When many people think of island living and the lifestyle that goes with it the seaside town of Comox should appear in the images that are generated. Quaint, quiet and a throwback to earlier days when people are not in a hurry are just a few of the attractions. This little town is growing but it is not overgrown. The streets are active with local residents enjoying the day for what it is and what the town has to offer. Most of the shops are family run and the attractions focus on events that get people together to enjoy things like music, socializing and food. Take the annual seafood festival at Marina Park just off of the main street as an example. This event features a celebration of fresh BC seafood and spirits, music and offers a learning experience for those who want to learn more about our oceans and seafood. There are seafood tasting stations along with BC craft beer, wine and spirit tasting stations and live music performances.

A great thing about events such as these is that many local residents can walk from the downtown area to the event. In 2018 the event will he held at the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park in Comox on June 16 and 17. This event is located just a few minutes’ walk from the main street. Comox is home to a variety of different housing options. Condominium apartment style living choices are common along the main street. They range from modest options to more recently built higher end homes. There are also patio homes, town homes and single-family homes nearby. Many of these abodes offer views of the nearby Comox Bay and Glacier and they are located within walking distance of the local mall and 9-hole golf course. Local residents are often seen strolling around and enjoying the no-rush pace of this laid-back community.

If you need a bit more action and activity the ever-growing City of Courtenay is just a few minutes’ drive away. The city is home to most of the big-box stores and just about every type of cultural, social and recreational opportunity that one can imagine. The original downtown main street is 5^th street and it has local family run businesses all up and down it. This street crosses Cliffe Avenue just before the 5^th street bridge. Cliffe Avenue is what most people now consider the new main street of the city as it runs the length of the city along many different shops, malls and businesses. This part of town is home to several medium rise apartment style buildings, some of which are located next to the Courtenay River and its boardwalk. This street has become more active in recent years as an ever-increasing number of people are discovering and moving to the area. Many of the homes close to the downtown core are older but newer home developments are just a few minutes’ drive away. Courtenay offers almost every type of home option that a person could want.

Courtenay East, for example, is home to a number of family-oriented neighborhoods that include Crown Isle, an expansive and constantly growing community of homes that surround a golf course. This large subdivision of homes is currently viewed as the high-end community of homes within the Comox Valley. There are, of course, many high-end homes located around the local region but this located offers the most in a localized area. Many homes built in Crown Isle are custom built by their owners. Another interesting aspect of this collection of homes is that many of their residents located here from other parts of the province and Canada so there is a wealth of varied experience represented by many of the people seen strolling around the area. Residents are joined by visitors who arrive here to enjoy the Platinum-rated golf course and other local attractions. The resort offers nicely furnished accommodations along the border of the gold course right next to the Club House.

Comox, Courtenay and Crown Isle offer a wide range of homes for people who live in, and who plan to relocate to the area. This region of Vancouver Island also offers a broad spectrum of things to do and enjoy. This diverse region is growing and continuing to attract an increasing number of people to it on both a short term and longer-term basis. If you are looking for a change in lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle of the city and want a more laid-back lifestyle with options to enjoy a variety of social, cultural and recreational opportunities this region may just be the one that you are seeking.

Back in 2015 few people forecast or even anticipated the change and movement in the real estate markets of Courtenay East and Comox that have been experienced since then. While it is fair to say that these market areas have continued to climb a number of specific changes have not been common.

Courtenay East is located to the east of the Courtenay River and it comprises a number of family-oriented neighbourhoods both large and small. At the beginning of 2017 single family home prices were hovering around the $450,000 level. A slow steady rise in prices was experienced throughout the spring and summer. A slight drop was experienced just before the school year started and there was a spike in prices the late fall. The median price in March was over $500,000. As the year progressed consumer choice began to drop off with fewer listings hitting the market.

Crown Isle, a suburb of Courtenay East, experienced similar but different changes. There was a steady increase in home prices from the spring through the summer, a bit of a drop off near fall and a more rapid climb through March 2018. The number of new listings in Crown Isle was down considerably from a more normal year. The entry level for a single-family home started around the $600,000 level at the beginning of the year and it stated to approach the $700,000 level near the end. Because of the limited number of sales in some months, it was necessary to view statistics with a longer-term perspective and to use trends and weighted averages with care. The bottom line, however, is that the market has gone up and consumer choice has been quite limited.

