Dispatches

A Towering Development

In the works since 2002 (when Intrawest envisioned golfcourse homes on Tower-family ranch lands on the east of Kelowna), Tower Ranch is a vibrant reality today. With the Tower Ranch Golf and Country Club as a hub since 2007, Dilworth Homes move-in ready Express Homes, custom homes and semi-detached town home communities like Tallgrass Ridge have been thoughtfully developed. Now, Solstice at Tower Ranch is selling its final phase; watch for Kuipers Peak at South Ridge offerings coming up this year. dilworthhomes.com, solsticetowerranch.com

Photo: Tower Ranch

Buy here

Average assessed single-family home value in Kelowna: $650,000 (+3%).*

Dispatches

Trail. Photo: Wikipedia

A West Kootenay Gem

Where can you still buy a home in B.C. for around $250,000, find worldclass sport fishing, ski at Red Mountain Resort in winter and hike or bike hundreds of kilometres of single track? Trail is that Kootenay gem, where we recently spotted several listings around the $250,000 mark, including three-bedroom and quaint vintage homes. The Teck Resources plant there is one of the world’s largest zinc and lead smelting and refining facilities—and a source of many great, well-paying local jobs. trail.ca

Buy here

2020 average assessed single-family home value in Trail: $230,000 (+12%).*

Columbia Valley Rediscovered

Long the playground of vacationing Albertans, the Columbia Valley region of the East Kootenay is being discovered by a new generation of B.C.’s urban expats, who no longer need to work in city offices. Spectacular mountain settings, world-class recreational opportunities and affordable homes are all part of the draw. Local buzz has it Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, a jewel of the region (and one B.C.’s top fly-in communities with its own airstrip) may be eyeing a revitalization in the future. columbiavalley.com, rdek.bc.ca

Buy here

A paraglider over Mt. Swansea in Invermere. Photo: Destination BC/Kari Medig

Average assessed single-family home value in Invermere: $418,000 (+3%) and Cranbrook: $327,000 (+6%).*

How House-building Costs Stack Up

According to data from Altus Group, which provides technology solutions to the real-estate industry, building a single-family home in a major Canadian city can cost from $90 to $260 a square foot, for a stock home plan build from a production builder. Custom builds can range from $250 to more than $1,000 per square foot. Builders like Discovery Dream Homes also offer packaged custom homes nationally. altusgroup.com/services/ reports/2020-canadian-cost-guide, discoverydreamhomes.com >>

Home Type Production Single-Family Home (Stock Home Plans) Custom-Built Single-Family Vancouver area $145 - $260/sq ft $430 - $1090/sq ft Calgary $125 - $185/sq ft $405 - $860/sq ft Edmonton $130 - $185/sq ft $405 - $860/sq ft Winnipeg $125 - $190/sq ft $410 - $860/sq ft Toronto/GTA $115 - $215/sq ft $400 - $900/sq ft Ottawa/Gatineau $120 - $195/sq ft $435 - $910/sq ft Montreal $105 - $180/sq ft $390 - $800/sq ft Halifax $90 - $150/sq ft $250 - $500/sq ft

Source: Altus Group 2020 Canadian Cost Guide. Packaged custom home.

Buy here Average assessed single-family home value in City of Langley: $838,000 (+4%); Township of Langley: $986,000 (+7%).*

Photo: districtwinevillage.com

One-stop Sip, Snack and Shop

A few kilometres north of Oliver, Canada’s first “wine village” opens this summer: a hub of tasting rooms (for wine, beer and even craft spirits), patios, shops and entertainment. District Wine Village, the vision of Penticton-based Greyback Construction (which has built many area wineries), will also host a weekly farmers market and in winter, a skating rink. District, which is based on similar wine-country hubs in California and Washington, will eventually hold a dozen producers. districtwinevillage.com

Buy here Average assessed single-family home value in Oliver: $416,000 (+7%).*

Passport to Safe Summer Tasting

If safe local travel in the interior of B.C. is on your summer itinerary, the Okanagan Wine Passport can save around $300 on wine-tasting costs. For $55, it gives the holder access to a complimentary tasting at 35 wineries in the Okanagan Valley: from Lake Country to Kelowna and West Kelowna; from Peachland and Summerland to Penticton and Naramata; and south from Kaleden and Okanagan Falls to Oliver and Osoyoos. Always verify local travel rules and winery policies around reservations and booking. Buy now: available in limited quantities. uncorkbc.com

Buy here Average assessed single-family home value in West Kelowna: $632,000 (+4%).*

Global Trends: Home Prices

According to Global Property Guide, hot Canadian housing prices still barely crack the global top 20 for growth over the last five years. Check out more stats at globalpropertyguide.com.

City/Country

Auckland, New Zealand Berlin, Germany Columbo, Sri Lanka Lisbon, Portugal Valleta, Malta Luxembourg Iceland Prague, Czech Republic Bratislava, Slovakia Amsterdam, Netherlands Tallinn, Estonia Dublin, Ireland Zagreb, Croatia Ljubljana, Slovenia Bucharest, Romania Toronto, Canada Sophia, Bulgaria Beijing, China Warsaw, Poland Tokyo, Japan 5 Year Growth in Home Price*

47.84% 47.6% 42.45% 42.11% 41.89% 41.28% 38.42% 37.75% 36.52% 33.64% 33.60% 31.38% 30.66% 30.13% 28.86% 28.65% 28.29% 26.10% 25.57% 24.97%

*Adjusted for inflation. Source: globalpropertyguide.com/home-price-trends Photo: Joe Hepburn/Unsplash

The Right Kind of Care

Pandemic headlines over the past year created concern about residences for older Canadians. Many hotspots were in longterm care facilities, defined as housing for seniors who need 24-7 help and care. A seniors or retirement home, on the other hand, is a residence for older Canadians who live quite independently, though medical and housekeeping services may be offered. In addition, many lifestyle communities in B.C. are “55plus” developments, with active residents and communities of people at the same stage of life. Check our database for listings: rightsizingmedia.com/resources/retirement

Search here Our comprehensive senior-living database includes 125 communities in B.C.

The New Bedroom Communities

No longer does living in a bedroom community mean driving to a landlocked suburb. From Horseshoe Bay to Britannia, Furry Creek and Squamish; and from Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast to Bowen, Gambier, Keats and other Howe Sound islands; today’s Vancouveradjacent living options have water views and short commutes. If the Howe Sound Biosphere Initiative succeeds in supporting the region’s application to become a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it will become a global blueprint for conservation, First Nations reconciliation and sustainable development. howesoundbri.org

Buy here

2020 average assessed single-family home value in Squamish: $1,026,000 (+10%).*