The south and mid Island has become quite congested, I think if I was to move down the Island Cambell River is as far as I would go... It's the last big town on the Island and to the North you have a huge riding area, free camping, umpteen lakes , great fishing, lotsa hiking areas , good hunting and lotsa get away from people areas... If you miss the congestion you just have to head south for the day... Cambell River had the worst economy on the Island a little while back, but things have picked up since mostly due to the Chinese log market boom... What are you looking for house, condo or rental?
For an investment, the best place to buy is in Victoria. For a place to live, do you work, are you retired?
I like the Qualicum and Campbell River towns. With Qualicum getting the nod for better weather. IMO, the riding is not that great as your obviously limited because of the Island. A weekend and you could ride in every town here, and most of the Island is forcing you to do North South riding. I've lived in the Vic area (Colwood) for the last 3.5 yrs, (I'm from NFLD) and this area is getting more congested by the day as condos are going up outside of Victoria as well like Langford and such. So it's not going to be any better any time soon. Mid Island is where you need to be.. Lots of nice places between Naniamo and Campbell River.
If I could I would live anywhere in this area. Great weather, lots of hobby farms to buy fresh produce, wineries galore and great backroads for riding. You are only 1 hr. from Victoria, or go north to Nanaimo.
Both are in the Municipality of North Cowichan so would probably share in the cost of any tax increase. Crofton without the mill being might make the land values appreciate in time as demand increases for a retirement community. The area has lots to offer with a hospital nearby in Duncan.
....oh for the good olde days when people came to Victoria via the birth canal. Nice simple life when you could race slot cars in what turned into the Olde Forge in the Strathcona Hotel. Venturing up island for summer holidays at Little Qualicum Falls and picnics at Ivy Green...... Regardless, if you do emigrate over here we can always go for a coffee/lunch ride. There's plenty of mid 50+ retired farts over here looking for excuses for rides...
Easily CR, not that I'm biased or anything but for the same reasons that brought me back a few years ago when I could have moved anywhere. Comox Valley south is too busy and overpriced, we have tons of lakes, good trails, backroad access, Mt Washington parking lot is 35 minutes from my door. We're not quite into the rain belt that Sayward rests in. The real estate pricing on it's own makes it worth while. Once you hit Nanaimo south you might as well stay in the Fraser Valley it's an over priced zoo.
Nah, I don't think the CV beats anything. Merville and Black Creek would be nice if you want a more rural setting but I don't know how hey compare on prices. CR is cheap these days though. For me it wouldn't matter how cheap it was Nanaimo south, it's just too damn busy if it was cheap it would just get worse.
I know this thread is the enclave for 'island people' so I won't stay long. But i too remember the good old days when my dad's old buddy ran the Qualicum fish hatchery,,,,we as kids used to hang out and help in transfer of salmon smelts to different stage tanks,,,and stay with the whole gang at his cabin on Horn Lake at summer holidays. We would jump in the old 12' car top with the old Johnstone 6hp and camp overnite on the tiny little island in the middle of the lake. Very good times. Rode through that area extensively last summer, back roads, gravel roads, etc,,my have things changed!!........Then again, I remember when there was 1 street light from Surrey to Abbotsford. Steve
All depends on what you want. I lived on the island for 5 years- 3 in Victoria and a couple in the CV, spending a fair bit of time in Qualicum and Nanaimo. No offense, but I hated the CV for several reasons, the biggest being it was a cliquey small town. Mind you I was 25 and single at the time, but I couldn't wait to get out if Dodge so to speak. Surpringly, traffic can be brutal as well. CR is nicer set-up imo. Victoria on the other hand is one of my favourite places in the world. Just big enough you can get lost and just small enough to easily get across it. While the Newlyweds and Nearly Dead moniker is true to a point, having 30,000+ students in town makes it pretty vibrant for it's size. If the work was three, I'd go back in a second if the work was there, and while yes, it us expensive, it's still nowhere near as pricey as Vancouver proper. Nanaimo isn't bad, as it's trying hard to revitalize the dt waterfront, but like many North American cities, it's a shit stain of big box stores on a city strip disguised as a highway.
For a good idea of real estate prices go to MLS.ca, pick your two or three areas and get an idea of the prices. From what I understand the prices around Campbell River have dropped a lot since the mill closed. That would include Quadra Island as well with the ferry ride only 10 minutes to Campbell River. The weather is defintely rainy in Campbell River, similar to North Vancouver, but the recreational opportunities are incredible especially if you like fishing. Also most of the forestry roads are still open to the north of the island whereas towards the south the off-roads are slowly getting gated. Although this thread isn't on the Sunshine Coast when I was there last year it seemed every 4th house was for sale with some incredible deals out there especially around Roberts Creek.
The summertime weather in Cambell River is very Similar to Nanaimo and I don't believe they get any more precipitation as C.R. lays in the rain shadow of the Islands highest mountains... In the winter when temps drop, CR is likely going to have the coolest temps due to the effect of having Bute Inlet close by which harbours some very large icefields giving added chill to the outflows... Once you get north of the Gulf of Georgia the weather takes a change, the transition zone sits between Roberts lake and Sayward... North of Sayward the chilling effect of Queen Charlotte sound comes into play and summertime temps are much cooler, often a 10 C difference from my place to Cambell River...
Another thing to think about will be the future cost of getting off the island. Like your neighbour if you do go back and forth to the Lower Mainland money can add up plus the agrivation of the ferry line ups is only going to get worse.
