Nelson

Even though it’s halfway between Calgary and Vancouver, the West Kootenay city of Nelson could be described as B.C.’s Shangri-La, given its spectacularly inaccessible location. Remoteness is part of its appeal: the commitment required to live here means that a consistently strong real estate market doesn’t have the wild fluctuations found in more resort-oriented cities. Come summer, the beaches, bays and coves of Kootenay Lake beckon. A thriving arts, culture and entertainment scene has its roots in bohemian types who came north from the United States in the 1960s.

Work: Regional health care and government services guarantee highly paid, stable employment: a boon for rental-property investors.

Play: “Kootenay ’kine” powder at nearby Whitewater is the driest snow in the province.

Culture: The Queen City boasts some of British Columbia’s most lovingly restored heritage architecture.

Municipalities & Districts:
Nelson – nelson.ca

Real Estate:
Nelson Listings

Builders:
Discovery Dream Homes – discoverydreamhomes.com
Pan-abode – panabode.com

Note: Population is listed by either municipality or region. Sample listing represents a home near the median average selling price in 2017. Real estate trend metric uses B.C. Assessment data for value and includes sales of all property types.