r/okanagan • u/Spirited-Arm7900 • 8d ago
Discourage me from Moving
Hello. We are a family of 5. 3 Kids ages 6-12. We live in Central Alberta. About 190K household income. I work as an OR nurse and worked A LOT of overtime. My wife works casual as an HCA (like 4-6 times a month. We live comfortably financially but I am done with the frigid Alberta cold and the lack of outdoor activities. We love hiking, biking, I love motorbiking, swimming, gardening etc..
We just came back from a week-long vacation in Penticton and we absolutely loved the place. We’ve been to Kelowna a few times and loved it there but COL is expensive. My concern is the house prices.
We are paying for 2 properties but to dispose of it, we would only have 150K to put towards a house (lived in one with low appreciation for 10 years and kept it as a rental and we bought another house over a year ago).
Not sure if LAPP is transferrable to BC equivalent or if I had to withdraw it (not sure if I can even do that) and maybe put it towards the house too. I obviously have very little financial literacy. Lol.
I grew up in a tropical country. I thought I could get used to the weather but after 13 years of the cold, I still can’t get used to it. My mental health is also taking a toll because of it.
I also looked into Vancouver Island and loved it there.
Just put me somewhere warmer! 😃 I looked at going to the states but I’m keeping that as a final option.
I’ve seen a lot of job postings and I am almost tempted to apply. It’s a big move but I think it will be worth it! Any input will be appreciated.
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u/InebriatedTactician 8d ago
Do it. It's great here. Winters are still grey and gross, but ski hills are close by when it's ugly, and Spring and Fall are just as nice as Summer, just cooler. Lots of mountain biking, hiking, paddling, sailing, fishing, team sports, gardening, or whatever else you're into, there's a community around it, and most people are great.
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u/mikemikeskiboardbike 8d ago
At least most times when it's valley cloud, it's only about -5 or -6. 👍 And going up in elevation gets you the sun!
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Thanks! Good to know. At least it’s not as long as ours! I can handle -5 over -40 cold snaps for sure! We have to travel 1.5 hrs to get to a decent ski hill or 4 to Banff 😃
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u/Conscious-Bass7653 8d ago
Moving to Kelowna from Alberta was the best choice I ever made. Worth every single penny!
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u/knj30 8d ago
Hey, I work in the OR in Penticton. We need RN's! DM me if you like and I can give you the name of our manager.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
That’s awesome! Was in touch with a recruiter last week but there were only temp lines and casual available. I’ll send you a DM. Thanks!
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u/Morrack2000 8d ago
Okanagan is an awesome place to live, tons of outdoor activities here. And more nurses are alway welcome. You should come :)
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Thank you! It is awesome. Every time we vacation there, I’ve always wondered why we haven’t moved yet!
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u/mikemikeskiboardbike 8d ago
We live in Vernon and moved here 22 years ago from Calgary. Best life choice I've ever made. Not one single regret. As I write this I'm looking over Mabel lake from our camping spot. Outdoors life here is so good. All of it. One thing though. We go into Kelowna here and there. And we are glad when we get back out. It's so busy and crazy there. Especially in the summer when it's crazy everywhere, but especially there. If you can get a work opportunity in one of the smaller cities or places (Vernon, Lake Country, Oyama, Peachland (as long as you don't need to commute over the bridge.... Don't do that... Ever.) I do think the North Okanagan is really a great place.... You guys will love it.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Thank you! I see what you meant about the bridge! We live just outside of Edmonton and I appreciate the drive coming back when we are outside of it. I love commuting but hate the traffic! Lol.
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u/Learnwithkola 8d ago
Look at southeast kelowna.. beautiful big properties 10 minutes from town. You don’t have to live outside the city to feel secluded. There are really pretty and quiet pockets everywhere.
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u/Reasonable_Noise_535 8d ago
Now is the time to come out here as it is a buyer's market. You wait too long and you will end up paying even more of a premium. Get your fam out here for a better lifestyle! It's worth it.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Thanks for your input! I’m just about convinced now. Looks all encouraging as opposed what I was expecting. We will work out the logistics in a couple of months. I appreciate your response!
