Whether you’re looking out into the Basin, walking along Mystic Beach or chatting with a friendly local, it isn’t hard to see why someone would want to live in Sooke.
Because of the region’s beauty, proximity to the core, and lower cost of living, Sooke has been drawing an increasing amount of people to the area over the past few years.
“We are an unbelievably beautiful town,” said local real estate agent Oliver Katz. “There’s a small town charm that attracts people here. I have visitors come here in the summer and fall in love and decide to move out here.”
Sooke offers a small town feel on the outskirts of the Greater Victoria area that is not matchable. Katz said that Sooke is a prime area for people to move right now, as it is rated 181 in Canada for places to buy property.
“I’ve noticed a lot of boomers coming in especially lately. People who are 50 plus who’s kids aren’t at home anymore that sell their more expensive property in the Greater Victoria area and buy in Sooke to get the same value of house for much cheaper,” said Katz.
He explained that the same house in Sooke would cost about $100,000 more if it were in Langford. This is because the land is sold for much cheaper in Sooke due to the distance to Victoria’s downtown core.
“It’s real estate 101,” said Katz. “And it’s not just people that move here because its cheaper, people just want to come here because of all that Sooke has to offer. We are seeing lots of young families come out here as well.”
Sooke real estate agent Mike Williams said people come here looking for a small town mentality, and want to get away from the hassle of living in a city.
“Sooke has three traffic lights, that’s it in a nutshell,” said Williams. “It’s not as fast paced living in Victoria. It’s a more laid back environment, you can come home from work and put your feet up instead of being stuck in traffic.”
He explained that you can get a lot more “bang for your buck” in Sooke, and finds that people who come and rent for a few months to get a feel for the area, often end up buying property here.
“Most of the people I talk to say they will never go back after they lived here,” said Williams. “People come from all walks of life, but fall in love with the environment here. The ocean air is so fresh and the outdoor scenery can’t be beat.”