May /June 2018
Building and
living green
Real estate:
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know the rules
The new commute
Cool b.c. communities
What $800k buys you?
Own, rent, invest: which strategy is best?
Downsize, Upsize, Rightsize.
Is minimalism the key to happiness?
l
Small town, fast friends
l
10 towns under $200k
INVEST IN DOWNTOWN KELOWNA. Parkside 2 & 3 bedroom homes from the mid $400s. Completing 2019.
CENTRALGREEN.CA
Investor-friendly: Kelowna’s 0.2% rental vacancy rate is the lowest in the country*
LIVE IN KELOWNA’S YALETOWN. 2 & 3 bedroom living from $679,900 Move-in early 2020
LIVEATELLA.COM
This is not an offering for sale. Any such offering can only be made after filing a disclosure statement. E. & O. E. *Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Rental Market Report - Nov 28 2017
OFFER ENDS JUNE 30, 2018
RETHINK MODERN LIFE Be a part of an emerging lifestyle in Kamloops A Balanced Natural Lifestyle Imagine a neighbourhood where access to work, parks, social spaces, retail and recreation is right at your doorstep. Set in the heart of Kamloops on the campus of Thompson Rivers University, The Reach is an emerging urban neighbourhood that offers inspiring, world-class views of the Thompson valleys below and promotes a unique opportunity to regain some life balance.
Within Reach: • Urban Campus Lifestyle • Social Spaces • Pedestrian & Bike Paths
• Arts & Culture • Grocery Market • Restaurants
• Access to Transit • Market & Rental Condos
• Recreation • 800 Hectare Municipal Park
Thompson Rivers University
A Sense of Place
Connecting Campus and Community
The Reach is an inclusive and multi-generational community, founded on a ‘people first’ philosophy with each phase thoughtfully designed to foster and enhance social interaction and connection. Located adjacent to one of Canada’s most scenic and innovative universities, The Reach is a place where you can write and share your life story. Designed by renowned architect, Ray Letkeman, it features interconnected spaces woven through the development – creating an inviting setting where you can discover a truly modern and authentic lifestyle.
The Reach is a transit and bike friendly community that will align with the future of housing and an eco-friendly mobile shared economy, all while ensuring that the funds generated by this development are returned to the university to support students and research initiatives for a promising future. This community is singularly focused on the way you want to live your life, with time to enjoy your natural surroundings — and just breathe.
Transform your lifestyle at The Reach
REACHKAMLOOPS.COM
KELOWNA’S BEST SELLER HAS A SEQUEL
THE WEST
TOWER*
SALES START THIS SPRING
Studio, 1 Bed, 1 Bed+Den, 2 Bed & 2 Bed+Den
50% OF HOMES UNDER
500K
$
The #1 selling community in Kelowna has a sequel. The West Tower will offer luxurious, lakeview homes at ONE Water Street, just steps away from Okanagan Lake and downtown vibrancy. Residents will have exclusive access to The Bench, an abundance of outdoor amenities stretching across the 1.3-acre, fourth storey podium. Unparalleled indoor amenities will include a health club, yoga/Pilates studio, entertainment room, business centre and guest suites. ONE Water Street is set to define Okanagan Urban Living. Act now.
REGISTER TODAY FOR WEST TOWER PRIORITY SELECTION
ONEWATERSTREET.CA 7 78.940.8385 A POWERFUL COLLABORATION. WORLD CLASS STANDARDS.
PRESENTATION CENTRE & DISPLAY HOMES NOW OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY 10AM - 4PM 1001 MANHATTAN DR, KELOWNA, BC * West Tower is currently not an offer for sale which can only be made by way of disclosure statement. For East Tower, please see disclosure statement for specific offering details. Renderings are an artist’s conception and are intended as a general reference only. E.&O.E. Sales and Marketing provided by Fifth Avenue Real Estate Marketing Ltd. fifthave.ca and Epic Real Estate Solutions Inc. epicres.com
Enjoy
Golf
Live
You Belong Here T H E P O S S I B I L IT I E S A R E E N D L E S S Fu l ly S e r v i c e d Thriving Communit y S a n d y B e a c h e s , M a r i n a , C o m m u n i t y C e n t re Te n n i s & P i c ke t b a l l C o u r t s Re s t a u r a n t s & S h o p p i n g 18 H o l e C h a m p i o n s h i p G o l f C o u rs e
Spectacular Lakeview Lots starting at $119,000
Come for a visit, stay for a lifetime! ShuswapLakeEstates.com Sales: 250.675.4937 Tee Times 1.800.661.3955
C H E C K O U T O U R N E W 5 5 + D E V E LO P M E N T AutumnRidgeHomes.ca
TABLE OF CONTENTS May/June 2018
Top (L-R) Solitude in Montana. Fernie. Alta Lake Passive House.
Up Front
Feature: 21 Best Places to Live
10 Publisher’s Letter
34 Kelowna/Central Okanagan
12 Dispatches
36 Penticton/Oliver/Osoyoos
16 What $800,000 Buys
38 Vernon/North Okanagan
18 10 Towns Under $200,000
38 Predator Ridge 40 Kamloops/Sun Peaks 40 Merritt 42 Victoria/Capital Regional District
Departments
44 Tofino/Ucluelet 44 Mid-Island: Comox Valley/Campbell River
21 Upsize, Downsize, Rightsize?
46 Sunshine Coast
26 The New Commute
48 Squamish
29 The Friends and Family Factor
50 Whistler
30 The New Rules of Real Estate
50 Pemberton
58 The Future is Passive
52 Salmon Arm
62 Kelowna: Boom Town
52 Shuswap Lake
66 Right Sizing Your Life
54 Revelstoke 55 Nelson 56 Fernie/Sparwood/Crowsnest 56 Rossland/Trail 57 Columbia Valley/Golden to Radium Hot Springs 57 Kimberley/Cranbrook
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May/June 2018
KELOWNA’S PREMIER LAKEFRONT COMMUNITY
Choose Your Lakeview Lot Today LEARN MORE AT McKINLEYBEACH.CA OR CALL 250-980-5555
Visit Our Show Home 3428 Water Birch Circle
This is not an offering for sale. Such an offering can only be made with a disclosure statement. E. & O.E.
A new magazine for a new movement For the past few years, real estate prices have transformed the opportunities for Canadian homeowners and buyers alike – nowhere more than in the Lower Mainland of B.C. For some, home values have tripled over a decade, expanding their possibilities; others are pondering their more limited options, while governments try to calm the market with new taxes and restrictions. Among those that have experienced a lift, many discover that living outside of the Lower Mainland offers huge value and a great lifestyle. Even those who thought they’d live in their homes forever contemplate moving, to capitalize on their real estate investments. And, as you’ll read in these pages, for first-time buyers with flexible lives and careers, there are many smaller-town options in B.C. that work. Like many friends and colleagues, I can picture a more stress-free life that’s achievable by moving to a smaller community. Vancouver is a great city, but, having grown up in a small town, I can also appreciate that lifestyle. Traveling to Vancouver Island and the Okanagan this past fall, I saw enormous value in some really cool B.C. communities. I also noticed the building boom in these towns, and the urbanites starting to move there, happy to be cashing out or investing anew. As a veteran 20-year publisher, to me this was another kind of opportunity: one to connect like-minded city folk with information about a new life in B.C. and beyond – a media brand that would capture the typical dinner-party conversation we’re all having about living, working, commuting, investing, and building: building value, while building a simpler, better life for our families.
Publisher, Founder
Steve Dietrich
Editor
Charlene Rooke
Designer
Amélie Légaré
Online Design
John Magill
Writers Michelle Hopkins, Lucy Hyslop, Gail Johnson, Kirsten Rodenhizer, Steve Threndyle, Michael White Cover Image Town of Gibsons, background looking southwest to Keats Island, Pasley Island, Bowen Island and the Strait of Georgia Advertising Sales VP Sales Steve Dietrich, sdietrich@rightsizingmedia.com, 604-787-4603 Sales Manager Harry deHaas, Harry@rightsizingmedia.com, 250-681-1696 Strategic Partnerships Greg Robins, greg@rightsizingmedia.com, 604-561-4971 Account Manager Tibor Antal, tibor@rightsizingmedia.com, 604-762-7812 Head Office 187 Rondoval Crescent, North Vancouver, BC, V7N 2W6. 604-787-4603 Accounting Inquiries Iva Dietrich, Iva@rightsizingmedia.com Letters to the editor info@rightsizingmedia.com. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Subscriptions rightsizingmedia.com/magazine/subscribe Distribution To The Globe and Mail subscribers within Vancouver, the Lower Mainland and Calgary, Air Canada Lounges, select realtor and brokerage offices, select newsstands. To distribute Right Sizing magazine in larger quantities within your location please call 604-787-4603. Printer tc – Transcontinental, Canada.
Right Sizing is that resource: for new homebuyers, empty nesters, downsizers, retirees, boomers and millennials striving to stake a claim. There is a common thread we all share: the dream of creating a stress-free, comfortable life. In this issue and six times a year, you’ll discover that the prospect of moving to a small town is more appealing than ever. Small centres are growing, becoming hipper, providing more value to residents like you and the businesses you run and support, enabling people to live a modern, blissful lifestyle. It’s really a new movement, and as we launch in the middle of the biggest residential real estate boom in our history, Right Sizing and RightSizingMedia.com are here to show the way. Steve Dietrich Publisher
This is the premier issue of Right Sizing magazine, established 2018. The magazine will be published six times per year by Publimedia Communications Inc., established 1996. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, or the staff. All editorial is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. The publisher is not responsible for any liability associated with any editorial or products and services offered by any advertiser. Editorial submissions will be considered, please send them to the publisher. Copyright © 2018 Publimedia Communications Inc. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The publisher and printer will not be responsible for any typographical errors, mistakes, misprints, spot colouring or any misinformation provided by advertisers
Website www.RightSizingMedia.com
PRINTED IN CANADA 10
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
Affordable living, diverse opportunities and our spectacular backyard are just a few reasons why people choose to live in Salmon Arm and the Shuswap.
DISCOVER YOUR REASON •
Affordable housing and living - stretch your dollar, not your budget
•
Diverse employment opportunities; nothing beats life in the Shuswap
•
High-tech cluster, creative workforce, think-out-of-the-box people
•
Great transportation links; close to airports and major highways
•
Unlimited recreation opportunities - hike, bike, sled, ski, golf, paddle & more
•
One of the shortest commute times in BC - spend more time any way you like
•
Enjoy one of the safest communities in the Province of BC
•
Deliciously simple local fare - fresh produce, dairy, wines and brews
#ExploreShuswap #ExploreSalmonArm
www.saeds.ca
www.shuswapecdev.ca
Salmon Arm
Vancouver
Kelowna
Dispatches
By Kirsten Rodenhizer
>>
Growing On Up: Kelowna The tallest tower between Vancouver and Calgary will soon be piercing the clouds in Kelowna. The 36-storey East Tower of One Water Street, by North American Development Group and Kerkhoff Construction, broke ground earlier this year on the city’s lakefront – with all of its 225 units sold. Nearly half of them went to Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley residents. At $700 to $800 per square foot, it’s easy to understand why: a comparable Vancouver high-rise condo might go for $1,700 to $3,000 per square foot.
Welcome to Tiny Town, Sunshine Valley >> The tiny-home movement has captured the imagination of B.C. residents who dream of living minimally and mortgage-free in a compact space. However, buyers who purchase these diminutive domiciles often run into a not-so-tiny roadblock: few places to legally park or build them in B.C., due to municipal zoning restrictions. That’s changing in Sunshine Valley, a privately owned recreational property 20 kilometres east of Hope that’s rewriting its rules to create lots where tiny-house owners can live year-round (under prepaid 999-year leases). The 50-by-85-foot lots go for $79,900, fully serviced with water, sewer and electricity, and allow for a tiny home or cabin of 1,300 square feet or less. An initial offering of eight lots sold quickly. “We had no idea how big it was going to get,” says Sunshine Valley resident and realtor Walter Rawlinson. The developer plans to add another 80 lots in the coming months.
Photo: Hummingbird Micro Homes, Fernie B.C.
Campbell River Hones its Craft
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Vancouver Island’s Ale Trail once came to a halt in Courtenay, but now lovers of micro-brewed hops have a tasty northern growler stop: Campbell River’s Beach Fire Brewing and Nosh House. Opened in November 2016 with four beers on tap, the craft brewery debuts smallbatch and seasonal beers like Matcha Porter and Whiskey Oak Red Ale on the regular. A rotating food menu features eclectic bar snacks and bites, like spicy Peruvian meatballs, chipotle lime mussels and zucchini tacos: check the chalkboard for what’s new.
