Saanich BC Homes & Real Estate

Search all houses and real estate listings for sale in Saanich. Saanich is the main and closest suburb to Victoria. It sits just north of both Victoria and Oak Bay. Home to the University of Victoria, Saanich is filled with a mix of students, young professionals and families. The pace of life in Saanich is unhurried and family oriented. 

Mt. Doug sits on the north part of the district and the parkland makes the area feel less urban than other parts of the city. It also has communities of beautiful oceanfront property. It's a wonderful place to live. Register for a free account to receive email alerts whenever new Saanich listings come on the market.

Latest Saanich Home Listings

Saanich Real Estate Market Statistics March 19, 2024
304
Listed
53
Avg. DOM
$679.14
Avg. $ / Sq.Ft.
$1,200,000
Med. List Price
304 Properties
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Saanich

As Greater Victoria’s largest district, yet with a relatively low population density, Saanich has a range of living opportunities for homebuyers. Each of its 12 sub-districts has unique lifestyle comforts to offer.

Overflowing with beautiful landscapes, 30 kilometres of ocean shoreline, and eight square kilometres of lakes, Saanich is nowhere short on places to go to be happy and active. 

Real Estate in Saanich, BC

Saanich Main Districts

Cordova Bay - Nestled between Elk Lake and its beautiful bay overlooking Haro Strait and the San Juan Islands, Cordova Bay has some of the most prime views and nature near Victoria. Easy access to the Lochside Trail also provides an active, scenic and carbon-neutral way to get into the downtown core. Single family dwellings are most prominent in Cordova Bay, with a sprinkling of townhomes and a condo development on Sayward Hill. The 18-hole Cordova Bay Golf Course and its sibling the nine-hole Ridge Course also make a convenient destination for golfers. There are also many luxury homes for sale in Saanich, BC located in Cordova Bay. 

Royal Oak - Royal Oak is located in the heart of Saanich and nearby to the magnificent Elk / Beaver Lake Regional Park. It is sprinkled with parks, cafés and restaurants, and Broadmead Village Shopping Centre is a great place to grab the essentials. The Patricia Bay Highway runs directly through Royal Oak and right into downtown Victoria. Royal Oak is known for its high-class recreation centre, Saanich Commonwealth Place, which is a great place to keep fit or to blow off some steam with the kids.

Rural Saanich - The largest with the least dense population, rural Saanich is a neighbourhood of country estates, hobby farms, and single or dual family dwellings on sizable lots.

Carey - The Carey sub-district sits just below Rural Saanich and is centred around Interurban Road, which eventually connects Victoria with Brentwood Bay. The landscape is awash with rivers and creeks, like Gabo, Colquitz and Swan Creeks, all of which are surrounded by green spaces to enjoy.

North Quadra - North Quadra is a small neighbourhood separated from southern Quadra by McKenzie Avenue. The paved stretch of the Lochside Trail runs conveniently by its southeastern corner, giving a quick and enjoyable ride into town, or simply a place to jog for some exercise. Having Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary in walking distance is also a bonus.

Blenkinsop - Blenkinsop is a quiet neighbourhood with some of the best access to nature corridors, like Mount Douglas Park. Single-family homes make up the majority of the residences with the rest being mostly duplexes.

Gordon Head - Gordon Head is a leafy suburban neighbourhood home to 28 parks, including Saanich’s largest park: the majestic 184-hectare Mount Douglas Park, known in W̱SÁNEĆ as PKOLS. A number of shopping centres, like Torquay Village, Tuscany Village, and University Heights Shopping Centre are close at hand to satisfy daily needs. Having the University nearby provides educational opportunities for adults, young and old, and makes it easy to fill rental suites. If you looking for family houses for sale in Saanich, bc this is a fantastic neighborhood. 

Cadboro Bay - Located southeast of Gordon Head, Cadboro Bay is a small and elegant neighbourhood located on a picturesque peninsula with sandy beaches and glorious sunrises. Cadboro Bay has a variety of neighbourhoods including the upscale estates on the waterfront of Ten Mile Point and Arbutus neighbourhoods, as well as those nearby Cadboro Village, which provided the sub-district a number of amenities. This area has some of the most beautiful waterfront real estate in Saanich, BC

Tillicum - Tillicum boasts the beautiful waterfront of the Gorge Waterway, as well as forested areas, including Cuthbert Holmes and Saanich Gorge Parks. A historic neighbourhood with heritage homes, as well as more modern developments, Tillicum is a good balance of everything. The Tillicum Centre, a shopping hub popular among surrounding areas, offers a convenient one-stop shop for residents as well.

