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What you NEED TO KNOW before moving to Kelowna
Your Relocation Guide To Kelowna
Moving to a new city is an important life choice. You’ll want to be equipped with everything there’s to know to make your move successful!
The team at C21 Kelowna has assembled the following Relocation Guide to Kelowna to make your move to the Okanagan a breeze.
By the end of this article, you’ll be aware of some of the pros and cons of living in Kelowna, the desirable areas of town for you and your family, and what type of lifestyle you can expect in Kelowna.
KELOWNA AT A GLANCE
Kelowna and its surrounding area has a population of 195,000 residents. In fact, Kelowna is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in the country and it’s no wonder why!
The landscape throughout the Okanagan is pristine, and one of the only places where you can drive for less than an hour from the beach and end up on a ski hill!
Whether you’re interested in lakefront property, a downtown condo, or a cozy family home, Kelowna has plenty of Real Estate options for you!
Browse through our listings to find your perfect Kelowna home OR CONTACT US and we’ll put you in touch with one of our knowledgeable and skilled Realtors®. They will customize a search based on your needs to save you time and help make your moving process to Kelowna much more manageable.
PROS OF LIVING IN KELOWNA
- Pristine natural landscape
- Tons of outdoor activities at no cost
- An international airport to make your vacation getaways much easier with direct flights to Hawaii, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, just to name a few!
- Kelowna is home to an increasing young adult population, which also means the entrepreneurial space is expanding as companies old and new alike expand into the new technological era
- Access to TONS of outdoor activities, like golf and skiing at world-renowned ski resorts such as BIG WHITE, SILVER STAR, and APEX which are nearby.
Big White Ski Resort
CONS OF LIVING IN KELOWNA
- Renting requires a damage deposit, and a pet deposit if you have one, landlords can restrict the size and number of animals allowed in rental property
- Growing traffic as roadways are not expanding at the same rate as the population
- Homelessness, drugs, and petty crime
WHAT KELOWNA’S FUTURE HOLDS FOR YOUTH
The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, is helping expand Kelowna’s cultural district and innovation centers. For example, the University of British Columbia is projected to start building its downtown Okanagan campus in Fall 2022!
In addition to the Main campus by the airport, the University of British Columbia, Okanagan is projected to raise the student population to 18,000 by 2040! This one aspect helps attract and retain people of all ages and demographics!
In conjunction with a growing student population in Kelowna, the downtown core is also expanding with condominium towers. If the city isn’t your desired neighborhood, Kelowna’s residential areas are also growing.
University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus
RECAP: MOVING TO KELOWNA 101
Kelowna is a booming city. Its natural landscape offers tons of summer and winter activities that families and residents will love. Not only is it a growing and evolving community but it’s also becoming increasingly multicultural.
Picking a place to live isn’t easy, but adjusting to Kelowna’s lifestyle will be a breeze if this sounds like the right place for you!
The Art of Selling and Living in the Okanagan
The Art of Selling And Living In The Okanagan
The Okanagan lifestyle is unmatched! The heart of Kelowna offers a blend of relaxation, adventure AND entrepreneurial zest. It's no wonder that Kelowna has numerous desirable neighbourhoods - CLICK HERE to check them out for yourself!
Starting a career in Real Estate can be daunting for agents. That’s why Century 21 Assurance Realty in Kelowna has engineered their brokerage services to make it easy for entrepreneurial Realtors® to prosper personally and professionally while living their Okanagan dream lifestyle.
“We begin with a proprietary purpose-based coaching program that helps our agents determine their life purpose, values and goals, says Max Carbone of Century 21 in Kelowna.
Our Realtors® are armed with a comprehensive, turn-key marketing services program called Elevate 21 which sets them apart. Each agent can count on powerful marketing materials for their clients' listings, every time "!
Most importantly, Century 21 Assurance Realty’s services translate to more time for agents to spend with clients, family and enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle!
It’s no wonder that 60% of Century 21 in Kelowna agents are award winners.
Read more here. If you’d like to learn more about what C21 can do for your career, visit Century21Kelowna.com
How Do You Market A Property?
