Apartment Hunting in Markham

[haxamanis]

I am moving to Markham in January for a year from Montreal. So I have looking up online for various places to rent. Literally all of them seem to be basement apartments. Is this what usually is available there or should I keep looking ?

[MkmBandit]

What are you looking for other then basement apt's? Condo? Apartment? House? A budget would help too..

There are full houses available in Markham, in fact theres one for rent on my street right now.. They can be quite expensive though. I've seen several townhouses for rent in the Berczy Village area but not sure on the costs.

Let us know exactly what you have in mind, maybe someone around here will have a lead for you.

[haxamanis]

What are you looking for other then basement apt's? Condo? Apartment? House? A budget would help too..

There are full houses available in Markham, in fact theres one for rent on my street right now.. They can be quite expensive though. I've seen several townhouses for rent in the Berczy Village area but not sure on the costs.

Let us know exactly what you have in mind, maybe someone around here will have a lead for you.

Hey thanks for letting me know.
I am moving to Markham just for my co-op placement. So pretty much looking for a place for 1 person like a studio or 1 bedroom apartment. Hopefully the rent wont exceed $600-700.
I have been looking online, but most of them cheaper ones seem to be basement apartments. I had no idea housing was so expensive in the Toronto area.

[nsr250]

Hey thanks for letting me know.
I am moving to Markham just for my co-op placement. So pretty much looking for a place for 1 person like a studio or 1 bedroom apartment. Hopefully the rent wont exceed $600-700.
I have been looking online, but most of them cheaper ones seem to be basement apartments. I had no idea housing was so expensive in the Toronto area.

There's not much condo's in Markham in general, only a few areas right now. Everything else is pretty much houses. And there's probably no way you'll be able to rent a 1 bedroom for under $1000 unless you're really lucky. I remember about 5 years ago we rented a basement suite with 2 bedrooms (total space is probably 700 sq feet at most) for $1200 a month.

I can recommend looking at Alton Towers area, its in Scarborough but right on the border of Markham-Scarborough.

[Anteros]

I had a friend who lived at an apartment building at Steeles/Warden which is on the Toronto/Markham border and commuted via bus. Depending on where you're working, it shouldn't be that long of a bus ride.

I'm not sure how much he paid, but I'd recommend at least searching in that area since your choice of apartment types is very limited in Markham.

As for finding rent in the $600-700 range; I doubt you will find it unless you get a roommate or live in a basement apartment.

[MkmBandit]

As the above posters have suggested, there isn't much to be found other then basement apartments/shared accomodations for under $1000/month. Basement apt's around historic Markham (Markham Rd/Hwy 7) will be around your budget. Basement apartments in the Milliken area may fall in your budget too.

There are very few apartment towers in Markham (some are co-op), and even fewer Condo's. Checking out Alton Towers like NSR suggests is a good idea.

[UrbanPoet]

I've only seen a few apartment complexes in MArkham. And they seem like retirement homes...
try Norther Scarborough. You'll find tons of apartments, and you'll definately find one under your budget if you dig hard enough. Theres so many condo's near McCowan and Finch. That are is only about 15 minute drive from Markham.

[B40]

Welcome to the ghetto, don't go out when it's dark http://smiliesftw.com/x/ohnoes.gif

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445153

[lkn4deals]

Welcome to the ghetto, don't go out when it's dark http://smiliesftw.com/x/ohnoes.gif

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445153

hey b40, dont you live in markham?

looking for a roommate? hahaha

[aimfox]

There's barely any apparents in Markham.. houses are what you should look for...

[Azxster]

I do not even recall appartments in Markham... there is one at Hwy7/Bullock but that is a retirement home. There are new condo developments like Hwy7/Bayview, Hwy7/Warden, Denison/Kennedy, which are all fairly new and I am sure it will be pricey. You can rent a ghetto basement apartment in the Milliken area for 500 to 800 decent basements to 1200 fairly large basements. Sorry to stereotype, but many asians like to rent out basements since they hardly use it and the rental income could help pay the mortgage. Pick up a Sing Tao / Ming Po chinese newspaper and start calling around.

The Milliken area is fairly old and there are many basements.

[lkn4deals]

There's barely any apparents in Markham.. houses are what you should look for...

what's an apparents?

[woodstock827]

Before you decide to move to Scarborough and work in Markham, be aware that when you bus, you have a pay again once the bus crosses Steeles, except for a few special routes.

Where exactly do you work in Markham?

[haxamanis]

Before you decide to move to Scarborough and work in Markham, be aware that when you bus, you have a pay again once the bus crosses Steeles, except for a few special routes.

Where exactly do you work in Markham?

Thanks for the advise everyone. So I should also try looking in the Scarborough area? But is it easy to go to Markham from Scarborough via public transit.
I'll be working in the IBM lab ( 8200 Warden Avenue)

WOW Toronto housing is so expensive. In Montreal I live downtown and pay less than $400

[SwiZz]

Thanks for the advise everyone. So I should also try looking in the Scarborough area? But is it easy to go to Markham from Scarborough via public transit.
I'll be working in the IBM lab ( 8200 Warden Avenue)

WOW Toronto housing is so expensive. In Montreal I live downtown and pay less than $400

Not really via public transit. If you lived north of Steels, (Markham area) you could take the YRT (York Region Transit) bus system to get to your work place. But if you lived in Scarborough, its a completely different bus system, TTC (Toronto Transit Commission).

