This is part one of a two part series.

According to those in the know, Penticton is quickly becoming the next major investment hub in the Okanagan.

Western Investor magazine ranks the city at number four on its list of five top towns for real estate investors in 2023, and an article by Vancouver real estate firm Maude, MacKay and Co. calls the region a property 乌鸦传媒渉otspot.乌鸦传媒�

Both entities point to Penticton乌鸦传媒檚 location and growing housing and economic opportunities as just some of the reasons to invest in the South Okanagan community.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e been seeing, really for the last two years, that Penticton is our favourite market in the valley,乌鸦传媒� says Shane Styles, president of Kelowna-based Epic Real Estate Solutions.

A recent call from a Vancouver client, who vacationed in Penticton as a child and was looking for property opportunities, confirmed to Styles that the area is on many investors乌鸦传媒� radar.

乌鸦传媒淚 tell you, I can mix and repeat that story a hundred times. Penticton has all the amenities of a larger centre but with a small town feel. Demand drives interest.乌鸦传媒�

One of the areas that interests Styles, in particular, is the North Gateway Plan in the northwest corner of the city. Penticton has invested more than $200 million to create the South Okanagan Events Centre Campus which features an aquatic centre, ice rink, convention centre, casino and curling club. There is also the future opportunity for two new NHL-sized rinks next to the convention centre.

On the housing side, the city乌鸦传媒檚 plan is to increase the density that currently exists, around 300 residential units, up to 2,200 new units.

乌鸦传媒淏uy where the demand is going to be the greatest in the future,乌鸦传媒� adds Styles. 乌鸦传媒淲here a city is putting recreation and entertainment amenities, parks, beaches and active transportation corridors.乌鸦传媒�

He illustrates his point by referencing Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 investment along the Abbott Street corridor.

乌鸦传媒淎nybody who purchased in or along Abbott in advance of the city adding new beaches, and a large recreational corridor, they have all benefited from that because it draws people to that area. The North Gateway Plan will be the same experience in Penticton.乌鸦传媒�

Styles says the opportunities in Penticton are drawing many, generally younger people.

乌鸦传媒淣ew people are coming from bigger cities because Penticton has all the assets of a larger urban centre, but they can get their foot in the door.乌鸦传媒�

He also points out that it乌鸦传媒檚 just a great city to be in.

乌鸦传媒淚t punches above its weight for a small community with entertainment, an events centre, lakes, wineries and brewpubs. There is a whole food, wine and culinary culture in Penticton that I think is unique to the entire valley.乌鸦传媒�

Styles adds that Penticton does remind him of what Kelowna was like eight to 10 years ago.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 not going to be Kelowna. It乌鸦传媒檚 always going to have its own feel, flair and flavour. It乌鸦传媒檚 a market that乌鸦传媒檚 forecast to be one of the fastest growing in the valley. There are a lot of eyeballs on Penticton.乌鸦传媒�

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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