The Case the Numbers Make
TRREB’s June 2026 report showed the average GTA home price at $1,058,658, down 3.9 per cent year-over-year, while sales activity rose 9.4 per cent. That combination — softer prices, firming demand — is the kind of window that has historically favoured buyers who can qualify and commit, since it tends not to last once renewed demand fully works through the reduced listing supply (new listings were down 12.9 per cent in the same period).
What Renting Still Makes Sense For
Renting in Markham remains the right call for anyone with a genuinely uncertain 1–2 year timeline, anyone still building a down payment, or anyone whose employment situation isn’t stable enough to commit to a mortgage. There’s no purely financial argument that overrides a real need for flexibility.
The Math Worth Running
Compare your all-in monthly rent to what a mortgage payment, property tax, and condo fee (if applicable) would total on a comparable Markham property at current rates. Add roughly 1% of the purchase price annually for maintenance if buying a detached or semi. If the gap is smaller than people assume — and in Markham’s condo segment, it often is — the deciding factor becomes how long you plan to stay, not just the monthly number.
A Middle Path
Some Markham renters use a 12-month lease specifically as a bridge — renting in the neighbourhood they eventually want to buy in, using that time to build savings and watch how specific streets and buildings perform, before making a purchase decision with much better local knowledge than a rushed one.
Thinking about your next move in Richmond Hill, Markham, or York Region? Contact Ray Azar for a confidential, no-obligation consultation and a current market analysis tailored to your property.