Abbotsford

Abbotsford sits right in the heart of the Fraser Valley, where agriculture meets urban convenience in ways that make other BC communities envious. The city’s Zone 8b climate creates an extended growing season that’s turned it into BC’s agricultural powerhouse — raspberries, blueberries, and dairy farms thrive here while most of Canada deals with frost.

The numbers tell a compelling story: 153,000 residents enjoying median household incomes of $90,000, with over half the population holding post-secondary education. What’s particularly striking is how 36% of residents have commutes under 15 minutes, suggesting people actually live where they work rather than enduring the Vancouver commuter grind.

Abbotsford’s housing market reflects its practical appeal. Single-detached homes make up just 37% of dwellings, while apartments and duplexes fill the majority — a housing mix that speaks to affordability and density done right. The city’s grown 8.6% since 2016, drawing families who want suburban space without suburban isolation.

The economic foundation runs deeper than agriculture. Healthcare, retail, construction, and manufacturing each employ significant portions of the workforce, creating the kind of economic diversity that weathers storms better than single-industry towns. Add the University of the Fraser Valley campus, and you’ve got an education hub that keeps young talent from fleeing to Vancouver.

Here’s where things get interesting for mortgage professionals: Tekamar’s maximum LTV in Abbotsford is 0% — we don’t lend here. The Fraser Valley falls outside our lending territory, as we focus exclusively on communities beyond the Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions. For brokers with clients in smaller BC towns where other MICs won’t venture, that’s where Tekamar steps in with equity-based solutions and the local market knowledge that comes from being based in Salmon Arm rather than downtown Vancouver.