text: @Billd74 You're only lucky if you sell high and move to a lower cost area, otherwise you will just be servicing your debt, "not feeling well off." In fact, in most cases, if you had bought at the same time elsewhere, you'd be even further ahead and better invested strategically. All of your savings in your house is not always the best. You'd spend less servicing your debt on more affordable home, use the surplus to invest in market investments that typically outperform real-estate, are liquid and pay dividends; all the while, many markets have increased similarly to the large markets on a relative basis. So, if you'd bought a home in Kelowna, or Victoria, your home would cost you less in every respect, it would be paid off sooner and you'd have a healthier portfolio and more money in your pocket.