More work for more reward. 

If resale is your focus, think about the future desirability of the area and whether you can add value that will be recognized by future buyers.Bay Area investing is tough, but it can be rewarding if approached with the right strategy and mindset.

Wrt vegreville (I’m quite familiar) and other satellites around Edmonton you’ll find higher risk and higher reward.

@Toby Fellowsno way - 100% no - hard pass.high risk low reward. 

Real estate is not easy, but it sure is rewarding if you can pull yourself up by the bootstraps and get creative. 

You "just" need to understand the risks and rewards and decide if that works for you.

And the elite Realtors that might have some angles to help you will want some type of agreement in place so that they get their reward guaranteed....

Yes it is just specualtion, but if you are basing your future on guaranteed appreciation, imagine having that huge amount to pay every month and NOT having the appreciation to reward you at the end.

In the end, every experience is very rewarding.

You have a great shot at compounding rewards, and even if you buy at a bad time, the next purchase, and the one after that, will take advantage of lower prices in a system that can't help but make you rich over time.