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Is Kelowna's Housing Market Going to Tank?

Where is Kelowna's Housing Market Headed

WIth the perceived recent correction in pricing in the Okanagan Valley, I seem to be getting this question a lot lately, my answer my shock some that are expecting a massive shift in the market.

Those that know this area and understand economics will not be shocked, they know what the ebbs and flows are like in the Kelowna Real Estate Market.

Here are some stats for the market as a whole for the month of September:

  • Benchmark Pricing for Single Family: UP 1.6%
  • Benchamark Pricing for Townhomes: UP 7.9%
  • Benchmark Pricing for Condos: UP 8.9%
  • Sales for SF: DOWN 36%
  • Sales for TH: DOWN 37%
  • Sales for Condos: DOWN 37%

If we compare Q1 of 2022 to the same time in 2021 we saw an increase in prices for single family homes in Kelowna of 34%.

If we look at Q2 of 2022 and compare to the same time in 2021, we saw an increase of 15% of single family home pricing in the Kelowna market.

The Q3 numbers are going to be pretty close to the second quarter with an increase of 14.6% in the single family home market.

Is There a Trend Forming in the Kelowna Real Estate Market?

We we can certainly see something starting to form, what I can tell you is that sales in every housing category for every quarter of this year are down in some cases well over 30%.

Q1 prices saw an increase in the benchmark and Q3 is less than half of that increase, there is a very good case to be made that prices will continue to increase but at a much slower rate than what we have been witness to.

Inflation, interest rates and a pending recession will all have an affect on the housing market in 2023 here in the Okanagan Valley.

Is it better to wait to buy a home in Kelowna?

Is it better to wait and sell your current Kelowna home?

Well the answer to the first question can be found in the video that is embedded below. In this video I interview Clayton Blaney of Blaney Mortgage, we talk about housing affordability and compare March of 2022 to September of this year.

His graphic may surprise you, I know it did me.

The answer to the second question is this, if you are looking to sell and take advantage of your Kelowna equity lottery win, now is the time to do that.

Thing is you HAVE to have some patience, as mentioned earlier in this post, sales are down and so is demand. The average days on market is far higher than it was last year, so not only do we have to be realistic about pricing but we also have to be realistic about your time to sell.

If you want more information on what your home is worth in the Kelowna market, you can either click here to contact me or simple give me a call at 778-716-7527.


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Don't Move to Kelowna Without Reading This First

When we started researching our move to Kelowna all the way back in 2019, I wish I had a blog post or an article similar to this so that I could understand all the good points and the not so great points of living in Kelowna.

I've written and done video around living in Kelowna and all of the great things to do in previous posts, this is my first Pros and Cons post, but I am going to try and keep and short.

I am going to give you the great and not so great without any fluff and no BS, this is what I've seen over the last year and almost a half of living in Kelowna.

First: The Cons of Living in Kelowna

I am going to come at this list from my perspective and what I see, more or less, on a daily basis in Kelowna.

Others that have lived here a lot longer than me are obviously going to have a different point of view. That said, if you are reading this and you're a local, leave a comment below and let me know what I missed.

Alright, the number one Con of living in Kelowna is the Traffic + Transit System.

I grew up in Prince George, moved to Edmonton in 1998 and spent 5 years there and then on to Calgary where I spent the next 18 years.

I spent as much time in a small town as I did living in big cities and I can tell you that the big cities have something figured out when it comes to infrastructure.

City council in Kelowna over the last 8 years has been incredibly shortsighted when it comes to approving new housing developments but not planning for the increase in population those developments bring and supporting it with widening of roads or adding overpasses along Harvey or evenn looking at putting in some kind of a ring road system.

Word to the wise, rush hour in Kelowna starts at around 3:30 and it takes forever to get anywhere, where only 30 minutes earlier you could have arrived at your destination in about 15 minutes.

Something that I had to get used to coming from Calgary where it usually started around 5pm.

Number Two Con of Living in Kelowna is the High Cost of Living

As I write this, gas is over $2 per litre.

Groceries have gone up. Property taxes have increased. It costs a family of 4 a minimum of $100 to eat out at a dine in restaurant. Buying a home with a pool? Prepare for utility bills north of $400 per month. GST and PST combined is 12% tax on EVERYTHING.

Not only that but coming from Alberta where there was no land transfer cash grab, it was difficult to stomach having to pay a tax into general revenue with the government and you KNOW none of that money will be spent on what's needed in our area.

But I digress...I told myself I wasn't going to be political in this post.

Prepare to pay more for somethings and less in other areas, comparative to Calgary, property taxes are actually less than what we paid when we lived there. 

So there's that.

Number Three Con of Living in Kelowna is Housing Affordability

Housing prices here have skyrocketed over the last two years, prices are up on single family homes over 30%.

