British Columbia is mouth-wateringly beautiful. Clear skies, beautiful scenery and a low population density (1,434 per square mile) are combining to make the Kelowna real estate market hot, hot, hot, with a huge lack of inventory. For people toying with putting their homes up for sale, now would be a good time to take the plunge.
What is driving this interest in property? Perhaps it is the long, meandering Lake Okanagan passing through the city. The province is on the west coast of Canada. Kelowna, aka Orchard City or K-town, is in the middle of BC on a line of latitude that bisects Vancouver Island.
The first Europeans to settle here were from France. They came in the middle of the 19th century. It was nearly half a century before the city was incorporated, in 1905. The area has cold, cloudy winters and dry, sunny summers and enjoys four obvious seasons. This is described by weather experts as humid continental climate. Famous figures from here include cyclist Axel Merck, Olympic rower, Scott Frandsen, and Josh Gorges, professional hockey player.
A large chunk of the local economy is financed by tourism. Visitors come for hiking, golf, boating and cycling in the warmer months of late spring and summer, while it is Alpine and Nordic skiers who take their vacations here in winter, staying at the nearby resorts of Silver Star and Big White. There is plenty to do here all year round. Historic attractions include the Benvoulin Heritage Church, the Laurel Building and Father Pandosy Mission. Wine country, of course is popular with tourists and there are various social events throughout the year with wine at the center.
The town is completely surrounded by huge nature reserves, placing it at the center of a huge oxygen factory. Greystone and Trepanier protected areas form the east-west axis of tranquility, while Fintry and Myra-Bellevue provincial parks form the south-north.
Locally-produced wines have received recognition at the international level. Vineyards are clustered in the south of the region, where the climate is ideal for growing grapes. The Okanagan Mountain Park fire destroyed two of these wineries in 2003. These have since been rebuilt. USA Today dubbed the area one of the 10 best wine regions to visit in 2014.
The city is also home to a popular soft drink manufacturer. The city is also home to two institutions of higher learning, the University of British Columbia, home to 8,000 students, and Okanagan College, which boasts 5,000 students. Faculties at the Okanagan campus of UBC include Creative and Critical Studies, Education, Applied Science, Health and Social Development, Management and Medicine.
There are organizations that quantify key indicators of quality of life in cities all over the world. Here, Kelowna comes out looking very attractive. Factors that should be low are low (crime, pollution, traffic and property price to income ratio) and positive characteristics that should be high, are high. These are purchasing power, health care and safety. The property price to income ratio is a key indicator in real estate. A low ratio means that keeping a roof over a person's head does not gobble up a huge amount of the monthly paycheck. A high ratio means the opposite. Low is good.
The town has been immortalized on the silver screen. Both Shed and Shed 2, snowboarding films, were both shot at Big White ski resort, as was the cult thriller/horror/comedy/zombie film, Fido. The latter film was set in the 1950s and involved a cloud of cosmic radiation that turned the dead into the nearly dead.
Public bus transportation exists, but it is well trumped by the city's love for the automobile. More than two-thirds of toxic emissions are caused by the over-dependence of this town on motoring.
It is easy to see why property here is so much in demand. It is a delightful place to live. Even crime seems limited to events where liquor is available. It is a haven for nature-lovers and has a very high quality of life overall. It is a peaceful community. Because of the massive demand for housing, it is a good time to sell. On the other hand, as the area's popularity continues to grow, this is also a good time to invest in Kelowna property.
What is driving this interest in property? Perhaps it is the long, meandering Lake Okanagan passing through the city. The province is on the west coast of Canada. Kelowna, aka Orchard City or K-town, is in the middle of BC on a line of latitude that bisects Vancouver Island.
The first Europeans to settle here were from France. They came in the middle of the 19th century. It was nearly half a century before the city was incorporated, in 1905. The area has cold, cloudy winters and dry, sunny summers and enjoys four obvious seasons. This is described by weather experts as humid continental climate. Famous figures from here include cyclist Axel Merck, Olympic rower, Scott Frandsen, and Josh Gorges, professional hockey player.
A large chunk of the local economy is financed by tourism. Visitors come for hiking, golf, boating and cycling in the warmer months of late spring and summer, while it is Alpine and Nordic skiers who take their vacations here in winter, staying at the nearby resorts of Silver Star and Big White. There is plenty to do here all year round. Historic attractions include the Benvoulin Heritage Church, the Laurel Building and Father Pandosy Mission. Wine country, of course is popular with tourists and there are various social events throughout the year with wine at the center.
The town is completely surrounded by huge nature reserves, placing it at the center of a huge oxygen factory. Greystone and Trepanier protected areas form the east-west axis of tranquility, while Fintry and Myra-Bellevue provincial parks form the south-north.
Locally-produced wines have received recognition at the international level. Vineyards are clustered in the south of the region, where the climate is ideal for growing grapes. The Okanagan Mountain Park fire destroyed two of these wineries in 2003. These have since been rebuilt. USA Today dubbed the area one of the 10 best wine regions to visit in 2014.
The city is also home to a popular soft drink manufacturer. The city is also home to two institutions of higher learning, the University of British Columbia, home to 8,000 students, and Okanagan College, which boasts 5,000 students. Faculties at the Okanagan campus of UBC include Creative and Critical Studies, Education, Applied Science, Health and Social Development, Management and Medicine.
There are organizations that quantify key indicators of quality of life in cities all over the world. Here, Kelowna comes out looking very attractive. Factors that should be low are low (crime, pollution, traffic and property price to income ratio) and positive characteristics that should be high, are high. These are purchasing power, health care and safety. The property price to income ratio is a key indicator in real estate. A low ratio means that keeping a roof over a person's head does not gobble up a huge amount of the monthly paycheck. A high ratio means the opposite. Low is good.
The town has been immortalized on the silver screen. Both Shed and Shed 2, snowboarding films, were both shot at Big White ski resort, as was the cult thriller/horror/comedy/zombie film, Fido. The latter film was set in the 1950s and involved a cloud of cosmic radiation that turned the dead into the nearly dead.
Public bus transportation exists, but it is well trumped by the city's love for the automobile. More than two-thirds of toxic emissions are caused by the over-dependence of this town on motoring.
It is easy to see why property here is so much in demand. It is a delightful place to live. Even crime seems limited to events where liquor is available. It is a haven for nature-lovers and has a very high quality of life overall. It is a peaceful community. Because of the massive demand for housing, it is a good time to sell. On the other hand, as the area's popularity continues to grow, this is also a good time to invest in Kelowna property.
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