Where the View Lots Are
Views in Greater Victoria come from elevation and orientation. These are the parts of the region where view land most often comes up.
Bear Mountain and the Westshore Hills
Bear Mountain occupies the slopes of Skirt Mountain, a 347-metre peak of the Gowlland Range on the boundary between Langford and the Highlands. Its hillside streets can look out over the Westshore and the Langford lakes and, from the higher lots, toward the strait and the city. Nearby in Westhills, Parkdale Hill overlooks downtown Victoria and the Olympic Peninsula. See Bear Mountain lots and Langford acreages and land.
Colwood and Triangle Mountain
Colwood rises from Esquimalt Lagoon and the Royal Roads lands to hillside neighbourhoods such as Triangle Mountain. From Colwood's Perimeter Park, the view takes in Esquimalt Lagoon, Fisgard Lighthouse, Victoria, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Mountains and Mount Baker, which gives a sense of what a high, south- or east-facing lot here can see.
The Highlands
The Highlands is a landscape of forested hills and ridges above Finlayson Arm, and its views tend to be of forest, lakes, valleys and the inlet rather than the open ocean. Many view parcels here are large and private, with the rural servicing that comes with the Highlands. See Highlands acreages and land.
Saanich and the East Shore
On Saanich's east side, Cordova Bay and the rises above it face Haro Strait. Sayward Hill, for example, looks across to Haro Strait and Mount Baker. Ten Mile Point and the Gordon Head slopes also face the islands. Views here come with morning sun and, often, municipal services. See Saanich acreages and lots.
The Saanich Peninsula
West-facing land in Central Saanich and North Saanich looks across Saanich Inlet to the Malahat, with afternoon and evening sun, while the north end of the peninsula looks out to the Gulf Islands. Brentwood Bay is a calm, sheltered bay on the inlet's eastern side. See Saanich Peninsula acreages and land.
Sooke and East Sooke
Around Sooke, view land looks over the Sooke Basin, the harbour and the open strait. From Whiffin Spit, the view runs out over Sooke and the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains of Washington State, and East Sooke Regional Park looks south to Olympic National Park. See Sooke acreages, lots and land.
Reading the View Field on a Listing
On the MLS®, a land listing can record a city, lake, mountain, ocean, river, valley, water or other view. This page includes all of them, which is why the range is so wide. A lot marked with an ocean view might have a full panorama or a glimpse between houses; a valley view might be a broad outlook or a glimpse through trees. Treat the field as a flag to investigate, not a description, and see the view for yourself from where the house would actually stand.
How to Judge a View
When you stand on a view lot, look at more than the photo angle:
- Width. How much of the horizon can you see from the main living level, not just from the highest corner of the lot?
- Depth. Is there water and distance, or a near view of rooftops and treetops?
- Permanence. What could be built or grow between you and the view? Look at the zoning and the trees on the lots below.
- Orientation. South-facing views bring sun with the view; north-facing views can mean a darker house in winter.
- Exposure. High, open sites can be windy, which affects decks, gardens and building costs.
Views Through the Seasons
A view changes over the year. Deciduous trees such as Garry oaks and bigleaf maples open up in winter and fill in by early summer, so a lot shown in February may have a smaller view in July. The sun also moves along the horizon: it sets well to the south in winter and far to the north in summer, which changes how sunsets line up with the water and the mountains. Visit a view lot in more than one season if you can, or ask the seller for photos taken at different times of year.
Trees, Clearing and the View
Clearing for a view is not always allowed. Many municipalities in the region regulate the removal of larger trees, and several, including Saanich, protect Garry oaks and other significant trees, so a permit and replacement planting may be needed before anything comes down. Trees on a neighbour's land, or on public land below you, are not yours to cut. An arborist's report early in your planning shows which trees can go, which must stay, and where the house can sit to make the most of the view you can keep.
Protecting a View
A view is not automatically protected. The usual protection is a restrictive covenant or a building scheme registered on title. Building schemes can limit the height of trees as well as houses on neighbouring lots; one BC case dealt with a covenant against trees taller than 20 feet. These covenants must be negative to bind later owners, and an owner who waits too long to enforce one can lose the benefit. Buyers should not assume a covenant will protect them; read it, and check how it has been enforced.