How do you market a property? The best way to market a property is really to take a multi-faceted approach; having a professional photographer, high-resolution pictures, is a must. Secondarily, something we’ve been doing for over two years with all of our listings is to have a virtual tour. Watch to learn more.
Who Is Buying Property?
Check out our Youtube page or explore more Blog Posts
Why Is Kelowna So Popular?
Why is Kelowna so popular?
Kelowna is a very entrepreneurial environment and it’s based on multiple industries and activities. Obviously, there’s the agriculture, there’s the wineries, the tourism activities, but we also have a strong aviation industry.
Watch to learn more!
Check out our other Blog Posts or take a look at our YouTube Page for more videos like this one.
Marketing, Exposure and Bullies
In a hot real estate market, intuition suggests it would be easy to sell a home. This is true; it can be easy to sell certain properties BUT what about getting top dollar?
Would you think differently if offers on a $700,000 property could vary by more than $100,000? Today, March 15, 2021, this is the real estate market in Central Okanagan.
Sellers can see offers that range from $10,000 under asking price to more than $100,000 over (and more). Often, with the highest offer, condition-free, arriving at the 11th hour. In this type of market, what strategy will get you the most offers in a set period of time?
Thorough Marketing
In a hot market, cutting corners on marketing becomes more costly to your selling price than in a balanced market. What does your agent consider thorough?
For example, in a balanced market, 3D walk-thru (matterport) and professional photos attract buyers and help increase interest in a property. Are these marketing methods important if there are already plenty of interested buyers?
Consider today that many buyers are not able to physically view the property and will write offers based solely on the clarity and quality of the photos, descriptions, statistics, and presentation online.
Other buyers, due to increased numbers of showings and time constraints, will view the property but retain little information because they will be rushed not able to absorb all the features of the property.
A “good” listing can fill in the gaps and will help sellers do better when negotiating starts. What motivates a buyer to pay more? Crystal clear photos of the new fence and landscaping, appliances, updates, and features of the home or grainy, unfocused, and non-existent photos can produce the exact opposite?
On the flip side, savvy buyers are often happy to see a new listing with a single or low-quality photo as the marketing effort. Their curiosity could be rewarded with a diamond in the rough, and with less competition come offer time.
Exposure
Sellers should consider how much time on the MLS is needed for full exposure. A recent poll of top-producing agents suggested that no less than 72 hours would be a fair amount of time. A listing uploaded on Friday would benefit by screening offers no earlier than Monday. After 13 years in the business, I think Tuesday is a better bet. Why?
- In certain price ranges, up to 50% of the buyers for a home do not live in the area and need time to travel.
- “The first Offer, Best Offer” is not a valid concept in a seller’s market.
- Increased time will allow buyers to investigate the property more thoroughly and write offers with fewer conditions or with none at all.
- More time allows busy couples to coordinate and view properties together and sometimes without being rushed. Buyers who can relax during showings are often more likely to connect with the property.
Bullies
You might be hearing agents talk about bully offers. To some, this is when the seller has agreed to postpone looking at offers for a number of days but prior to this date, accepts an offer. Buyers who had been waiting to present their offer can be left out of the process and are often shocked that the seller would jump so soon. These situations can leave buyers and sellers asking a lot of questions.
The term is not correct. It should read, “an offer the seller could not refuse”. These situations are complex and as a seller, it’s important to understand the risks of accepting such an offer. It’s possible that accepting an offer too early could cost thousands of dollars in a lower sale price. Alternatively, it could be that the seller weighed all the facts and chose the offer because it met their needs.
In any situation, CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd. agents are specially trained to help sellers understand the market and guide you through a choice that’s right for you. When buying, our agents have the tools to help you secure your new home, investment property or recreational getaway.
Dean Desrosiers
Associate Broker | REALTOR®
Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd
Agent Development & Recruiting, Commercial
250-863-4707
dean.desrosiers@century21.ca
Real Estate Coach (NORE®)
www.deandesrosiers.com
