Buying Near a School in Markham? Check the Street at These Times

Before You Buy Near a School, Visit the Street on a School Day

A home near a school can be extremely convenient. Children may be able to walk, after-school activities are close by, and the neighbourhood may feel especially family-oriented.

But there is a side of the location that weekend open houses rarely show: the weekday drop-off and pick-up routine.

A quiet street at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday can feel completely different at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Before making an offer, it is worth seeing how the area actually functions when school is in session.

Visit at More Than One Time

If the school is an important reason for buying the home, try to visit shortly before the morning bell and again near afternoon dismissal. Do not stop directly in front of the property and add to the congestion. Park legally a short distance away and walk the route.

During the visit, notice:

• how long the vehicle queue becomes;
• whether driveways are temporarily blocked;
• where parents stop or make turns;
• whether school buses idle nearby;
• how crossing guards, cyclists and pedestrians move through the area;
• whether street parking becomes difficult; and
• how long the congestion lasts after dismissal.

Markham’s back-to-school safety guidance recommends avoiding U-turns and three-point turns, obeying parking restrictions, and parking a block away before walking to the school. These recommendations reflect how busy school zones can become at peak times. (City of Markham)

Walk the Route, Not Just the Distance

An online map may show that a school is only 700 metres away. It does not tell you whether the route has continuous sidewalks, major intersections, construction, steep slopes or areas where snow storage narrows the walking space.

Walk from the house to the school entrance that students actually use. Look at crosswalks, crossing-guard locations, traffic signals and visibility around corners. If your child may eventually walk independently, consider how the route feels from that perspective—not only from the driver’s seat.

In March 2026, Markham Council approved a School Zone Safety Guide focused on engineering measures, education, active travel and school routes. Conditions still vary from one school and street to another, so a property-specific visit remains useful. (Markham School Zone Safety Guide)

Think Beyond Your Own School Routine

Even buyers without school-aged children should understand the impact of the location. Ask whether visitors, home-care workers or contractors will be able to park during peak periods. Consider the effect on a home office facing the street, a shift worker sleeping during the day, or a household that needs to leave the driveway at exactly the busiest time.

Being close to a school is not automatically positive or negative. For one household, walking convenience may outweigh 20 minutes of weekday congestion. For another, the same traffic may become a daily frustration.

Confirm, Don’t Assume, School Eligibility

Being geographically close to a school does not guarantee that a property is assigned to it, that a particular program is available, or that boundaries will remain unchanged. Verify current eligibility and program information directly with the applicable school board. Avoid relying only on a listing description, an old map or what happened for a previous owner.

The Bottom Line

Neighbourhood due diligence should reflect real life. If a school is nearby, the best time to understand the street is when families, buses, cars and crossing guards are all using it.

A 20-minute weekday visit may reveal more about the location than a second tour of the kitchen.

Cathy | Real Estate Salesperson

📲 Direct: 647-463-8810

📧 Email: cathy.tse@century21.ca