Zoning on the lots below also matters. The province's small-scale multi-unit housing rules allow more homes on many urban lots, which can change what gets built beneath a view, so look at the zoning and height limits of the neighbouring properties, not only your own.
Check the Lots Below You
Before you pay for a view, look up the zoning, height limits and any building scheme on the properties between your building site and the view. They decide whether the view you see today will still be there in twenty years.
Building on a Hillside View Lot
Most view lots are on slopes, and slopes cost more to build on. Expect a geotechnical review, engineered foundations, retaining walls and, on rocky ground, rock removal. A steep driveway can be expensive to build and hard to use in winter, and it affects where garages and suites can go. A good designer will use the slope to advantage, with a walkout lower level and the main rooms on the view side.
Hillside subdivisions often come with a building scheme that controls height, roof lines and materials, partly to protect everyone's views. Read it before you design. Lots sold by a developer generally include GST, and developers marketing five or more lots must give buyers a disclosure statement before they sign.
Designing a Home for the View
A view lot rewards a design that puts the main living spaces, the kitchen and the principal bedroom on the view side, with decks that extend the rooms outward. Large windows need careful thought: they bring in the view but also heat and glare, and they affect how a new home meets the energy requirements of the BC Building Code, so work them into the design from the start. Under a building scheme, roof height and form may be limited, which shapes how many storeys can face the view.
A Due Diligence Checklist for View Land
- Title. Read any building scheme or view covenant, both the limits on you and any protection you gain.
- Neighbouring zoning. Check the zoning and height limits of the lots between you and the view.
- Elevations. A topographic survey shows exactly what each floor level will see.
- Ground and slope. A geotechnical review sets the foundation and retaining needs.
- Access. Confirm the driveway grade works for the municipality and for daily use.
- Services. Confirm water, sewer or septic, and hydro for the building site.
View Land at a Glance
| Area | Typical view | Faces | Light |
|---|
| Bear Mountain and Westhills | Westshore valleys, lakes, the city and the strait | Varies by slope | Depends on orientation |
| Colwood and Triangle Mountain | Lagoon, strait, Olympics, Mount Baker | South and east | Good winter sun on south slopes |
| Highlands | Forest, lakes, valleys and Finlayson Arm | Varies | Varies with tree cover |
| Cordova Bay and Ten Mile Point | Haro Strait, San Juan Islands, Mount Baker | East | Morning sun |
| Saanich Peninsula | Saanich Inlet, the Malahat, the Gulf Islands | West and north | Afternoon and evening sun |
| Sooke and East Sooke | Sooke Basin, the strait, the Olympics | South and across the basin | Varies by shore |
Pricing View Land
View land is priced on the quality of the view first and the size of the lot second. A wide, permanent ocean and mountain view from the main floor sets the top of the range, while a partial or seasonal view trades closer to an ordinary lot. Because views are so individual, the averages above are only a starting point. Compare each lot with recent sales of similar views in the view lots and land market report.
Remember that you buy the view from the house, not from the lot. Setbacks, height limits and the building scheme decide where the house can sit and how high its main floor can be, and that floor is where the view has to work. Some buyers ask a designer to check sight lines from the planned floor level, or take photos from a raised platform at that height, before they firm up an offer.
View Lots, View Acreage or a View Home?
If a view is the priority but building is not, compare these lots with view acreages, or with view homes in Langford, Colwood, the Highlands, Sooke and on the Saanich Peninsula. For waterfront rather than a view of the water, see waterfront lots and land.
View Land Pages by Area
View Land: Common Questions
Can a neighbour block my view?
Possibly. Unless a covenant or building scheme on title limits building or tree height on the neighbouring land, a new house or growing trees can change a view. Check the title and the zoning of the lots below before you buy.
Does a view lot cost more to build on?
Usually. Most view lots are on slopes, which means more engineering, retaining walls, foundation work and sometimes rock removal. Get a builder's estimate before you firm up the price.
Which direction gives the best view in Greater Victoria?
It depends on what you want to see. South-facing land looks to the Olympic Mountains, east-facing land to Haro Strait, the islands and Mount Baker, and west-facing Peninsula land to Saanich Inlet and the sunset.
Are view lots usually on municipal services?
Many on the Westshore and in Saanich are, especially in newer subdivisions. In the Highlands, East Sooke and other rural areas, expect a well and a septic system. Confirm servicing for each lot.
