Mark Walker is a real estate agent and the broker/owner of Kelowna’s Walker Real Estate.

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OPINION

Earlier this fall, Western Investor highlighted Kelowna as 2018’s best Western Canadian real estate investment destination. I couldn't agree more. If you’re looking at Western Canada as a place to invest in real estate over the next 12 months, Kelowna is the location you should choose.

Of course, as a Kelowna real estate broker, I do have a vested interest in seeing the local market stay strong, but I also have a unique insight on what makes Kelowna such a great place to invest, particularly given my background as a real estate investor.

Of course, we all know about Kelowna’s superb climate, stunning natural beauty, attractions and amenities, but in addition to that, housing in Kelowna remains relatively affordable, especially when compared to the Lower Mainland.

I realize that to some locals, calling Kelowna’s housing “relatively affordable” may seem odd, especially in light of the growth we have seen on the last few years. However, taken in their proper context, Kelowna real estate prices remain very reasonable.

On top of that, Kelowna’s tech sector has exploded in recent years - something that, as a tech forward brokerage, we’re acutely aware of.

This means more and more jobs are becoming available in Kelowna, which is also driving the demand. Indeed, our area (covering Vernon through to West Kelowna) has seen a population rise of 7.4 percent since 2011. I feel the arrival of UBC Okanagan and the emergence of a modern thriving industry in the tech sector have been real boons for our region.

In 2017, Kelowna saw more new homes starts than any other part of the province, aside from the Lower Mainland, and I do not anticipate that demand dropping off in 2018. Within our area, there are a number of spots that I anticipate will see even greater interest in 2018, including the North End of Kelowna and West Kelowna.

Kelowna is the Western Canadian city for real estate investors in 2018, and we can help you with that. If you have questions about the Kelowna real estate market, I encourage you to contact me directly. I would be delighted to assist you. I can be reached at 250-764-4344 or Mark@KelownaProperties.com.

What do you think - is Kelowna the best Western Canadian city for real estate investors in 2018? And if so, what makes it so attractive?

— Mark Walker is a real estate agent and the broker/owner of Kelowna’s Walker Real Estate. His company runs the website KelownaProperties.com - Kelowna’s most comprehensive real estate search tool. Mark Walker’s column appears here every two weeks.

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