Providing dramatic views of Mount Baker to the southeast and the Coast Mountains to the north, Abbotsford is a culturally and ethnically diverse city that draws young families and working professionals with its affordable real estate market and high quality of life. The city has one of the fastest-growing economies in British Columbia and Canada, including robust manufacturing, aerospace and agriculture industries. The mix of rural agriculture lifestyle and urban comfort is what gives Abbotsford its character in the region as a "City in the Country", and makes the area a popular agri-tourism destination. There are approximately 141,000 people living in Abbotsford, and around 50,000 homes in its real estate market.

Abbotsford is a thriving family-focused centre and has recently built new recreation, entertainment and arts facilities to encourage active, engaged lifestyles within the community. The city also provides ample parkland and community green space, including the 35.5 kilometres paved Discovery Trail, an all-season corridor that connects many neighbourhoods throughout the city to scenic parks and natural areas.

New development in the Abbotsford city centre has helped to diversify the range of real estate and property available. Most of the newest single-family residential development has taken place within the eastern areas of the city, in the Straiton Bowl area, and on the slopes of Sumas Mountain, while a number of low and high rise developments are being offered in the city core provide urban condo housing options for urbanites.

In addition to residential growth, the community of Abbotsford has seen expansions in retail, commercial and industrial development over the last decade. Now the main retail hub of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford offers a variety of stores and services from big-box name brand stores to smaller specialty shops owned locally. The city's real estate opportunities, its highly educated workforce, and its close proximity to key transportation infrastructure including the Abbotsford International Airport continue to make Abbotsford a prime location for growing businesses.