BC Business
If you're not aware, recreational properties in B.C. are booming. It shouldn't be surprising, given the beauty of the province and the out-of-control sales in urban markets.
If you’re not aware, recreational properties in B.C. are booming. It shouldn’t be surprising, given the beauty of the province and the out-of-control sales in urban markets.
Here are the spots that should be on your wish list.
GIBSONS
Population: 9,132 (2016 census)
Population density per sq. km: 665.2
Private dwellings: 4,481 (occupied by usual residents: 4,182)
Closest hospital: Sechelt Hospital
Closest international airport: YVR
Commuting time from downtown Vancouver: 2.45 to 3.15 hours (includes 30- to 60-minute ferry terminal wait)
Average assessed value 2018, single family residential: $605,000
Average assessed value 2019, single family residential: $675,000 (+12%)
What $500,000 would get you this spring: Two-bedroom, 905-square-foot ocean-view cabin
Buy here if You want a quiet, beautiful setting in or around a quaint and attractive town that has a modest selection of pubs, and a restaurant scene that will likely become more sophisticated. ExLower Mainlanders have been moving to the Sunshine Coast to escape high housing costs, and they expect to eat well
KAMLOOPS
Population: 90,280 (2016 census)
Population density per sq. km: 301.7
Private dwellings: 39,081 (occupied by usual residents: 36,814)
Closest hospital: Royal Inland Hospital
Closest international airport: Kelowna International
Commuting time from downtown Vancouver: 4 hours
Average assessed value 2018, single family residentiaL: $397,550
Average assessed value 2019, single family residential: $431,000 (+8%)
What $500,000 would get you this spring: New three-bedroom, 1,653-square-foot duplex with lake and golf course views
Buy here if You’re the sporty type. There are lots of lakes for fishing and boating, hills and trails for horseback riding, hiking and biking, and the Sun Peaks ski resort nearby
WHISTLER
Population: 8,713 (2016 census)
Population density per sq. km: 755.2
Private dwellings: 8,549 (occupied by usual residents: 3,367)
Closest hospital: Squamish General
Commuting time from Vancouver: 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions
Average assessed value 2018, single family residential: $1,743,000
Average assessed value 2019, single family residential: $1,935,000 (+11%)
What $500,000 would get you this spring: One-bedroom, 455-square-foot studio apartment in Whistler Village
Buy here if You want an accessible, year-round alpine getaway that combines world-class skiing and hiking with all the amenities you’d expect in a serious resort town: top-quality restaurants, bars, spas and shopping
TOFINO
Population: 1,932 (2016 census)
Population density per sq. km: 183.1
Private dwellings: 755
Closest hospital: Tofino General, but it’s small and ill-equipped for challenging diagnoses. A new helipad, however, facilitates timelier air evacuations
Closest international airport: Victoria International
Commuting time from downtown Vancouver: 6.5 to 7 hours, including ferry crossings and wait times
Average assessed value 2018, single family residential: $643,500
Average assessed value 2019, single family residential: $767,000 (+19%)
What $500,000 would get you this spring: One-bedroom, 438-square-foot, oceanfront cabin on 10 acres a half-hour boat ride northeast of Tofino
Buy here if You love surfing and storm watching, and have the option to stay for more than a long weekend. Bonus: a small but serious culinary scene that punches above its weight
OSOYOOS
Population: 4,520 (2016 census)
Population density per sq. km: 1,081.8
Private dwellings: 2,855 (occupied by usual residents: 2,176)
Closest hospital: South Okanagan General Hospital in nearby Oliver
Commuting time from downtown Vancouver: 5 hours
Average assessed value 2018, single family residential: $382,000
Average assessed value 2019, single family residential: $414,000 (+8%)
What $500,000 would get you this spring: Two-bedroom, 1,121-square-foot home next to a pond
Buy here if You like the idea of vineyards and rolling, semi-arid desert hills, and aren’t deterred by the serial switchbacks on Highway 3, just east of Manning Park
Sources: Statistics Canada, BC Assessment