Actually, if you're interested in how interest rates, inflation and a pending recession will affect the market here, then check out our latest blog post on that topic.

This makes it difficult for trades people to move here, for nurses and lab techs to find homes here. 

It makes it difficult for people making a move from say Saskatchewan where housing prices are half of what they are here, if they don't have the equity it is going to make it difficult to find a great home.

Part of the problem is a lack of land that's available as it is protected by the ALC or agricultural land commission. This is a bureaucracy, unlike anything I have seen over 15 years of being in real estate.

If the city could get more land taken out of the ALR, this would lead to more building of rental units, large multi family developments, townhome developments and of course single family homes.

Supply will help to put pressure on pricing and keep up with demand.

Number Four Con of Living in Kelowna is the Crime

Some of my colleagues might roast me for being this blunt, but it is what it is.

If you are coming to town and you've got mountain bikes attached to the back of your vehicle, DO NOT leave them unattended!

You will come out of whatever store you are in and there is a very high likelihood that they will be gone.

Now, I put this as number 4 because quite honestly, I haven't seen a lot of the crime that gets talked about daily here. Maybe because I work from home mostly? Maybe because I don't spend a lot of time in the areas where crime is high.

I can tell you that I saw more and heard about more in my West Calgary neighbourhood over the course of 7 years of living there than I have over the last year and a half.

Don't leave your doors unlocked and your vehicle on your driveway. Don't use a wire lock to lock up your bike when you go to the waterfront, Staples or downtown. Just don't leave your things unattended and you should be fine.

Oh and also, if you go to H2O YMCA, don't leave anything in the lockers where the locker is NOT locked.

My son might be able to tell you more about that...

Ok, What About the Pros of Living in Kelowna?

Well obviously, if the pros didn't outweight the cons of living in Kelowna, we never would have moved our family here.

After having visited Kelowna multiple times throughout the last 23 years I lived in Alberta, I can say unequivocally that Kelowna isn't at all what I expected...in good and bad ways.

The 'bad' ways are above, here's what we LOVE about living here:

Number One Pro of Living in Kelowna is the Scenery.

It doesn't matter where you are in the city, you are either looking at the mountains or the lake. Now granted, the mountains in Kelowna are not the Rockies that we were used to seeing on the weekends while living in Calgary.

But they are beautiful all the same. Getting to head to one of many beaches on any given day from May straight through to September is an added bonus.

We haven't spent near the time at the beach that I wanted to this year, but it is there all the same and we take advantage of it when we can.

Kelowna is not a concrete jungle like most major cities, that is part of the charm of this medium sized city in the Interior of BC.

Number Two Pro of Living in Kelowna is the Neverending Things to Do

Kelowna is a playground, there is just no other way to put it. If you LOVE being outdoors then you will love living here. 

From hiking multiple trails within the city and just outside the city limits to mountain biking to taking in water sports or just hanging out at the beach or teeing off at one of the multiple golf courses that Kelowna has to offer.

There is something for everyone here in Kelowna.

I have created a playlist on our YouTube Channel just so that I can feature all of the amazing things that the Okanagan Valley and Kelowna have to offer.

Number Three Pro of Living in Kelowna is Proximity

Ok so what do I mean? I mean I can be in Lake Country in about 15 minutes and swimming in Lake Kalmalka in about 20.

I mean I can be in Penticton in about 45 minutes and at Skaha Beach and swimming in about an hour. I can be in the US in about an hour and a half. If I want to head up to Vernon and take in Predator Ridge for a golf day, I can be there in about 30-40 minutes.

Also, Kelowna has an international airport and fly's direct to some of my favourite destinations like Las Vegas and Mexico and certain states in the US.

This proximity opens up the playground possibilities, if I wanted to head out camping for the weekend I could be at a provincial camp ground in less than an hour. Or how about skiing/snowboarding in the mountains? Big White is a 45 minute clip from Downtown Kelowna. 

Compare that to 1.5 hours to get to Lake Lousie or 2 Hours to Sunshine Village, it reminds me of how close Nakiska is to Calgary but with WAY better snow!

Number Four Pro of Living in Kelowna is the Food and Beverage Scene

I was DELIGHTED to discover that Kelowna has a budding Craft Beer industry, in fact, some would say that it is exploding.

It certainly isn't on par with the wine scene here in the Okanagan but it soon will be!

The options you have in the food scene here in Kelowna, I would argue, are similar to what you would get in a big city like Calgary. Calgary's food scene was seemingly never ending, you could hit a different restaurant or pub every week and never go to the same place twice. Unless you are a creature of habit like me!

Kelowna is very similar, they have all of the ethnic variety that you would be looking for in Vietnamese, Mexican, French, Canadian, Brazilian etc.

