Second homes: Imagine Napa Valley with lakes

This part of British Columbia is nicknamed the "Napa Valley of the North," and comparing it with California's winemaking region fits. The Okanagan Valley has emerged as Canada's premier winemaking region and offers amenities associated with wine-country living: sweeping views, wonderful produce, gourmet restaurants, fair weather and many second homes.

There are differences, however: "Napa does not have the lakes we do," says Christa Frosch, who heads the Okanagan Collection and the Vineyard Collection for Sotheby's International Realty in Vancouver, which is a 240-mile drive away. "We have five major lakes and a lot of beaches and waterfront homes."

Another big difference is golf. The Okanagan area has nearly 40 courses and has been one of the fastest-growing golf destinations in Canada the past decade. It's surprisingly one of the warmest spots in the country, a northern extension of the Sonoran Desert, and the golf season is long.

 "It all started with a lot of orchards," Frosch says. "There's even a place called Peachland. You can grow almost anything here. Now there are about 170 vineyards in British Columbia, and over 100 of them are here in the Okanagan Valley. It's a very special place with the vineyards and lakes, but also, within a three-hour drive, you have the ocean, lush mountains, desert, totally different types of terrain."

Americans began discovering the area about three years ago. Second-home buyers traditionally have come from the Canadian province of Alberta, or even Europe, India, Hong Kong and Australia. Canada has long been seen as a real estate and financial haven for international buyers, Frosch says. Americans, mainly from the East Coast, come for the lifestyle, she says. "There is hiking, golf, horseback riding, the lakes, and there is also great skiing nearby," she says. "We have buyers who come for the summer, the winter and year-round." The region has six ski resorts.

The valley lies inland, due east of Vancouver, and is about 120 miles north of the Washington state border. Kelowna, with almost 110,000 people, is the largest city. It's in the middle of the valley, on the east shore of Lake Okanagan. "It's mostly single family, since there has always been a lot of land, and privacy is important here," Frosch says. The few condos are in new golf developments. Homes tend to be large and prices fairly consistent throughout the valley, she says. The average second home, she says, is around 4,000 square feet for $768,000 to $1.15 million.

A look at three Okanagan Valley neighborhoods

• Kelowna. It's the largest city and has an extensive waterfront on Lake Okanagan. The downtown has a city feel with shops and restaurants. Surrounding neighborhoods climb into the hills, whose orchards and vineyards have sweeping lake views. Real estate agent Christa Frosch says the two most popular second-home enclaves are Gallagher's Canyon and Lakeshore Upper Mission, where 15- to 20-acre lots overlook the water. On the other side of the lake, the Ponderosa golf resort is under construction and will offer more than 2,000 residences.
• Osoyoos. This small town of less than 5,000 people is at the south end of the valley, just 17 miles from the U.S. border. It sits on Lake Osoyoos and has 15 wineries within minutes of its small downtown. "Golf and skiing are nearby," Frosch says. "It has everything, and you could think you were in Italy's Lake Como, it's so beautiful."
• Vernon. This town sits on Kalamalka Lake not far from Kelowna. It's home to the top golf resort and community in the valley, Predator Ridge, including two courses, with plans for more than 2,000 residences. Townhouses start at $330,325, and single-family houses at $409,065. There are a dozen other courses around Vernon, and the Silver Star ski resort is about 25 miles away.