1. Will you live there, or visit?
A home for a few holiday weeks a year is a very different purchase from one you live in through the school year. Count how many weeks you will really use it, and be honest about summer as well as winter. That number shapes everything else.
2. How far from a city do you want to be?
Big White is about 56 km from Kelowna, roughly 55 minutes. SilverStar is about 22 km from Vernon. Think about the grocery run, the doctor and the airport, and drive both roads if you can. A visit to each mountain is worth more than any article, mine included.
3. Who is skiing?
Cross-country skiers should look hard at SilverStar, with more than 105 km of groomed Nordic trail. Families with young children should check each resort’s learning areas and lessons, and ask how far a home is from them, because the walk matters with small children.
4. Are you a Canadian citizen or permanent resident?
The federal ban on most non-Canadian buyers covers SilverStar but not Big White, according to BCREA (January 2026). For buyers who are affected, that can settle the question. Read where the ban stands and talk to a lawyer.
5. Will you rent it out?
Both resorts are exempt from the principal-residence rule for short-term rentals, but you must register, the province says the rules may change each year, and your strata bylaws or zoning may say no. Check them before you fall in love with a unit (Province of B.C.).
You can see the two mountains in one table on my Big White vs SilverStar page.
Published October 29, 2026. Sean Phillips, REALTOR®, Coldwell Banker Executives Realty.
Not sure which mountain fits?
Tell Sarah how your family skis and where you are coming from, any hour of the day. When you are ready to talk about homes, pricing or offers, I take it from there.