Number Five Pro of Living in Kelowna is Access to Higher Education

Having grown up in a small town of 70,000 people, we had a College in town that allowed for University transfer courses that could be used as credits at Universities throughout the country.

Later on, that same small town wound up getting it's own University, so it was really great to know that UBC actually has a campus here in Kelowna. There is also Okanagan College which is an option to take University level transfer courses in a smaller class sized environment. OK College also offers trades and apprenticeship training, technology, business, continuing education and so much more.

This is great, living in a smaller center allows you or your kids to now attend higher learning campuses right here in the Okanagan instead of having to take on the expense of making a move to a major center like Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary.

Think about it, your kids could keep living with you until into their low to mid 20s!

Wouldn't that be great?!?!

What are the Next Steps?

If you are serious about making a move to Kelowna, Lake Country, Vernon, Peachland, Summerland, Penticton...anywhere through the Okanagan, I would suggest these four points:

  1. If you can, come down here for a week or two and spend some time in the city in the summer AND in the winter. Get to know the different neighbourhoods in Kelowna and get to understand traffic patterns, tour around the schools and time how long it takes to get to certain desitnations from different areas
  2. Get a good understanding of the cost of living here in Kelowna, try using this resource to compare different areas through the Okanagan. 
  3. Research schools if that's important, know what neighbourhoods feed into which schools, you can use this resource here. Get to know churches, rec centres and any other part of your life that is important, like clubs or teams or different sports that are offered.
  4. Ok, here's the pitch. Call, text or email me. I have made this move, this is what sets me apart from all the other Realtors here in Kelowna, I've moved my family from one province to another and have the experience to guide you through the process. 403-827-7527. kelley@kelleyskar.com 
I know that I've missed a lot, like I mentioned at the beginning of this post, these are the things that I've noticed after having lived here for over a year now.
 
There will be some follow up posts as I am already making notes of what I missed!
 
Make sure that you subscribe to our YouTube channel  as well, you don't want to miss the videos we are putting out every week.
 
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How to Invest in Kelowna Real Estate

Investing in the Kelowna Real Estate Market: What to Look Out For

By now you've probably read all the headlines about the real estate market getting ready to tank with prices set to drop upwards of 25%!

If you're reading this in 2023 and prices haven't dropped like 'they' said they would then, whew, we dodged an economic collapse the likes of which we have never seen in this country. Even when the world was imploding back in 2008!

You're not here for prognostications though, you clicked on the link because you want to learn about investing in real estate here in Kelowna.

Let's get after it then.

First Things First: Set Your Budget

This is always the first rule in investing in real estate, whether you are buying in Kelowna for a personal property or if it's for an investment.

Set the budget and know what you are comfortable spending.

Now, look at that number and figure out if it lines up with what is currently listed for sale. I see this from investors a lot, especially ones coming in from Alberta, where their budget doesn't line up with the current state of the market.

It is very rare if not impossible to find a condo with more than 1 bedroom, that allows for STRs (Short Term Rentals, more on that later in the post), that is close to the beach and shopping for less than $450,000.

Start your condo or townhome search and do some digging prior to coming all the way out to Kelowna, get to know the market a little bit so you know what you will have to spend versus what you want to spend.

What is an STR (Short Term Rental)?

Short Term Rentals are what you would stay in if you booked an apartment, house or townhome through VRBO or AirBnB.

The advantage to STRs over a traditional style rental is going to be the revenue that can be generated. The traditional rental is going to get you somewhere between $1800-$3000 per month, depending of course of the size of the property, location and what's included.

Some short term rentals that I have seen here in Kelowna will generate around $300-$500/night so if you take the median and look at 21 days rented out of the month as a conservative estimate you could be around $8000 per month in the peak months of the year being June, July and August. 

So here's what I would do if it were me...look for a property that is going to have a good opportunity for STR cash flow, rent it out between May 1st and September 30th with the STR through AirBnB or VRBO and then do a short term agreement between Ocotber 1 and April 30th.

If you take the average of $400 per night with 21 nights rented you are looking at $24k in revenue in the peak months and figure about $5k in May and about the same in September giving you around $34k in revenue in 5 months. 

That 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom condo is likely to rent out for $2400 per month (I've seen as low as $1800 and as high as $3k but let's be conservative), if you add that revenue to the STR you are just over $50k in revenue for the year.

Measure that against a property yielding $3000/month and you are way ahead with the short term rental option.

Which Buildings in Kelowna Allow Short Term Rentals?

The caveat here is that this could be subject to change at any time depending upon how the condo boards of these buildings feel about the STRs.