Getting Warm in Osooyos
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>>
In July and August, the water temperature of Canada’s warmest freshwater lake, Osoyoos Lake, gets up to a bath-like 24C on average, which makes for some pretty sweet splashing around, not to mention standup paddleboarding, waterskiing and tubing (nobody minds getting dunked when the water is that warm!). The lake stretches over 19 kilometres of Canadian and United States territory, nearly 15 of them on the Canadian side.
Milk on Tap in Parksville You’ve heard of beer on tap, but a Parksville dairy is the first in Canada to offer milk on tap. Locals can drop by Morningstar Dairy to refill one-litre bottles for a toonie at the farm’s new milk dispenser. “It’s a lot like getting a growler filled at a brew pub,” says farm co-owner Raymond Gourlay. The milk is non-homogenized and fresh from a grass-fed herd of 55 happy cows that milk themselves, courtesy of robotic milkers installed a couple of years ago. “They can just go in whenever they feel ready, so cow stress goes down,” says Gourlay. “And milk production actually goes up. We went from having an average of 32 litres per cow per day to around 41.”
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Making Strides in Creston An East Kootenay town of 5,350 might be the best place to plant your feet, east of the Lower Mainland. Creston is the highest-scoring B.C. locale (outside Greater Vancouver and Victoria) on WalkScore, an index that tracks the walkability of global streets, towns and cities. Creston boasts a blossoming trail network and 15 kilometres of sidewalks that are well maintained and expanding. “Every year we construct another major sidewalk where there hasn’t been any before,” says Creston director of municipal services Ross Beddoes. Creston’s downtown is conveniently compact, with a mall, hospital, library, town hall and community centre in close proximity, along with shops, restaurants and other amenities – all connected by safe and usable walkways.
Looking for Solitude South of the Border? Big Sky Country indeed... Montana has just over one million inhabitants spread across 145,000 square miles (fourth-largest state by area) and is therefore the third-least densely populated state in the union behind its neighbour, Wyoming, and Alaska. Its 545-mile-long shared border touches the Canadian provinces of B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. Fun fact: Montana boasts the highest density of blue-ribbon designated trout streams in the U.S., making it a world-class destination; the famous movie A River Runs Through It was filmed there. –S.D.
Ladysmith’s Street Cred
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Nobody had to tell Ladysmith residents that their town’s treelined, storybook-evoking First Avenue was the best. Last year, the Canadian Institute of Planners cemented its status as a treasure, naming it Canada’s Great Street for 2017. The jury praised the street’s colourful heritage buildings – in styles ranging from Edwardian to false-front Boomtown – wide sidewalks, leafy landscaping, artistic flourishes, seasonal festivals and plenty of places to rest and gather. Locals grab a cinnamon bun at the Old Town Bakery, sip a coffee on a wrought-iron bench, pick out a read at Salamander Books and then settle in for a game at the giant outdoor chessboard.
May/June 2018
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>>
Jesse McCleery, chef at Pilgrimme, Galiano Island. Photo courtesy Rush Jagoe.
Galiano Island and Tofino Step Up to the Plate Leaving the big city doesn’t have to mean bidding adieu to incredible dining, especially in two B.C. towns where local restaurants have risen to national acclaim. On Galiano Island (population 1,044), Pilgrimme, housed in a humble wooden house off a forest-cloaked back road, has been lauded for coast, forest and farm-to-table menus that are always changing. Expect ingredients like grilled octopus, sea lettuce and olives marinated in pine. In Tofino, Wolf in the Fog, named best new restaurant in Canada for 2014 by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine, never disappoints with its seafood and local-foraged fare. Don’t miss the succulent fresh-caught salmon or potato-crusted oysters.
Run from the Raindrops Soggy Vancouver endures an average 1,153 millimetres of rainfall each year. If you relocate to any of these B.C. communities, you might be able fold up your umbrella for good. Average annual rainfall in millimetres: Hope: 933 Victoria: 845 Castlegar: 554 Prince George: 416 Smithers: 367 Vernon: 337 Williams Lake: 335 Golden: 325
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Years of Nelson Theatrics
The arts-loving Kootenay town of Nelson has a rebirthday to toast in 2018: it’s been 30 years since its beloved Capitol Theatre rose from the ashes. Originally built as a movie theatre in 1927, the 426-seat art-deco-style space thrived through the 1930s, then fell out of use until the 1980s, when community volunteers undertook a massive restoration campaign, reopening it in April 1988. Three decades postresurrection, it’s a thriving arts space that’s occupied around 200 days of the year, between sold-out local and touring theatre productions, musical performances, workshops, a summer youth program, a community Christmas Pantomime and more. “The community sees the theatre as a cultural cornerstone,” says executive director Stephanie Fischer.
Peachland: 310 Kelowna: 311 Oliver: 303 Penticton: 299 Cranbrook: 276 Kamloops: 224 Vancouver: 1,153 Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism.
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What $800,000 Buys Nearly a million bucks yields great real-estate potential in some B.C. communities: here are two to ponder. By Michael White
ASKING PRICE LOCATION SIZE
$765,900 Nanoose Bay (Nanaimo area) 3461 Bradner Circle 1,858 square feet (land size: 6,316 square feet), or $414 per square foot
ASKING PRICE LOCATION SIZE
$795,000 Garden Bay (Sunshine Coast) 4206 Johnston Heights Rd. 2,858 square feet (land size: 25,308 square feet), or $278 per square foot
WHAT A detached patio house with two bedrooms, three bathrooms and a two-car garage.
WHAT A three-bed, three-bath contemporary-meets-cottage retreat on a massive oceanfront lot.
WHERE Part of the Rockcliffe Park residential development in the Fairwinds resort community, within walking distance of a wellness centre (with indoor pool and outdoor tennis court), a golf course and walking trails. The marina is less than a five-minute drive away.
WHERE Built into a hillside and thoroughly secluded by mature trees, in a village community on the north side of Pender Harbour known for its fishing, diving, golfing and hiking in several provincial parks.
INDOORS Built in 2008, this one-level home’s front door opens onto a large, vaulted-ceilinged living area incorporating an open kitchen with a 36-inch gas range, dining room and nook plus a gas fireplace set into a built-in entertainment centre (with pre-installed surround-sound system). The master bedroom also features a vaulted ceiling plus a walk-in closet; the master bath boasts twin sinks and a stall shower with seating. Access a finished room above the garage via a fun pull-down ladder. OUTDOORS The rear patio looks out onto stone landscaping and plenty of greenery. The lot’s cul-de-sac location ensures peace and quiet. fairwinds.ca vancouverislanddreamhomes.ca
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INDOORS An exemplar of West Coast style, this stunningly situated two-level home was designed by its seller (and original owner). Reflective of his passions, the post-and-beam interior includes an upstairs “composer’s den” and piano room that would serve as a home office or simply an additional living space. This – as well as the dining room, master bedroom and en suite whirlpool bathtub – look out onto an end-to-end deck that faces sweeping water and mountain views. An additional deck at ground level lends a feeling of greater spaciousness to the main living area, which includes one of two fireplaces. Modern appointments include stainless-steel appliances and central vacuum. OUTDOORS Set below a quiet, little-travelled road at the foot of a curved private drive, you’ll feel privately ensconced at the edge of the world, despite having plenty of neighbours nearby. livingitsunshinecoast.ca
Terrace The presence of an airport and a railway station mean that, among small B.C. communities, Terrace is especially well connected to the rest of the province. For a manufactured home or a townhome, value abounds at $180,000 or less. Recent listing: A cute 914-square-foot, two-bedroom vintage bungalow close to downtown, with backyard fruit trees: consider the renos you could afford after paying $142,000.
10 Towns Under $200,000 A budget of $200,000 won’t get you much in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, but those looking to relocate to a smaller B.C. community will find that real-estate value prices still exist. Here are 10 places where two hundred grand buys you more. By Michael White For direct links to all listings go to www.rightsizingmedia.com/200
Port Alice Cited by HelloBC.com as best locale “for an island getaway,” this coastal village of fewer than 1,000 is home to artisans of all stripes, those who highly prize the outdoors and solitude, plus employees of a local pulp mill. Recent listing: A circa-1966 two-bedroom home with mid-century design appeal, on a sloping lot of almost 10,000 square feet., for a mere $151,000.
Ucluelet This surfing, fishing and whale-watching mecca, on the southwest edge of Vancouver Island (just south of pricey Tofino), is increasingly desirable for its awe-inspiring coastal views and bohemians-at-play lifestyle. Single-family homes under $200,000 are rare, but newer-build condos hit the sweet spot. Recent listings: Big-city-style studio and one-bedroom condos for as little as $178,000.
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Tumbler Ridge Sitting in the shadow of the Rockies, this is a town in transition, its former economic driver (coal mining) largely replaced by recreational and ecotourism following the early 2000s discovery of dinosaur prints and fossils. Well-maintained 1980s-vintage two- and three-bedroom detached houses seem like stone-age deals. Recent listing: A 2,276-square-foot four-bedroom, three-bath family home near a rec centre, with wood-burning fireplace and walkout basement, for $160,000.
Salmon Arm
Kamloops Located a two-to-four-hour drive from Vancouver, Whistler, Kelowna and the heart of wine country, Canada’s Tournament Capital (so named for hosting many sporting and cultural events) is a choice base for those who want to be central to many of the province’s key destinations. Recent listing: A two-bedroom, three-level townhouse with private deck for $195,000.
One of the larger communities in the Shuswap Lakes region, Salmon Arm’s status as a year-round tourist destination means it’s a thriving commercial centre and cultural hub. Large (1,000-plus square feet) manufactured homes and condos in like-new condition list for as little as $150,000. Recent listing: A slightly larger investment of $225,000 could net you a spacious 1,100-square-foot townhome.
Kelowna
Merritt Detached homes in the self-proclaimed Country Music Capital of Canada tend to be very affordable but of the fixer-upper variety, and less than 1,000 square feet (albeit, on large lots). The town’s compact geography (26 square kilometres) means all shopping and recreational conveniences are close by. Recent listings: Several updated two-bedroom condos in the 1,000-square-foot range for less than $190,000.
Properties in the Okanagan Valley’s largest municipality are priced accordingly: not bargains, relatively speaking, but substantially less than their Lower Mainland counterparts. Older one- and two-bedroom condos can be found in this target price range, but will need some love. Recent listing: A presale, 313-squarefoot “smart” studio suite in downtown’s new Cambridge House development, with en suite laundry, parking and storage for under $195,000, makes a perfect pied-à-terre.
Invermere Close to the Alberta border, vacationers flock to the Invermere region in all seasons for hot springs, skiing, golfing and lake beaches. Resort-style living is popular, reflected in condo communities with amenities like fitness centres, pools and more. Recent listing: A twobedroom turnkey suite in resort community Lake Windermere Point for just over $190,000.
Oliver Some of the most reasonably priced real estate in Okanagan wine country is in this picturesque southern town of around 4,500, home to some of the mildest winters in Canada. Condo opportunities can be found at less than $175,000, although they tend to be older builds (1980s and 1990s), requiring decor updates. Recent listing: Two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhome on Main Street with balcony, courtyard and low strata fees for $180,000.
May/June 2018
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l!d! d o l SSo
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655% 7 r r ee O Ovv
Live in the Heart of Wine Country
Introducing Luxury Lifestyle Residences in Oliver BC • Condominiums designed to compliment your lifestyle with large balconies for entertaining. • Featuring a garden surrounded pool and hot tub where you can swim your day away. • Your new condo suite will be more spacious than most, so downsizing doesn't have to mean you are cramming into small box living. • All homes tastefully appointed with high-end appliances. • Over 8 different spacious floor plans all with cosy fireplaces.
• Special air to air environment controlled heat pump system, to keep you cool in the summer, warm in the winter. • Oliver boasts one of the warmest places in Canada, offering you a variety of activities such as fishing and water recreation sports. • For winter sports you will enjoy some of the best skiing in BC just a short distance away.
Residences starting at $399,900. (From 1415 to 1771 sq ft.) Featuring 30, 2 bedroom- 2 bath condos, dens, with large kitchens & spacious living areas. Web site riversideplace.ca, or call Brenda 403•463•9524 Visit our show suite at Riverside Place, Oliver BC.
This is not an offering for sale, any such offering can only be made with a disclosure statement. The developer reserves the right to make changes and modifications to the information and images herein without prior notice. Prices are subject to change without notice. Prices do not include GST. E&OE.
Jeannie and Doug Rae at their Roberts Creek rancher.
