What Does $1 Million Actually Buy You in Squamish Right Now?

People ask this question about real estate all the time:

What does $1 million buy you?

What does it buy you in Vancouver?

What does it buy you in Whistler?

What does it buy you in Squamish?

I always find the question a little entertaining because when I was a kid, having a million dollars meant you were rich.

The dream would have been owning a house for maybe $100,000 and having the other $900,000 sitting in the bank.

Obviously, things have changed.

So here we are in 2026 asking a completely legitimate real estate question:

What does $1 million actually buy you in Squamish?

The short answer is:

A very nice townhouse.

And if owning a detached house is more important to you than having something newer and move-in ready, $1 million is also getting close to the point where detached ownership can occasionally become possible.

Those are two very different choices.

$1 Million Is Primarily a Townhouse Budget

If somebody called me today and said:

“Simon, I've got roughly $1 million to spend in Squamish. What should I expect?”

I'd start with townhouses.

At that budget, you're not simply trying to squeeze into the townhouse market.

You've got choices.

Depending on the development, age and exact price, you're generally looking at roughly 2.5 to three bedrooms, reasonable finishings and a property that should be quite comfortable to live in without immediately requiring a major renovation.

Current inventory supports that.

As I write this, there are dozens of townhouses listed for sale in Squamish, including properties on either side of the $1 million mark.

That's important because today's buyer doesn't necessarily have to grab whichever townhouse becomes available.

There's enough selection to compare.

What Does “2.5 Bedrooms” Mean?

I use 2.5 bedrooms deliberately.

Some of the newer Squamish townhouses technically have three bedrooms, but the third bedroom can be considerably smaller than what some buyers picture when they hear “three-bedroom townhouse.”

It might work very well as a child's bedroom.

Maybe it's an office.

Maybe it's a guest room.

But buyers need to look beyond the bedroom count on the listing and ask:

How does this space actually work for my family?

In some of the somewhat older townhouses, you're more likely to find three more traditionally sized bedrooms.

That's one of the trade-offs between different generations of Squamish townhouse construction.

Around $1 Million, Newer Isn't Necessarily Better

This is something we've discussed before.

There are a lot of good newer townhouse developments in Squamish.

But there are also buyers who prefer the older complexes.

A newer townhouse might give you more contemporary finishes and require less immediate updating.

An older townhouse might give you larger rooms, more usable outdoor space, more parking or a layout that feels less vertical.

And if that older townhouse has already been renovated, it can be a very compelling alternative to something newer.

So if you've got $1 million to spend, I wouldn't automatically say:

“Let's find the newest townhouse we can afford.”

I'd ask:

“What type of townhouse do you actually want to live in?”

What Developments Might You Look At?

At this general price level, there are quite a few Squamish developments that could enter the conversation depending on what's listed at the time.

You might be looking at properties in developments such as Sea and Sky, close to Downtown.

You could look at Eaglewind or Aqua in the Downtown area.

There's Breeze in North Yards.

There's Current in Dentville.

And there are many other complexes throughout Squamish that can fall above or below the $1 million level depending on the unit, age, size, condition, outlook and market conditions.

I wouldn't choose a development simply because it fits the budget.

Each has different characteristics.

That's where we start comparing things like:

• layout and usable square footage;

• age and condition;

• strata fees;

• outdoor space;

• parking and storage;

• location;

• views and privacy;

• strata history and documents;

• proximity to trails, schools, shops or Downtown;

• and how the property actually feels when you walk through it.

Two townhouses listed for almost exactly the same price can provide very different living experiences.

What If You Spend a Little Less?

This is where I think the Squamish townhouse market gets particularly interesting.

If you're willing to buy something older, you don't necessarily need to spend the full million dollars.

You may find a townhouse that's 20 years old or more but has larger square footage than some of the newer alternatives.

Maybe it's already nicely renovated.

Maybe you get some yard space.

Maybe you get better parking.

Maybe the bedrooms are larger.

Current listings illustrate the range. There are older and newer townhouses below $1 million as well as three-bedroom properties very close to that number.

So somebody with a $1 million maximum budget shouldn't automatically tell their Realtor:

“Show me properties between $950,000 and $1 million.”

I'd probably want to look below that too.

The best property for you might be $850,000 or $900,000.

Could $1 Million Buy You a Detached House?

This is where the question gets more interesting.

Potentially, yes.