The buildings that currently allow short term rentals in Kelowna and West Kelowna are:

  1. Brooklyn
  2. Barnoa Beach
  3. Copper Sky
  4. Discovery Bay
  5. Playa del Sol
  6. St Paul
  7. Sole Downtown
  8. Sunset Waterfront
  9. The Cove

In these buildings you will find 1 bedroom and 2 or 3 bedroom options ranging in price (September of 2022) between $415,000 - over $800,000.

What are the Costs Associated With Investing in Kelowna?

Having moved back to BC from Alberta last year I can tell you that the land transfer tax was a shock to the system.

This is money that the provincial government collects and puts into the general coffers, it's maddening that it is done this way, the only option is to pay it and that is done at your closing with the lawyer or notary.

The land transfer tax is 1% on the first $200,000 and 2% on the balance up to $2M dollars. So, if you are purchasing a property of $600,000 your land transfer tax bill will wind up being $10,000.

If you are purchasing in Kelowna or in West Kelowna (this does NOT include Lake Country) you will also be subject to a speculation tax of .5% of the assessed value of the property so long as the home is not occupied by you for more than 6 months.

Property management for AirBnB is a must in my opinion, that's why we have partnered up with InfiniteBnB and their team to help manage your investment property. Your costs around the PM could be around 20% just as a management fee, please keep in mind that InfiniteBnB would be turning over your property once every 4 days so it's a little different than a property manager looking after a long term tenant.

Of course you will have strata fees and property taxes, I can tell you the strate fees really vary here in Kelowna. I've seen some as high as $700/month but they include all utilities and some as low as $200/month. 

Alright the last piece is the GST, I would recommend consulting an accountant on this but having a GST # could save you a headache when going to purchase a property like this as the GST could wind up being a pass through and could save you thousands of up front costs.

What You Need to Invest in Kelowna

Your downpayment is going to have to be 20%. You will likely have to apply for a business license with the city to operate your AirBnB.

You should consult an accountant, a lawyer or notary, get acquainted with a local Kelowna Mortgage Broker and of course hire us as your guide to expanding your real estate portfolio in BC.

If you want to book a Zoom consultation you can do that right here: Book a Meeting with Kelley

You can always give me a call at 778-716-7527 as well.

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What Does a Hike in Interest Rates Mean for the Kelowna Real Estate Market?

The Bank of Canada has Done it Again

Here we are on September 6th of 2022 staring yet another interest rate hike in the face, yes the Bank of Canada has increased rates again by 75 basis points.

In the event you've been living under a rock the last 8 months, this is being done to try and get inflation back to their bench market rate of around 3%. 

We are currently at just over 7% down from a 40 year high of over 8%.

Now before you go and lock in that mortgage (the banks are pushing you towards this) at 5.14% or 5.49%, think about where we are and where we are headed.

Below is a graph of historical interest rates compared to the Bank of Canada overnight lending rate, have a look and see what's happened over the last 15 years.

It's Almost 2007 all Over Again

If you look at the peak between 2000 and 2010 you will notice that rates peaked at just over 6%.

We haven't hit that mark yet but there's a good chance that we will.

Here's why.

Look at the drop in rates right around 2008 and all the way to 2021, why did rates drop to almost nothing?

One word, recession. The 2007-2009 housing/financial crisis in the US had a massive impact globally, Canada did not escape this at all. 

Housing and our economy were affected and we did wind up in recession. So what do central banks do when there's a recession?

They drop interest rates.

Why? To get you, as a consumer, to get out and buy things like cars and houses and boats. You know, the things that you finance.

We didn't see an increase in rates until this year because inflation was way up.

With a recession looming in 2023, and hopefully inflation falling back to manageable levels, there's a good chance that we see rates begin to ease off and likely start to go back to 'recessionary' levels.

All of that said, we are likely to see this as the peak of higher rates with the 'bottom of the market' in terms of pricing (in British Columbia as a whole) peaking in the Spring of 2023.

Where are Prices Right Now?

Believe it or not but prices in the Central Okanagan are up for all property categories including townhomes, single family and apartment style condos.

When you listen to the media, they always talk about SALES when they talk declines and yes, sales are most certainly down but compared to what?

Compared to 2021?

Of course sales are going to be down compared to 2021! Last year set records in the Central Okanagan in terms of sales and price increases for every sector of the market.

The Canadian average is about 400,000 moved per year and that is where we are trending towards right now, so yes, sales ARE down to the tune of about 30% but we are getting back to some sense of normalcy.

Where is the Kelowna Real Estate Market Headed?

My crystal ball has never really worked, but let me put it to you like this...we in a balanced market right now and I do see us moving to a bit of a buyer's market into the Spring of 2023 if interest rates don't correct.

The average days on market right now is sitting firmly at 46 (average of all segments).

Inventory levels are up over 100% in all segments and demand has been tapered due to rising interest rates. 

