With the election results just behind us, and plenty of questions still in the air, many people in 100 Mile House are wondering what the future will look like, especially when it comes to real estate.
At first glance, the federal Liberal platform under Mark Carney sounds promising for housing. Big plans have been announced: doubling the pace of home construction, cutting the GST for first-time buyers on new homes under $1 million, continuing the foreign buyer ban, and making it easier to build faster and more affordably.
The idea is to create more supply in major centres like Vancouver and Kelowna, making it easier for people to buy homes where they live. On the surface, that sounds positive. But for smaller communities like ours, it’s a little more complicated.
Here in 100 Mile House, local real estate activity plays an important role, but much of the momentum in our market has always come from buyers relocating from larger centres. The steady flow of new families and retirees moving from the Lower Mainland and beyond helps create opportunities, allowing local sellers to make important moves, whether that’s for healthcare, family support, or a change of lifestyle.
If demand from outside buyers slows too much, it could make it harder for people here to sell when they need to, especially for those making important life transitions. Less demand means more inventory sitting on the market, longer selling times, and softer prices.
At the same time, it’s important to stay realistic. Over the last decade, we’ve seen plenty of big promises around affordability, but results have often been slow, and the cost of living has continued to rise. It’s healthy to be hopeful, but also wise to stay grounded. Not every promise translates into real change.
That said, if even parts of these new initiatives—like speeding up construction and helping first-time buyers—take hold, it could help stabilize the larger markets over time. A healthier Lower Mainland market could mean buyers who move to the Cariboo are coming by choice, not just out of necessity. And that’s an important distinction for the long-term health of our community.
Because ultimately, real estate isn’t just about prices and policies. It’s about people. It’s about building a community that people want to be part of.
Here in 100 Mile House, we have an incredible lifestyle to offer: the lakes, the space, the sense of community, and a way of life you can’t find in the city. Going forward, it’s up to us to embrace those strengths, promote what makes this area special, and continue building a community that draws people not just because it’s more affordable, but because it’s a place they truly want to call home.
No matter what happens federally, the real strength of our market, and our future, will always come from the people who live here.
