Buying a cabin is easy. Buying the right cabin for your lifestyle takes clarity.

A lot of people say they want a cabin in the woods.

What they usually mean is that they want space. Quiet. Fresh air. A place that gives them their nervous system back. Quiet. Did I say that already?

On Vancouver Island, “cabin in the woods” can mean very different things, and knowing the difference is what keeps you from buying something that looks like a dream, but lives like a headache.

First, you want to get clear on how you will use it.

• Is it a weekend escape?
• Is it a recreational property you will eventually turn into something more?
• Is it a full-time move toward rural living?
• Is it a hybrid plan where you still need reliable internet and year-round access?
• Is it to live-off-the-land, or live off-the-grid?

Because the moment you want year-round access, you are not just shopping for a vibe. You are shopping for infrastructure... if you cannot live-of-the-land.

Cabin buyers should also think through practical realities before falling in love with the trees:

• Access roads and maintenance

• Water source (well, cistern, creek intake)
  - On that note, fire hydrants?

• Sewer or septic type and age if septic

• Heating and insulation

• Power (BC Hydro, generator, solar)
  - Reliability?

• Insurance eligibility
  - The proximity to fire hydrants, or age of hot water tank or septic, can even effect this!

• Local zoning and permitted use
  - Owning a lot of land, doesn't always mean you can do whatever you want with it.

• Cell service and internet options

• Mortgage eligibility for land, or off-grid homes
  
  
• Ferry service, or lackthereof
  - This can even effect your mortgage approval
  

This is why I like starting cabin conversations with foundational questions. It keeps the dream intact while making sure you do not miss the practical details that matter once the excitement settles.

As for where you can buy a cabin in the woods on Vancouver Island, there are a few common directions buyers explore depending on lifestyle and access priorities:

Some buyers want to be close enough to town that the cabin feels like an easy extension of life. Others want the full “gone” feeling, where the drive is longer but the reset is deeper.

The best approach is not picking a location first. It is deciding what you need your cabin to do for you, then narrowing areas based on access, services, and your tolerance for rural reality.

A cabin can be one of the best purchases you ever make when it aligns with how you actually live, not just what you imagine you will do once you own it.

Condsidering cabin life?

It is never too early to call your favourite Realtor to chat about your next move.
Give me a call, maybe that will be me!

Let’s chat about your goals, and how I could help you.

Contact Ashley Wilson, Real Estate Agent – Real Broker Campbell River
250.288.1236 | hi@campbellriver.life