Upsize, Downsize, Rightsize? Unleashing the equity locked in your Lower Mainland home leaves a wealth of choices: Upsize or downsize? Rent or own? Invest in new income or residential property? A few real-life scenarios to inspire your dreams. By Michelle Hopkins
In 2015, Jeannie and Doug Rae were pleasantly surprised to discover the selling price of their West Vancouver neighbour’s home. Less than a year later, a same-size house on an exact-size lot on their street fetched a cool $1-million more. Once the couple realized the value of their view home, which Jeannie purchased in 1986 for $180,000, moving inevitably came up. “Not only was much of our money tied up in the house, but Doug was really drawn to a simpler lifestyle in a quiet community, close to the water,” says Jeannie, adding that over the last decade, she’s watched the North Shore become busier and more congested. “Doug was looking at retirement at the end of 2018, so we wanted to be settled before then.” In May 2016, their home sold quickly for a record-breaking amount and the couple began searching for oceanfront properties on the picturesque Sunshine Coast. “I already had
cousins living on the Sunshine Coast. Every time we visited them, we liked it more and more,” says Jeannie. After a few months, they found the perfect waterfront rancher in Roberts Creek.
Downsize to a Condo Extracting their home equity allowed the Raes the financial freedom to travel the world with some of the proceeds of the sale. They also purchased a condo in Palm Springs, where the snowbirds spend two months out of the year enjoying warm, balmy weather. “Selling our home has given us freedom… Even though I have a good pension, we are in a position now in which we have security in our twilight years,” says Doug, who works as a material damage manager for an insurance company. “I feel like I’m on vacation every day. I wake up and look at the expansive, ever-changing ocean and I feel so lucky.” May/June 2018
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Upsize to Your Dream Home Stephanie Vernon and partner Tim Talmey couldn’t be happier with their decision to leave the Lower Mainland for a dream home in lake country. Restless to live what she calls a “healthier” lifestyle, Vernon took early retirement and began looking at real estate in the Okanagan. “I always told Tim that when I retired, I wanted to get out of the overcrowded and harried pace of the Lower Mainland,” she says. In 2016, at the peak of the market, she sold her Steveston house in less than a week. After looking at various homes in Kelowna, the two opted to build in the gated golf community of Sunset Ranch. “I built my brand-new home exactly the way I wanted it for under $600,000,” Vernon says. “We have a 2,400-square-foot home with a large deck overlooking the valley and both the Okanagan and Duck Lakes.” The 57-year-old Vernon says that since moving to the Okanagan, she has shed 12 pounds and is living the life of her dreams.
“I hike, walk, cycle, golf, kayak and paddleboard,” she says. “I wake up to deer or elk in my front yard … it doesn’t get much better than that.” Vernon and Talmey have no regrets. “It was definitely a lifestyle choice… plus we can live really well on our pensions here,” says Vernon, the retired Lower Mainland sales manager for the Fernie Brewing Company. “We have made such great friends, many of which also sold their Lower Mainland homes to move here. Plus, we travel now more than ever.”
Invest in Revenue Property For Alessandro Biavati, the decision to invest in rental properties rather than buy in Vancouver was a numbers game. “In 2016, I started looking to buy a modern condo downtown and I was blown away by how expensive condos were,” says the 33-year-old web development engineer at Amazon. “The ones I looked at, that I wanted, would have cost me a minimum $900,000 to $1-million.”
Priced out of Downtown Vancouver, Biaviti looked at other ways to get into the real estate market. Rather than be saddled with a huge mortgage – even if he were able to qualify – Biavati chose the alternative: rent the condo of his dreams in Vancouver and buy income properties on the Sunshine Coast. With a $600,000 investment, he bought a brand-new two-bedroom apartment and, soon after, an older home in the small coastal town of Gibsons. Within a year, he sold the apartment for one-third more than he paid for it, and purchased a second rental home close to the beach. “Both [properties] were rented when I bought them, so that gave me cash-flow security,” he says. “The rent from both covers 80 per cent of my expenses. For me, this was the best scenario… I get to live by Science World [in Vancouver], where I can walk to everything I need, and I’m in the real estate market.”
The Naked Pig is a great locals’ hangout in Vernon. Photo courtesy City of Vernon.
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May/June 2018
LOWER MISSION HOMES
STARTING FROM 275K The perfect fit for those looking for less square footage but more community. vert. is Kelowna’s first six-story wood frame condo and townhome complex located in Lower Mission. Competitively priced,
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featuring contemporary, west-coast design in a prime location, vert. is just minutes from Gyro Beach and close to walking trails, rec centres, shopping
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and other amenities. Connect with vert.
Presentation Centre Now Open Daily 12 - 4pm Call to book an appointment at 250.300.7711
250.300.7711 Liveatvert.ca
– First Time Down Sizers This is not an offering for sale. E.&.O.E.
ENJOY LAKESIDE LIVING MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN. Steps from the beach on Kelowna’s west shore, West Harbour is the perfect setting for your lifestyle – welcoming beautiful, tranquil, convenient. It’s a true lakeside community featuring 500 feet of private sandy beach, the Harbour Club (coming soon), marina and an outdoor pool.
“WE LOVE MORNINGS ON THE BEACH.” westharbourkelowna.com
People love living at West Harbour. And no wonder. It’s like being on vacation while still at home. Join this relaxed, friendly community of people who love waking up and going for a paddle. Discover what you’ll love most about living here.
PHASE 3 NOW SELLING DETACHED HOMES FROM $599,900 *E. & O. E. THIS IS NOT AN OFFERING FOR SALE.
NO GST OR PTT NO SPECULATION TAX Sales Centre OPEN SAT - WED 12 PM - 4 PM Take Hwy 97 to Westside Rd., turn onto Old Ferry Wharf Rd.
Righsize to Two New Homes Pros •
Less traffic and congestion.
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Slower pace, laid-back lifestyle.
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Friendly people.
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Hiking trails within walking distance.
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No pay parking.
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Oceanfront living.
Cons •
Distance from family and friends.
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Entertainment choices aren’t as good as in the city.
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Operating hours for businesses are more limited than in the city.
Kayaking in harbour. Photo courtesy of Mike Anderson/ Tourism Nanaimo.
Upsize to Dream Home The Bottom Line
Pros •
Healthy lifestyle with accessible outdoor pursuits, wildlife at the doorstep.
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Wineries.
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Less traffic.
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Mountain and lake views.
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Friendly people.
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Time and money to travel.
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Not close to family and friends.
Real Estate Investing, Rental Living
Don Campbell, senior analyst at the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN), has seen hundreds of his clients repeat those same three scenarios. “Whether you decide to rent or sell your Vancouver home in order to cash in your equity should first depend on your lifestyle,” Campbell says. Playing Devil’s advocate, he says that leaving behind family, friends and a beloved neighbourhood can prove to be more difficult than some people realize. “For those who are really attached to their neighbourhood, but want to cash in on their home’s equity, I suggest they downsize and buy a new condo in or close to their neighbourhood” says Campbell.
Pros •
Rental income covers most expenses to maintain long-term investments.
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Faster entry into the real estate market, which priced him out of urban residential property.
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Lives walking distance from work in Vancouver.
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Managing rented properties requires work, constant demands and your availability.
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Possible ferry travel required to waterfront locations.
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Don Campbell, senior analyst at REIN.
Yet what Campbell has seen over the last few years are more and more Vancouverites and moving outside the Lower Mainland. “I tell people to ask themselves the following: what is your goal in selling, do you want the condo lifestyle, or maybe you want to buy a vacation home… Whatever you choose, ask yourself important questions, because if you make it just about
the money, there can be regrets down the road,” says Campbell. Although Vancouver has long been a favourite city for real estate investors and home buyers alike, prices and taxes are forcing buyers to consider other markets, says realtor Tony Browton of RE/MAX City Realty. That’s making the Sunshine Coast and similar communities attractive to many. Just 30 kilometres away from downtown Vancouver, Sunshine Coast detached home prices are about a third of what they are in the Lower Mainland, and condos can still be purchased for less than $350,000 in many spots. “Between July 2016 and July 2017, Sunshine Coast housing prices have increased by nearly 21 per cent,” he says. “At the same time, the rental market is tight, meaning revenue properties rarely sit empty.” The Sunshine Coast is currently exempt from both B.C.’s speculation tax and foreign buyers tax. “More than that, people who move here soon realize how great the lifestyle is,” he adds. In the end, there is no right or wrong to unlock and invest your equity, says Campbell. “If you want to move to Abbotsford, Kelowna or the Cariboo, just make sure you are doing it to enhance your lifestyle first, then for the money, or to help family… Just do it for a reason, not just to cash in your chips.”
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This is not an offering for sale and such an offering can only be made after filing a disclosure statement. E.&O.E.
The New Commute Selling your urban B.C. home doesn’t mean abandoning your city life: a tale of two commuters shows you can still save by making a smaller city your new home. By Gail Johnson
Jurgen Watts moved with his family of four from North Vancouver’s Lynn Valley to the Kelowna neighbourhood of Kettle Valley in 2016, and he hasn’t looked back. From his home office window, he sees Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park, where he bikes and hikes. “It’s phenomenal,” Watts says of his family’s new life. “There are a lot of people in the neighbourhood who did what we did; it’s an instant community here.” With the move, the global digital marketing manager for Arc’Teryx Equipment swapped his daily city commute for one week per month in his company’s North Vancouver headquarters. So far, the set-up is working well, with the lower cost of living in the Okanagan easily offsetting Watts’s costs of commuting.
A Tale of Two Commutes Kelowna to North Vancouver, monthly •
Transportation: Driving, four hours and $150 in gas (return). Flying, $200 (return)
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On the ground: $20 (transit) to $100 (car-share or taxi) per week
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Accommodations: $800 (average $200/night for four nights in North Vancouver)
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Meals: $250 and up/person, five days
There are multiple options when it comes to travelling between Kelowna and Vancouver. WestJet and Air Canada have Kelowna flights that take just under an hour, as well as direct flights to Calgary and Edmonton, and connections to international flights for business or leisure travel.
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Housings: $2,500 to $5,000 monthly on mortgage
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SAVINGS of $14,000 to $44,000/year
For frequent fliers, from YVR the Canada Line is a 30-minute ride to downtown Vancouver, for around $8 (and provides SeaBus access to the North Shore, a 12-minute crossing).
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For his work trips, Watts usually opts to drive; that way, he has a vehicle in the city and can bring his skis or mountain bike. He leaves home by 5 a.m. to be at work by 9 a.m. He stays with friends or family (thanking them with Okanagan wine or a restaurant dinner) or at one of North Vancouver’s few hotels.
Salt Spring Island to Vancouver, monthly Transportation: Ferry, up to four hours total (from Tsawwassen, via Swartz Bay), $150 for an automobile or $20–$40 for foot passengers (return). Flying: 20-minute floatplane, from $225 (return) •
On the ground: $20 (transit) to $100 (car-share or taxi) per week
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Accommodations: $600–$800 for downtown AirBnB studio or one-bedroom condo
Even budgeting a four-night hotel stay each month, he still comes out way ahead. There’s a dramatic reduction in mortgage payments, and his wife now works from home, too, meaning no after-school care or other workday expenses. “For the three weeks [a month] I’m home, I don’t have to drive anywhere,” Watts says. “I’m not going for coffee every day; I have a wicked espresso 26
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Meals: $250 and up/person, five days
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Housing: $2,500 to $5,000 monthly savings on mortgage
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SAVINGS of $14,000 to $44,000/year
Left page Kelowna International Airport. Photo courtesy of tourismkelowna.com. Above Horseshoe Bay.
machine at home.” Leaving the city has alleviated other, less-tangible costs to the family: “Our previous life was so hectic and stressful,” Watts says. “There are so many bonuses to being here. It’s an adaptation to your life, but overall it’s super positive.” Then there is the fact that as they get older, commuting will likely lessen. ••• Karin Mizgala and her husband left Vancouver for Salt Spring Island, making a conscious decision not to wait until retirement. “We love being outside of the city,” says the co-founder and CEO of Money Coaches Canada. “We need that peace and quiet and connection to nature. It’s our refuge.”
“What I personally enjoy when I commute by ferry or plane is that it gives me some quiet time to work, meditate and catch up on my reading.” No stranger to commuting, Mizgala says that people considering a similar move should take into account all of the related expenses. However, she notes that as she has adjusted to life on a Gulf Island, she has managed to find ways to reduce the number of work trips she needs to make to the city, while clustering meetings with other city-related appointments and errands. She notes that the wear and tear on a vehicle with a monthly commute is less compared to a daily drive, and that there are other positives associated with travelling back and forth to the city for work. “What I personally enjoy when I commute by ferry or plane is that it gives me some quiet time to work, meditate, and catch up on my reading,” Mizgala says. “I also know of people who use the time to listen to audio books either for work or enjoyment when they commute by car.”
Commuting allows the Watts family to live in their perfect home. Photos courtesy of Jurgen Watts.
