Osoyoos

Quick stats …

  • 5,085
  • 4.5 hours from Vancouver
  • 4%

In the area …

Watermark Resort 2 bed + 2 bath condo
MLS: 180755

CAD$ 365,000 MLS Listing

With a population of just 5,085, the hub of Canada’s only semi-arid desert region has long drawn snowbirds to the area. With average single family home prices that have crept up more slowly here (and are still under the $400,000 mark), Osoyoos is now on the radar for younger families seeking the laid-back Okanagan lifestyle without the sticker-shock. Developers are taking notice: there are five new developments currently in the approval process, which will add town homes, single-family houses, dedicated year-round rentals and commercial and residential units to the town.

Home for thousands of years to its indigenous population, the area’s first European contact came in 1811. American fur traders from the Pacific Fur Company, followed by the Hudson’s Bay Company in the 1820s, built an Okanagan Valley trade route that lasted through the boom and bust of the gold rush era of the 1860s. After the first World War, B.C. premier “Honest” John Oliver commissioned an irrigation canal, which transformed the South Okanagan from arid scrublands to a lush fruit-growing and winery region.

Beyond the obvious pleasures of the lake, locals hike the tranquil Okanagan River and climb Mount Kobau; they e-bike cruise along Black Sage Road or take a Spandex-clad endurance ride up punishing Anarchist Mountain. The adventurous can add hula-hooping classes, dragon boating and snow shoeing and snowboarding to the mix.

Work: Tourism, health and wellness, viticulture, agriculture, technology, construction and retail.

Play: Osoyoos is considered a resort community with marketable products including wineries, agri-tourism activities, Indigenous cultural experiences, museums and art galleries, golfing, skiing, hiking & biking, as well as festivals and events.

Municipalities & Districts:
Osoyoos – osoyoos.ca

Real Estate:
Osoyoos Listings

Developments:
The Cottages – osoyooscottages.com
Spirit Ridge – ownspiritridge.com
Watermark Beach Resort – ownwatermark.com
Canyon Desert – owncanyondesert.com

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. 

 

Location