House sales, builds up

Photo: City of Vernon

Underwood Ashton professional building on 39th Avenue.

The number of housing units being built in the North Okanagan appears to be double what it was last year.

“The first quarter has been very strong with 125 starts compared to 60 in 2015,” said Kevin Poole, the City of Vernon's economic development manager.

Poole also pointed to data from the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board which showed that from January to March, sales volume in the North Okanagan was up 58 per cent.

“The realtors I've talked to have said it is extremely busy, with significant demand in the residential housing market,” Poole said.

Commercial property has also sold well with many construction sites around the Vernon area as buildings go up.

“2015 was the second best year on record for commercial development in Vernon,” said Poole.