There is still a serious lack of inventory in this part of BC and that will continue as they just aren't 'making' anymore land. Where are builders able to build? there are only a couple of communites (Wilden, Black Mountain to name two) that have new construction opportunites.

Will those two communities continue to feed the demand?

Likely not. 

This is why I am still very bullish on the Central Oakangan market, because we have a shorted of land that can be developed and not everyone wants to live in a condo.

It's time to stop listening to the sexy numbers put out by the media and to start talking to your Kelowna Real Estate Professional about what is taking place in the market.

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Living in Kelowna British Columbia: What are Prices Like in Upper Mission

What Does it Cost to Buy a Home in Upper Mission?

On today's Kelowna Home Buying Tour I take you to three different homes in three different areas of Upper Mission in the southeast section of Kelowna.

The prices in Upper Mission range from (in August of 2022) $830,000 to $18.6 Million dollars and everything in between.

As of right now there is no multi-family development in Upper Mission, so you will only be able to find townhomes and single family homes for sale. 

Now don't let the term 'townhome' fool or confuse you, some of the townhomes in Kuiper's for example are well over 3000 square feet which in some cases is the same size as a single family property.

What's it Like Living in Upper Mission?

A few of the things that I love about living in Upper Mission are:

  1. The views. There are some really spectacular spots throughout the community that offer breathtaking views of the lake, the valley and the city. In my opinion, what you get from certain areas of Upper Mission like the Ponds or Fawn Run will give areas like Dilworth a run for the money any day of the week.
  2. Proximity to Schools. There are two levels of schools in Upper Mission, the elementary school is Chute Lake Elementary, the Middle School is Canyon Falls and the high school is Okanagan Mission or OKM. No matter where you live in Upper Misison, the commute time to the schools is very quick. You may even find your kids walking, biking or taking the bus to school, kind of like we did when we were kids. Remember that?
  3. The Quiet. Ok so I am not into the whole party scene anymore, living in the suburbs gives me my quiet that I love in the mornings and in the evenings when we are winding down. Upper Mission is a family friendly community with an average age in the mid 40s, probably not a lot of big parties happening, at least ones that I have heard or attended!
I talked about the commute times in a previous blog post and video, you can find out about the commute from Upper Mission in this post here if you're interested. 
 
Overall, Upper Mission is a great and friendly community with quick access to shopping, the beaches, hiking and biking trails and so much more.
 
If you are interested in learning more about the community you can always give me a call at 778-716-7527 or send me an email to kelley@kelleyskar.com. 
 

Watch the Video Below to See the 3 Examples of Homes in Upper Mission

 
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Living in Kelowna British Columbia: Kettle Valley Community Spotlight

What's it Like Living in Kettle Valley?

Today we are featuring the southeast Kelowna community of Kettle Valley.

If you come down Harvey Boulevard and take a turn onto Lakeshore and follow it all the way south it will eventually turn into Chute Lake Road. If you follow that road south you eventually wind up in Kettle Valley, one of the most view friendly neighbourhoods in the entire city of Kelowna.

If you are thinking about making a move and are looking for homes in Kelowna for sale, check out Kettle Valley, watch the video as we cover parts of the neighbourhood, the different home styles, schools, shopping and price points.

Kettle Valley truly is one of the premier neighbourhoods in Kelowna and has access to miles and miles of hiking and biking paths and is about a 5 minute drive from Okanagan Mountain Park if you are an avid mountain biker, you will love this location.

Wondering about beaches? You have a few options from Kettle Valley, you can head down Lakeshore Road and get access to Bertram Park or you can go straight down to Hobson Beach or Sarsons right off of Lakeshore Drive.

Most of your major shopping is going to be done in Lower Mission at Save On or off of Harvey at Superstore or Walmart, yes, you will have to drive. However for smaller items there is always the Kettle Valley Convenience Store!

If you are looking for homes in Kelowna for sale, then get in contact with us below, we would be more than happy to have a conversation about helping you to make a move to the Okanagan.

What's the Commute Like from Kettle Valley?

Make sure to leave yourself some extra time when you are leaving for work, you have two things to contend with all year long.

From May to September you have to put up with tourist traffic, this will bog you down and make you frustrated if you don't allow for it.

The second part is between September to June which is the school year, so if you are considering buying a home in Kettle Valley, you need to ensure you take this timeline into consideration when making your commute.

Of course if you work from home, just make sure you are getting the kiddos to school on time as there are no school buses that run through Kettle Valley.

Watch the Video on Kettle Valley and all that you need to know below:

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What is it Like Living in Upper Mission in Southeast Kelowna?

Is Living in Upper Mission Worth the Hype?

I may be coming at this blog post today with a little bias in me, full disclosure, I live in Upper Mission.

So do I think it's worth the hype?

