Markham Gates, 1775-1795 Markham Rd: Newer Stacked Towns in Malvern

Markham Gates is what I show buyers who want a townhouse feel in Malvern but don’t want a 1970s complex. It is a small, 44-home stacked townhouse condominium from 2013 at Markham Road and Sheppard Avenue, with underground parking, central air and gas heat. It is newer than almost everything around it, and that is its whole pitch. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A 2013 complex in a 1970s and 1980s neighbourhood

Most of the condo townhouses around Markham Road and Sheppard were registered between the early 1970s and the mid-1980s. Markham Gates came decades later, in January 2013, which means modern building code, newer windows and mechanical systems, and a corporation that is only now approaching its first major round of component replacements.

It is also small. With 44 homes, there are fewer owners to share costs, but also fewer people to argue with, and boards in small corporations are often more responsive. The flip side is that a single large repair weighs more heavily on each owner, which makes the reserve fund study more important, not less.

Ideal Developments built the complex. I could not find much published about the builder’s wider track record, so judge the construction on what you can see: the status certificate, the reserve fund study and any building condition notes in the board minutes.

Stacked plans with three bathrooms

These are stacked townhomes, so one home sits above another rather than every home running from ground to roof. A recent listing here described a two-bedroom-plus-den plan of about 1,000 to 1,199 square feet with three bathrooms, an open living and dining area, laminate floors and a granite-counter kitchen. Condos.ca records the complex as two storeys.

Three bathrooms in that size of home is generous, and the den works as an office or a nursery. What you give up compared with a traditional townhouse is a basement and, often, a private yard. Ask whether the home you are viewing is an upper or a lower unit, because that changes stairs, outdoor space and noise from the neighbours.

The same listing showed in-suite laundry, a gas fireplace, gas forced-air heating and central air conditioning. That is a meaningful upgrade over the baseboard heat and window units common in older Malvern complexes.

Underground parking and a locker

Parking here is underground, which is unusual for a townhouse complex and a real comfort in a Scarborough winter. The listing I reviewed had one parking space and an exclusive-use locker. Condos.ca also lists visitor parking and permission for barbecues.

An underground garage is also a cost. The garage membrane, drainage, ventilation and doors all need maintenance and eventual replacement, and the corporation will be budgeting for them. Ask how the reserve fund study treats the garage and when the first major work is expected.

Condos.ca has no published fee-inclusion list, so confirm in the status certificate what the fee covers. With gas heat and central air in each home, expect utilities to be largely on your own meters.

Markham Road and Sheppard: practical and car-friendly

The complex sits on Markham Road near Sheppard Avenue East, a corridor of plazas, places of worship and everyday shopping. Highway 401 is a few minutes south, and buses run along Markham Road and Sheppard. Homes facing Markham Road will hear more traffic than those set back, so ask which side a unit faces.

Transit is set to change in this part of Scarborough. The City of Toronto’s planned Eglinton East LRT would run from Kennedy Station to Malvern Town Centre via UTSC, connecting to the future Line 2 terminus at Sheppard Avenue and McCowan Road. It is at the planning stage with no opening date, so I would not pay a premium for it yet.

For green space, the Toronto Zoo and the trails of Rouge National Urban Park are a short drive north and east. Malvern Town Centre is the nearest larger mall.

Day to day, this is a car-first location. Groceries, banks and takeout are in the plazas along Markham Road, and Centennial College’s Progress campus and Scarborough Town Centre are a short drive or bus ride west. The data panel on this page shows the exact transit options and walking distances.

Pricing: newer stock, thin data

With only 44 homes, very few come up in a given year. There was one home for sale and one for rent when I checked, which is not enough for me to quote a price or fee range on this page. The sold figures in the panel above are the most reliable guide, though a small sample can swing.

The comparison that matters is with the older townhouse complexes nearby, such as the Verne Crescent and Malvern Street townhouses around the corner. Those offer more square footage and often a basement for less money, while Markham Gates offers a 2013 building, central air and underground parking. Decide which of those you value before you compare prices.

Also compare fees on what they include. A newer complex with your own utility meters can look cheaper on the fee line than an older one with utilities bundled. Ask for the corporation’s budget and look at total monthly cost.

Thin data cuts both ways in negotiation. A seller has few recent sales to point to, and so do you, which is why I lean on the wider Malvern townhouse market and on condition rather than on one or two comparables. If you want the aggregates for this address, my building sold report pulls them together.

Building specifications

Amenities at Markham Gates

There is no gym, pool or party room, so the amenity package is really underground parking and a locker. For a buyer moving from an older townhouse, a heated, covered parking spot and central air will make more difference to daily life than a fitness room would.

Jatin’s honest take on Markham Gates

Markham Gates — frequently asked questions

Looking at Scarborough Bluffs, West Hill, Guildwood, Woburn, Malvern and Rouge more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.