May/June 2018
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Fran Miller
TOP PERFORMERS REMAX CITY - SUNSHINE COAST
EnjoyCoastLife@gmail.com
l
mobile 604 741 2240
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enjoycoastlife.com
Fran knows the Sunshine Coast Let her show you why you should invest, play, or live here too.
1574 Smith Road 2.5 acres & 900 feet of waterfront 2 minutes from ferry, private bay, fabulous home, and all the privacy you can wish for. $4,288,000
No Foreign Buyers Tax here!
The Tern • •
Half Duplex 1606 Sq. Ft.
HIGH END FINISHING AT AFFORDABLE PRICES 6635 Tronson Road, Vernon, BC
The Sandpiper • •
Single unit 1650 Sq. Ft.
A 5 minute walk to Kin Beach with a children’s park inside your own complex. Features include: 9 foot ceilings, granite counter tops, engineered hardwood floors, stainless steel upgraded appliance package, central air conditioning, gas fireplaces, double garages, underground sprinklers and much more. Open House every Saturday and Sunday 12 to 3 PM Prices starting at $399,800
Executives Realty Ltd. CONTACT US TO SCHEDULE A VIEWING Bill Hubbard 250-550-4221 bill.hubbard@century21.ca 28
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Dan English 250-550-6583 dan.english@century21.ca
The Friends and Family Factor Physically relocating to a new home is one thing, but it can be a challenge to make new pals and find your place in a new community, while keeping in touch with family and old friends. Here’s how to do it right. By Gail Johnson
Kandis Armstrong and her husband and two sons moved to Victoria from West Vancouver in July 2017. They used proceeds from their home sale to also purchase an apartment in Lower Lonsdale, which they use frequently for work and social visits back to Vancouver. She’s found it easy to make new friends in Victoria, through a book club (“that literally opened up 20 people”) and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (“there are art-gallery gatherings and parties”). She finds that a smaller city offers more opportunities to interact and get to know people.
Jessica Stanley’s entire family is thriving after moving to the Nanimo area.
During the nine years Jessica Stanley lived in North Vancouver, she was deeply embedded in the community. A mother of three, she remains a school trustee there; her husband grew up in the community, where her own roots and relatives are. When it came time for the couple to trade up to something bigger than their three-bedroom house, they turned to Vancouver Island, moving to the Nanaimo-area community of Wellington. Stanley admits it was hard to pull her sons away from their friends. Like most kids, however, they’re resilient, each adapting at his own pace. When it comes to her own social circle, she’s struck a nice balance between maintaining her friendships on the mainland and forging new ones. “It’s very different here,” Stanley says from her Island home. “People here have time to be nice. The community was full of nice people in North Van, but nobody ever had any time… you really get to know your community, just because everybody’s got more time.” She’s met people through the local community organization, which holds frequent
events like craft sales and holiday get-togethers. Having school-aged children provides a built-in community of parents. When she’s back in the city for work, she has opportunities to see (or stay with) old friends. Stanley recalls her former city life as feeling “so busy just trying to get through everything that I didn’t have time to be with my friends.” Nicole Pointon also anticipates she’ll have more contact with mainland pals after she, her husband and son move to Vancouver Island this summer. Family friends have already picked dates for a visit to their new Colwood home, months in advance. Pointon adds, “We’ve talked about seeing a concert in Washington with friends. We’re nailing down plans where there’s an equal distance we both have to travel, somewhere in the middle.” They’d like their new-home renos to include a guest bedroom and bathroom, to make it easier for friends to visit. Even without a spare room, consider putting a pull-out couch in the office, or if your new home is a condo, check if the strata rents a guest suite by the night.
Having a ski pass at Cypress Mountain is one ticket Rob Steele has used to reconnect with mainland friends after moving to Sechelt from North Vancouver in 2016. He and his wife love living on the water for kayaking, paddleboarding, crabbing and sailing opportunities. Those pastimes help maintain relationships with loved ones, too. “I see my kids way more now than I did when I lived there, and it’s more quality time,” Steele says. “They come up and they love it. If you’re in a place that’s got stuff for them to do, they’ll be there.”
New Kid in Town Here are some ways to consider meeting new acquaintances and friends post-relocation. •
community organizations
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neighbourhood events
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art galleries and other cultural hotspots
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live music and other performances
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alumni associations and networking
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paid or volunteer work
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special-interest clubs (from books to knitting or woodworking)
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sports, fitness classes and recreation centres May/June 2018
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The New Rules of Real Estate Over the past year, it has gotten slightly more complicated to become a homeowner in B.C. Here’s a roundup of the evolving real estate, mortgage and tax rules that might affect you. By Michelle Hopkins
Karen Kenyon Realto
Photo courtesy of Karen Kenyon
Getting into the red-hot real estate market in B.C. is tough enough these days. Navigating new local, provincial and federal measures can make it even more complex. Here’s a look at how each can potentially affect your transactions. The foreign buyers tax was introduced in Greater Vancouver in 2016 at a rate of 15 per cent; in 2018 it increased to 20 per cent, and expanded to apply to the Nanaimo, Victoria, Fraser Valley and Kelowna regions. Vancouver’s further attempt to address the city’s housing crisis was to introduce the empty homes tax in 2016, a one per cent tax on the assessed value of the home. “The goal of this tax is to have people either live in their homes or open them up to the rental market,” says Esther Lee, director of financial 30
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services City of Vancouver. “This does not affect principal residences, or if you rent out your home for at least six months.” Perhaps one of the most contentious issues, says Landquest Realty president Richard Osborne, is the speculation tax the NDP government announced in February. The speculation tax is a one-half (growing to two) per cent property tax targeting outof-province owners. To put that into perspective, a $500,000 vacation home would be subject to an additional $10,000 levy by 2019. When the tax was initially announced, Osborne, who specializes in recreation/vacation homes, said it would “unfairly punish people who have worked hard to buy a vacation home for their families to enjoy.” After changes were announced in March, the
speculation tax exempted non-B.C. residents with second homes on Bowen or the Gulf Islands, Parksville/Qualicum Beach area, Squamish-Whistler or certain more-rural areas of Fraser Valley. However, non-permanently-occupied second or vacation homes in areas like Metro Vancouver, the Capital Region District around Victoria, the municipalities of Nanaimo-Lantzville, KelownaWest Kelowna and areas like Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission will be subject to this tax. In 2019 it will now be reduced to one per cent for out-of-province Canadian residents. Qualifying long-term rental properties are also exempt from the tax. When it comes to securing a mortgage, the federal government has made it even tougher to qualify. Under the former housing rules, those with less than a 20
The New Rules What you need to know about the changing real-estate landscape. •
Foreign buyers tax: 20% on value of foreign-owned Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria, Fraser Valley and Kelowna homes.
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Empty homes tax: 1% on value of unoccupied Vancouver homes.
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Speculation tax: 2% on value of B.C. homes with out-of-province owners, in certain areas.
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B-20: federal “stress test” rule requiring mortgage applicants to afford plus-2% interest rates on payments.
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Enhanced disclosure: document from B.C. realtors clearly stating commissions.
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Dual agency: B.C. realtors can no longer represent both buyer and seller in the same transaction. Photo courtesy of Helena Jartved
per cent down payment were the only ones subject to a minimum qualifying interest rate for uninsured mortgages, a so-called stress test. Stricter rules were initiated in January by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI). “The changes to guideline B-20 mean that homebuyers who want to apply for an uninsured mortgage (with a down payment of 20 per cent of the home’s value) will need to prove that they can afford payments based on the greater of the five-year benchmark rate published by the Bank of Canada or their contractual mortgage rate plus two per cent,” says Sylviane Desparois, media relations at OSFI, Canada’s banking regulator. “The B-20 rules also apply to someone who wants to purchase a vacation home or an investment home.”
In addition, a provincial statute has been implemented, this one in particular affecting B.C. realtors. The new Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate (OSRE) regulations surrounding how B.C. realtors conduct business will take effect as of June 15, 2018. The changes include disclosure in real estate and dual agency. “The first big change is the enhanced disclosure, which is a document you get back from your realtor stating exactly what your realtor will get paid in commission,” says Mykle Ludvigsen, communications manager for the OSRE. The second major change is prohibiting dual agency. “This bans realtors from working on behalf of both the seller and buyer, protecting the public from being underrepresented in their transaction,” adds Ludvigsen. Anyone found breaking the rules will pay hefty fines.
However, realtors in smaller markets may not agree. Ed Handja, a veteran realtor with Royal LePage in Campbell River, says prohibiting dual agency is “absolutely ludicrous… This ban is based on a small percentage of unscrupulous and unethical realtors who conduct themselves not in the best interest of their clients,” he says, adding this ban came out of the so-called shadow flipping controversy. “Limited dual agency is a system that has worked very well. This is stripping an individual’s right to choose.” The experts say that all of these new real estate rules are meant to help and protect British Columbians and Canadians in their real-estate transactions… though all prospective buyers might not concur, as they assess how new rules impact their own purchases. May/June 2018
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Best Places to Live B.C. Communities That Might be Right for You By Steven Threndyle
F
rom Vancouver Island to the Rocky Mountains, towns and smaller cities offer everything that British Columbians value: recreational opportunities, health care and education choices and increasingly diverse economies that require skilled professionals, trades and craftspeople. Baby boomers have been eyeing and buying recreational and retirement properties for years. Now, new generations are seeking entrepreneurial, professional and family opportunities in the same communities, thanks to sophisticated technology, improved airports, upgraded highways and more. Here are 21 smaller urban centres to inspire your right-sized dreams. Note: Population is listed by either municipality or region. Sample listing represents a home near the median average selling price in 2017. Real estate trend metric uses B.C. Assessment data for value and includes sales of all property types. For more information on all communities, go to www.rightsizingmedia.com/Best21 A view of the bridge over Okanagan Lake between West Kelowna and Kelowna.
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Best Places to Live
Mountain biking on Knox Mountain. Photo courtesy of tourismkelowna.com/Cole McGill
Kelowna/Central Okanagan Whether you’re a millennial or a baby boomer, Kelowna ranks high on your right sizing list. The commercial, transportation and tourist hub of the Okanagan Valley has got the magic combination that small cities strive for: a large regional hospital, an international airport that connects not just business commuters from Vancouver and Calgary but travelers from abroad, and, perhaps most significantly, an expanding Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia. The Central Okanagan contains three major community clusters: Kelowna, running from the north side of the William R. Bennett Bridge to Kelowna International Airport; West Kelowna (formerly Westbank), south of the bridge, where much market-rate housing and many businesses are located on lease-hold lands administered by Westbank First Nation; and Lake Country, a handful of towns dotted along Highway 97 north of Kelowna International Airport. Today, Kelowna’s downtown and waterfront parks system is experiencing a refresh, with high-end condominiums slated for Water Street that will be close to the lively summer scene of cafés and nightlife. The newly renovated Kelowna Yacht Club is one of the finest moorages in Canada, with berths for more than 1,000 boats. The area’s appeal to right-sizers has been recognized for decades, with tailored resort communities. Its future, however, is linked to a wide variety of emerging businesses you might expect to find in Vancouver or Seattle: technology, health care and modern manufacturing, and the skilled labour communities they attract. Real estate prices are starting to reflect growth, to some extent: with a median house price of $620,000 (up 12 per cent from 2017), Kelowna is costlier to live in than other B.C. towns. The region has urban accents you’ll recognize: suburban-style big-box retail and anchor tenants like lululemon in a former Bank of Montreal downtown and MEC Kelowna in Orchard Plaza. There are no less than 15 Starbucks, including a drive-through. August Luxury Motorcars not only sells Porsche, Audi and Mercedes-Benz vehicles, they offer exotic supercar tours of the twisting Okanagan backroads in your choice of Ferrari, Aston Martin or Lamborghini. Well-established wineries like Mission Hill, Summerhill and Gray 34
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The Hangar Fitness and Wellness Centre at UBC Okanagan. Photo by Don Erhardt
Monk have been joined by dozens of upstart arrivals like The Hatch and Martin’s Lane. What are you waiting for? Work: The Okanagan tech community is one of only five tech communities worldwide selected to participate in the Techstars Community Pilot Project. The Techstars team will perform an innovative, founders-first assessment of the Okanagan startup ecosystem. Play: Big White Ski Resort is B.C.’s second-largest by skier-visits, with $10-million in improvements slated for 2018, including to the mountain bike park. Culture: Site of numerous summer festivals and events, with the Rotary Centre for the Arts and Kelowna Art Gallery as year-round cultural hubs.