But now we're talking about a very different property.

At around $1 million, you're not generally choosing between a beautiful newer townhouse and an equally polished detached house.

You're making a trade.

The detached property is likely to be older.

It may need substantial updating.

There may be issues that need attention.

The house itself may be relatively basic.

You need to go into it understanding that you're buying at the entry point of the detached market.

But you are buying something the townhouse doesn't provide:

Land and detached ownership.

For some buyers, that's worth the compromise.

For others, it absolutely isn't.

Would You Rather Have the Better House or the Land?

That's really the decision.

Imagine I've got two properties to show you.

One is a nicely finished townhouse around $1 million.

It's comfortable.

It's relatively modern.

You can move in and start living.

The other is an older detached house at approximately the same price.

It needs work.

The kitchen isn't great.

Maybe there are future maintenance costs.

Maybe the layout isn't perfect.

But it's your detached house on its own property.

Which one do you choose?

There's no universally correct answer.

A buyer with young children might desperately want a yard.

Someone who hates home maintenance might look at the same property and want nothing to do with it.

A handy buyer might see opportunity.

Someone who has used every available dollar to make the purchase may not have enough money left to renovate.

That's why “What does $1 million buy?” is only the first question.

The better question is:

“What compromises are you willing to make with your $1 million?”

Squamish Is Interesting Compared With Its Immediate Neighbours

This is one of the things that makes the $1 million level particularly interesting here.

If we're talking about the Sea to Sky and immediate Vancouver-area markets—Whistler, West Vancouver, North Vancouver and Vancouver—detached ownership around $1 million is generally not a realistic expectation.

Squamish is different.

It can still occasionally get you close to the bottom end of detached ownership.

That doesn't mean you're getting the average Squamish house for $1 million. You're not.

The broader market numbers make that clear: detached benchmark values across Metro Vancouver remain far above $1 million.

But the fact that an entry-level detached opportunity can exist around this price in Squamish is significant when you compare it with the communities immediately north and south of us.

What About Condos?

A million dollars can obviously buy you a condo in Squamish as well.

At that budget, though, you'd generally be looking toward the more unusual or premium end of the condo market rather than a typical apartment.

There are some larger and penthouse-style properties that can approach this price level.

But there simply aren't as many of them.

So if somebody gives me a $1 million budget without telling me anything else about what they want, my first thought isn't:

condo.

It's:

townhouse—with the possibility of exploring entry-level detached.

Don't Treat $1 Million as a Hard Search Ceiling

There's one more thing I'd tell buyers in the current market.

If your maximum purchase price is around $1 million, don't necessarily restrict your online search to properties listed at $999,999 or less.

We're in a slower market.

There is inventory.

Buyers have negotiating power.

And asking price isn't necessarily selling price.

That doesn't mean every seller listed at $1.1 million is going to accept $1 million.

Of course not.

But depending on how long a property has been listed, the seller's circumstances, comparable sales and the amount of activity around the property, there may be listings somewhat above your budget that are still worth investigating.

This is particularly true right now because buyers have more selection and sellers are having to compete for them.

A Million Dollars Buys Choice

That's probably the biggest difference between $1 million in Squamish and $1 million in some of the surrounding markets.

At the million-dollar level here, you're making meaningful choices.

Do you want newer or older?

More finish or more space?

A smaller third bedroom or larger traditional bedrooms?

More outdoor space?

A particular neighbourhood?

A newer strata?

An older renovated complex?

Or do you sacrifice condition and start looking for an opportunity to own a detached house?

That's actually a pretty interesting place to be as a buyer.

You're not simply asking:

“Can I afford anything?”

You're starting to ask:

“Which version of Squamish ownership makes the most sense for me?”

So, What Does $1 Million Buy in Squamish?

If you called me today with a maximum budget around $1 million, I'd tell you this:

Expect to find a very good townhouse.

Depending on the age and development, you're probably looking at roughly 2.5 to three bedrooms, with a reasonable selection of properties to consider.

I'd also show you some older townhouses below your maximum budget because you may discover that you prefer the extra space, parking, yard or layout.

And if you told me:

“Simon, I don't care if it's pretty. I really want a detached house.”

Then we'd start investigating the bottom end of the detached market and see whether there's an opportunity worth pursuing.

That's what makes the answer more interesting than simply saying what $1 million buys.

The money establishes the range.

What you value determines which property inside that range is actually the better buy.