# New Hazelton, BC > **Lending here.** Maximum LTV: 50.0%. ## Lending snapshot New Hazelton is a remote, tiny market of about 600 people where houses can sit on the market for up to a year. Because of that severe lack of liquidity and a high 15.3% unemployment rate, Tekamar caps LTV at 50%. It's a solid option, but only if your client has massive equity and deep local roots. ## Key facts - **Region:** Kitimat-Stikine - **Maximum LTV:** 50.0% - **Population:** 602 - **Economic score:** 6/100 - **Desirability score:** 5/100 ## About New Hazelton ### Market Overview: New Hazelton New Hazelton sits along Highway 16 in northern British Columbia, serving as part of the corridor between Smithers and Terrace. Along with Old Hazelton and South Hazelton, this regional hub connects several communities, but New Hazelton itself has a small local footprint with a population of just 602. While the area has seen a modest population growth of 3.8% since 2016, the real estate market remains exceptionally thin. The entire community contains only 305 private dwellings. This low transaction volume makes property valuation highly subjective and market liquidity a primary concern for alternative lenders. Because of these distinct market dynamics, Tekamar caps the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) at **50.0%** in this community. ### Underwriting and Economic Profile When evaluating applications in New Hazelton, brokers must look closely at the employment and income profile of the borrower. The local economic indicators show an unemployment rate of 15.3% and an overall employment rate of 47.6%. This is a resource-dependent and service-focused market where public sector stability coexists with seasonal and cyclical industries. The largest local employment drivers are educational services at 13.6% and health care and social assistance at 11.9%. Outside of these fields, the workforce relies on mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, which accounts for 10.2% of local jobs, followed by retail trade at 10.2% and accommodation and food services at 10.2%. Commuting is common for regional projects; while the average commute time is 18.1 minutes, 60.9% of working residents enjoy a commute of under 15 minutes. Given these employment dynamics and Tekamar's economic score of 6/10 for the community, we structure our loans defensively to protect investor capital. ### Housing Stock and Liquidity Risks The housing inventory in New Hazelton is heavily weighted toward single-detached homes, which make up 74.1% of the total properties. Row houses account for 7.4%, while apartments in buildings under five storeys and movable dwellings each comprise 3.7%. There are no duplexes in the community. While the lower cost of real estate here appeals to buyers who find themselves priced out of larger centers like Smithers or Terrace, the exit strategy for a lender is always more complex in rural markets. If a borrower defaults, a property in a market with only 305 total dwellings can sit on the market for several months. Foreclosure timelines in British Columbia, combined with accumulating carrying costs on a slow-selling asset, can quickly erode equity. This illiquidity is the primary driver behind our strict **50.0%** LTV cap. ### Lending Strategy While institutional lenders often bypass rural northern corridors entirely, Tekamar looks for ways to make viable deals work. We assign New Hazelton a desirability score of 5/10, recognizing its functional infrastructure, including fibre-optic internet that supports remote workers, and its proximity to the Bulkley and Skeena rivers. If your client needs a bridge loan, debt consolidation, or an equity withdrawal on a property in New Hazelton, we can help put the deal together. The key to a successful submission is ensuring the request fits within our **50.0%** LTV limit to offset the structural liquidity risks of the northern real estate market. ## Mortgage products available in New Hazelton | Product | Max LTV | Terms | |---|---|---| | [Bare Land and Unique Properties](/mortgage_products/bare-land-or-odd-properties.md) | 50.0% | Standard product terms | | [Bridge Financing](/mortgage_products/bridge-financing.md) | 50.0% | Standard product terms | | [Equity Lending / Refinance](/mortgage_products/equity-lending.md) | 50.0% | Standard product terms | | [Purchases](/mortgage_products/purchases.md) | 50.0% | Standard product terms | | [Variable Income](/mortgage_products/variable-income.md) | 50.0% | Standard product terms | ## Frequently asked questions ### What's the max LTV and why is it set there? The maximum LTV is capped at 50% to protect against the high costs of foreclosure in a remote area. With such a slow-moving real estate market, we need a significant equity buffer in case a property takes a year or more to resell. ### What's the local economy like, and how does that affect getting a deal done? The economy is fragile, defined by a high 15.3% unemployment rate and reliance on volatile mining and government transfers. To get a deal done, your borrower needs a stable income source, like local education or healthcare, and deep roots in the community. ### What would sink a deal here? Any file with less than 50% equity is an automatic deal-breaker. Additionally, trying to pitch a quick resale or speculative flip will sink the deal, as the shallow buyer pool makes rapid turnarounds impossible. --- *Plain-markdown copy for LLM/agent use. 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