Population 1 99,103 (Region) By car from Vancouver 4 .5 hrs Sample listing Central 3-bed, 2-bath home w/1-bed suite, $699,900 (MLS® 10152356) Real Estate Trend +12%
Promotional Content
Make the Okanagan Lifestyle Yours If you’re looking to relocate and “rightsize” your life in the Central Okanagan, then you’ll want to know Realtor Bo Skapski. That’s because as the founder of one of Canada’s top Century 21 real estate teams, “Bo Knows Homes.” Bo made the move from North Vancouver to Kelowna at the start of the millennium. “Retirees and late-career entrepreneurs come here to pursue an active lifestyle, but most are pleasantly surprised at how friendly people are. I bring a unique perspective that helps me understand which neighbourhoods will work perfectly for you,” he explains. New regulations prohibiting the practice of Realtors representing buyers and sellers on the same property—known as “double ending”—will come into effect on June 15. Bo says these new rules will make it more necessary than ever for prospective buyers to work with a knowledgeable Realtor representing their interests, especially if they are coming from out of town. Needless to say, Bo became a booster for the Central Okanagan, especially when he began selling real estate in 2000. Bo explains: “Most people see the sunshine, the lake, the vineyards, ski resorts and the golf courses, but the city’s economy has diversified from agriculture and tourism into health care, post-secondary education and high technology. Thanks to the expansion of Kelowna International Airport and highway infrastructure improvements, the city attracts a lot of energetic entrepreneurs.”
Bo Skapski
There was a time when right sizing might have meant forgoing shopping and lifestyle needs, but no longer. Bo says, “Kelowna has big-box stores, great restaurants, world class wineries and the special amenities found in larger centres. And if you want a quieter, more rural life, then nearby Peachland and Lake Country are just a short drive away.”
“I bring a unique perspective that helps me understand which neighbourhoods will work perfectly for you.” –Bo Skapski. Bo notes that sales volume and average prices have risen significantly in the past three years, partially due to the number of buyers cashing out from Vancouver. “Retirees and telecommuters can trade in their old bungalow in Greater Vancouver for a modern golf course property or view home and have money left over to enjoy the Okanagan good life.” Let the Bo Knows Homes team guide your buying decisions so that your Okanagan dreams come true. “We view our clients as our friends, first, and focus on their priorities, however much time it takes to do the job right.”
Sandra Ciolfi
Century 21 Assurance Realty l 251 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna l
Dave Goertz
250 878 3876 l bo@boknowshomes.com l www.BoKnowsHomes.com
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Best Places to Live
Penticton/Oliver/Osoyoos “Bring on the heat” might be the best way to describe what life is like in the South Okanagan, which includes Canada’s Pocket Desert in Osoyoos and regionally, some of the hottest summer temperatures in Canada. Penticton has long been one of B.C.’s most affordable retirement havens, drawing everyone from Prairie farmers to rain-soaked Vancouverites. Serving as a business hub, Penticton offers a state-of-the-art hockey centre, a hospital and an airport. Dozens of beautiful sandy beaches dot many of the larger lakes in the region. There are almost 130 wineries in the south Okanagan, with over 4,000 acres under cultivation – fully 40 per cent of B.C.’s total. More than 1,000 acres are grown on lands owned by the Osoyoos First Nations Band, a key economic player in the region. Work: Agriculture, tourism, health care and education are the major employers in the south Okanagan (and yes, you can get a job picking grapes during the harvest season). Play: Bring plenty of sunscreen to go boating on Okanagan, Osoyoos and Skaha Lakes or golfing at some of B.C.’s most established courses. Culture: The Nk’mip Desert and Heritage Centre celebrates the traditional culture of the region’s First Nations and provides enormous information on plant and animal adaptation in Canada’s hottest climate.
BELOW Penticton vineyard. Photo courtesy of Destination BC/Kari Medig. ABOVE Photo courtesy of City of Penticton.
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50,000 (region)
5 hrs to Vancouver Downtown Oliver 3-bed, 2-bath house $354,369 (MLS® 170102)
+17%
New homes for a new you.
Quality homes for a quality life. SENDEROCA N YON.CA
This is not an offering for sale. Any such offering can only be made by way of disclosure statement. E.&O.E. Rendering is conceptual. Any speciďŹ cations in this depiction may change at the developer’s sole discretion without notice.
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Best Places to Live
Vernon/North Okanagan Vernon retains a small-town charm, with a downtown that exudes a quaint, Victorian-era ambience and a mix of leafy, suburban-feeling residential streets and high-end luxury neighbourhoods. Work: Vernon is the headquarters for Kal Tire, the largest independent tire company in Canada and employer of a 7,000-strong workforce across Canada. Known for its strong community commitment and high employee ratings, it exemplifies small-town business with big aspirations.
Predator Ridge
Fifteen minutes southeast of Vernon, Predator Ridge is a community unto itself, with more than 700 homes and counting. While the two 18-hole championship-calibre golf courses remain a draw, many residents live here for year-round activities (Sunday yoga sessions, guest lectures, cooking classes, day trips to Silver Star…) that knit the bonds of friendship and community. Many are content to wander around the 25 kilometres of well-maintained hiking trails, including by snowshoe in winter. Sparkling Hill Resort, perhaps the most opulent spa in all of Western Canada, is just up the hill. Work: Vernon and Kelowna are both within commuter distance, though Predator has many seasonal or retired residents.
Play: Okanagan Lake, Swan Lake, and Kalamalka Lake (the latter indisputably the prettiest in the Valley, thanks to its turquoise waters) are ideal for swimming, boating, and paddling. Less than 20 minutes away, the colorful Silver Star Mountain Resort and friendly Sovereign Lakes cross-country area are perfect winter getaways. Explore hundreds of kilometres of walking/hiking/mountain biking trails nearby.
Play: From winter snowshoe tracks and easy-flowing mountain bike trails to tennis and pickleball courts, Predator offers so much more than just great golf. A state-of-the-art fitness centre features an indoor lap pool, steam rooms and hot tub. Meet your new neighbours at group fitness classes or yoga sessions.
Culture: Historic O’Keefe Ranch, opened for business in the very same year that Canada entered Confederation, is one of B.C.’s most lovingly preserved sites.
Culture: Pizza night, pub night, date night and schnitzel night – Predator Ridge residents can meet with friends and dine out in style during specially priced theme nights at local restos.
40,000
2,000 (peak)
5 hrs to Vancouver
5 hrs to Vancouver
3-bed, 1.5-bath post and beam home in Coldstream $549,500 (MLS® 10141084)
2-bed, 2-bath new home in Commonage neighbourhood, $679,000
+11%
+11%
Photo courtesy of Predator Ridge.
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opportunities in Turtle Mountain
developed bungalow with luxurious ensuite, walk-
2 minutes to downtown
through pantry, walkout basement and the finest in
Vernon’s amenities
fit and finish. $799,400 with homesite and GST.
•
Showhome 3904 Terrapin Place, Vernon
l
Open daily 11 – 5PM
l
250-938-7787 or 778-475-0422
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Best Places to Live
Kamloops’ skyline. Photo courtesy of Sara Schreiner, Exposure Kamloops.
Kamloops/Sun Peaks From a shiny new recreation centre to regularly scheduled flights, Kamloops has all the amenities to attract people seeking a comfortable lifestyle and investment opportunities. Downtown and within its neighbourhoods, the economy is thriving. Thompson Rivers University’s diploma programs in hospitality, wilderness adventure and culinary arts attract Canadian and international students. The Reach, a promising new development on TRU’s hillside campus, has both residential and commercial real-estate opportunities: plans eventually call for a fully developed neighbourhood of more than 7,500 residents. Developers from across Canada are just starting to recognize the commercial and residential real estate opportunities throughout the region. Forty-five minutes north of town, Sun Peaks Resort is Canada’s second largest by skiable acreage. The trail network is second to none, with bowls, groomed runs and glades. Come summer, Sun Peaks is a cooler alternative to the city and offers top-notch golf, mountain biking and hiking. Work: As a regional hub, Kamloops has a diverse economy based on ranching/agriculture, forestry, transportation, mining, tourism and health care. Play: Some of the city’s best parks are located adjacent to newer neighbourhoods, so you can mountain-bike right from home (Olympic medalist Cathryn Pendrel lives here). Culture: Each August, the Kamloops Powwow attracts tribal dancers and drummers from across western North America.
40
Merritt
For rain-soaked Vancouverites, Merritt is the rainy city’s closest escape for sun, boasting over 2,000 hours of sunshine annually. What’s less known is that the town is within a 15-minute drive to about a dozen freshwater lakes – Nicola Lake is the most popular – and two rivers. Merritt’s future is closely aligned with green energy. The new Merritt Green Energy biomass facility will begin producing electricity for the provincial grid in 2018, while the Nicola Lake First Nations recently announced construction of a massive solar power facility. Despite closure of a large sawmill in 2016, real estate activity rose to a record level in 2017. The town has some of the most affordable real estate within a three-hour drive of Vancouver, with three-bedroom homes selling for under $240,000. Panoramic view lots on nearby Nicola Lake command over $1 million. Work: The new energy plant will likely attract many more commercial opportunities for businesses to relocate to this affordable oasis. Merritt is one of the few B.C. towns without a craft brewery, which means “opportunity.” Play: Merritt boasts a golf course, hiking trails, lawn bowling, cross country skiing, curling, hockey and world class fly-fishing. Culture: Murals in town celebrate Merritt’s ties to B.C.’s biggest country and western music festival held annually on B.C. Day long weekend.
90,000
7,000
3.5 hrs to Vancouver
3 hrs to Vancouver
3-bed, 3-bath home in Aberdeen Heights $470,000 (MLS® 144875)
Downtown Merritt 3-bed, 1-bath, $229,000
+10%
+15%
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
(MLS® 144479)
Escape the Lower Mainland’s lack of affordable housing, limited commercial space and long work commute.
Conveniently located between Kelowna, Kamloops and Vancouver Affordable local Real Estate ideal for home owners and property investors Comfortable climate of mild winters with little snowfall and warm, dry, sunny summers CURRENT PROJECTS IN MERRITT INCLUDE: •
Firehall Expansion
•
Nicola Valley Hospital Expansion
•
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology Campus Expansion
•
Construction of the Merritt Green Energy Project
•
Two Brand New Hotels
•
Oh and we have cheaper gas than Vancouver!
To learn more, contact Will George, City of Merritt Manager of Economic Development to hear why Merritt might be the right move for you. Direct Line: (250) 378-8619 Email: wgeorge@merritt.ca Website: www.merritt.ca
21
Best Places to Live
Oak Bay. Photo by Bruce McCalla.
Victoria/Capital Regional District Top-notch health care and a climate that is the envy of all of Canada has long made Southern Vancouver Island a favourite relocation destination. As B.C.’s provincial capital, Victoria is a government town; add in the University of Victoria, Royal Roads University and CFB Esquimalt and you have a well-educated professional class with stable income and an affluent lifestyle. While urban Victoria is associated with formal architecture and tony gardens, the dozen or so towns and suburbs of the Capital Regional District offer everything from waterfront living on The Gorge Waterway in Esquimalt to hobby farms and ranches in North Saanich. The verdant neighbourhoods running from Mile Zero to Cattle Point might be the most stunning stretch of waterfront property in the province. Access to the Lower Mainland is courtesy inter-harbour flights and frequent ferry sailings, convenience that does come at a cost. Still, if you’re pocketing an extra $500,000 or so from the sale of your Greater Vancouver home, the move is financially viable (and there are seniors’ discounts on B.C. Ferries for trips back to the mainland). Voted one of the Top 10 cities in North America by readers of Travel+Leisure magazine in 2015, Victoria is wildly popular with tourists, who stroll Butchart Gardens, take high tea at the Empress Hotel and tour Craigdarroch Castle, home to a 19th-century coal baron. During the summer months, the Inner Harbour, Beacon Hill Park and the lawn of the B.C. Legislature pulse with humanity.
42
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
Sanctuary is close at hand, with literally hundreds of parks and green spaces dotting the South Island region. Eagles, killer whales, black bears and deer thrive in this ecosystem. Dozens of rivers, lakes, streams and sheltered bays invite a lifetime of exploration. There simply is not another city in Canada, perhaps even North America, quite like the Queen City. Work: A retiring generation creates plenty of opportunities for young professionals and entrepreneurs, not just in the civil service but at schools, hospitals and universities. Play: The Inner Harbour is home to hundreds of sailboats and powerboats while rowers from nearby private schools ply waters like placid Elk Lake. Culture: Surrounded by Sir Francis Rattenbury’s Provincial Legislature, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, and the Royal B.C. Museum, downtown Victoria is a history buff’s dream.
