Gibsons
For many daytrippers to the Sunshine Coast, Gibsons is as far as they get. But with a cute and welcoming public market and the famous Beachcomber Coffee Company, that’s more than enough.
The town itself is split into Lower Gibsons (by the water) and Upper Gibsons (in the hills). With its proximity to the ferry terminal, Gibsons is home to a large number of commuters who head into Vancouver for work each week. That’s allowed a younger demographic to settle here, creating a mix of first-time buyers, families and seniors.
A number of new developments are in the works, including affordable housing projects, which is good news considering the growing demand from new and prospective residents.
"The town of Gibsons is focused on density,” says Stockwell, “so we're starting to see a lot more condo developments. They're not huge and obtrusive, they're sort of low-rise, but it's what we need. We need housing."
Roberts Creek
A world away from Gibsons (but actually only 10 kilometres down the road) is the artist community of Roberts Creek. Once the home of a sizable number of American conscientious objectors fleeing the Vietnam War draft, Roberts Creek managed to maintain its counter-culture links over the years.
"Roberts Creek is a funky, unique community,” says Stockwell. “It just has a low-key, easy-going vibe to it."
At the heart of the town is the community mandala, a geometric pattern updated by local artists each year. Nearby you’ll find a general store, yoga studios and top-notch restaurants. Properties here tend to be larger than what you’d find in Gibsons, with a lot of single-family homes along the waterfront.
"You have this beautiful beach and you can literally walk out onto the sandbar and pick up a Dungeness crab,” says Stockwell. “With a fishing licence, of course."
Sechelt
Our final stop on the Sunshine Coast is the town of Sechelt, one of the largest communities here. Once known for being a haven for retirees, Sechelt is updating its reputation and welcoming in a new generation of residents who are ready for adventure. Wherever you are in town, you’re close to beautiful beaches and great outdoor spaces, including a downhill mountain bike park.
Sounding the town, you’ll find a lot of single-family detached homes with incredible sea views. But more options are in development for first-time buyers and renters, including a series of new townhomes.
“Sechelt is still in a growth period, for sure,” explains Stockwell. “We have more housing opportunities coming on the market, which is great. And there are a few places still slated for development, which we'll start seeing over the next five years."
Our Guide
Gina Stockwell
Sotheby's International Realty Canada
Bio
Gina Stockwell grew up on the Sunshine Coast. Her grandmother found a beautiful waterfront lot in Sechelt in the 1960s, where she built a cabin. Her parents soon followed suit, setting Stockwell up for an idyllic childhood in one of BC’s most beautiful regions.
"Most Coast kids, when you grow up here, it tends to pull you back,” she says. “It's really a wonderful place, and that's what happened to me. I was away for about ten years, came back and got married. Two kids and three businesses later, and then real estate happened."
Since kicking off her real estate career in 2015, Stockwell has worked her way to the top, eventually ranking as the number one realtor on the Sunshine Coast. But she doesn’t take all the credit for her success.
“I have a wonderful team behind me, in terms of marketing and conveyancing and paperwork,” she says. “That way I can focus on what I'm really good at - connecting people with their dream properties."
More about Gina
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For me, it's about connecting with people, finding what they're looking for, really honing in on what their goals are and giving them a great white glove experience.
Living Here
Agent’s Pick: 6823 Sunshine Coast Hwy
For a taste of life on the Sunshine Coast, we stop at a beautiful waterfront property on a beach called the Golden Mile, just outside Sechelt. The modern home is built to maximize space, and even comes with its own mooring block so you can park your boat outside.
If that’s not enough to convince you to call the movers, Stockwell says there’s also the neighbours to consider.
“We often see orcas coming up and rubbing their bellies along the beach - no word of a lie. You have seals, eagles in the trees that come down to eat the fish - it's pretty magical."
South Coast Listings
Each episode, RealTours host Stephen Tadgh shares his personal take on the communities he visits and the people who guide him along the way.
We try to film every episode in a single day, which for the Sunshine Coast meant an early morning flight to Sechelt before a rather interesting taxi ride down to Gibsons. Our first location was Beachcombers Coffee which, if you’ve been following along with my adventure, you’ll know is one of the best coffee shops in Canada!
Freshly caffeinated and excited to get this tour on the road, I hopped into the driver seat with Coast local Gina to see if I had what it takes for this pseudo-island life. That’s really the USP of this little slice of paradise: physically the mainland but with island vibes. It’s such a unique community filled with a variety of neighbourhoods for all sorts. From the epic hiking trails and biking paths to the adirondack chairs by the waterfront, you can’t go wrong investing on the coast.