Now let’s focus on the Town of Comox. This seaside community started experiencing an upward trend in home prices in 2016 when the median price of a single-family home hovered around $350,000. Just two years later the median price had risen to more than $500,000. Clearly many people moving into the area saw the charm of this small town as alluring and took the plunge into the real estate market. Once again, the number of homes coming onto the market has been limited and when good ones do come on they often do not last long.

Over the past couple of years, the federal government has made it more difficult for home buyers to qualify for and to obtain mortgages. By some metrics it has become about 20% more difficult for many families. The end result is that fewer people are getting mortgages and there are more offers collapsing due to financing. If you are thinking of buying a home in any of these climbing market areas a recent mortgage pre-approval is a good plan to avoid disappointment.

The town of Comox is all about lifestyle. The location is superb nestled on the shore of the Comox Bay and the views of the nearby ocean and mountains are magnificent. The main street remains quaint and it provides access to small retail shops and essential services. How about the 9- hole golf course that is just off of the main street and home to a number of deer? Marina Park is located across the street and down the hill. It is home to many different events throughout the year and right beside the Comox Harbour.

The Comox Mall is currently being renovated and expanded to better meet the needs of a growing population. This area continues to be sought after by many people who yearn for a better quality of life than the one that they currently have within the hustle and bustle of larger cities and suburbs. Just about everything is located within a short walk or a 10-minute drive from the downtown area. The City of Courtenay is connected on the east side of the Courtenay river by Comox Avenue, Back Road and the Guthrie Road – Lerwick Road connector.

Comox offers many different family friendly neighbourhoods. The larger ones like Foxxwood Heights, Lancaster Heights, and Beckton Estates are complemented by many small ones scattered throughout the town boundary. They offer a wide variety of housing options in many different price ranges and in the styles of homes offered. Also prevalent are the numerous parks such as Highland Park, the Northeast Woods, Brooklyn Creek Park, Filberg Park, Mack Laing Nature Park, Condor Park and others. Nature trails and walking trails are numerous and varied. The Comox Recreation Centre offers a variety of programs to keep you fit and Quality Foods and Independent Grocer offer numerous food choices to keep you healthy. While the pace of life has picked up a bit in the past 5 years, locals continue to live on “Island Time”. When you visit slow down and join us in an unrushed day.

The local harbour offers a boardwalk to enjoy the ocean and local vistas and to just sit and take in the refreshing Pacific air. Nearby the Comox Spit offers tremendous views of the Georgia Strait to the South towards Vancouver and of the nearby Coastal and Vancouver Island mountain ranges. Enjoy and evening on the beach and observe the ocean life doing the same thing. If you are more adventurous the Mount Washington ski hill is a short 30-minute drive to both winter and summer activities. Within the Courtenay-Comox confines there are numerous social, cultural and recreational opportunities to choose from and to keep you going. Seeing is believing so why not drop by and visit the area to see if for yourself?

Last year was a banner year for high-end home sales in the Comox Valley. For more than a decade the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board would report a handful of million dollar sales in this area. Last year there were 31 million dollar sales. Luxury Waterfront homes led the pack with the most sales but there were also some great homes sold in the Comox Peninsula, Courtenay North, Union Bay, Courtenay West and in Merville and Black Creek.

Crown Isle is another area where you can find custom built high end homes with some terrific views. While the number of listings at the start of this year has been less than normal, expect to find some great homes come on the market. Few areas can rival the number of superior quality finishing than in many of these homes. Gourmet kitchens, stunning master ensuite bathrooms, lifelike experiences in home theatre rooms, large expansive great rooms and formal dining rooms are just a few of the many features in these abodes.

The island lifestyle in the valley is complemented by relative bargains in the high end home market when compared to large cities like Vancouver. Why pay 4 million dollars for a home when you can find great luxury homes in the valley at a fraction of the cost? Some of these homes are located in urban areas while others can be found in fairly private areas of the valley. Some stand proud and prominent on high bank waterfront properties while others offer walk on oceanfront access.

If views of scenic wonders like our ocean and nearby mountain ranges are what appeal to you there are many properties that offer exactly that. The Comox Glacier, the Coastal Mountain range and the Georgia Strait are all options form which to choose. Add eagles flying overhead and killer whales surfacing in nearby waters and the natural wonders stand out even more.

Last year sales of these homes ranged from just over a million dollars to three million dollars. There are homes listed up to $3.74M on the current market. Some are simply spectacular and over the top. If luxury is what you need you can certainly find many options here. There are, of course, many other homes below the million dollar mark that are also terrific executive homes. Why not drop by a Comox real estate office and take a look for yourself?