Of course I do! But that isn't what this post is about, I want to introduce you to what it's like living in the Upper Mission, in southeast Kelowna.

The video below gives you a great explanation of where Upper Mission is, head up Lakeshore to Barnaby, this is the northern 'border' of the community. If you continue south on Lakeshore it will eventually give you an option to continue up Upper Mission Drive or to go right down Chute Lake.

If you go right down Chute Lake Road you will run into the southern 'border' street of Upper Mission in Lark, before it turns into Kettle Valley.

Isn't Kettle Valley Part of Upper Mission?

I would argue that it is. In fact I would argue that Crawford Estates, Kettle Valley, Thompson Flats and parts of Lower Mission are all a part of the Upper Mission.

The city of Kelowna had to make some boundaries when it comes to growth, taxation and school districts so that's why the separation. 

These two communities are so intertwined that they are a part of the same school district for Kelowna's southeast. 

Elementary school for both Upper Mission and Kettle Valley is Chute Lake Elementary. The middle school for Upper Mission and Kettle Valley is Canyon Falls Middle School and the high school for Upper Mission is Okanagan Mission Secondary or OKM.

What is There to do in Upper Mission?

Upper Mission is home to Kelowna Mountain, which as of this publication, is shut down. That said, Kelowna Mountain is still pretty fantastic for mountain biking as well as hiking.

Located right off of Upper Mission Drive, Kelowna Mountain is literally in the heart of Upper Mission.

If you're a lover of hiking then you should certainly check out Lebanon Creek which is at the end of Kettle Valley. You can get started at Lebanon Creek and hike towards Kettle Valley off of Lakeshore Road.

You can also start at John's Family Conservatory which is above Kettle Valley, you get there by taking Upper Mission Road and just follow it after it turns to dirt road, you'll find the parking lot there on the right hand side.

If being outside and getting fresh air and exercise isn't your jam, then check out Dunnenzies, Barn Owl Brewing, Kettle Valley Pub on Main or grab some Dominoes or Papitos and head down to Hobson Beach, Bertram Park or even down to Gyro Beach for a picnic.

All of these beaches and parks are less than a 10 minute commute coming from Upper Mission.

What is the Commute Like Coming from Upper Mission?

The locals will tell you that it will take you 15 minutes to get anywhere in Kelowna, that is certainly true outside of high traffic and tourist season.

If you are heading into the office from Upper Mission from September to June, make sure you leave some time to get where you are going. 

Coming out of Upper Mission between 8-9am can certainly be a nightmare, if sitting in traffic isn't the funnest thing you can think of doing first thing in the morning. If you leave early enough, then that commute time of 15 minutes doesn't matter what time of the year it is.

Getting up to UBCO will take you about 25 minutes with the traffic and the airport will tack on another 10 minutes, give or take.

For grocery shopping you WILL need your vehicle or you can take the bus, either way I would venture to guess that most of your groceries will be bought at the Save-On on Lakeshore which is a quick 10 minute drive. Otherwise you are headed to Superstore (15-20 minutes), Wal-Mart (15-20 Minutes) or Costco (same time) to get your shopping done.

Watch the Video Below and Make Sure to Like and Subscribe to our Channel

The Upper Mission video is below, if you want to subscribe to the channel you can do that here.


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Things to do in Kelowna BC: Hiking Knox Mountain

Get Outside and Hike Knox Mountain

There are so many things to do in Kelowna, BC from wine tours to beach time to golf and of course, hiking.

In today's vlog we are hiking Knox Mountain which is located on the North end of Downtown right at the end of Richter.

So, if you're visiting Kelowna or you've just moved here and you like to get outside, I highly recommend taking a look at hiking Knox Mountain.

If you have some experience hiking you will find this to be a relatively easy go, there's 250M of elevation gain and it should take the average hiker about 30-35 minutes up and about half that time down if you aren't stopping to take in the views.

Which is what hiking Knox is all about.... THE VIEWS.

Take in the beauty of the Okanagan Valley, the lake and downtown. Once you are the top take a little walk and you'll be able to view the north end of the lake up towards Vernon.

There are some placards over there as well that explain the geology of the area and how the lake was formed. Knox Mountain park also has a frisbee golf course, tennis courts and I believe you can play pickle ball there as well.

If you don't want to hike it, you can certainly drive it, either way, put Knox Mountain park on your list of things to do while you're here in Kelowna, BC.


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Announcing Our New YouTube Channel

LiveLoveKelowna is on YouTube

Yes, Yes, Yes!

I am finally back in front of the camera to do something I love, creating content and highlighting our community here in Kelowna.

For those that don't know, I have been on YouTube and creating content (written and video) since about 2011, I was one of the first Realtors in Calgary that picked up a camera to do a video blog.

