OAK BAY NEIGHBOURHOOD · BRITISH COLUMBIA

South
Oak Bay

The heart of Oak Bay: character homes on tree-lined streets, a walkable village on Oak Bay Avenue, and a shoreline that runs from the marina to McNeill Bay.

View South Oak Bay listings Discover the neighbourhood ↘

$1,885,000DETACHED MEDIAN · SOLD + PENDING

CoastalBEACH DRIVE ROUTE

VillageOAK BAY AVENUE

Twilight exterior of the Stonehewer Place home, with illuminated windows and a landscaped front lawn — Stonehewer Place at dusk · Team Portfolio

THE STORY

Classic Oak Bay,
from village to water.

South Oak Bay is the Oak Bay most people picture. Leafy streets of Tudor Revival and Arts and Crafts homes, gardens that have been growing for a century, a village where shop owners know their regulars, and a coastline that shifts from sheltered coves to wide-open views of the Olympic Mountains.

It’s also Oak Bay’s busiest neighbourhood by detached activity. Almost half of the district’s detached sold and pending records in the year through October 2026 were here, and the housing mix is broader than the quiet streets suggest, from modest older houses and renovated family homes to waterfront estates and condos and townhomes near Oak Bay Avenue.

A little local history

People were coming to South Oak Bay to play long before it was a municipality. The grounds at today’s Windsor Park hosted sporting events as early as 1890, and cricket has been played there since 1906. In 1893, local businessmen laid out the Victoria Golf Club on the rocky point at Gonzales, now the oldest golf club in Canada still on its original site. That same year, the grand five-storey Mount Baker Hotel opened near Orchard Avenue and Beach Drive, hosting the future King George V and Queen Mary before it burned in 1902.

When Oak Bay incorporated in 1906, architect Francis Rattenbury, designer of the BC Legislature and the Empress Hotel, sat on its first council. The streetcar ran out Oak Bay Avenue to Windsor Park, and the village grew up around it. Oak Bay Hardware has been on the avenue since 1912, and the vintage Oak Bay sign marks the spot where local kids once paid ten cents for a Saturday matinee. In the early 1960s, the old boathouse at Turkey Head gave way to today's Oak Bay Marina.

Local history source

WHERE YOU'LL FIND IT

South of Oak Bay Avenue,
wrapped by the shoreline.

South Oak Bay runs from Foul Bay Road east and south to Beach Drive. It takes in Oak Bay Village, Windsor Park, the Oak Bay Marina, the Victoria Golf Club and the residential streets above McNeill Bay. Downtown Victoria is about 10 to 15 minutes away by car, and Fairfield is nearby, and Cook Street Village is a short trip west.

VillageOak Bay Avenue's shops, cafés, pubs and services

CoastBeach Drive, the marina, McNeill Bay and the Centennial Trail

CityFairfield and downtown Victoria minutes away

Open in Google Maps ↗

Open the official VREB Oak Bay map. This map shows the Victoria Real Estate Board's South Oak Bay area, which our listings search uses. Board boundaries help with searching, but they don't set zoning or school catchments, so check those by address.

SOUTH OAK BAY · THE PAST 12 MONTHS

What sold, and for how much.

From November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026, the South Oak Bay report recorded 138 sold and pending listings, including 123 sold and 15 pending. Here’s how the records break down by property type.

South Oak Bay · sold and pending records by property type
Property type	Sold + pending	Sold / pending	Median reported price	Reported price range	Median days on market
Detached homes	94	82 / 12	$1,885,000	$770,000–$4,800,000	29
Townhomes	6	5 / 1	$1,352,500	$1,224,875–$1,485,000	26
Condos / apartments	36	34 / 2	$725,500	$374,000–$2,131,000	42
Half duplexes	1	1 / 0	$1,425,000	$1,425,000–$1,425,000	54
Residential land	1	1 / 0	$400,000	$400,000–$400,000	71

Reading the numbers

South Oak Bay was Oak Bay’s busiest detached market, with 94 sold and pending detached records, nearly half of the district’s total. The median reported price was $1,885,000 for detached homes and $725,500 for condos. Within each property type, condition, location and proximity to the water can make a substantial difference in price.