383,000 Half-hr plus ferry to Vancouver 3 -bed, 1-bath house in Oak Bay $839,000 (MLS® 386307) +15%
Nanaimo/Mid-Island Nanaimo Regional District forms the second-largest city on Vancouver Island, including the sunny vacation communities of Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Lantzville. Beachfront cottages, family-oriented mountainside subdivisions and high-rise waterfront living have turned the real estate market red-hot, adding 20 per cent value over the past year. Vancouverites considering a move to the Island will find many attractive new housing options. The Fairwinds in Nanoose Bay is under new ownership and a planned community in Lantzville will add over 2,000 new residences.
TRUST RELATIONSHIP KNOWLEDGE & SKILL EXEMPLARY SERVICE SATISFACTION
Lisa
Work: Nanaimo has the second largest government workforce on the island and is also home to expanding Vancouver Island University.
Hyde-Lay
Play: The best view in Nanaimo is from Mount Benson: the summit provides a spectacular panorama of the mid-Island, northern Gulf Islands and the mainland coast.
Victoria, BC. hydelay.com
Culture: Each July, the Parksville Beach Festival hosts one of Canada’s biggest sandcastle building competitions.
250.477.5353
110,000 (region) Half-hr plus ferry to Vancouver 3-bed, 2-bath, $585,000 (MLS® 436650) +20%
Navigating real estate solutions with integrity, experience and excellence. - Expertise in Victoria and Vancouver markets - Multiple award winning REALTOR®, athlete and interior designer - Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE®)
Bringing a designers eye to your investment.
- 25 years experience in interior design and architectural interiors - Finds value in homes and enables me to see what others might miss - Understands working with contractors, developers and suppliers
765 Southborough Drive - British Properties - Vancouver - Site development - Ocean view MLS # R2256505 Follow Eleanor on ...
1365 Readings Drive - Spectacular park-like setting - Lands End Victoria MLS # 388027
107 - 2006 Toon Court - Stonehavean luxury condo - Bear Mountain Victoria MLS # 388969
Direct: 1-250-818-6662 Website: www.eleanorsmith.ca LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/esprec May/June 2018
Right Sizing
43
21
Best Places to Live
Tofino/Ucluelet For surfers, fishermen and other adventure seekers, Tofino and Ucluelet are still at The End of the Road, though upgrades are being made to make Highway 4 west of Port Alberni wider and safer. Surrounded by ocean on three sides, Tofino is home to the internationally renowned Wickaninnish Inn and Long Beach Lodge, plus an eclectic dining scene. After playing second fiddle for many years, Ucluelet is catching up to Tofino. The Wild Pacific Trail is the best in the region. Oceanfront real estate is precious and limited, due to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Real estate inventory in both towns is at near-historic lows, though large tracts of unserviced land are for sale and open for re-zoning. Work: Each year sees an increase in telecommuters and entrepreneurs, such as award-winning Tofino Brewing Company.
Mid-Island: Comox Valley/Campbell River Courtenay and Comox are the mid-Island’s twin cities; Comox’s identity is tied to the Canadian Forces Base and Courtenay has been a highly-desirable destination since WestJet started flying here from Alberta in the mid-1990s. With some of the Island’s most affordable real estate, fast-growing Cumberland has become popular with young entrepreneurs and the budget minded – this is one town where craft beer and mountain biking rule. Less-expensive housing is also an option farther north in Campbell River, the Salmon Fishing Capital of the World. Work: With over a thousand officers and enlisted men and 300 civilian support staff, CFB Comox is the region’s major employer.
Play: Despite the cold Pacific current, Tofino has become the Surf Capital of Canada.
Play: From the flat-topped Comox Glacier near Mount Washington to the sandy beaches and salmon-rich rivers at sea level, the outdoor recreation offered within an hour’s drive boggles the mind.
Culture: First Nations culture is celebrated in numerous art galleries, museums and visitor centres.
Culture: The Vancouver Island Music Festival draws folk and blues music lovers from all over North America each July.
4,000 (combined)
65,000 (Comox Valley)
3 hrs plus ferry to Vancouver
1.25 hrs plus ferry to Vancouver
1-bed ocean view condo in Ucluelet, $280,000 (MLS®: 426921)
Central Courtenay 4-bed, 2-bath house, $444,900 (MLS® 436307)
+26%
+22% Tofino.
44
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
21
Best Places to Live
Persephone Brewing Company. Photo courtesy of Destination British Columbia/Local Wanderer.
Sunshine Coast Who could possibly resist a place called the Sunshine Coast? Located a 45-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, the oceanside communities of Gibsons, Roberts Creek and Sechelt are booming, thanks, in part, to their easy access from the Lower Mainland. Farther north, affordable Powell River recorded the biggest year-over-year real estate gains in all of B.C. in 2017. Most residents live pretty much within shouting distance of Highway 101, while the rugged, Coast Range wilderness of lakes, rivers, glaciers, and mountains is accessible via boat and a network of logging roads. With its laid-back mix of small business owners, fishermen, loggers and entrepreneurs, Sunshine Coast living is like traveling back to a simpler, less-distracting time. In fact, the region’s original boom peaked almost a century ago, when Powell River was the site of the world’s largest pulp mill. Gibsons.
Residents are thirsty for the Sunshine Coast Ale Trail, which starts in Gibsons at Persephone “beer farm” (named after the salvage boat on CBC’s The Beachcombers series) and ends up in Powell River, where Townsite Brewing is located in the town’s National Historic District, one of only seven such areas in all of Canada. The latest sign of innovation in the region’s food and beverage scene is located in Gibsons, where the 101 Brewhouse and Distillery has the Sunshine Coast’s first vodka and gin distillery and Bricker Cider Company in Sechelt is making tart brew from their own orchard of 700 apple trees. Work: Towns at the south end of the Coast are starting to attract telecommuters from Vancouver who don’t need to be on site every day. Play: Sea kayaking, sailing, fishing, golf, paddleboarding, mountain biking and backcountry skiing, in addition to the 180-kilometre Sunshine Coast Trail, are a few of the area’s prized activities. Culture: Readers and writers from across the Pacific Northwest and Canada come to Sechelt for the annual Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts in mid-August.
30,000 Half-hr plus ferry to Vancouver 3-bed, 2-bath townhouse in Gibsons $479,000 (MLS® R2234910) +18% 46
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
Of course you can buy happiness
When buying or selling homes on the Sunshine Coast. Crosbymoore.com | 778 458 2080
21
Best Places to Live
Squamish A couple of years ago, this town changed its tag line from “Canada’s Outdoor Adventure Capital” to “Hardwired for Adventure.” The appeal to tech start-ups is starting to pay off: events like the annual Canadian Internet Marketing Conference brings together big thinkers from global companies like Shopify, LinkedIn and Hootsuite.
Culture: Long before axe-throwing became a hipster pastime, logging was a mainstay of the economy here, still recognized in downtown murals and each August’s Logger’s Sports Days Festival.
Squamish is a young, vibrant and growing community, proud of its forestry roots yet embracing diversification. Subdivisions like Valleycliffe are situated ideally for Vancouver-bound commuters. Community centres, sports leagues, service organizations and family-friendly programs have created a deep sense of community, despite the town’s layout into four distinct neighbourhoods: Valleycliffe, Garibaldi Highlands, Brackendale and downtown. Downtown Squamish will get a makeover, with the approval to develop a former industrial site at Nexen Beach into a vibrant oceanside village. And, of course, there are those amazing Coast Range mountains and Howe Sound waters to enjoy because, really…who wants to work on a sunny day?
4,830 sq. ft., Big views, $3,288,000.
Work: With major retail stores lining Highway 99, Squamish is a service centre for residents in Whistler and Pemberton, too. Jobs are plentiful across a wide range of industries.
20,000
Play: Since it opened in 2014, the Sea to Sky Gondola has opened up the Coast Range mountains to adventurers and tourists who go up to enjoy the view, washed down with a local craft brew.
+8% single family homes, +20% townhomes
48
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
Less than 1 hr to Vancouver
New 2-bed, 2-bath downtown condo $850,000 (MLS® R2233988)
WENTWORTH MALPASS & HUNTER Experience gorgeous views and an exciting, outdoor lifestyle. The Wentworth, Malpass & Hunter team share a myriad of knowledge for all your Squamish and Whistler real estate needs.
Tara Hunter Shawn Wentworth Personal Real Estate Corporation Tom Malpass Personal Real Estate Corporation www.wentworthmalpasshunter.com Tara 604-815-1921 l Shawn 604-379-6731 l Tom 778-866-1500
21
Best Places to Live
Pemberton’s Farmers’ Market attracts visitors to the region.
Whistler
No town in British Columbia is more dedicated to tourism and recreation than Whistler. While the mile-high mountains and endless glaciers grab headlines and Instagram likes, a workforce of 8,000-plus ensures that the resort runs smoothly. In a market heavy on short-term and entry-level jobs, full-time residents are creative in making their own work. There’s a thriving entrepreneurial class hunkered down in Function Junction, where mechanics, hair stylists, graphic designers, furniture retailers and artisans work side-by-side.
Pemberton
Pemberton is almost as far north of Whistler as Squamish is to the south, but the vibe amongst the three Sea to Sky towns could not be more different. The flat, fertile soil of the Lillooet River valley has made Pemberton seed potatoes famous, but over the past two decades an entire generation of creative growers and farmers has made “Pemby,” as the locals call it, a leading proponent of the farm-to-fork locavore movement. (Jordan Sturdy, the provincial MLA for the region, operates an organic farm nearby.)
Work: Whistler is both a great place to start your career, or to cap it off (part-time ski instructor or mountain host, perhaps?).
Work: For those not employed in Whistler, farming, tourism and small businesses dominate the job scene. Though it’s hours away from the ocean, there’s a custom surfboard shaper in town.
Play: To quote Shakespeare, “play’s the thing” here in Whistler and its very reason for existence. If there’s a sport you can’t do in the mountains, lakes, and woods north and south of town, it likely hasn’t been invented yet.
Play: With the Coast Range mountains looming directly overhead, Pemberton offers truly off-the-charts adventure, including backcountry skiing via heli drop onto nearby Mount Currie and whitewater jet boating on the Lillooet River.
Culture: The Audain Museum of Art houses one of Canada’s top private collections, and the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is a must-see for First Nations art.
Culture: The agricultural bounty of the Pemberton valley is on display every August when local farmers and merchants host Slow Food Sunday, a celebration of cycling and locally grown produce.
50
11,854
3,000
1.5 hrs to Vancouver
2 hrs to Vancouver
3-bed, 3-bath townhouse in Spring Creek, $1,399,000 (MLS® R2246623)
3-bed, 2-bath house w/ 1-bed suite in The Glen $729,000 (MLS® R2247130)
21%
20%
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
WE DESIGN AND BUILD DISTINCTIVE HOMES THAT EXPRESS THE WAY YOU LIVE. British Columbia Timberframe's building ethics and award-winning designs are the new measure of comfort, health and sustainability in home building. The world's finest timber is locally harvested to create structure and distinctive aesthetic character, while our prefabricated, all-natural building panel system encloses the home. Enjoy a healthy, pathogen-free, and energy-efficient living space that delivers warmth in the winter and a cool interior space by the heat of summer. The decisions we make to build our homes today matter for the future. Let's build better homes together.
• TIMBER FRAME • PREFABRICATED WALL & ROOF PANEL SYSTEMS • FLOOR PLANS • PROJECT MANAGEMENT • IN-HOUSE DESIGN SERVICES • PASSIVE HOUSE CERTIFICATION • ENERGY STAR QUALIFICATION
The islands of the West Coast offered up a perfect retirement location for this 1700 sq ft home. Separate double garage and its overhead rental suite built on a 650 sq ft footprint.
21
Best Places to Live
Sicamous. Darren Robinson/Shuswap Tourism
Shuswap Lake Salmon Arm Salmon Arm is the largest town in the Shuswap, conveniently situated along Highway 1 between Vancouver and Calgary. It’s a hub of year-round economic and tourism-related activity, with a vibrant downtown and easy access to the Trans-Canada Highway and regional airports in Kelowna and Kamloops facilitating business development. At the same time, Salmon Arm is an artsy, authentic place that residents are truly proud to be a part of. Work: Local tech companies do school outreach to encourage and develop STEM-oriented careers. A brand new tech building will house local start-ups, incubators and accelerators.
The collection of towns and villages along the 90-kilometre stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway from Chase to Sicamous is known as The Shuswap, named for the Coast Salish tribe that has hunted and fished here for centuries. Shuswap Lake consists of four narrow arms that stretch deep into the Monashee Mountains. Some residents enjoy country living, while others prefer pricy waterfront to dock their boats. Waterfront property can be had for as low as $400,000 on First Nations land and RV sites, while fully-serviced lots at Shuswap Lake Estates are priced just over $100,000. Work: Nearly one-fifth of the region’s full-time residents are self-employed. Easy access to the Trans-Canada Highway and regional airports in both Kelowna and Kamloops make regional business convenient.
