Harrison Hot Springs

Harrison Hot Springs proves that sometimes the best investments are the ones you can’t make. While Tekamar doesn’t currently lend in this resort community (0% LTV), there’s a fascinating story behind why this tiny lakeside town commands such respect in BC’s real estate landscape.

The natural hot springs that give this place its name have been drawing visitors for over a century, creating something rare in small-town BC: genuine economic resilience built on renewable resources. You can’t relocate hot springs to China or automate them out of existence. The 1,905 residents here understand this advantage, which explains why 32.5% of the population is over 65 — smart money tends to migrate toward proven stability.

Harrison’s housing market tells an interesting tale. With 65% single-detached homes and a median age of 57.2 years, this isn’t a starter-home community. It’s where people land after they’ve figured out what matters. The 29.8% population growth since 2016 suggests others are catching on, despite a median household income of $74,000 that would struggle in Vancouver but works perfectly fine when your backyard includes Harrison Lake and the Cascade Mountains.

The tourism economy here isn’t the boom-bust variety that plagues ski towns. Hot springs work year-round, the lake doesn’t close for maintenance, and being just 90 minutes from Vancouver means weekend warriors can actually make the drive. Retail trade and accommodation services dominate the job market, but that 9.6% employment in public administration hints at the stability that keeps communities like this functioning when tourism softens.

Smart mortgage brokers keep Harrison Hot Springs on their radar not for current opportunities, but because markets this tightly held don’t stay that way forever.