March 9, 2021

Spring was in full bloom today. It started with a brisk chill in the air but as the sun warmed the earth the air felt fresh and new. A new season was in full bloom in our amazing Okanagan Valley.

I stood at the top of the new thirty-six-story high-rise condominium building. I embraced the thrilling view from three hundred eighty-feet above the glistening Okanagan Lake. The brand new tower is in its finishing touches and the penthouse suite sits empty and ready for a new wealthy owner to move in. Ten million dollars will buy the top floor of the new prestigious One Water Street. It is an opportunity to have a spectacular view and be sheltered from the poor people that huddle in the shelter of Kelowna’s newest building. It is symbolic of how far our beautiful city has grown in the last thirty years.

Is it a good thing?

Some may say if you aren’t growing your dying. Yet in some ways the old city of Kelowna is dying. New Kelowna certainly is growing.

Where is all the money coming from? Wealth is obviously driving this boom. A boom that has overtaken the real estate sector of the Okanagan and the rest of Beautiful British Columbia.

This is in spite of the coronavirus.

One year ago real estate was going strong, but then came the lockdown. Doom and gloom were forecast and some people sold their homes in a panic. Others saw an opportunity. Kelowna was already in the grasp of a building boom. Some projects stalled in fear of what could happen. Little did we know that things would go so out of control.

Not only is real estate booming, but so is everything recreational. Boats, ATV’s Motorcycles, RV’s are all in short supply.

I finished my work around lunch and decided to stop at the marine centre to see about a possible new boat for Luxury Lake Tours. When I got there I was told there were very few boats available. I didn’t like the boat that was there. So off I went to the next store down the road. At every boat dealer, I was given the same story. Everything is sold and on backorder. If we didn’t act fast there would be nothing left.

I felt anxiety and uncertainty. I know that buying something when there is a low supply and high prices is not a great idea. But we are getting a lot of calls for tours already and we don’t want to miss out on an opportunity.

But we are in a pandemic and the economy is supposed to be in the worst shape since 2008. What is going on? Why is everything flying off the shelves, eleven months ago it was toilet paper now it’s real estate and recreational items. None of it makes any sense.

Should we really spend a whole shwack of money on a new boat? Will things crash soon? Or will we keep booming?

Strange days indeed.

My last stop of the day was a good sign. They had boats coming in and I liked the layout and the power. They even had lots of inventory. I will not share who that dealer was, I don’t want anyone else knowing and going to buy the boats they have. I will keep the secret…

Now the first world problem I face is do I pull the trigger and buy another boat for Luxury Lake Tours. Or do we take a chance and keep just one boat operating? People want to get outside, and the Okanagan is a choice destination for those that can’t travel out of the country. Do I take a risk… life is full of risks and I can’t predict what the world will be like in six months let alone next month.

I can hope for the best, pull the trigger and get another boat. Or I can shelter from another possible storm in the coronaverse.

I have always been better at taking risks…