Welcome to Kelowna, a four seasons playground filled with incredible opportunities. Cradled on the shores of Okanagan Lake in the south central region of British Columbia, Kelowna has a population of approximately 145,000. There are approximately 218,000 people living in the Kelowna and surrounding towns. It is part of an area known as the Okanagan Valley and is located 150 km (90 mi) from the US border, 390 km (240 mi) from Vancouver, BC and 600 km (350 mi) from Calgary, AB.
Lifestyle and Demographics
Life in Kelowna is like no other place you’ve experienced. It has all the amenities of a big city, including an international airport, while offering a slower-paced lifestyle for its residents. Surrounded by wineries, golf courses, lakes and rolling hills, it attracts a wide variety of people from rugged outdoorsy types to technology gurus.
The demographics here are much like other mid-sized Canadian cities. With a population that consists of about 48% male and 52% female, the average age of people living in Kelowna is 41. Of these, 5% are under the age of five and 18% are over the age of 65. Most people who move to Kelowna are from other parts of Canada.
Outdoor Recreation
The reasons for moving to Kelowna are numerous. Some move here because they love being outside. The Okanagan is home to championship golf courses and world renowned ski hills. There are also thousands of hiking, biking and running trails, as well as beach and lake fun on Okanagan Lake.
Technology
Kelowna is well-known for its technology sector. It is home to the Centre for Arts and Technology as well as the Kelowna Innovation Centre. Several well-known tech companies have emerged from or moved to Kelowna in recent years including animation studios, game developers and eco-tech companies.
Health
From GPs to naturopaths, dentists, acupuncturists and chiropractors, Kelowna has your health care needs covered. There are over 20 walk-in clinics and another 100+ doctor’s offices in Kelowna. There’s also a state-of-the-art hospital and a cancer clinic that services the Central Okanagan.
Entertainment
Theatre arts and music are a part of the lifeblood of Kelowna. In the warmer months you can attend a music festival, take in a live concert or go hear one of the many bands that play in local parks and venues. From rock ‘n’ roll to the symphony, jazz to opera, Kelowna’s live music scene is alive and well. There are several live theatre performances each year, held at the Kelowna Community Theatre, Mary Irwin Theatre and the Actors’ Studio and Dinner theatre.
Shopping and Food
There’s great shopping from chain stores to high-end boutiques. Food is much-loved in Kelowna and you’ll find everything from mom and pop restaurants to ethnic foods to gourmet offerings. Farm-to-Table, including all organic offerings, are very popular here. There’s an abundance of fertile land surrounding the city, which provides an abundance of fresh food to the shops and restaurants around town.
Schools
Education is a priority in Kelowna. The Central Okanagan School District is the fifth largest and one of the fastest growing school districts in BC. There are approximately 45 public elementary, middle and high schools. They offer programs in English and French. Private and independent schools run from Montessori to French immersion and preparatory to religious. Post-Secondary education opportunities in Kelowna are impressive. The University of British Columbia Okanagan is one of the top six universities in North America. Okanagan College is BC’s second-largest trades training institution and offers six engineering technology diploma programs, as well as programs in wine, food, tourism and business. In addition, there are numerous arts, technical, and career colleges in town.
No matter what your reasons for moving to Kelowna, you’ll find many more reasons to stay once you arrive.
Artfully uniting extraordinary lives with extraordinary homes is what we do. Whether you are curious as to your home's current value, or you wish to discuss what improvements and staging you can do to your home that will translate into increased value when selling, let our expertise guide you. Complete this form and we will contact you to discuss how we can be of value.
Client Feedback
Thank you for everything. I am so happy we chose your team as you were all so fantastic. You made the process very seamless. I will totally recommend you to others.
Ryan and Natasha H.
We’ve been working with Justin for two years with much success. Justin and his group are organized, professional, efficient, available, and get the job done without chaos and confusion! Justin handles the clients calmly and professionally and keeps things running smoothly. We highly recommend him!"
Scott & Gina Tyerman
Moving from another city, it was easy to see Kelowna offers many choices when it comes to choosing a Realtor®. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, well-connected professional, look no further than Justin O’Connor. He is thorough in his appraisal work and negotiates with a quiet confidence. Justin takes the time to get to know his clients, listens to their plans and stay focussed on their goals. It was a pleasure to work with Justin and his Sotheby’s team. They always kept the process enjoyable and stayed in touch. Justin and his team know how to ease the stresses that come with making big decisions and… he has a great sense of humor!
Anne Johnston
I think I was still in shock last night when we went through this process. Grant and I have loved our home over the years and have always taken pride in updating it for our own enjoyment. When we decided to move to a view lot and build our dream home, we knew our home would be attractive given the location and lot size. Your advice regarding further updates and staging was obviously very advantageous. Thank you!! I would also like to let you and Justin know (as I said, I think I was in a state of shock last night) since I didn’t say so last night, we are so appreciative of everything you have done for us to make this sale happen. I totally understand all of the behind the scenes work you both did with gathering information and providing immediate response to any agent query. You both represented Grant and I very, very well! I know we can’t totally celebrate until March 23 however, the heavy lifting is done. I would not hesitate to recommend the Justin O’Connor Group to anyone buying or selling!
Grant and Joyce
Working with Sotheby's was nothing less than professional. From start to finish everything went smoothly. It's good to choose a realtor that puts the client's interest first. I would recommend anyone selling their property to not hesitate going with Justin and the team!!
Ernie and Sue
When selling your home, it is essential that you are using the most professional and experienced people to guide you through this often complex process. The Sotheby’s group met all of our criteria and requirements to ensure we valued our house at the right price and made sure the entire experience was handled properly from day one all the way through to the final closing. We would highly recommend their friendly expert services.
Guy and Sonja
We have worked with the Justin O Connor team for both the sale of our show homes over the past 5 years as well as for our own personal home sales. The professionalism and knowledge ensured the process proceeded smoothly.
They do their research and deliver first class service throughout the sale process which carries through to the after-sale support as well. As a custom homebuilder it is important that we have a smooth transition to our clients as we turn over our homes.
I recommend the team for your real estate needs. You need a great team in the ever-evolving market here in the Okanagan.
