Why Vancouver Real Estate is a Great Long Term Investment

There is currently much attention being paid to the relatively low monthly sales volumes compared to the booming markets of years past, in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. This is causing some alarm amongst some market observers and giving pause to many prospective home buyers. While I agree that caution is warranted in this market (or any market for that matter), I’m a big believer in the upward trajectory of our region’s housing prices in the long-term.

Desirability

Vancouver, it’s suburbs, and further out into the Fraser Valley, are all desirable places to live. Vancouver has once again been named by the Economist Intelligence Unit as being ranked within the top 5 places to live globally. This is an honour that has been bestowed on the city for many years. And for good reason. The Metro Vancouver area has a stunning natural beauty that our mountains and water bodies provide, that few other major metropolitan areas can match.

Besides the stunning scenery, we who live here are blessed with relatively clean air and pure water that is second to none in my opinion. Crime too is not as big an issue as say in some major US cities, insofar as you generally feel safe walking around our city streets. We are a diverse multicultural society that is peaceful and welcoming overall. This makes Vancouver special in the world.

Now, this isn’t to say that everything is perfect in Vancouver or the Fraser Valley. Of course there are challenges with our transportation infrastructure (i.e. highway 1, rapid transit etc.), traffic, and congestion due to density. And I would be remiss in failing to mention the major affordability issues that local income earners have in buying a home here. But by far, the advantages of living in this most beautiful region outweigh many of the negatives.

Inward Migration

There is a reason that so many international immigrants seek out and settle in the Metro Vancouver region each year. They love our scenery, schools, clean environment and peaceful living conditions.  Vancouver is a global city. It’s on the radar of immigrants from all across the globe. Given the political turbulence being seen in the US right now, it may be that Canada (and Vancouver specifically), are seen as a beacon of hope, more than ever.

Geography

Geographically, Metro Vancouver has a limited land base to build out. This is because to our immediate south runs the United States border, to the North are the mountains, to the west we are bounded by the sea and to the East, we have a large percentage of land that is protected under the Agricultural Land Reserve (protected farm land). When you combine these geographic constraints with the ever increasing demand for people to relocate to this amazing Metro area, it is possible that any price correction that may materialize in our housing market will be short and shallow.

Fundamentals

There are strong fundamentals supporting our housing market here. It has been this way for decades. So, while we may be in a cyclical downturn at the moment, as some are suggesting, the long-term secular trend in this region is up in my opinion. It is why I believe that any weakness signals a buying opportunity for those astute enough to maintain a long-term perspective. 

Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley are wonderful areas to call home.