I've been blessed to speak on various stages throughout North America to share what I've learned.

It was a lot of work and I made a lot of mistakes, but,  learned a ton about editing, blogging, SEO, YouTube analytics and how to create a brand and persona online.

Now I am using all of that knowledge and combining it with my passion for education and the love for our community and launching a new video blog that will be a hub and a resource for anyone looking to make a move to Kelowna, BC.

What Will You Feature and Why?

When we began looking seriously at moving to Kelowna all the way back in 2019 I was doing a lot of research and found that I had to jump around the interwebs to find the answers that I was looking for.

Topics like average property taxes or the cost of living or the best schools and neighbourhoods.

There wasn't any one spot where I could go and get all of the answers to the questions that I had.

So, that's the big WHY for this new channel.

We want to be THE hub for information not only for people looking to make a move to Kelowna but also for residents here in the city.

Maybe we will feature a new restaurant (or an old restaurant) that noone has tried or heard of yet. Or some cool thing to do in the Okanagan that tourists or locals alike haven't seen or tried yet (like the Oakanagan Trestle Tour).

Our aim is to boost our community and the businesses in and around the Oakangan by giving them a platform on our channel to help drive new and old customers alike to consume their goods.

Here's the Intro to the Channel

Alright, so now you know the why.

It's time to check out the channel and get subscribed: https://bit.ly/LivinginKelowna

Here is the intro video, we also have 3 YouTube shorts up on the channel right now with more videos coming weekly!

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How Much is the Land Transfer Tax in Kelowna?

Costs Associated with Buying a Home in Kelowna BC

This is a question we get often from our clients looking to relocate to Kelowna from Alberta, Ontario and the rest of Canada.

How much is the land transfer tax? What are the closing costs? What is the cost of buying a home in Kelowna BC?

If you're from Ontario you are very familiar with the land transfer tax, if you're from Alberta, probably not so much.

In a nutshell the land transfer tax calculation as of 2022 is 1% on the first $200,000 and 2% on the balance up to $2,000,000 and then 3% of the balance above $3,000,000.

So, if you are buying a home in Kelowna for around $600,000 you can expect to pay a land transfer tax of around $10,000. If you are buying a home in Kelowna for $500,000 then the tax would be $8,000.

This fee is required as part of your closing costs, so when you meet with your lawyer or notary here in Kelowna, make sure that you have the funds to cover off the tax.

What is the Speculation Tax?

This is where I get a little bit political...the speculation tax was put in by the NDP government in 2018 to try and stop foreign investors from taking over the housing market in BC.

What the government, in their infinite wisdom, failed to realize is that the prices were not being driven up by less than 3% of the buyers in BC.

The price of housing is all about supply and demand, what the government has done is hurt local investors looking to provide solid housing for the rental market as well as the parents looking to buy a place in Kelowna for their kid to have a place to live while they go to UBCO.

Sometimes having a place here is cheaper than paying rent.

So, if you're a Canadian citizen and you are looking to purchase an investment property here in Kelowna or West Kelowna you will be subject to a tax of about .5% of the homes value which will be required to pay during tax time.

Legal Fees and Other

Alright, if you are looking for a lawyer or a notary here in Kelowna the prices are going to vary somewhat. 

This will mostly come down to the price of the home that you are purchasing, expect to pay somewhere between $1500-$2500 (or more) for your legal fees including disbursements and taxes.

The other costs associated with buying a home in Kelowna would be things like a home inspection or condo document review. Both of these are going to run you somewhere between $400-$700, so make sure that they home you are making an offer on is THE one you want.

It can get expensive if you walk away during the conditonal phase of the offer period by figuring out you don't like the home as much as you thought you did.

These fees are non refundable.

As for your Kelowna Realtor or your Kelowna Mortgage Broker, you don't have to pay either of us. As your Realtor I am compensated by the llisting agent's brokerage who is paid by the seller and the broker is paid by the lender.

If you're interested in having a conversation about making a move to Kelowna BC you can book in with me right here.

For videos about what it's like to live here, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel: LiveLoveKelowna

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Things to do in Kelowna: Okanagan Trestle Tour

The Okanagan Trestle Tour: Is it Worth It?

After two years of being off the organizers of the Okanagan Trestle Tour got it off the ground for 2022!

The big question is, was it worth the investment of $500 for a family of 4?

Before I get there, let's talk a little bit about the trip itself.

How Were the Trestles?

The Okanagan Trestle Tour had three options:

  1. 20 KM
  2. 40 KM
  3. 80 KM

If you wanted to see the amazing Myra Canyon and ride over the trestles then you needed to sign up for the 80 KM trip. Unfortunately, we didn't realize that when we signed up.