So you'd have to pay two different bus fares each way. I moved to Markham last year after having lived in Scarborough for most of my life, and I find it tough to get around unless you have a car.

The TTC comes MUCH more frequently than YRT, so with YRT you'd have to plan around the scheduled bus times. So yeah if you're able to at all, a car might be very handy.

[SW20 MR2]

If you don't want a basement apartment, you can consider renting a coach house in the Cornell area. There are a bunch of homes in this neighbourhood where people have bachelor apartments above their garages. I think they've been going for $800/month or so. The neighbourhood is located about 15 minutes from your future office.

[felix]

I too suggest considering something in Scarborough if you're looking for something affordable, 8200 Warden IBM is close to Scarborough border (Steeles Ave). Housing is generally cheaper in Scarborough than in Markham.

Even if you have a car, parking is a nightmare at IBM with lots of walking since there are so many employees (it's cold and windy in winter!), unless you get there very early of course.

[haxamanis]

I too suggest considering something in Scarborough if you're looking for something affordable, 8200 Warden IBM is close to Scarborough border (Steeles Ave). Housing is generally cheaper in Scarborough than in Markham.

Even if you have a car, parking is a nightmare at IBM with lots of walking since there are so many employees (it's cold and windy in winter!), unless you get there very early of course.

Thanks !! So I guess I'll search for places in Scarborough too. BTW is there any public transit from Scarborough to Markham, cause I don't have a car.

[nsr250]

Thanks !! So I guess I'll search for places in Scarborough too. BTW is there any public transit from Scarborough to Markham, cause I don't have a car.

Yes, some TTC from Scarborough goes to Markham but you have to pay extra fare. If you want you can try to find some apartments in Bamburgh Circle area which is off of Warden Ave just south of the Markham border.

[goJays]

speaking of which, anybody live in a haunted house? or lived in a haunted house?

anyone just have ghosts/spirits in your house but they are not 'haunting' u?

[woodstock827]

Yea Markham housing is expensive, especially around the IBM area.. (the new Circa condos and those townhouses are really expensive :P ) Unionville High School is right there too and it's a reputable school so that jacks up the price quite alot.. Richmond Hill, another rich area, is right beside it and not really helping the price.
If you're lucky you may be able to find someone in that Condo or the townhouses who's willing to rent out a room... it'll be more expensive but you save on commute and time.

If you are going to live in Scarborough, pick a place that's right on the Steeles border so you don't have to pay double fare.

For YRT, they have two different system of buses. VIVA and regular YRT.. they're still transferable though so make sure you check the VIVA routes as well

[haxamanis]

Thanks everyone !! I am now looking for places in Scarborough. I have so many more options and plus Scarborough is less of a suburb :) Which area of Scarborough is closest to Markham. Someone mentioned Bamburgh Circle. Is that the one closest to Markham. So I guess I'll try and find places there.
PS I am so excited to finally move to an English/Non-French Speaking City

[SW20 MR2]

Steeles Ave is the border between Markham and Scarborough. Bamburgh is located just south of Steeles at Warden, which is the main street that your future office is located on. You'd be looking at a 5-10 minute bus ride from the Bamburgh area to the office.

Thanks everyone !! I am now looking for places in Scarborough. I have so many more options and plus Scarborough is less of a suburb :) Which area of Scarborough is closest to Markham. Someone mentioned Bamburgh Circle. Is that the one closest to Markham. So I guess I'll try and find places there.
PS I am so excited to finally move to an English/Non-French Speaking City

[coriolis]

;) Pretty much on Steeles, North of it is Markham, south of it is Scarborough.

As for where the IBM building is, it's a pretty 'rich' area considering where it is, as mentioned, there are condo's being built, Unionville HS, Community Center and City Hall. Not to mention 'Downtown Markham' is being built a few minutes away. I used to work in the area, and I would commute from Steeles/Kennedy by walking to Warden then taking the extra fare TTC that goes up Steeles(rather then paying twice).

Bamburgh Circle is a great place to consider, it's about 10~15 minute walk from Warden/Steeles, so all you need to do is walk there and take the Warden bus north. Note the bus comes every 30-45 minutes though. My aunt used to live in that apartment, it's not bad, plus it has a grocery market, a handful of Chinese restaurants(and Pho88 *drools*), a bank, a McDonalds, Pizza Nova and even a library in the plaza below it. There's a park(Terry Fox?) there as well. A metropass would be a good idea, cause if you ever wanted to go explore, Pacific Mall is east on Steeles, Scarborough Town Center is southeast, etc. The fact you are close to Steeles is a great transportation benefit. Though comparing public transit from Montreal to Toronto is....well...