BC Sunshine Coast real estate by Menno at Royal lePage Real estate on the BC Sunshine Coast

On the Sunshine Coast, you’ll actually only find one town – Sechelt. Famous Gibsons isn’t even a town, it’s a village. Other than that, we have various communities with beautiful names like Roberts Creek, Madeira Park and Halfmoon Bay.

Beautiful scenery and idyllic small towns and villages - that's the Sunshine Coast for ya. And all that just within spitting distance of Vancouver.

Most people, when thinking of the Sunshine Coast, will imagine endless beaches, tall mountains, fast-running clear creeks, panoramic views, clean air, friendly people and a slow-paced rural lifestyle. Although that view of the Sunshine Coast would be entirely correct when you imagine all those rustic details, there’s even more to it. We also have quite a bit of farm land, pasture and of course endless forests, some of which are now provincial or regional parks.

Our various commuties  have become tourist magnets too. There are some true gems with magical names, along with our major centres like Gibsons, Sechelt and Pender Harbour. The diversity on the Sunshine Coast is phenomenal; which part will you like best? Even a fishing industry remains active in various ports on the Sunshine Coast (Gibsons, Sechelt, Pender). It’s possible to purchase fresh fish, right off the boat. Of course, recreational boating is extremely popular too.

Without much doubt, the Sunshine Coast is one of the nicest areas of Canada. You’d think it might cost a fortune to live here. Actually, be surprised and read along to learn what our affordability could mean for you.

Don't move to the Sunshine Coast because the property values are so outstanding. Do it because the scenery is beautiful, the people are friendly and the environment is clean.

A BARGAIN BY ANY STANDARD

Most everybody will agree that Real Estate is still a bargain on the Sunshine Coast. Often, however, you can’t compare the two. In the city, you’d live on a postage-stamp-sized lot; on the Sunshine Coast it could be a half an Acre or even more. How do you compare such values? That’s why we like to say that living on the Sunshine Coast is mostly a lifestyle choice – it’s quite nice though that it can also be a sound monetary decision.

Quality of life on the Sunshine Coast also means a nice home in nice surroundings, such as on your own parcel of farm land, be it for hobby or production. An acreage with or without hobby farm, just outside one of the smaller communities is still a possibility on the Sunshine Coast. And it’s also very affordable!

How do you put a price on living in such beautiful, clean and spacious surroundings? Some call it paradise, others call it differently. What most people really appreciate, however, is the proximity of the big city. Due to the combination of the two lifestyles, you absolutely won’t have to go without anything.

If property values are such an outstanding bargain, are there many other things on the Sunshine Coast that are, perhaps, much more expensive on a daily basis?

MUST BE EXPENSIVE OTHERWISE?

Some refer to the Sunshine Coast as an island. This is not quite true, since we are well connected to the mainland – just there are no roads going around to Vancouver yet. You need to cross water to get here, either by ferry, private boat or plane. This leads some to think that the cost of living must be high on the Sunshine Coast (everything has to be brought in, one would think). This too may be a bit of a pleasant surprise.

Other than real estate, what else is less expensive on the Sunshine Coast than in the Lower Mainland? Although many things probably would cost about the same on the Sunshine Coast as in the Lower Mainland, such as utilities (hydro, natural gas, cable, phone) and most taxes (income, HST, property, excise taxes, etc), it’s immediately noticeable that gasoline is cheaper on the Sunshine Coast than in the city – the difference being a number of levies that apply in the city but not here.

Another car-related expense that’s substantially less expensive on the Sunshine Coast is car insurance. It can make Hundreds of Dollars of difference, each year. Since cars do not need to go through the AirCare programme on the Sunshine Coast, there is a savings there too. House insurance is less too when the property costs less. Also, even bus tickets are less expensive on the Sunshine Coast, where a $2.25 standard ticket is cheaper than the least-expensive off-peak fare in the city.

In all, the cost of living on the Sunshine Coast isn't more expensive than in the Lower Mainland. Just real estate is much more affordable here.

WHAT ELSE IS LESS EXPENSIVE?

What’s definitely less expensive on the Sunshine Coast are most kinds of labour-intensive services. Plumbers, car repair, painters, electricians and many professionals charge quite a bit less. The cost of gardeners, pet sitters, labourers and house cleaning services are far less. Building a house, on the Sunshine Coast, is less expensive than in the city. The slightly higher cost for shipping in some of the building supplies is more than offset by the much lower labour costs. Of course, the lower cost of land and real estate in general, also helps tremendously.

There are many farms on the Sunshine Coast that sell produce, eggs and other farm product – obviously at excellent prices. The local grocery stores also benefit from the availability of fresh farm product. Local fishermen bring ashore a regular fresh catch of assorted product. There are some on-the-spot vendors as well as stores that carry the freshly caught local product. Although there are gyms on the Sunshine Coast, there are excellent walking and hiking trails, as well as beaches and provincial parks. All free.

If life is so wonderful and affordable on the Sunshine coast, why doesn’t everybody live here? Might be because you have to take a ferry to get here. Or some people just like “city life”. The odd comparison of what’s more or less expensive is fairly pointless if you try to factor in quality of life in this safe, friendly and slow-paced environment.

The ferry service is excellent and that's good because it is our lifeline to the Lower Mainland. Ferry discount cards are available for frequent users.

BRINGING STUFF IN FROM THE CITY

Some items are a bit more expensive on the Sunshine Coast – this would particularly apply to goods that need to be brought in specifically from the Lower Mainland. The cost of transportation, in combination with our fairly small market (less competition), could explain why quite a bit of stuff in the grocery stores will be just a tad bit more expensive than in the Lower Mainland. A lot of supplies are also more expensive: office, building, equipment and electronics. However, delivery of competitively priced items in Vancouver is often free to the Sunshine Coast.

Comparing the cost of living between Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast is interesting enough – and quite lopsided at that. If you were to try and run a comparison between far-away places, it would be even odder. Moving here from a totally different part of the world is perhaps a bit of a hassle but in the end, it’s definitely worth it. Welcome to our easy-going communities!

This website is full of articles and images pertaining to the BC Sunshine Coast, including loads of suggestions. A few selected links are highlighted below. Others can be selected by using the website menus.

Always a welcome sign in Langdale ferry terminal when coming home to the Sunshine Coast. After the ferry docks, everybody rushes in their various directions.

OTHER THINGS – Life on the Sunshine Coast has been covered in various other blog articles, such as:

The Sunshine Coast real estate market: http://www.mennorealty.ca/Blog.php/market-when-to-change

An asking and a selling price: http://www.mennorealty.ca/Blog.php/list-price-difference

Love the house you’re buying: http://www.menno.ca/?p=19954

Mortgage rates at their best: http://www.mennorealty.ca/Blog.php/record-low-1

How inflation will benefit you in the long run: http://www.menno.ca/?p=20011

A Sunshine Coast real estate market sale path: http://www.mennorealty.ca/Blog.php/the-logistics