Play: Grab a map and let your imagination run wild, with trails aplenty for walkers, cyclists and runners.
Play: Though hundreds of cottages and recreational properties dot the shoreline of Shuswap Lake, the majority of summer visitors rent fully equipped houseboats that ply the lake’s placid waters.
Culture: Big name acts on the summer festival circuit drop in to play at the Salmon Arm Roots & Blues festival, an event that attracts over 30,000 people to the region every year.
Culture: Little Shuswap and Adams Lake are the spawning grounds for literally millions of migrating salmon, celebrated annually at Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park.
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17,706
40,000 (region)
5 hrs to Vancouver
5 hrs to Vancouver
4-bed, 3-bath home in Raven, $449,000 (MLS® 10152533)
4-bed, 2.5-bath custom home in Blind Bay, $648,000 (MLS® 10141084)
+11%
+13%
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
CUSTOM, SMART, ENERGY STAR HOMES Since 2001, Green Emerald Construction develops and builds energy eďŹƒcient projects and homes in the Salmon Arm/Shuswap. Green Emerald Estates is a premium development of high quality custom homes on large .4 acre lots in Salmon Arm.
Winner of CHBA Keystone Award for energy eďŹƒciency
Phone 250-833-5855 Email office@greenemeraldinc.com Website greenemeraldinc.com May/June 2018
Right Sizing
53
21
Best Places to Live
ABOVE Birdsview of Revelstoke. Photo courtesy of City of Revelstoke / Steve Shannon BELOW Photo Courtesy Tourism Revelstoke / Bruno Long
Revelstoke Ten years ago, buzz around Revelstoke Mountain Resort (North America’s biggest vertical) kick-started a real estate boom in this scenic yet sleepy railroad town located just off the Trans-Canada Highway west of Rogers Pass. The bubble popped just three years later – almost taking the ski resort along with it – but things are better now, and single-family homes gained 20 per cent in 2017. The town’s beauty attracts a young, hip demographic looking for deep snow as much as real estate bargains. Work: Revelstoke has a surprisingly diverse economy based on forestry, tourism and transportation. More than 150 technology and knowledge workers call it home, with many newly arrived entrepreneurs creating opportunities. Play: Boulder Mountain is one of B.C.’s favourite snowmobile destinations. Culture: The Revelstoke Railway Museum tells the nation-building story of how the Canadian Pacific Railway united British Columbia with Eastern Canada.
8,000
6 hrs to Vancouver
4-bed, 3-bath home in Arrow Heights, $639,900 (MLS® 10150804)
+20% 54
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
Nelson Even though it’s halfway between Calgary and Vancouver, the West Kootenay city of Nelson could be described as B.C.’s Shangri-La, given its spectacularly inaccessible location. Remoteness is part of its appeal: the commitment required to live here means that a consistently strong real estate market doesn’t have the wild fluctuations found in more resort-oriented cities. Come summer, the beaches, bays and coves of Kootenay Lake beckon. A thriving arts, culture and entertainment scene has its roots in bohemian types who came north from the United States in the 1960s.
Live more. Spend less. Experience, integrity and outstanding client care. Come and discover the Revelstoke lifestyle. Residential | Resort | Development | Commercial
Work: Regional health care and government services guarantee highly paid, stable employment: a boon for rental-property investors. Play: “Kootenay ’kine” powder at nearby Whitewater is the driest snow in the province. Culture: The Queen City boasts some of British Columbia’s most lovingly restored heritage architecture.
10,300 8 hrs to Vancouver 4-bed, 2-bath view property $669,900 (MLS® 2427851)
+9.3%
Let me help you find the ideal property. Emily Beaumont REALTOR® 300 Mackenzie Ave, Revelstoke, BC c: 250.837.1162 o: 250.837.9544 www.royallepagerevelstoke.ca
REVELSTOKE
Welcome to Welcome to to Welcome REVELSTOKE,
BRITISH COLUMBIA. REVELSTOKE, BRITISH COLUMBIA. REVELSTOKE, BRITISH COLUMBIA.
Home to: Home to: to: Home • Remarkable hiking, running and biking trails right outside your backdoor.
• Remarkable hiking, running and and biking trailstrails rightright outside youryour backdoor. • Remarkable hiking, running biking outside backdoor. • The ski hill with the most vertical in North America - Revelstoke Mountain Resort. • The• The ski hill the most vertical in North America - Revelstoke Mountain Resort. skiwith hill with the most vertical in North America - Revelstoke Mountain Resort. • The 2017 winner of Canada’s Best Craft Brewery - Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. winner of Canada’s Brewery Mt. Begbie Brewing • The• The 20172017 winner of Canada’s BestBest CraftCraft Brewery - Mt.-Begbie Brewing Co. Co. • A wicked food, cocktail, and coffee scene. • A wicked cocktail, coffee scene. • A wicked food,food, cocktail, and and coffee scene. • One of the fastest-growing mountain communities around. • One of fastest-growing the fastest-growing mountain communities around. • One of the mountain communities around. • A thriving entrepreneurial community and two co-working spaces. • A thriving entrepreneurial community co-working spaces. • A thriving entrepreneurial community and and two two co-working spaces. • Community-wide, high-speed, fibre optic internet. • Community-wide, high-speed, fibre optic internet. • Community-wide, high-speed, fibre optic internet. • A truly wonderful place to live. • A truly wonderful to live. • A truly wonderful placeplace to live.
Revelstoke Community Revelstoke Community Revelstoke Community Economic Development Economic Development Economic Development 301 Victoria Rd W 301 Victoria 301 Victoria Rd WRd W +1.250.837.5345 +1.250.837.5345 +1.250.837.5345 revelstoke.ca/ced revelstoke.ca/ced revelstoke.ca/ced May/June 2018
Right Sizing
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Best Places to Live
Fernie/Sparwood/ Crowsnest With a high percentage of both unionized mining jobs and entrepreneurial enterprises, Fernie is a small-town success story. Nestled in the snowy Elk Range about three hours south of Calgary, its economy benefits from a major Teck coal mine in Sparwood that exports coal (via rail) to China. Many Calgary professionals own second homes here and telecommute, especially during winter. Fernie Alpine Resort welcomes powder-seekers from around the world. There’s historically been a lot of on-mountain real estate investment from skiers from the U.K., and there’s plenty of work in the construction trades up and down the Elk River valley. Work: Coal has been dug out of the vast Crowsnest field since 1897 and currently there are five open pit mines in operation. Play: Skiing and snowboarding are the major attraction in winter, but fly fishing on the Elk River is some of B.C.’s finest, especially during hatching season. Culture: The refurbished heritage buildings downtown house retail stores, government services, professional offices and a funky local museum.
56
Aerial of Fernie.
Rossland/Trail Situated on the banks of the Columbia River, Trail and Rossland are economically tied to hydroelectric dams that power the nearby lead and zinc smelter. Teck is still the town’s major employer, but the town is making a serious effort at economic diversification. Historically, mine managers and other professionals lived up the hill in Rossland, and were instrumental in developing the ski hill at Red Mountain. New owner Howard Katkov is dedicated to creating a skiing and snowboarding experience aimed more at hard-core lovers of the sport. Much-needed real estate development has come to the base of the mountain, as well. Work: Trail’s innovative Downtown High-Speed Optic Fibre Network offers tech start-ups and accelerators blazing upload and download speeds, ISP hosting services and data storage. Play: Downhill and cross-country skiing, mountain biking and whitewater kayaking keep adrenaline junkies entertained. Culture: Narrow walkways, hand-chiselled stone walls and covered staircases (over a kilometre long!) lead you to Little Italy, one of B.C.’s most unique neighbourhoods.
9,000
18,000 (region)
11 hrs to Vancouver
8 hrs to Vancouver
3-bed, 2-bath house near Fernie Alpine Resort, $649,000 (MLS® 2423219)
4-bed, 2-bath house in Warfield, $298,000 (MLS® 2425718)
+7.5%
+10%
Right Sizing
May/June 2018
21 Columbia Valley/Golden to Radium Hot Springs Perhaps no community feels the change in seasons quite like the Columbia Valley. In winter, it truly is ‘locals only,’ with a smattering of international skiers at Kicking Horse and Panorama Resort. From Victoria Day to Labour Day, the floodgates open and millions of travellers pass through Golden en route to the Coast, or head south at Castle Mountain Junction to weekend retreats on or near Lake Windermere. These sun-seeking Albertans have driven up real estate, especially on waterfront properties, to stratospheric prices. Farther north, Golden is surprisingly affordable. Work: Golden is very much a forest industry town although it’s also an affordable housing alternative for managers and employees at the many backcountry lodges just a short heli-drop away. The Radium and Invermere economy is almost entirely tourism based. Play: More exotic activities include paragliding in Golden and Invermere, and, surprisingly, some of the best birdwatching in all of B.C. in the Columbia Valley. Culture: Natural and human history are on display through the majestic grandeur of Canada’s three national parks located east and west of the Columbia Mountains.
Best Places to Live
Kimberley/ Cranbrook Rugged Rocky Mountain peaks, more than 2,500 hours of sunshine annually, freshwater lakes and rivers plus a new airport with frequent flight connections to Calgary, Vancouver and Kelowna: the twin towns of Cranbrook and Kimberley are ready for takeoff. Located at the junction of three major highways, Cranbrook has the Canadian Rockies International Airport, the College of the Canadian Rockies, 10 public schools and two private schools. A half-hour up the road, Kimberley has been reinventing itself since the closure of the Sullivan Mine in the 1990s, but its Bavarian-style platzl main street is a nice place to quaff a cold one on a sunny summer day. Work: Cranbrook and Kimberley are ready to roll out the red carpet for entrepreneurs. Play: Several outstanding 18-hole championship golf courses are nearby, including Trickle Creek, St. Eugene and Wildstone. Culture: The St. Eugene Resort and Casino marks the successful transformation from an Indian Residential School into a positive healing environment and internationally renowned resort.
3,500
40,000 (combined)
10 hrs to Vancouver
10 hrs to Vancouver
5-bed, 3-bath home close to downtown Golden, $539,500 (MLS® 2424321)
5-bed, 2-bath rancher near downtown, $329,000 (MLS® 2428033)
+11%
+5% Family walking in the Platzl in Kimberley. Photo courtesy of Destination BC/Kari Medig
May/June 2018
Right Sizing
57
Mark Z. Jacobson’s energy efficient home. Photo courtesy of BONE Structure.
The Future is Passive B.C.’s greenest builders are cutting down on heating and cooling needs, for huge energy savings. By Kirsten Rodenhizer The homes at Green Emerald Estates resemble classic country luxury abodes. Perched on roomy almost half-acre lots in Salmon Arm overlooking Shuswap Lake, they have multi-car garages, high ceilings and custom kitchens. Tasteful timberwork and stone complement the landscape, while wide windows soak up serene lake and mountain views. Under the hood, they’re different. The interior spaces are amazingly toasty, airtight and humidity-free, thanks to highly insulated walls built from pre-fabricated structural insulated panels (SIPs) and basements built from insulated concrete forms. A mechanical system brings in fresh air, recapturing heat that would otherwise vent outdoors. The result is a structure that’s vastly more efficient than the average B.C. dwelling.
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Yet Green Emerald’s homes sell for between $800,000 and $900,000, no more than other lake-view luxury properties in the region. Their efficiency adds only a tiny percentage to the price, says Gary Arsenault, owner of Green Emerald Construction, the Energy Star-certified builder. If anything, it’s a selling features. In a 2017 survey by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, three top homebuyer must-have features were energy-efficient windows, appliances and overall performance. Arsenault sees increasing consumer demand for green-energy technologies such as solar panels, too, but heating and cooling are the biggest household energy guzzler, accounting for 53 per cent of home energy use in B.C. “Let’s say solar panels are going to save you 30 per cent on your energy costs. If I
insulate the house properly, and I insulate underneath the basement slab, I’m going to save you 30 per cent on your energy costs for far less money,” says Arsenault.
The Passive House The ultimate extension of this concept is the Passive House, or Passivhaus, a German standard that has become increasingly common here: there are 34 Passive House-certified buildings in B.C. (singleand multi-family), with many more getting underway within the next year. Superinsulated walls and tight sealing reduce the energy needed for heating and cooling by up to 90 per cent. They’re so airtight, and so efficient at conserving heat from the sun and other “passive” sources (including light fixtures, working appliances and warm
The Original Celebrating 70 Years of Building Family Memories Together www.panabode.com 1.800.665.0660
bodies) that a heating system may not be needed at all. A heat-recovery ventilation (HRV) system brings and circulates fresh air, capturing and letting off heat as needed. Passive House technology pairs well with other green-building measures. British Columbia Timberframe Co., based in Squamish, constructs Passive House-certified and energy-efficient timber homes across B.C. To achieve extreme energy-efficiency without foam or plastic, the company imports a natural wood fiberboard from Germany and pre-fabricates wall panels in its local factory, packing them with spun-glass insulation made from recycled bottles.
