Ajax Real Estate, From the Waterfront to Pickering Village

Ajax is a waterfront town in Durham Region, just east of Pickering. Its story is unusual. During the Second World War, the federal government built a munitions plant on farmland here, and afterward CMHC planned the area as a new town with its own subdivisions and commercial centres. Ajax later absorbed older communities from Pickering Township, including Pickering Village, Pickering Beach and Audley. So yes, Pickering Village is in Ajax, which surprises many buyers. SirLuckHomes Real Estate Brokerage helps people buy, sell and rent across Ajax with advice that starts from the neighbourhood and the street.

Highway 401 runs east to west through the middle of town, and Ajax GO sits on the Lakeshore East line with service toward Toronto. Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek cross the town on their way to the lake.

Buying a Home in Ajax

Know which era you are buying. South Ajax has many of the town's postwar planned streets, close to the lake and the waterfront trail. Pickering Village holds some of the oldest buildings in the area, along Kingston Road. Newer subdivisions spread north of Highway 401. Each era brings different inspection questions, so read our guide to what a home inspector could not inspect before you waive anything.

Rules for extra units. Ajax's zoning by-law, as amended in 2025, lets a residential lot add accessory dwelling units in one of several configurations, up to two attached units plus one detached unit, or three attached units. Key conditions:

• Attached units are allowed in detached, semi detached, linked, street townhouse and block townhouse dwellings.
• Each unit needs an unobstructed path at least 1.2 metres wide to a driveway, street or lane.
• A detached unit must be at least 3.0 metres from other buildings and smaller in ground floor area than the main home.
• No unit is allowed on land the conservation authority considers hazardous, such as flood or erosion zones.
• In the Greenbelt Plan Area, a detached unit must also meet Minimum Distance Separation rules, which keep homes a set distance from livestock farms.

Ajax has no municipal land transfer tax, so buyers pay the provincial tax only. See our first-time home buyer help, the mortgage calculator and get pre-approved.

Selling a Home in Ajax

If your home has a basement apartment, gather the building permit and final inspection records before you list. Ajax treats a new accessory unit as a building permit project, and existing units can be brought up to Ontario Fire Code standards for two unit houses through their own permit category. Buyers who see that paperwork pay with more confidence.

Pricing should rest on recent sales in your own neighbourhood. A Pickering Village home on an older lot and a newer north Ajax two storey are different markets. We compare like with like and adjust honestly for condition, lot and finishes.

Start with a free home valuation, then see how we prepare and stage, market your home and review every offer.

Renting and Landlords in Ajax

Planning to add or legalize a unit? Here is how the Town's process works:

• Apply online. Residential permit applications, including additional dwelling units, go through the Town's Online Application Portal.
• Pre screen first. Staff check the submission, then send the permit fee and payment instructions.
• Electrical is separate. A building permit is not the same as an Electrical Safety Authority notification, and you may need both.
• Timelines. Work must start within six months of the permit date and be finished within one year.

We help with rental valuation, tenant screening, lease and compliance and property management. Renters can browse rentals and should read our rental scam warning.

Ajax Neighbourhoods We Know

• Pickering Village. The historic centre of the old township along Kingston Road, now part of Ajax.
• South Ajax and the waterfront. Postwar planned streets near the lake and the William Parish Waterfront Trail.
• Downtown Ajax. Around Harwood Avenue and Bayly Street, where Pat Bayly Square brings together homes, shops and a civic square.
• Audley and Pickering Beach. Former township communities on the east side of town.
• North Ajax. Newer subdivisions north of Highway 401, with access from Westney Road and Salem Road.

Why SirLuckHomes Real Estate Brokerage

• We check accessory unit permits and zoning before you write an offer.
• Buying, selling, leasing and property management under one brokerage.
• Highly rated on Google by our clients.
• Over $100 million in combined agent production.
• Broker leadership since 2014.
• Office hours 8 AM to 6 PM ET every day, with AI support available 24/7, including by text to 416-747-5825.

Ajax Real Estate FAQ

Is Pickering Village in Ajax or Pickering?

Pickering Village is a neighbourhood in Ajax. It was the historic centre of the old Pickering Township and became part of Ajax when the town's boundaries expanded.

How many accessory units can I add to my Ajax home?

Ajax zoning allows several configurations, up to two attached units plus one detached unit, or three attached units, if the lot meets the rules and you get a building permit.

Do I need a permit for an existing basement apartment in Ajax?

Ajax has a building permit category for bringing existing units up to Ontario Fire Code standards for two unit houses. We help you check what a specific unit needs.

Is there a GO station in Ajax?

Yes. Ajax GO is on the Lakeshore East line. Check current schedules against your commute.

Is there a municipal land transfer tax in Ajax?

No. Only Toronto charges one. Ajax buyers pay the provincial land transfer tax.