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Albertans are always on the lookout for good
recreation property, and many head west to
British Columbia for its varied climate and
geography including lakes, mountains and
sea-coast.
When it comes to determining the
location of rec property "hot spots" for
Calgarians, one person suggests all you need to
do is grab a map and a ruler.
"My theory on hot spots, everything I've
based it on in the last 15 or 20 years, I go by
driving and recreation time," says Rudy Nielsen,
president of NIHO Land and Cattle Co and Landcor
Data Corp. Nielsen says properties within a
four-hour drive of a major centre such as
Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary are likely to be
in high demand.
"The four hour limit is when you can put kids
in the car on Friday night, head off to your
recreation property, and come back Sunday night
having spent a worthwhile amount of time there,"
he says, adding property costs are generally
higher within this radius.
"If you're willing to look six, eight or 10
hours away, the land becomes cheaper, but you
can't really go there for the weekend anymore
unless you fly," Nielsen says. "Now you need to
take extra days off."
An example Nielsen cites is Cluculz Lake, 67
kilometres west of Prince George, B.C.- and far
more than a four-hour drive from Edmonton,
Calgary or Vancouver.
"They're selling one-acre lots there for
$45,000, as opposed to Merritt (a three hour
drive from Vancouver) where similar lots are
$450,000."
Nielsen says the Kootenays fall well within
the four hour threshold for Calgary, and will
continue to be a recreation property hot spot.
Increased coverage of B.C. by West Jet has
also opened up new areas for development that,
including flying time, fall within the magic
radius.
"It's now possible for a person from Alberta
to jump in a place and land in Courtenay-Comox
on Vancouver Island, have a car there, and drive
for a hour or two and be a their recreation
place," says Nielsen.
Nielsen's Landcor Data Corp recently compiled
statistics for Albertans buying residential
properties (including recreational properties)
in B.C.
"Albertans did 2.6 per cent of the total
(residential property) sales in B.C. in 2005, or
about $1.1 billion," Nielsen says. "By
comparison, Californians purchased only $239
million worth of B.C. property."
More than 50 per cent of the Alberta buyers
came from Calgary, as opposed to only 13.5
percent from Edmonton and just over 36 per cent
from other parts of the province.
According to Landcor's findings, of the 4.320
properties purchased by Albertans in 2005, more
than 22 per cent were located in the East
Kootenay region, with Kelowna being the next
most popular location with just under 12.5 per
cent of properties sold." |