We weren't too worried about it though, our 13 year olds likely would have tried to off us in our sleep if we made them ride 80 KMs, we were pushing it when we told them about the 40km option.

Luckily though we did a 17 km ride starting at Myra Canyon and heading out to Trestle #2 and then back, so we got to see what those riders saw during their ride.

What was the Ride Like?

We started at Chute Lake Lodgea little bit past our time as our bus driver (not really his fault as he was following the bus in front of him) got us a little lost.


It was raining when we got started but it stopped less than 20 minutes in, the skies opened up and we had sunshine for the rest of our ride.

It was a nice and comfortable 22 degrees, the rain cooled everything off, the day before was 30 degrees.

I couldn't imagine doing that ride in that kind of weather.

The trail was mostly downhill from the 40 KM start, at least it felt like it. The only incline was when we were about 3kms from Penticton, and even then it wasn't anything any of us couldn't handle.

The trail was mostly sand and rock at the beginning, once we hit the 23 km mark though the trail turned to crush gravel and was far more taken care of with no potholes or mud.

The views were amazing!

Although the start took you through a lot of bush, once you broke out to the mountain side the views of the lake, orchards and vineyards were truly breathtaking.

The Volunteers Were Amazing

An event like this could not run and operate with volunteers to help with registration, bike loading, bike off loading, bik transport, rider transport, running aid stations, security, first aid and so much more.

The volunteers at the aid stations were some of our favourties, they were so personable and so happy to be out there handing out bagels, juice boxes and our fave...watermelon!

THANK YOU to everyone that put in their time that weekend, you were truly appreciated.

So, Would You Ride the Okangan Trestels Tour Again?

In talking with my wife afterwards during our well deserved burger and beer, we figured it would be a perfect set up for a couple or a couple of couples.

Truthfully, we didn't see a lot of kids on this tour, it was almost all adults.

Part of the cost of this ride was bike transport, if we had two bike carriers or a truck and a bike carrier, we would be able to do this trip ourselves.

So, would we do it again as a family?

Likely not, at least not through this organized event. We will likely go back up there for another ride this summer, the views never get old.

That said, we would love to sign up with some of our friends to do this ride as a couple, that would be a lot of fun.

It is one of those Okanagan experiences though that you must take in at least once!

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Kelowna Real Estate Market: Statistics

What is the Kelowna Real Estate Market Like in the Summer?

What is the market like in Kelowna is something I've been asked a lot these last few weeks especially by agents and buyers out of Alberta and Ontario.

The first part of my answer is, "Not anything like it was in 2021!"

I think you could look at any market in the entire country and have the same response as 2021 will go down as a record year for most market across Canada.

As an example, the board that I am a part of here in the Central Okanagan is called the AIR or Association of Interior Realtors. It covers Revelstoke, Kamloops, Kootenay's, South Peace, North & South Okanagan and of course the Central Okanagan.

Sales were down across all of those districts so far this year by 25%, while inventory is up in the Central Okanagan by 72% when looking at May statistics.

Ok, so Sales Down, Inventory Up...What Does it Mean?

Usually in a larger market like Calgary (where we also sell homes), I would say that spells disaster for what's to come as typically builders were building to try and keep up to demand.

When demand starts to wane and you have a lot more invetory to move, prices are going to slip.

Right now in the Central Okanagan, this doesn't seem to be the case as prices are up on single family homes by 8.2% this year. Condos and townhomes are up 26% and 20% respectively, with the condo market leading the way in terms of price growth but also inventory levels dropping by 10% comparative to last year.

A big part of the reason there is a bit of a run on condos this year is because single family affordability is out of reach for some, especially with an increase in interes rates looking to slow inflation down it will have a similar impact on the housing market.

So, is the Okanagan market about to crash? Are we on the precipice of disaster? Do we believe everything that the media is saying or the naysayers like Garth Turner who has been calling for a market crash for the last 25 years?

I'll answer those questions like this, so long as demand remains strong for the Okanagan and the ability to build new construction (except for condos) is low, prices will likely remain where they are.

The single family market is going to see a slight correction, the caveat to that is this, oil is going to $180 per barrel.

That will be a fact of life in 2023. Why? Because 'they' are calling for a massive shortage in oil supplies by next year.

There WILL be a need for Alberta oil in Canada and across the globe. There WILL be more Alberta money flowing through to the Okanagan in the coming years, like there was pre pandemic. 

So long as there is demand and a shortage of supply, prices will likely remain stable.

If you are thinking about making a move to Kelowna, you should check out these other blog posts right here first:

  1. How Much Are Housing Costs in Kelowna?
  2. What can $500,000 Buy in Kelowna?
  3. What is Health Care like in Kelowna?

If you want to chat more about the Kelowna Real Estate Market then feel free to email me kelley@kelleyskar.com or text 403-827-7527

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