Saanich Core - As one of Saanich’s closest neighbourhoods to downtown Victoria, the Saanich Core is a convenient urban neighbourhood. Shopping can be done at the nearby Uptown, Tillicum and Mayfair Shopping Centres, and wilderness can be found right around the corner at the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. Jumping onto the Lochside, residents have a scenic route through Victoria West right into downtown, and don’t forget, the popular Bin 4 Burger Lounge restaurant has half-price gourmet burgers after 9pm.

Quadra - Home to both Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary and Cedar Hill Park & Golf Course, Quadra residents need not go far to connect with the outdoors and stay active. Many schools and amenities are close at hand, as well as both the Cedar Hill Arts and Recreation Centres.

Shelbourne - Shelbourne is nestled between Victoria and Oak Bay, directly south of Gordon Head. Residents love the convenience of meeting their needs at the Cedar Hill Shopping Plaza and Hillside Mall, while being positioned nicely between the university and downtown. Shelbourne’s claim to fame is its ecologically rich Mt. Tolmie, which is one of the highest vantage points around. One of Victoria’s most beautiful watersheds, Bowker Creek, runs through Shelbourne as well, with its most beautiful stretch at the Kings Park.

About Saanich

Climate

Saanich delights in a comfortable temperate climate. Blessed with relatively warm winters and sheltered from overly hot summers, Saanich also sees more sunshine than its coastal neighbours. For instance, Vancouver gets around 2.5 times more precipitation despite being a mere 60 kilometres away.

History

Saanich lies on the territory of the SENĆOŦEN-speaking W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, as well as the Lekwungen-speaking Songhees and Esquimalt peoples. These nations continue to thrive today despite their way of life being greatly altered by the arrival and permanent residency of settlers. The name “Saanich” derives from W̱SÁNEĆ, which means “emerging,” and is a testament to W̱SÁNEĆ resiliency, emerging from devastating floods in the region. In the 1850s, the entire Saanich Peninsula was allegedly bought from the W̱SÁNEĆ for a mere 386 wool blankets, although present-day W̱SÁNEĆ members say that their ancestors would have never knowingly sold something so sacred. In 1853, Kenneth McKenzie arrived aboard a Hudson’s Bay Company ship with his large family and was one of the first settlers to call Saanich his new home. Another notable first settler is Duncan Lidgate who helped to build the historical Craigflower school. After his work with HBC, he settled 50 acres on Mount Newton Cross Road.

Saanich Amenities

Parks & Recreation

Saanich Commonwealth Place is complete with an air-conditioned weight room, gymnasium, dance studio, and a pool that has it all, including olympic-sized diving platforms and a wave pool for the kids. The Commonwealth Place was the host of the 1994 Commonwealth Games, the 1997 Indigenous Games, as well as the 2000 BC Summer Games.

Mount Douglas Park offers a panoramic vista of surrounding Saanich as well as the olympics and San Juan Islands on clear days. The hikes never get old with its expansive trail system and lovely flora and fauna. There is also vehicle access to the top for sunset picnics.

Golf Courses - Saanich is full to the brim with golf courses, including Cordova Bay Golf Club, Mount Douglas Golf Course, Prospect Lake Golf Course, Highland Pacific Golf Course, and Cedar Hill Golf Course, to name a few.

Bicycling in Saanich - Many neighbourhoods connect to the Lochside Trail giving bikers and joggers a more serene way to get exercise and to visit downtown Victoria. The Lochside is part of the “Saanich Bicycle Touring Route,” a scenic 45 kilometre route which circumnavigates the District of Saanich.

Other activities in Saanich include the Elk Lake Rowing Club, Hartland Mountain Bike Park, and strolling in Beckwith Park, Cedar Hill Park, Mount Tolmie, or Bear Hill Regional Park

Shopping & Dining

Tillicum Centre, located at Tillicum and Burnside, is a sizely shopping centre that includes Save-On-Foods, Cineplex, Lowe’s, Winners, London Drugs, among others.