The City of Courtenay offers home buyers many different options ranging from mobile homes to multi-million dollar custom built homes. Crown isle, located in East Courtenay offers buyers higher end home options that are located on and off of a Platinum rated golf course. Over the past two years entry level prices for single family homes have risen from a median sell price of about $511 thousand dollars in January 2016 to a median sell price of $935 thousand dollars in January 2018. This is not to say that homes have gone up by that amount but it does reinforce the fact that prices have risen over that period of time. As well, more higher-priced homes are actually selling now than they were two years ago. The entry level for a 1700 square foot rancher in the main part of Crown Isle in today’s market is rapidly approaching $600,000.

Valley View Estates and the surrounding area is another popular and desirable family oriented subdivision. So is Aberdeen Heights on the other side of Lerwick Drive. The entry level for single family homes in these areas is approaching the $450,000 threshold and for 1700 square foot ranchers the price point is well into the $500,000 range. These two neighbourhoods occupy a large part of the land in East Courtenay. They offer convenience to schools, shopping, the new hospital and the airport. Some also offer spectacular views of the Vancouver Island mountain range and the Comox Glacier. If you are in the market for a nice family home in an urban setting check out East Courtenay and what is has to offer.

The other areas of Courtenay also offer varied housing choices. The downtown area (Courtenay City) offers proximity to the original main street (5^th street) and its shops. A large part of this part of the city also borders the new main street (Cliffe Avenue) and its many different businesses and local malls. Cliffe Avenue parallels the Courtenay River and the nearby Riverwalk path. It is the main connector between the south end of Courtenay and both the 17^th and 5^th street bridges that cross the Courtenay River and connect to the eastern and northern parts of the city.

Courtenay West has a bit more of a rural flavour to it but there are a number of newer developments that have been built along the corridor that parallels Arden Road. Courtenay South offers a number of homes that are located close to Comox Bay and along highway 19A as it runs south towards Nanaimo. It also offers some newer homes being built in areas like The Ridge with commanding views of the nearby bay and ocean. Courtenay North is also more rural in nature and it offers some large lots in areas like the Huband road area.

Getting to know all of the various parts of Courtenay will take some time but it is time well spent if you are deciding on the area within which you will focus your hunt for a new home. The City offers you many different home and property options. There are some great agents like Brett Cairns: RE/MAX Ocean Pacific Realty in Comox BC that can show you the local area.  Drop by for a visit and see what this area has to offer. You may just decide to relocate here for the quality of life in this island style community.

The seaside town of Comox, British Columbia offers prospective buyers a wide spectrum of home choices. Waterfront homes with spectacular views of the Comox Bay and the nearby Vancouver Island Ranges and the Comox Glacier. The Comox Glacier is located about 20 miles southwest of the town and it is 6430 feet high.

Waterfront homes in the town of Comox rest along the Eastern edge of the Comox Bay which is sheltered by the nearby Comox Spit. They extend around the Comox Peninsula and offer walk-on, low bank and high bank options. The waterfront homes on the Eastern side of the peninsula offer great views of the Georgia Strait and the Coastal Mountains.

Equally appealing are many of the high end, and often custom built homes located in and around this quaint town. Prices range from the current median price of around $500,000 to several million dollars. Lot size range from small building lots in town to several acres just outside of the town boundary. Architectural styles include contemporary, West Coast contemporary, Colonial style, American Craftsman, Timber Framed, and Tudor. Building types include single level homes, two level homes, and multi-level homes. A very similar selection of homes can be found in the nearby city of Courtenay.

Newer builds often offer an open concept and main floor living. Practical kitchens and eating areas, inviting centrally focused great rooms, a wide variety of entertainment areas, and luxurious master bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms are among the many highly sought after features.

Drop by our area and you will find a number of newer subdivisions within the town boundary and others just outside but very close to the downtown core. They are all quite different and offer different types of living. For example, Forest Grove Estates is an enclave of larger homes located on larger rural lots just a few minutes from downtown Comox. Also minutes away is the high end golf course bordered community of Crown Isle offering upscale living in custom built homes that are close to just about every convenience in Comox and Courtenay.

Whatever style of home you are looking for you will likely find some very good options within and around the town of Comox. In this market you may have to wait for your dream home to come onto the market but when it does move quickly and you will not be disappointed.