I am a field technician in the oil and gas industry. 

The Okanogan makes sense, since Calgary oil money is quiet right now, and Victoria and Nanaimo have always interested me because I suspect that more retirees are heading that way.

I am also an oilfield worker looking for the freedom that real estate can bring, especially in these days of sub $40 oil prices.

Texas is more energy and oil.

Examples of Like-Kind Properties The following list of real property asset classes represents interests in real property that usually qualify as like-kind property for 1031 Exchange purposes: Single Family Residential Property Multi-Family Property (Apartments) Commercial Office Properties Retail Shopping Properties Industrial Warehouse Properties Triple Net Lease (Net Lease or NNN) Investment PropertiesAgricultural (Farm) Properties Vacant Undeveloped Land Oil & Gas InterestsMineral RightsWater RightsAir Rights Easements in perpetuityLeases with a remaining life, including options, of 30 years or more Tenant-In-Common "TIC" Investment Property InterestsDelaware Statutory Trusts "DSTs" Investment Property Interests Vacation rental properties (income producing) You can 1031 Exchange between all of these types of real estate.

We've stripped flooring, aired it out, painted the floor with oil-based primer, and the stench keeps coming back.

I worked on Oil Tankers and we had a Chief Engineer 40 years ago, who would give his Agent $5000 to buy one more Rental House in Seattle when he got off each ship.

I'd build a nice position in oil.  

And that's why google has everything from oil change to doctor office on its campus...  

H's W-2 job is in oil and gas.