Revelstoke

Revelstoke sits where powder snow dreams come true and real estate reality gets interesting. This mountain town of 8,275 people has figured out something most resort communities struggle with — how to be more than just a ski hill with houses attached.

The numbers tell a story that mortgage brokers should understand. Nearly 19% of employment comes from accommodation and food services, which screams tourism dependency, but here’s where Revelstoke gets clever. The town has diversified beyond the typical resort model with solid construction, healthcare, and retail sectors each contributing around 10% of employment. That’s not accidental — it’s what happens when a community refuses to put all its economic eggs in one chairlift basket.

Our maximum LTV here is 65%, reflecting both the opportunity and the caution this market deserves. With 75.7% of housing being single-detached homes and a median household income of $96,000, there’s real equity to work with. The 9.4% population growth since 2016 isn’t just people chasing powder days — it’s professionals who’ve discovered they can work remotely from a place where the commute involves mountain views instead of traffic jams.

The unemployment rate sits at 10%, which might raise eyebrows until you realize this includes seasonal fluctuations that come with mountain living. Smart borrowers here understand the rhythm of tourism seasons and plan accordingly. The median age of 37.6 years suggests this isn’t a retirement community or a college town — it’s working-age people building actual lives.

Revelstoke’s secret weapon isn’t just Mount Revelstoke National Park or being the self-proclaimed “Snowmobile Capital of Canada.” It’s that the town has managed to attract people who stay year-round, creating stability that pure resort towns never achieve. When your community has both world-class skiing and people who stick around to enjoy the other eleven months, you’ve got something worth lending on.