Unsure where to go
 

My wife and I have decided to settle in BC, and we're just about to send off our application forms, but we're having serious trouble trying to settle on somewhere to live.

Our plan centres on selling our home and using the £100,000 equity to buy a three or four-bedroom place in Canada, preferably with a decent-sized garden of up to an acre, outright. Our budget rules out anywhere around Vancouver, and we decided that living in the Okanaghan, Kamloops or Kootenay areas would leave us stuck in a relatively small house when we could get much more for our money further afield. Vancouver Island is nice, but I've read a lot about how it's full of tourists every summer, and how hard it can be to get a ferry to the mainland as a result.

After much thought we focused on northern BC, and Prince George in particular, simply because it looked like a reasonably-sized city with enough amenities and property prices that meant we could live in a large house mortgage free. However, looking at previous posts, I discovered that forum members have a very low opinion of PG.

So, does anybody have any suggestions about where we should be heading? We're going on a research trip next summer, and want to narrow down our options? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Re: Unsure where to go
 

If you are about to lodge your application you have lots of time to decide where you want to live. If you are concerned about what to put on the form don't stress too much about this. They will not make you live in the place you put on the form should you change your mind.

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Hi,

This would be quite a serious quandry.

Vancouver: real estate pretty much out of your budget as described.
Vancouver Island: similar to above price wise and yes very busy with tourists on the season.
Okanagan: rapidly rising real estate prices putting homes of your description out of reach. Serious issue for locals entering the market too. Also very busy with tourists on the season. Vernon is cheaper, also check out Salmon Arm for cheaper real estate prices.
Kootenays: cheaper than above, less strong economy but real estate will be more in reach, though maybe not to a buy-outright level.
Northern BC: real estate within reach but less economy unless farming/fishing, weather can be harsh in winter (compare todays weather to the Interior or Lower Mainland).
Prince George: mixed vibes, very much a logging hub, not pretty, quite 'rustic' , weather harsher, real estate cheaper.
Prince Rupert: have heard good things about this place, but not much industry really, real estate cheaper but weather gets arctic outflows coming down the coast. Again, check weather temps mid winter.
Also some smaller commun ities on the coast consisting of lapsed fishing economies, semi-aboriginal communities, and primary industry hubs on the verge of closure, many propped up by public funding.

Not an easy call if you are looking at a mixture of 'cheaper' real estate with a good location, amenable weather and something to do/work at within reach.

There are places in BC if you don't mind the harsher weather, don't need the stores, malls and creature comforts and would prefer a slower more rustic pace of life ? Depends how you feel you could adapt - certainly not everyones cup of tea, but some of these towns are far friendlier and have more community focus than some of the bigger conurbations. Even Kelowna, with it's upmarket 'happening' vibe, can be harsh and less feriendly due to the increasing sprawl and fact that 25% or so of 'locals' haven't got local roots.

Hope this helps, my meagre 2c.

Rich.

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Remember there is more to life than just the house - and Kamloops expensive - it depends where you live here. Barnhartvale will give you a lot of land for your Mony while Rosehill will leave you with a big mortguage on top. Rayleigh is out of town (15mins) and average prace about $200,000 - $300,000 all with good plots or Juniper ridge with a reasonable plot you can have your own built.

Prince George is more logging and can be good and cold in winter - your choice but dont forget to look at culture, work opportunities, weather, etc... along with the house price.

Having moved to Kamloops I am a little biased as that is where I felt the best place to go would be - I am sure others on here feel that the place they chose is the best :D

Re: Unsure where to go
 

According to Environment Canada's Weather Winners Website, Prince Rupert has the dubious distinction of being Canada's wettest, cloudiest, least sunny and coolest summer city.

Rain per year: 2468 mm
Average afternoon highs June, July and August: 15.7C
Most wet days: 239.7
Least sunshine year round: 1229 hours.
Cloudiest skies year round: 6145.7 hours.

Not exactly like the sunny south, i.e. Vancouver or the interior.

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Urk, nasty .....apparently Rupert has a burgeoning arts and culture scene and a booming tourism sector.

Enough of a trade off ?

Methinks not. :(

Rich.

Re: Unsure where to go
 

My wife knows a South African couple whose child is allergic to sunshine (not a word of a lie!) After a lot of research they moved to Prince Rupert because it was the least sunny place they could find on the planet!

Vancouver and Sunny in the same sentence...never thought I would live to see the day!

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Thanks very much for that information. We'll keep looking on the net, this forum, etc, and hopefully our research trip - driving north from Vancouver to Prince George and stopping off at various towns along the route - will give us a better idea of where we should be headed.

I don't know about other people, but we've found it hard trying to settle on a town that's a compromise between what we dream of (a four-bedroom in West Vancouver!) and what we can actually afford. While we're hoping for a decent-sized home, we're not stuck on the idea so much that we want to live in the middle of nowhere just so we can have an acre or two of land.

Surely (fingers crossed!) there's somewhere between Vancouver and PG that has affordable housing, some nice scenery and an economy where there's a reasonable chance of getting a job. We're not looking for paradise, just somewhere pleasant to call home. Here's hoping...

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Just curious why you are so focused on BC at the expense of the rest of this fantastic country?

Re: Unsure where to go
 

We heard about that couple in news, nice they could find a place that suited them. I'm afraid that would be the only reason I would move to Prince Rupert. No disrespect to those who do live there.

Here are some interesting sunshine facts about Vancouver, talk about confusing.

It ranks only 47th in Canada for most sunny days in the warm months June, July and August. Yet it ranks 11th for most clear skies in the summer June, July and August.:confused:
Ranks 10th for the cloudiest skies year round and 9th in the rainiest city sweepstakes.:)

Cheers
Steve

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Having said all that, when it’s warm and dry (granted not often) I’d say its one of the most beautiful cities in Canada…

But scenery can’t be eaten!

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Figure out where your highest chance of getting a job would be - then move there! Dont spend all of your cash on a house deposit - you may need it in the first few years to stave off hard times.

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Very true. :)

Another place with spectacular scenery but questionable weather are the Queen Charlotte Islands a place I would love to visit some day.

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Definitely won''t get homesick for dull grey skies and rain.

Re: Unsure where to go
 

Well the place to start is
www.mls.ca

search for whole of BC,
Purchase price less than 100,000
3 or more bedrooms Purchase price less than $100,000
Single family home

Gives you 356 house today this will then help you identify communities like Dawson Creek , Cranbrook, East, Kootenay, Grand Forks, West, Kootenay,

Then from there look at the community that strikes you as an interesting name or prettiest house.

How does it match your dream Requirements?

ie
house
out of house -fun activities - sports? opera?
culture
weather
out of house - chore activities - basic's shopping, income generation
etc

If you have kids schooling might be in there somewhere unless you are going to do home schooling.

If you don't have a large list of "dream life requirements" start working on that first. Bearing in mind lottery winnings is not something YOU can make happen.