ABOUT SUN RIVERS
Sun Rivers sits on the northeast side of Kamloops, on Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc reserve land at the foot of Mount Peter and Mount Paul. It is built around the 18-hole Bighorn Golf & Country Club, designed by Graham Cooke, with condos, townhomes and single-family homes stepped up the hillside with views over the city and the Thompson valley.
Homes here are leasehold, not freehold. The land sits under a prepaid lease that runs to 2115, and property taxes are set and collected by Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc rather than the City of Kamloops. Highway 5 and the Trans-Canada are minutes away and downtown is about a 10 minute drive, which suits golfers, retirees and buyers who want a newer home with a view, close to town.
SUN RIVERS LISTINGS
Sun Rivers
Neighbourhood Guide
The inside scoop on Sun Rivers from a third-generation Kamloops REALTOR who knows how leasehold, First Nations property tax and geothermal homes work here.
Contact JeremiaWhere is Sun Rivers?
Sun Rivers is on the northeast side of Kamloops on Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc land, near the junction of Highway 5 and the Trans-Canada Highway. Downtown is about 10 minutes by car.
Who lives in Sun Rivers?
Retirees, golfers, professionals and families who want a newer home with a view. The mix runs from condos and townhomes to larger single-family homes on the upper streets.
What is the lifestyle like?
Golf at Bighorn is right in the neighbourhood, and the Secwépemc Museum and Heritage Park is close by. Downtown, Riverside Park and the Rivers Trail are a short drive, and Paul Lake and Harper Mountain are up Paul Lake Road for swimming, fishing, skiing and biking.
What are the properties like?
Condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes, most built within the last 25 years. Every home is leasehold under the prepaid lease that runs to 2115, and many are in strata developments, so strata fees and documents are part of the review.
Schools and services
Sun Rivers is served by Kamloops-Thompson School District 73 schools in the city, so confirm the catchment with the district. Water, sewer and geothermal energy come through a private utility under an agreement with the developer, not the City. Royal Inland Hospital and full shopping are in Kamloops.
Discover Sun Rivers
Things to Do & See
Bighorn Golf & Country Club, 18 holes in Sun Rivers
View Activities
Kamloops Bike Ranch and All Wheels Pump Track
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Paul Lake Provincial Park: beach, camping and Gibraltar Rock
View Activities
Harper Mountain ski hill and bike trails
View Activities
WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT THINK TO ASK
Two things set Sun Rivers apart from buying elsewhere in Kamloops. First, it is leasehold: you are buying the remaining term of a prepaid lease on Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc land that runs to 2115, not freehold title. Lenders do finance here, but terms can differ, so talk to your lender early and ask your lawyer how the lease and the transfer work.
Second, many homes heat and cool with geothermal systems, and water and sewer come through a private utility. Ask for service records on the geothermal system, the current utility rates, and the strata fees and documents where they apply. I am not a licensed home inspector, and a qualified professional inspection is always recommended before any purchase.
Huxley
Jeremia Huxley is a REALTOR with Stonehaus Realty Corp., based in Pinantan Lake, BC, who specializes in rural and acreage properties around Kamloops and works Kamloops neighbourhoods including Sahali. He has 9 years of real estate experience and 18 years prior experience in construction. He is not a licensed home inspector. Contact: 250-571-0379.
Sun Rivers FAQ
REAL ESTATE INSIGHTS
Buying or selling rural property raises questions that city listings never do: wells, septic, who plows the road, what the ALR allows.
The blog takes them one at a time, in plain language, from someone who has lived on rural property since 2008.