Choosing the Right Small Town: 16 Things to Know Before You Move

🏡 Choosing the RIGHT Small Town (Not Just Any Small Town)

Small town living looks like a dream… until it isn’t.

Everyone talks about slowing down.
More space. Less traffic. A “better life.”

But almost no one talks about what actually makes a small town work…
—or what quietly turns it into a very expensive mistake.

We didn’t move for the lifestyle alone.

We moved with a checklist.
And there were things we refused to compromise on.

Because I’ve seen it happen too many times…

People buy into the dream…
…and within a year or two, they’re trying to sell, stuck, or starting over.

👉 You can renovate a home.
You cannot fix a bad town.

🎥 Watch First: Small Town Living Reality Check

✅ Start With This: Your Small Town Checklist

If you’re thinking about acreage or small-town living, start here.

Not every small town is the right town.

And choosing the wrong one can impact:

• Your lifestyle
• Your resale value
• Your long-term financial outcome

1. Growth & Economic Drivers

A quiet town is fine.
A dead town is not.

Ask:

• Is the population growing or shrinking?
• Are new businesses opening?
• Are there infrastructure projects planned?
• What drives the economy (tourism, logging, farming)?

⚠️ Red Flag: One major employer.

If that mill shuts down…
so does your property value.

👉 No jobs = no buyers = you’re stuck.

2. Resaleability (Your Exit Strategy)

This is where most people make the biggest mistake.

Ask yourself:

Who is my future buyer?

• Families?
• Retirees?
• Investors?

And more importantly…

Does this town attract them?

Watch for:

• Long days on market
• Price volatility (boom/bust towns)
• Limited buyer pool

👉 You don’t lose money when you buy.
You lose it when you sell.

3. Essential Services (You Won’t Think About… Until You Need Them)

• Hospital access (and ER wait times)
• Doctor availability
• Dentist, eye doctor, vet

In rural areas, this matters more than people realize.

👉 An emergency is not the time to discover you’re 2 hours from care.

4. Schools & Family Presence

This directly impacts property value.

• Are there young families in the community?
• Are schools active and supported?
• Are there sports and activities?

👉 No families = shrinking town = declining demand.

5. Food Access & Cost of Living

• How many grocery stores?
• Are shelves stocked year-round?
• Are prices higher than the city?

Look for:

• Farmers markets
• Local meat & produce
• Roadside stands

⚠️ Some small towns = 20–40% higher grocery costs

6. Restaurants & Lifestyle

Ask yourself honestly:

👉 Would you go out on a Friday night here?

• Date night options
• Places to bring guests
• Takeout availability

👉 If there’s nowhere to go… life gets small fast.

7. Personal Care & “Little Luxuries”

This one surprises people.

• Hair, nails, spa, massage, physio
• Availability vs long wait times

👉 You don’t need instant access… but you need access.

Otherwise, you’re booking exhausting “city days” just to keep up.

8. Community Feel (This Is Huge)

This is the one you can’t Google.

• Are people friendly?
• Are there events, markets, workshops?
• Do people engage with each other?

MUST DO:

Go sit in a local coffee shop.

Watch. Listen. Talk to people.

Ask:

• What do you love here?
• What would you change?

👉 They will tell you the truth.

👉 If you don’t fit the culture… you’ll feel it daily.

9. Neighbourhood Standards (The “Junkyard Test”)

Drive around.

• Are properties maintained?
• Are bylaws enforced?

⚠️ No rules may sound appealing… until:

👉 One bad neighbour destroys your lifestyle AND your value.

10. Infrastructure (More Important Than You Think)

• Snow removal
• Road ownership (municipal vs private)
• Power reliability
• Internet speed (REAL speed, not advertised)

👉 No internet = no buyers. Period.

11. Crime & Safety

Do a proper deep dive:

• Petty theft vs violent crime
• Drug activity
• RCMP presence

Some “cute towns” have serious hidden issues.

👉 You need to feel safe where you live.

12. Insurance & Fire Risk

This can stop a deal instantly.

• Distance to fire hall
• Floodplain risk
• Wildfire zones (very real in BC)

👉 No insurance = no mortgage = no sale.

13. Climate Reality

That “cheap acreage up north” comes with trade-offs.

• Length of winter
• Snow load
• Summer heat/drought
• Growing season
• Smoke season (BC reality)

👉 Make sure you’ll actually enjoy living there.

14. Isolation Factor

This is where lifestyle meets reality.

• Distance to airport
• Medical specialists
• Costco (yes, it matters to some!)
• Friends & family

👉 Everything takes longer, costs more, and requires planning.

15. Local Government & Bylaws

This is a silent deal-breaker.

• Property taxes
• Development restrictions
• Permitting timelines
• Rules around:
  • Secondary suites
  • Shops
  • Home-based businesses

👉 You don’t own total freedom… the municipality sets the rules.

16. Your Personal Non-Negotiables

This is where it gets real.

For me, it was:

• A strong horse community
• Access to trails
• Space for outdoor living
• Being surrounded by nature

Your list will be different.

👉 Pick your top 5 things you will NOT compromise on.

⚠️ Final Thought: This Is Where People Get It Wrong

Most buyers focus entirely on the house…

…and completely ignore the town.

That’s the mistake.

Because:

👉 You can update a kitchen.
👉 You can renovate a layout.

🚫 You cannot fix:

• A failing economy
• A disconnected community
• A bad location

🌿 The Bottom Line

Small town living can be incredible.

But only if the town supports:

• Your lifestyle
• Your long-term goals
• Your future resale

The RIGHT town is everything.

🎯 Want More Like This?

If you’re considering acreage or rural living, don’t miss:

👉 Acreage Mistakes Buyers Make (See Below)

Diana Klejne Personal Real Estate Corporation
Stonehaus Realty Corp
604-789-8202
DianaKlejne@Gmail.co