Plex & multi-unit management in Markham.
Markham requires every two-unit house to be registered with the City and inspected for fire safety, which makes it one of the more structured places in York Region to own a basement suite. It also has an unusual asset for small-plex investors: Cornell and other new-urbanist areas were built with rear-lane homes, some with coach houses over the garage. We manage these properties with the registration file kept current.
Markham, specifically.
Plex & multi-unit management in Markham: the local picture
Older two-unit candidates sit in Milliken, Thornhill's Markham side east of Yonge, and the 1970s and 1980s streets of Markham Village and Raymerville. Unionville's heritage core is tightly controlled, but the surrounding subdivisions hold many basement suites. Cornell, Berczy Village and Cathedraltown have rear-lane townhouses and detached homes, some with a coach house above the garage. Tenants include staff at Markham Stouffville Hospital in Cornell, workers at the tech employers along Highway 7 and Woodbine, and York University Markham campus students near Markham Centre. The Stouffville GO line and VIVA on Highway 7 carry most commuters.
Since the More Homes Built Faster Act, every urban residential parcel in Markham can hold up to three units. A two-unit house needs two fully separate suites, each with its own kitchen, bathroom, living and sleeping areas, and a protected path out of the building. For new construction, owners obtain permits and occupancy first, then call Markham Fire and Emergency Services to book a registration inspection; existing suites register with a Two-Unit House declaration and a fire inspection. Coach houses over garages raise separate questions about servicing and fire separation from the garage below, which we check before leasing.
What's included
- Unit-by-unit leasing. Staggered renewals and turnovers, planned in advance.
- Common areas. Hallways, laundry, lighting, garbage and recycling schedules.
- Building systems. Shared boilers, water heaters, fire safety and alarms.
- Utility allocation. Clear lease terms for shared or separately metered utilities.
- Consolidated reporting. Every unit on one statement, with per-unit ledgers.
- Capital planning. Roof, windows, boiler — budgeted before they become emergencies.
Neighbourhoods we cover
Does Markham require registration of basement apartments?
Yes: all two-unit houses in Markham must be registered with the City, and both units are inspected for building and fire safety. New suites register after permits and occupancy; existing ones go through a fire inspection and a Two-Unit House declaration. We help owners keep that record current.
Can I rent the coach house above my garage in Cornell?
Usually, if it was built or permitted as a dwelling unit and meets fire and building rules. Some coach-house spaces were finished as studios or offices rather than suites. We check the permit history first, then lease it with clear terms on parking, entry and utilities.
Hand us the keys.
Tell us about your property. We'll walk it, price it, and send a plain-language proposal — no obligation.