Keremeos sits in the heart of the Similkameen Valley, where the desert meets the mountains and fruit orchards stretch as far as the eye can see. This isn’t just another small BC town — it’s the fruit stand capital of the province, where roadside vendors have been selling peaches, apricots, and cherries to highway travelers for generations.
The numbers tell an interesting story here. With a median age of 63.6 and nearly half the population over 65, Keremeos has become a magnet for retirees seeking affordable living in wine country without the Kelowna price tags. The climate’s getting better too — literally. The community has warmed by half a plant hardiness zone over the past 30 years, making it even more appealing for those escaping harsher winters elsewhere.
Agriculture drives everything here, from the seasonal fruit harvest that brings temporary workers each summer to the emerging wine industry that’s putting the Similkameen on the map. The Grist Mill and Gardens historic site draws tourists year-round, while the nearby Cathedral Provincial Park offers some of BC’s most dramatic alpine hiking just minutes from town.
Housing remains refreshingly straightforward — over 70% single-family homes with a surprising 10% mobile homes, reflecting both the agricultural workforce and retirees seeking affordable options. The Keremeos Columns, those mysterious volcanic rock formations just outside town, remind everyone that this landscape has been special long before the first fruit trees were planted.
For mortgage brokers working with clients seeking rural retirement properties or agricultural investments, Tekamar offers lending solutions up to 55% LTV in Keremeos. We understand that fruit stands and mountain views don’t always fit traditional lending boxes, but they make perfect sense when there’s sufficient equity protecting the deal.
the Nearest Tim Hortons
the Nearest Costco
Nearest Hospital
Our Mortgage Products Available in Keremeos
| Mortgage Product Name | Max LTV | Key Notes for Keremeos |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Repair and Debt Consolidation | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Variable Income | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Bare Land and Unique Properties | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Bridge Financing/Fully Open Term | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Equity Lending | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Purchases | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
Detailed Mortgage Product Information
Credit Repair and Debt Consolidation
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Credit Repair and Debt Consolidation in Keremeos:
55.0 %
“Their credit report reads like a horror novel, but the house was just renovated and is worth a lot…”
Here’s what happens when life takes a wrong turn. A bad business venture. Workplace Injury. That divorce that dragged on for two years. Suddenly your credit score looks like a batting average and the banks won’t even return your calls.
But here’s the thing – none of that changes what your ho...
Variable Income
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Variable Income in Keremeos:
55.0 %
“Their income is all over the map, but there’s definitely income…”
Here’s a funny thing about lending based on Line 15000 of your Notice of Assessment: It’s a neat little box to underwrite against. Works great if you’re a salaried employee. Not so great if you’re running a fishing charter in Campbell River where thres fishing season, and the rest of the year.
We get it. Income isn’t always ti...
Bare Land and Unique Properties
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Bare Land and Unique Properties in Keremeos:
55.0 %
“The appraisal came back as ‘property type: other’…”
Here’s a truth about real estate that nobody wants to admit: not everything fits in a box. Banks have boxes. Nice, tidy boxes labeled “single family home” and “condo” and “townhouse.” Their computer systems literally don’t have a dropdown menu option for “converted church with commercial kitchen” or “geodesic dome on 40 acres.”
We’ve funded...
Bridge Financing/Fully Open Term
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Bridge Financing/Fully Open Term in Keremeos:
55.0 %
“Subjects came off their current home last week but their new place closes Friday…”
Here’s a funny thing about bridge financing: everyone thinks it’s complicated. It’s not. Someone needs to close on their new house before their old house sells. Or their sale fell through after they removed subjects on their dream home. Or they found the perfect downsizer condo but haven’t listed the family hom...
Equity Lending
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Equity Lending in Keremeos:
55.0 %
“They have tons of equity but don’t qualify under B20…”
Here’s the thing about equity lending: it exists because banks literally can’t do it. B20 guidelines require income verification. Full stop. No wiggle room. No common sense exceptions.
We’re provincially regulated. The funds we lend on come from individual investors, not the Bank of Canada. So when your client has 50% equity but their in...
Purchases
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Purchases in Keremeos:
55.0 %
Moving is supposed to be exciting. New town, new job, new chapter. So why do banks act like you’re asking for their firstborn when you need a mortgage?
“You haven’t been at your new job for thre months”
“Your self-employment income doesn’t count in a new market.”
“We need to see established a year if you are part time contract - even if you’re working 40 hours under your new role”
Meanwhile...