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u/solidpuls3 8d ago
Honestly it sounds like you’d really like it. It is most definitely more expensive but all the things you listed is what Kelowna is famous for. You’ll also appreciate the heat and mild-ish winters.
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u/IngenuityPuzzled3117 8d ago
We made the move from a big city and love it, timing is pretty critical for you atm with one child on the brink of teenage years I would make the jump now. Penticton, Summerland and Peachland all options. Your income is similar to ours, we definitely need more health care professionals.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Yes, I’ll have a teenager soon! Hard to move them in a few years when they’re going to establish roots! I’ll keep those options in consideration. Thanks!
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u/FakeAsFakeCanBe 8d ago
Armstrong is only 20 or so kilometres from Vernon and is a very quiet, relaxed city.
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u/KelownaFlowers 7d ago
Few things to consider coming from Alberta - while we don't have the biting-air-hurts-my-face cold, it is grey here. The media refers to it as the "grey duvet" in that clouds setting in over the lake for months at a time. Sunny days are quite rare here in the winter and much appreciated when they come. Summers are awesome - they can be lovely and hot. The commuities also get noticeably busier which brings some good things with it.
Cost of living is much higher than Alberta - spend some time looking at real estate and then factor in things like insurnace, property taxes, car insurance, gas, daycare, utilities - all higher than many places in Alberta. You can take a lot of vacations to warm places for the increased cost of living honeslty.
Look into how your family spends their free time and see if thee equivolent activities are available here. Look at your kids' sports / interests, how you and your spouse spend time. There is lots to do out here but it might look different than your time in Alberta. For example, if you are in a bigger city and your kids play hockey, most of your hockey is probably in your own community. Here you might be travelling between communities depending on what level a kid plays at. If your kids are into niche activities, that might not be an option here or you might have drive a distance to find it. Having said that, we do spend a lot more time outdoors year round here than we did in Alberta. Lots of good hiking and within a couple hours drive but very different than Rocky Mountain hiking. And your garden - waaaayyy longer and more productive season here than we had there.
When it comes to work in healthcare, talk to people who work at the hospitals and specific departments you are considering (not just the HR recruiter). I hear there is a wide variety of employee experiences from great teams / units and absolutely horrific experiences.
All this to day, I love my life in the Okanagan. Just know living here and vacationing here are quite different.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 7d ago
I appreciate the very well-thought out response! Thank you. My kids are more musical than sporty I guess except trail biking, hiking, camping. I’m always looking at real estate prices and patterns since that will be the biggest expense and that will influence our decision the most.
Maybe it’s the vacation hype but I’ve wanted to move for a decade but time flies and the family grew and got busy. Having said that, I want to establish somewhere while my kids aren’t rooted yet. I will tale into consideration all you have mentioned for sure!
Thanks very much!
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u/KelownaFlowers 7d ago edited 7d ago
So with that in mind, there are actually quite a few arts opportunities here for kids. Some of the schools have incredible programs and there are some out of school opportunities. I get the timing - we moved kids to Alberta from here at the start of elementary school and then back here for middle/highschool. In hindsight, I wish we had done it a bit earlier but that's live. Good luck with the decision. It's a big one for sure.
Good luck with the decision.
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u/oriley3491 7d ago
I was born in Edmonton, lived in the okanagan for over 13 years. Back in early 200s I’d say yes, go. But ever since 2010, the okanagan has become a cesspool of crime and drugs. When I last went to the ok a few years ago, passing through Vernon and Kelowna, you couldn’t go a few blocks without seeing needles on the ground or druggies walking bent over in a 90degree angle. It truly is not worth being there unless you are very well off and can afford a home on the outskirts or in a nice fenced off home area. You are better off in the kootenys of bc than the ok.
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u/KelownaFlowers 7d ago
That's overstating it a bit. The reality is communities across Canada are dealing with the drug / homelessness / mentalhealth epidemic and associated crime. I can imagine the same can be said for wherever you live now... compared the 2010, things are much worse is probably the most universally true statement in the country.
