
Space that a single buyer grows into
Most single buyers do not stay single buyers. A two or three bedroom townhome absorbs a partner, a home office, a roommate paying rent, or a child, without a second move. Two moves in Markham cost far more in land transfer tax, legal fees and commissions than the initial price gap.
Private outdoor space
A backyard, a rear terrace or a garage is not a small quality of life difference. It is also a resale advantage, because the buyer pool for outdoor space is broader than the buyer pool for a similar sized apartment.
No monthly fee on a freehold townhome
A freehold townhome carries no maintenance fee. On a $600 monthly fee, that is $7,200 a year that goes to principal instead. Over ten years that is a meaningful difference in equity. The trade off is that every repair is the owner's, and an owner should budget one to two percent of value annually for maintenance.
Stronger market position
Markham freehold townhomes have held up better than apartments. The condominium apartment segment is the clear laggard in the current market, while the overall Markham market sold at 98 percent of list price.
Compare the Monthly, Not the Sticker
Fees, taxes, financing and holding period change which home is actually cheaper. The Kaizen Real Estate Team will build the comparison with you before you write anything.
Five Questions a Single Buyer Should Answer First
- How long will you own this? Under five years, the lower entry price and easier exit of a condominium usually wins. Over seven years, a townhome's space and fee free carrying cost usually wins.
- What is the total monthly carrying cost, not the price? A $632,000 condominium with an $800 fee and $2,800 in property tax can carry higher monthly than a $760,000 stacked townhome with a $350 fee. Compare monthly, always.
- Do you want to rent a room? A townhome supports a roommate or, on a freehold lot, a future secondary unit. Most condominium apartments do not.
- Have you read the status certificate? For any condominium or condominium townhome, the status certificate reveals the reserve fund balance, planned special assessments, litigation and rental restrictions. This is the single most important document in a condominium purchase.
- What happens if your life changes? Condominium apartments are the most liquid property type in a strong market and the slowest in a soft one. Townhomes track the broader market more closely.
Markham Communities Worth Looking At
- Downtown Markham and Unionville: newer condominium apartments, walkable, Unionville GO and Viva Purple. Unionville condominium apartments averaged approximately $628,000 in the first quarter of 2026.
- Commerce Valley and Leitchcroft, Thornhill: Markham's most accessible condominium apartment pricing, averaging approximately $572,000 in the first quarter of 2026, with Highway 404 and Highway 7 access.
- Cornell: stacked and condominium townhomes with lower fees, walkable design, and Markham Stouffville Hospital adjacent.
- Wismer Commons and Greensborough: freehold and condominium townhomes near Mount Joy GO, strong schools, family resale demand.
- Aileen Willowbrook, Thornhill: a mix of condominium apartments and townhomes at some of Markham's more approachable entry points.