The Boundary, Kootenay Okanagan Valley is wondering what happens now?

The area from Osoyoos through Rock Creek, Midway and Greenwood to Grand Forks is having one after another of the forest industry giants close up and move out. (To date without being replaced) .  The real estate market in the Boundary area has not yet had a seroius reaction to the exodus due to the fact that the average home buyer coming into the West Kootenay Boundary  is semi retiring or retiring from the larger centers such as the Lower Mainland or the Okanagan Valley.  The beauty of the nature of these buyers is that they do not need or want jobs in the forest industry.  The balance this creates (while fragile)  allows struggling wood industry workers to have the ability to still get their hard earned money out of their homes in order to move on. 

As of the time of this writing the market balance is still good with inventory not building up to the point of driving prices into a tailspin.   In the event of a strong increase on the listing side I suspect the market will as a reaction do a temporary drop in price.  I am confident if an overage of listed properties does take place the resulting price drop will in deed be of a temporary nature.  Home sales in the Boundary are holding strong  on an overall balance.

The area in general is still thriving with strong interest from the retiring generation to thank for this blessing.  When the big city gets to be too much for you come on down and see the area that many now see as the perfect retirement location!

The forest industry is not dead simply reacting to an overly strong Canadian dollar which is making the export market very soft.  In the next few years I expect the sawmills in the area will again be humming along and the myriad of  secondary industries which are currently feeling the crunch will once again be sailing along smoothly.  The Boundary overall is strong and vibrant with an increasing population.  LIFE IS GOOD!

Merry Christmas to All!
Don Mann