What to compare. Detached homes in this snapshot had a median of 29 days on market. If you’re comparing two homes on the same street, look at the work already done and what you’ll need to budget for, along with the walk to the village or waterfront.

Source: VREB MLS® records via Matrix, November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026. Figures include pending sales, which may still change. Medians are calculated by property type and are separate from the MLS® HPI benchmark and individual appraisals. Categories with fewer than five records can be heavily influenced by individual listings.

Ask Robin for comparable sales on your street

OAK BAY MARKET · OCTOBER 2026

South Oak Bay benchmark price

South Oak Bay's single-family MLS® HPI benchmark was $1,806,500 in October 2026, up 9.3% from a year earlier and the largest year-over-year gain among Oak Bay’s six neighbourhoods. The benchmark tracks a typical home over time; a character home near the village, a renovated family house and a waterfront property will each be valued differently.

Request a local market review

South Oak Bay single-family

$1,806,500

September 2026

$1,754,600

October 2025

$1,653,000

Source: CREA/VREB Victoria MLS® HPI tool. SF-All benchmark series, checked November 4, 2026. A benchmark is a modelled typical home, not a median sale price, appraisal or a waterfront comparable.

THE HOMES

Heritage, renewal
and coastal distinction.

Walk through South Oak Bay and you'll see a century of homebuilding side by side: 1910s and 1920s Tudor Revival and Arts and Crafts houses, mid-century homes, careful restorations and striking new builds. Condos and townhomes cluster near the village, and along Beach Drive and McNeill Bay you'll find some of Oak Bay's most sought-after waterfront.

Older homes are a big part of the appeal, and they're also where homework matters most. Before you buy, look closely at the structure and any seismic upgrades, drainage and the sewer lateral, old oil tanks, renovation permits and heritage status. Since 2024, many South Oak Bay lots have been eligible for additional homes. The options for a specific property depend on zoning, lot size, permits and restrictions on title.

01Character detached homes
02Renovated family residences
03Condos and townhomes near the village
04Waterfront and view homes, which need their own due diligence

What can you build on an Oak Bay lot?

Team Portfolio photograph of 2174 Beaverbrooke St, Oak Bay — 2174 Beaverbrooke St · Team Portfolio. Historic listing photograph; current condition and availability may differ.

THE OUTDOORS

Windsor Park
and the coast beyond.

Windsor Park is South Oak Bay's back garden: playing fields, a cricket pitch in use since 1906, tennis courts, a playground, a rose garden and a pavilion that hosts community programs year-round. From there, it's a short walk to the water. Beach Drive runs past the Oak Bay Marina and on to McNeill Bay and the views from Anderson Hill.

Two of Oak Bay's marked walking trails are in this area: the 6.8 km Centennial Trail, marked by 14 carved posts, and the 4.4 km coastal walk from the marina to McNeill Bay.

Buying near the water?Shoreline exposure, drainage, flood risk and insurance vary from one property to the next. Get advice specific to the property before you remove subjects. Read our waterfront buying guidance.

Explore Windsor Park ↗

THE EVERYDAY

A village day
with the sea nearby.

South Oak Bay is at its best when your errands, a coffee and a walk by the water all fit into the same morning.

VILLAGE

Oak Bay Avenue

Independent shops, coffee at Ottavio and Blue House, the Penny Farthing Pub and Vis-à-Vis, and everyday services within a few minutes’ walk.

Explore Oak Bay ↗

PARK

Windsor Park

Fields, a playground, tennis courts, a rose garden and a pavilion for sport, programs and time with neighbours.

Park details ↗

COAST

Beach Drive

The marina, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, quiet beach accesses and long views across the water to the Olympic Mountains.

Oak Bay walking trails ↗

Current homes

Compare village, interior-street and waterfront homes side by side.