Uptown is a major shopping, dining and entertainment plaza offering outlets from Whole Foods Market to The North Face to Urban Barn, Walmart, Best Buy, and dozens more.

Mayfair Shopping Centre - Mayfair is Victoria’s shopping centre focused primarily on fashion.


Schools

The Saanich School District (SSD) operates the public and charter schools in Saanich. Several private and religiously affiliated school are also available

Public

Cordova Bay Elementary - 5238 Cordova Bay Rd, Victoria, BC V8Y 2L2
Lochside Elementary - 1145 Royal Oak Dr, Victoria, BC V8X 3T7
Prospect Lake Elementary - 321 Prospect Lake Rd, Victoria, BC V9E 1J7
Quadra Elementary School - 3031 Quadra St, Victoria, BC V8T 4G2
Cloverdale Traditional Elementary School - 3427 Quadra St, Victoria, BC V8X 1G8
Strawberry Vale Elementary - 4109 Rosedale Ave, Victoria, BC V8Z 5J5
Northridge Elementary - 4190 Carey Rd, Victoria, BC V8Z 4G8
Discovery School - 4052 Wilkinson Rd, Victoria, BC V8Z 5A5
McKenzie Elementary - 4005 Raymond St N, Victoria, BC V8Z 4K9
Braefoot Elementary School - 1440 Harrop Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 2S6
Tillicum Elementary School - 3155 Albina St, Victoria, BC V9A 1Z6
Colquitz Middle School - 505 Dumeresq St, Victoria, BC V8Z 1X2
Royal Oak Middle School - 751 Travino Ln, Victoria, BC V8Z 3G4
Glanford Middle School - 4140 Glanford Ave, Victoria, BC V8Z 4A8
Gordon Head Middle School - 1671 Kenmore Rd, Victoria, BC V8N 4M8
École Intermediaire Cedar Hill Middle - 3910 Cedar Hill Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 3Z9
Arbutus Global Middle School - 2306 Edgelow St, Victoria, BC V8N 1R5
Claremont Secondary School - 4980 Wesley Rd, Victoria, BC V8Y 1Y9
Lambrick Park Secondary - 4139 Torquay Dr, Victoria, BC V8N 3L1
Reynolds Secondary School - 3963 Borden St, Victoria, BC V8P 3H9
South Island Distance Education School (SIDES) Beaver Lake Campus - 4828 W Saanich Rd, Victoria, BC V8Z 3H5

Alternative

Broadmead Individual Learning - 4420 Chatterton Way #104A, Victoria, BC V8X 5J2

Private

Lakeview Christian School - 729 Cordova Bay Rd, Victoria, BC V8Y 1P7
Island Catholic Schools Diocese of Victoria - 4044 Nelthorpe St #1, Victoria, BC V8X 2A1
College
University of Victoria - 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2
Camosun College Interurban Campus - 4461 Interurban Rd, Victoria, BC V9E 2C1

Preschools

Cordova Bay Preschool - 5182 Cordova Bay Rd, Victoria, BC V8Y 2K8
Island Montessori School - 5575 W Saanich Rd, Victoria, BC V9E 2G1
Lakehill Preschool - 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 2M6
North Douglas Preschool - 675 Jolly Pl, Victoria, BC V8Z 6R9

Saanich Stats

Size and Population

Area: 103.44 km2

Population: 114,148 (2016 stats)

Population Density: 1,099.9 per square kilometre 

Zip Code(s): V8N, V8P, V8Z, V8X, V8Y

Interesting Trivia

Maple Point School, now known as Craigflower Schoolhouse, remains Western Canada’s oldest school building.

Saanich was once the home of the world’s largest telescope — the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory telescope. This feat only lasted a matter of months in 1918 before being superseded by other innovations. Over one hundred years later, its aperture is a mere tenth the size of the world’s largest telescope today.

Gordon Head hosted a Special Wireless Station during World War II, which had an important role in intercepting messages from Japanese transmissions for the Royal Canadian Navy.

Saanich REALTORS®

Are you looking to purchase a home in Saanich? We are here to help. Are you ready to view some homes for sale in Saanich BC? Just give us a shout. We would love to schedule a private showing for you. Our team has detailed knowledge of the local real estate market. 

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