Against the backdrop of a hesitant GTA housing market, Madison Group's recent launch of 63 freehold townhomes in Markham's new Unionglen community has turned heads by selling out in less than a month. The development, located at the crossroads of Kennedy and Major Mackenzie, represents a bright spot in an otherwise slow market.
End Users Driving Demand
For David Singer, the developer's vice-president of low-rise communities, the response to the first phase reflects a profound shift in the GTA market. "It's really end users, not investors, who are driving demand," he says, adding that Madison is planning to release the remaining 20-odd units in the coming months. That's why Madison is leaning into layouts that can "adapt to how families actually live now," Singer says, citing multi-generational households, hybrid work and the desire for rental income to help carry a mortgage.
Adaptable Townhome Collections
With frontages ranging from 15 to 22 feet and homes running from roughly 1,800 square feet to just over 3,000 square feet, Madison's four townhome collections are aiming for adaptability. The Senses Collection features three-storey courtyard towns with four- and five-bedroom plans, rec rooms, private outdoor courtyards and rear-lane parking with double-car garages. The Purist Collection offers two-storey traditional street towns with four-bedroom layouts, private backyards and optional coach houses. The Ritual Collection's three-storey rear-lane towns come with home offices, optional generational suites, double-car garages and private outdoor space, while the Zen Collection includes 15 three-storey rear-lane towns with optional generational suites and large second-floor terraces.
Standard Features and Upgrades
Standard features include nine-foot ceilings, oak staircases, quartz or granite countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, and framed glass shower enclosures in primary ensuites. Practical upgrades are built in too, including rough-ins for future three-piece basement bathrooms and electric-vehicle charging outlets in garages.
Buyer Profiles and Market Conditions
Buyers have mainly fallen into three groups, Singer says: families moving in themselves, multi-generational households, and purchasers interested in some form of supplemental income. "These homes are not being sold only as shelter or only as investment. For many purchasers, they appear to be both a place to live and a practical financial strategy." Market conditions are also playing a role. The release benefited from a recent improvement in buyer confidence, Singer says, fuelled by interest-rate stability, pent-up demand among people who had been waiting for the right moment to buy, and government measures such as the Harmonized Sales Tax break for many buyers of newly built properties in Ontario.
Master-Planned Community
Madison's contribution sits within the larger Unionglen master-planned community, which will ultimately include more than 2,000 homes. Features ranging from parks and schools to streetscaping and a community pond are intended to create "a real luxury feel to the overall community," Singer says. More than that, he adds, Madison hopes Unionglen "will be one of the signature communities within Markham."