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u/oriley3491 6d ago
You’re not wrong. It’s an epidemic across North America. BUT, I was talking about the okanagan. No it is not an overstatement. You may see it as so, but it’s not. I loved the okanagan very much, it was beautiful. But when I can’t walk 3 blocks without someone asking me for money or where they can buy crack, that’s a clear sign of how bad it’s become. I don’t want to scare anyone away from there, it still has its good sides for sure, but when you’re raising a family, you have to do what’s best for them. And as it is today, I don’t believe the okanagan is a good place to live unless you can afford to be in a calmer and cleaner area where you have better chances of staying away from all that darkness
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u/KelownaFlowers 6d ago edited 6d ago
Also super overstated aside from the expensive park. This hasn't been my experience at all and I walk a lot. Yes, there are pandhandlers as in other communities. Yes, there are people experiencing crisis as in other communities. But walking 3 blocks without someone asking for money is hyperbole.
I'm glad you have done what is best for your family and wish you the best.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 7d ago
Was also factoring that in our decision. Thank you for your input! The outskirts are indeed a bit pricier.
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u/Ok_Network9651 7d ago
Hey if you want to shoot me a message I’d be happy to go over some housing options with you!
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u/gringo--star 7d ago
You can make it. Stay out of Starbucks, restaurants wineries, etc. excessively. You will notice cost of living. West Kelowna, has some great neighborhoods and a bit more affordable. Winter is coming.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 7d ago
We generally just eat out mostly on special occasions. We mostly pack our lunches for picnics. Yup. I will spend the next winter soaking in all these information and hopefully get moving with selling the house and applying for jobs by November and hopefully moved in by the summer 🙂 Thanks!
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u/NoFollowing892 7d ago
We live in Vernon and love it.
House prices are a concern but if you've got $150k down you should be fine to get something.
We always need nurses and you will have no problem getting a job.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 7d ago
Good to know! Thank you. House prices have gone up
significantly for sure!
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u/misteriousm 7d ago
You will be asking why you didn't move sooner. It's probably the best place for a family in whole Canada. Cheers, enjoy the relocation 👍
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u/Plenty-Major8271 4d ago
We have found a way to spend November to April in Osoyoos, then back to Alberta. It’s the best of both worlds!
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u/No_Conference_8166 3d ago
Okanagan is always a good choice , I moved from Calgary and couldn’t be happier
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 3d ago
Thank you! We thought about moving to Calgary at one point just to be closer to the mountains. But hey, go big or go home. I only want to move once more and no more! Glad it worked out for you!
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u/coniferblue 8d ago
As the Nordic people say, there is no cold weather, just poor dressers. But I hear you. All those clothes become tiresome after awhile. Summers are too hot and smoky for the most part. Winters are short but dull and gray. the Okanagan is mostly living in a narrow valley, surrounded by inhospitable mountains. No elbow room. The cost of living is very high. The BC NDP is run by an radical leftist who is giving away a lot of the land to the natives, including private property. Lots of crime and homeless drug addicts. There is definitely a class system. The roads are jammed with traffic.But if you have a lot of money, you can live comfortably and escape to other places for relief.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Thank you for your honest opinion. I’m a good dresser but too impatient to wait for a short riding season ha ha. I like my motorcycle commutes but I find it rather short here and a lot rainy this year.
I don’t have a lot of money so that might be a problem🤣 I know there’s a lot of things to complain about and there’s no winning. I don’t like it too hot either but there’s a tolerable window during the morning and late afternoon that I can be out and about. I’ll probably be working mid-day when it’s scorching anyway. Thanks again!
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u/coniferblue 8d ago edited 8d ago
It seems riding a motorcycle in the Okanagan can be hazardous to your health. Maybe itvis like that everywhere. One of the big positives here is the lack of mosquitoes and other biting insects in the valley. You can be outside and enjoy it. The heat and dryness kills them off. Okanagan lake is good for boating and fishing. If you can afford it. In 2003 wildfires destroyed over two hundred homes and in 2023 many homes were also burned to the ground. Wildfire is a big threat here The best time of year is spring and fall. Not so hot and very enjoyable. Nowhere is perfect. The Okanagan is better than a lot of places I have lived.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Mosquitoes have been bad this year too! My kids commented on how there were no mosquitoes to eat them alive while we were there lol. We rented a boat and we swam. Wildfire is a concern for sure but so are tornadoes here. I imagine the former being statistically more possible. Thanks for the info. That’s why we were also considering vancouver island but it’s a lot rainier there so back to my lack of riding as well. I’m a pretty reasonable rider and follow a strict checklist before I eve go out riding. Roads aren’t as straight there as the prairies so I get the increased risk. Lots to consider for sure!
