White Rock

An enclave in the Lower Mainland

White Rock is a geographic anomaly in the Lower Mainland. Packing 21,939 residents into just 5.17 square kilometers, this tiny coastal city is boxed in by South Surrey and the US border. It has managed to hold onto a distinct identity, complete with a unique microclimate that keeps it drier than its neighbours. While traditionally known as a retirement haven—the median age sits at 58, with seniors making up 37% of the population—it increasingly draws high-earning professionals and downsizers looking for a walkable, seaside lifestyle.

The local real estate market is defined by a complete lack of raw land. New developments are rare because there is nowhere left to build. The housing stock is a mix of older single-family homes on steep hillsides, multi-million dollar waterfront properties, and low-rise condos. Apartments under five storeys dominate the market at 41.5% of local inventory, followed by single-detached homes at 24.0% and duplexes at 17.5%. With a 10.0% population growth since 2016, demand for these limited units remains incredibly high, making it a highly competitive market where property values hold up even when the broader Fraser Valley softens.

Economic drivers and local wealth

White Rock is highly educated, with 67.9% of residents holding post-secondary credentials and 34.5% carrying a bachelor’s degree or higher. This translates to a stable, professional demographic. The local economy is driven primarily by healthcare and social assistance at 11.6%, retail trade at 10.2%, and professional, scientific, and technical services at 9.8%. Construction also plays a significant role at 9.8%.

While 27.2% of residents enjoy a short commute of under 15 minutes, the average commute time is 30.4 minutes. This tells us that a significant portion of the working-age population, which makes up 53% of the community, travels outside the city limits for work. Easy access to Highway 99 connects residents directly to corporate hubs in Surrey, Richmond, and Vancouver, allowing them to bring high-metro salaries back to their seaside homes.

Tekamar’s lending appetite

From an underwriting perspective, White Rock looks like an incredibly safe bet. The community earns a 10/10 desirability score and a solid 7/10 economic score. Properties turn over quickly, and equity positions are usually very strong.

However, if you are looking to place a file here, you will need to look to other lenders. At Tekamar, our maximum LTV for White Rock is 0%.

This decision is purely strategic. Tekamar is built to service the interior and regional markets of British Columbia—the places that large, urban-focused private lenders ignore. We pool our capital to fund equity loans, debt consolidations, and construction projects in mid-sized cities and resource towns where we have a deep footprint. White Rock has no shortage of local private money competing for deals. We leave those Lower Mainland files to the Vancouver-based funds, keeping our capital focused on the regional BC markets we know best.