View South Oak Bay listings

Schools close to home.

South Oak Bay is in the Greater Victoria School District (SD61). Monterey Middle School is close to the village, and Oak Bay High is a short trip north. Depending on your street, elementary students attend Willows Elementary or Margaret Jenkins Elementary; Willows and Margaret Jenkins both offer early French immersion. French immersion catchments depend on your address. Two leading independent schools have junior campuses nearby: St. Michaels University School on Victoria Avenue and Glenlyon Norfolk School on Beach Drive.

Catchments are set by address, so check any home in SD61’s School Locator before you buy.

What schools serve Oak Bay?

A CONSIDERED CHOICE

Is South Oak Bay
your next chapter?

South Oak Bay suits people who want village life and the water in the same day. Spend a morning on Oak Bay Avenue, then an afternoon on the quieter streets above McNeill Bay; they feel like two different versions of the same neighbourhood, and the right one depends on how much convenience, privacy and ocean you want.

If you'd rather lock the door and travel, a well-run strata near the village may suit you better than a large older house. If you're set on a character home, budget for the less visible work, like drainage, services and the building envelope, not just the kitchen you can see in the photos.

View South Oak Bay listings

THE DETAILS

Frequently
asked questions.

01Where is South Oak Bay?+

South Oak Bay runs south of Oak Bay Avenue from Foul Bay Road to Beach Drive, taking in Oak Bay Village, Windsor Park, the Oak Bay Marina and the streets above McNeill Bay. The map above shows the real estate board area our listings use.

02Should I choose a village condo or a detached home?+

A village condo or townhome means less upkeep and an easy walk to everything, but you'll share decisions and costs with a strata. A detached home gives you more space and control, along with the maintenance. Compare total monthly costs, parking, accessibility and how much upkeep you want, not just the price.

03What should I check before buying a waterfront or near-water home?+

Confirm title, survey and legal access, and whether any docks, seawalls or other structures on the shore are authorized. Get site-specific advice on drainage, flooding, coastal exposure and insurance. Compare recent sales of similar waterfront properties for a more specific price reference.

04Which schools are nearby?+

South Oak Bay is in SD61. Monterey Middle and Oak Bay High are close by, and elementary students attend Willows or Margaret Jenkins depending on the street. St. Michaels University School and Glenlyon Norfolk School both have junior campuses nearby. Always check catchment by address.

05How much do homes cost in South Oak Bay?+

From November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026, the median reported price was $1,885,000 for detached homes and $725,500 for condos, including both sold and pending records. The October 2026 single-family benchmark was $1,806,500, up 9.3% year over year, the largest gain among Oak Bay’s six neighbourhoods.

06Can I add a suite or build more homes on a South Oak Bay lot?+

Many South Oak Bay lots are eligible for a suite or additional homes. Oak Bay allows up to four homes on many residential lots larger than 280 m². The options depend on zoning, lot dimensions, permits, tree protection and any restrictions on title. Heritage-designated properties can have tighter limits.

CONTINUE EXPLORING

Nearby neighbourhoods

SD61 school catchments · Municipal building and renovation requirements · Walking routes and beach accesses

Robin Scrimger, REALTOR and team lead of New Chapter Real Estate Team

YOUR MAIN OAK BAY CONTACT

Meet Robin Scrimger

Robin Scrimger · Personal Real Estate Corporation
REALTOR® & Team Lead · New Chapter Real Estate Team
Coldwell Banker Oceanside Real Estate

Robin is your main contact for Oak Bay. Whether you're buying your first Oak Bay home, upsizing, downsizing or selling a family property, Robin can walk you through the streets, the recent sales and the practical details that matter here, from heritage and renovations to the waterfront.

Meet Robin · Explore our Team Portfolio

Call Robin: 778-400-6047 · Email Robin

READY WHEN YOU ARE

Let's find the place
your story continues.

Thinking about buying or selling in South Oak Bay? Talk with Robin about homes for sale, recent sales on your street, or what your home might be worth today.

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