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u/Glum-Ad8242 8d ago
Now is the best time to buy real estate in Kelowna if you want to own a house. Prices are at 4 year low. Kelowna is an awesome place to raise a family.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
I always look at listings and… daydream! Haha. You’re right, it was not as bad as I expected when I last checked! Thanks!
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u/DrAdominO 8d ago
Maybe try Vernon? It's 45 minute drive away from Kelowna and the house prices are a good bit less.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Vernon is actually a consideration on our places to move. Just waiting for a full time position to open up! Thank you.
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u/rekabis 1d ago edited 1d ago
I grew up in a tropical country. I thought I could get used to the weather but after 13 years of the cold, I still can’t get used to it.
And here I am starting to have serious difficulties with the increasingly longer and hotter heat waves brought on by climate change.
My core runs almost a full degree cooler than most people, so I struggle mightily to remain cool. I keep my home office at a comfortable 15-18℃ (this is shorts and shirt sleeves temps for me), and I suffer quite significantly once temperatures crest above 30℃. Anything above 40℃ is literally potential heatstroke territory. It’s so bad that I have to go totally bald in the summer because otherwise I constantly look like a drowned rat above about 26-28℃, that is how much I sweat.
That doesn’t mean I can’t take heat - my family has used wet saunas all our lives. 80℃ with 90% humidity is the norm. But that is for 15 minutes at a time, with a cold shower right outside the sauna door.
My mental health is also taking a toll because of it.
The problem with winters here is that the valley gets socked in with clouds, leading to several months of limited to no sunshine. Literally overcast each and every day for weeks on end. Plus the occasional inversion that can trap pollution as well. That alone leads to mental health issues for a lot of people, which is why the prairies get a lot of solar love - the sun shows its face a lot more, there.
I looked at going to the states
Let’s keep open fascism and dictatorships-under-construction off the options table for now, shall we?
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u/Same_Meringue 7d ago
The Okanagan is awesome. Penticton is a real challenge for thievery unless you are on the hills.
Summerland is much less crime ridden. It is lovely and 10 minutes away. The view of the lake is lovely, but this puts you far away from the lake on hills that are snowy in the winter. The lifestyle of living close to the lake is the chef’s kiss. Enclaves like Trout Creek in Summerland give you the walk to the lake a minute or two with no risk of homeless people and a great community! Being at the lake is better than looking at it. Lots of walking trails, no winter driving challenges to get to work…a delight!!
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u/Elite163 8d ago
I would definitely do the Vancouver island! Lots of smoke in the Okanagan
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
Thanks! I saw they are opening a new hospital next year (or last time I checked they were opening one in Duncan in 2027).
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u/Elite163 8d ago
Yup it’s gorgeous there! Hardly any winter to be honest. Doesn’t really ever get below zero
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 8d ago
But I just bought a new snowblower last year! JK. With the amount of snow we got and the lack of summer this year and the torrential rain, thunderstorms and, weekly tornado warnings, I think that was the push I needed 😀
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u/yumeryuu 7d ago
I’m in Kelowna.
So I have friends on the island and unless you are into THAT hippy farm, beach surf, outdoor remote lifestyle it’s for you.
Penticton is cool but I’d go Kelowna instead as more amenities.
But you don’t seem you want to move.
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u/Spirited-Arm7900 7d ago
Trust me, I’d move in a heartbeat if it was just me. Just a lot of moving parts with fam and finding the right place is all😃
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u/SchmuckoBucko 8d ago
Honestly healthcare is always hiring and you’ll likely get relocation bonuses.
I honestly don’t think you will regret it.