Heating and cooling are the biggest household energy guzzler, accounting for 53 per cent of home energy use in B.C. “The beautiful part about prefab is that the house is up and out of the weather in a very short time,” says company owner Kelvin Mooney. There is also little to no construction waste onsite, and labour costs are lower due to the shorter building time.
Next Level: Net Zero What about getting rid of a power bill altogether? That’s going net zero, which means adding a renewable energy source in order to produce as much energy as a house consumes, for everything from heating and cooling to lighting, gadgets and appliances. Quebec-based prefab company Bone Structure designs and builds super-efficient and net-zero homes, with around 40 projects underway in B.C. The company eschews woodframe construction in favour of steel posts and beams. Using computer modelling to design and quantify components down to the last screw, it ships its frames in numbered pieces that clip together for speedy and nearly waste-free assembly. “It’s a mixture of something like a Meccano electric toy set and Lego,” says Bone Structure president and CEO Marc Bovet.
TOP Photo courtesy of BONE Structure. ABOVE BC Timberframe Energy Star Certified Home. Photo courtesy Allen Jones / Ace Film.
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Between their super-high levels of insulation, HRV tech, airtight sealing and meticulous designs to capture passive heat, Bone Structure homes need little more than a small crop of solar panels to go net zero. The company recently built a 3,200-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom house on California’s Stanford University campus for American renewable-energy expert Mark Z. Jacobson. Outfitted with rooftop solar panels and Tesla battery packs, the home runs entirely on electricity, even powering two Tesla cars. “After three months of usage, the hydro company would owe him $900. So he’s not net-zero: he’s positive,” Bovet says. Net-zero homes may well be the new normal soon. “Up to 50 per cent of the world’s energy is consumed in heating and cooling buildings. In the balance of things, if our buildings were better-designed, and integrated with what Mother Nature has to offer us… guess what: you could solve the energy crisis very rapidly,” says Bovet. Photo courtesy of BONE Structure
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Kelowna: Boom Town
1151 SUNSET DRIVE
Thinking of a move? Current developments in Kelowna and area provide an inspirational starting point for your Okanagan dream, no matter what type of home or lifestyle you prefer.
24 KELOWNA
WHAT Townhome and two-bedroom condos from $569,900 to over $1-million, from 1,154–2,157 square feet. WHERE Lakefront, near Waterfront Park and the Cultural District. WHEN Condos projected for fall 2018. 1151sunset.com
WHAT A 24-storey tower with 207 units. WHERE Bernard Avenue and Ellis Street, in the heart of downtown. WHEN In preconstruction. aquilinidevelopment.com/project_24kelowna.php
By Right Sizing Staff
3X3 KELOWNA WHAT Studio and one- and two-bedroom high-rise condos The Okanagan has long been the summer playground of Western Canada and an aspiring Napa North for fans of the wine-country lifestyle. In the last decade or so, the arrival of the UBC Okanagan campus plus Disney and other tech companies has brought an infusion of new full- and part-time residents — and the airport and infrastructure upgrades to make it all possible. According to the 2016 census, Kelowna is the fastest-growing urban area in B.C.
starting from low $300,000. WHERE Glenmore neighbourhood. WHEN In preconstruction. ocorpltd.com/developments/3x3
AQUA WHAT A resort community with 400 condo units. 2 & 3 bedroom living from $679,900. WHERE On 6.25 waterfront acres in Lower Mission (Aqua Marine Valet location). WHEN In preconstruction.
For links to all 27 developments, go to www.rightsizingmedia.com/Developers Photo courtesy TourismKelowna.com
missiongroup.ca/aqua-marine-valet/about-us
CADENCE AT THE LAKES WHAT Adult (45+) community of ranch-style homes from $572,900–$749,900, from 1,250–3,200 square feet. WHERE Lake Country, 15 minutes north of Kelowna. WHEN Now selling. cadencekelowna.com
CENTRAL GREEN WHAT 55 heritage-inspired studio to three-bedroom condos from the mid $400s. WHERE Downtown at Harvey and Richter Streets. WHEN Now selling: Urbana, the third and last phase in the Central Green community. centralgreen.ca
DIAMOND MOUNTAIN WHAT Condos, townhomes and single-family homes. WHERE North Glenmore area. WHEN In preconstruction. diamondmountain.ca
ELLA WHAT Concrete condominium tower with 116 two and three-bedroom units from $679,900. WHERE Ellis and Lawrence Streets downtown. WHEN Completion in 2020. liveatella.com
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GRANITE AT M C KINLEY BEACH
PROSPECT AT BLACK MOUNTAIN
WHAT 118 condos and townhomes in the $399,900–$500,000
WHAT 240 mountaintop homes: lots from $264,900–$300,000-
range, from 1,078–1,371 square feet. WHERE Lakefront a 15-minute
plus. WHERE Southeast of where Highways 33 and 97 meet.
drive north of downtown, within Kelowna city limits. WHEN Now
WHEN Lots now selling. prospectkelowna.com
selling, under construction. graniteatmckinley.com
GYRO BEACH TOWNHOMES
SAFFRON WHAT 20 single-family homes and nine duplexes on a six-acre
WHAT Executive townhomes with 2–4 bedrooms and garages,
site, 1,460–1,817 square feet, $579,500 and up. WHERE East
starting at $905,000. WHERE Sales centre at 3510 Landie Road,
Kelowna, at Hollywood and Juniper Roads. WHEN Under construc-
a block from Gyro Beach in South Kelowna. WHEN Now selling
tion. rbconstructionltd.com
phases 2 and 3. gyrobeach.ca
LAKESTONE
SOHO KELOWNA WHAT 92 one- to three-bedroom condos from $159,900. WHERE
WHAT Single-family home sites in Waterside, Benchland or
South Kelowna, Hollywood Road and Highway 33. WHEN In pre-
Highland communities, starting at $242,000. WHERE Lake Country,
construction. sohokelowna.com
north of Kelowna. WHEN Selling now. lakestoneliving.com
M C KINLEY BEACH
SOPA SQUARE
WHAT Single-family homes and condos from $255,000, from
WHAT Tower with 101 one- to three-bedroom units; townhomes
1,493–1,770 square feet. WHERE Lakefront a 15-minute drive north
(1,464 to 1,668 square feet priced at $786,900 to over $900,000).
of downtown, within Kelowna city limits. WHEN In preconstruction.
WHERE South Pandosy neighbourhood. WHEN Selling now.
mckinleybeach.ca
sopasquare.ca, aquilinidevelopment.com
ONE WATER STREET
THE RANCH AT TOWER RANCH
WHAT West Tower has studio to three-bedroom units over 29 sto-
WHAT Single family lots starting at $219,900. Homes of 2430
reys, including townhomes and a sub-penthouse. 50% of homes
square feet, starting at $689,900. WHERE Tower Ranch Golf &
are under $500,000. WHERE Lakefront location right downtown.
Country Club area, southeast of Kelowna International Airport.
WHEN Preconstruction, selling now. East Tower currently under
WHEN Now selling. dilworthhomes.com/our-communities/
construction. onewaterstreet.ca, kerkhoff.ca
tower-ranch
OSPREY LANDING AT PANDOSY VILLAGE
TALLGRASS RIDGE
WHAT 48 one- and two- bedroom condos from 722–1,237 square
feet, starting in the low $800,000’s. WHERE Part of the Tow-
feet. WHERE South Kelowna’s well-established Pandosy Village.
er Ranch community. WHEN Now selling. dilworthhomes.com/
WHEN In preconstruction. ospreylandingkelowna.com
our-communities/tallgrass-ridge
PREDATOR RIDGE
TOWER RANCH
WHAT One of the most established resort communities in the
WHAT Single family lots starting at $219,900. Homes of 2430
region, (over 1,200 acres) with more than 700 homes with 100 new
square feet, starting at $689,900. WHERE Tower Ranch Golf &
homes (around $649,000 and up) for sale.
Country Club area, southeast of Kelowna International Airport
WHERE North on Highway 97, near Vernon. WHEN Now selling. predatorridge.com
WHEN Now selling. dilworthhomes.com/our-communities/ tower-ranch
WHAT Semi-detached three-bedroom townhomes, 2807 square
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online For more Right Sizing media content, visit us online. At rightsizingmedia.com, you’ll find: • • • • • • • • • •
Up-to-date industry news/blogs All our existing stories A free digital version of the publication A resource section A list of BC communities City and/or Economic Development Offices New Developments Local community realtors Builders Search by geographic regions
Join our enewsletter to find: • New regional listing updates • Weekly rightsizing updates • Industry expert columns • Market trends
Wilden.
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS WHAT More than 200 single-family homes, lots (most 6,000–8,000 square feet) from $220,000. WHERE Close to UBC Okanagan. WHEN Now selling. ovationhomes.ca/about-university-heights
VERT WHAT Six-storey building with 134 units, starting under $300,000. WHERE Lower Mission, part of Green Square community. WHEN
Join our social media groups on: • Facebook • Linkedin • Instagram • Twitter
Now selling, completion expected 2020. greensquare.ca, troikadevelopments.com
WEST HARBOUR WHAT 225 single-family homes and duplexes, in a resort-style community. WHERE On the lakefront in West Kelowna. WHEN In preconstruction. westharbourkelowna.com
WILDEN WHAT Master-planned development of 2,800 single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes. Building lots from $250,000 to $650,000. WHERE Rocky Point lakeside neighbourhood, north of downtown. WHEN Four builders and five showhomes now active. wilden.ca
WILLOW LANE WHAT Four single-family home lots in a boutique community. Only three remaining. Lots from $449,900. WHERE Old Glenmore. WHEN Now selling. dilworthhomes.com/our-communities/ willow-land
Information was correct at time of publication; prices and offerings change quickly, so check websites and information centres for the latest development news. 64
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Right Sizing Your Life Whether you favour a Japanese-influenced Marie Kondo purge or an artfully Swedish cleanse, downsizing your belongings can give you a fresh outlook on life. By Lucy Hyslop
Throwing up freestanding shelves in a bathtub to accommodate yet more stuff – albeit hidden behind a shower curtain – felt like the last straw. My octogenarian mom was already guilty at the time of struggling to throw away anything, even to the extreme point of collecting stacks of flimsy wooden baskets each time she bought focaccia from her local store (“They might be useful for the grandchildren”) and hoarding empty jam jars (sure, she makes marmalade, but not that much). Threatening to turn the bathroom into a makeshift storage locker a few years ago was a lightbulb moment. She was freighted with stuff: it was slowing her down, taking up her time and most importantly making her anxious. With uncharacteristic brio, she put her four-bedroom single-family home on the market just before that Christmas and went shopping for a two-bedroom condo to free herself from a lifetime of bargain hunting, four children’s furniture and an attic full of dead-relative gear dumped on her and my late father over the decades. Beyond recycling those bread containers and jars and the forced mathematics of sieving 2,000 square feet into a right-sized 700, the shedding happily continues today. Through an innate, and undoubtedly liberating dostadning (the wonderful Swedish hybrid word meaning death and cleaning and the inspiration behind the book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter), she now makes constant lists and calls to action. Who is best suited to 66
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receive a few bits of heirloom furniture and china? Check. Who in the family might want some jewellery right now, pieces outside the trinkets she needs in her more limited social whirl? Check. Which local charity store will be happy for the leftovers after a quick sort out of towels and bed linens she really wants? Check… The positive lightening of her load and taking responsibility for life, while she’s on earth and after she’s gone, has meant freedom: more time to use the local cinema like it was her TV, play bridge, practice her yoga and tai chi and to go to arts-appreciation talks. Most importantly, she is generally less stressed about having “stuff” all around her and has fewer worries about what we may all say once she’s gone (“Just how many scarves/sweaters/glasses/rings does one need?”). And it’s certainly rubbing off on me. No matter what your age, feeling like you’ve brought some order to the stuff invariably collected over time, and jettisoned it off to new homes or people, makes us feel like less of a burden. It’s been a good reminder of the chuckout-three-things-a-day rule and turning to a Marie Kondo-esque style of tidying up. The bestselling Japanese author of the KonMari method encourages people to focus on what to keep rather than what to chuck, based on whether it “sparks joy” in your life. Just be warned: once you start clearing, you’ll soon be joyously proselytizing that can’t-take-it-with-you philosophy to anyone willing to listen.
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