What is the average home price in Highlands?

According to VREB HPI Benchmark, October 2026, the MLS® HPI benchmark price for a single-family home in Highlands is $1,501,000, condos $549,200. Single-family prices are down 7.1% year over year.

What are the lot size requirements in Highlands?

Highlands enforces minimum lot sizes to preserve rural character: typically 2-5 acres minimum depending on zone, with many properties on 5-20+ acres. These requirements ensure low-density development, privacy, and environmental protection. Buyers seeking acreage for horses, privacy, gardens, or wilderness living find ideal opportunities. The municipality prohibits subdivision into smaller lots, maintaining Highlands' rural character permanently.

Is Highlands good for horse owners?

Yes, Highlands is Greater Victoria's premier equestrian community with: large acreage properties suitable for barns, paddocks, and riding facilities; extensive trail networks connecting to Crown land for endless riding; equestrian-friendly zoning and neighbors; active horse community with shared trails and events; and proximity to Thetis Lake trails. Many properties include existing equestrian facilities. Highlands attracts serious horse enthusiasts seeking acreage, trails, and rural horse-keeping lifestyle.

What is daily life like in Highlands?

Highlands living requires self-sufficiency: well water and septic systems (no municipal services), longer drives to shopping/services in Langford or Victoria (15-25 minutes), acceptance of wildlife (deer, bears, cougars), and comfort with rural isolation. Residents prioritize privacy, nature immersion, outdoor recreation, and dark-sky environment over urban convenience. The community values environmental stewardship, low-density living, and preservation of natural character. Ideal for those seeking genuine rural lifestyle within Greater Victoria commuting distance.

How far is Highlands from Victoria and amenities?

Highlands is 20-25 minutes to downtown Victoria via Highway 1, 15 minutes to Langford shopping (WestShore Town Centre), and 10 minutes to Thetis Lake. No services exist within Highlands itself - all shopping, dining, medical, and entertainment require driving to Langford, Colwood, or Victoria. This isolation attracts buyers specifically seeking rural privacy and nature immersion. Commuters to Victoria employment accept longer drives for acreage living and wilderness quality of life.

Development Potential in Highlands

If you are evaluating what a property in Highlands may support, start with the SSMUH and Bill 44 guide and the Bill 44 density guide. For a property-specific starting point, use the Development Potential assessment tool Thinking about selling in Highlands? Get a valuation that includes what your lot could support.. There is a dedicated guide to development potential in the Highlands.

13 Active Listings

Highlands Real Estate & Homes for Sale

Highlands is a unique rural mountain community offering exceptional privacy, large acreages, and pristine natural beauty surrounded by old-growth forest, lakes, and protected wilderness areas. This low-density municipality maintains strict development standards with large minimum lot sizes and strong environmental protection bylaws, creating a retreat-like setting where properties blend into natural landscape while remaining surprisingly accessible to Victoria and Westshore amenities. Highlands real estate attracts nature enthusiasts seeking country living with mountain and forest surroundings, established professionals desiring private estate properties, equestrian owners requiring space for horses and trails, and outdoor recreation lovers prioritizing proximity to wilderness hiking, mountain biking, and lake access.

3 distinct neighborhoods to explore

Market Snapshot

Live VREB

October 2026

SFH Benchmark

$1,501,000

-7.1% yr/yr

VREB HPI Benchmark, October 2026

Condo Benchmark

$549,200

Langford, Colwood, and View Royal offer newer construction at lower price points than the core city, with strong population growth, abundant recreation, and easy Trans-Canada Highway access.

Area Overview

Highlands real estate attracts nature enthusiasts seeking country living with mountain and forest surroundings, established professionals desiring private estate properties, equestrian owners requiring space for horses and trails, and outdoor recreation lovers prioritizing proximity to wilderness hiking, mountain biking, and lake access.

The municipality benefits from exceptional natural amenities including Thetis Lake Regional Park offering swimming and trail networks, Francis/King Regional Park with old-growth forest and nature programs, extensive Highlands trail system for mountain biking and hiking, and proximity to Mount Work for backcountry recreation. Residents enjoy peaceful rural atmosphere with minimal light pollution, abundant wildlife viewing including deer and eagles, and strong community commitment to environmental stewardship.

The area maintains its natural character through development controls while offering reasonable commuting distance to Victoria employment centers and Westshore shopping and services.

Highlands properties consist primarily of large acreage estates on 1-5+ acre lots with mature forest, gardens, and privacy, appealing to buyers seeking country lifestyle without compromising convenience. Housing ranges from custom-built family estates with mountain views to rustic retreats nestled in forest, equestrian properties with barns and paddocks, and architecturally distinctive homes showcasing West Coast design.

The municipality serves demographics valuing privacy, space, nature connection, and freedom from urban density while maintaining access to Greater Victoria amenities and employment.

Highlands real estate maintains premium values driven by limited inventory, large lot sizes, environmental protection creating scarcity, and unique lifestyle offering country living within metropolitan area. For buyers seeking the ultimate in privacy, natural beauty, large acreage properties, and mountain-forest living while remaining connected to Victoria region, Highlands delivers unmatched rural estate living in Greater Victoria.

Why Live in Highlands?

Ultimate Privacy & Space

Large acreage properties (2-20+ acres) with minimum lot sizes ensure low-density living, maximum privacy, and genuine rural character. Dark-sky environment, old-growth forests, and protective covenants preserve natural beauty and wilderness atmosphere.

Thetis Lake on Your Doorstep

World-class swimming, hiking, and mountain biking at Thetis Lake Regional Park accessible directly from neighborhood trails. Upper and Lower Thetis Lakes plus extensive trail networks create outdoor recreation paradise for residents.

Equestrian Paradise

Horse-friendly zoning, extensive trail networks, and acreage properties with barns, paddocks, and riding facilities attract serious equestrians. Connect to Crown land trails for endless riding opportunities through pristine forest.

Environmental Protection Commitment

Strict development controls, environmental covenants, and conservation focus preserve Highlands' natural character against urban sprawl. Protected forest canopy, wildlife corridors, and dark-sky bylaws maintain wilderness quality of life.

Bear Mountain Golf Access

Two championship golf courses, resort dining, and mountain recreation at Bear Mountain Golf Resort provide luxury amenities while maintaining rural residential character. World-class golf without resort density.

Victoria Proximity with Wilderness Living

Just 20-25 minutes to downtown Victoria via Highway 1 allows Victoria employment while living in genuine rural setting. Commuters access urban opportunities without urban density, noise, or light pollution.

Best Areas and Pockets in Highlands

Buyer experience varies significantly by pocket. These are the areas that consistently stand out for demand, livability, and long-term value.

Eastern Highlands

The closest Highlands pocket to Thetis Lake Regional Park, meaning world-class mountain biking and swimming are reachable on foot rather than by car. Equestrian buyers get large lots, established horse infrastructure on many properties, and a straightforward Highway 1 run to Victoria without the longer routes required from the western side of the municipality.

Hi Bear Mountain

Highlands acreage zoning adjacent to a world-class golf and trail resort, without the resort strata fees or the density of the Langford Bear Mountain development. Properties sit on proper rural lots with forest buffers, and Bear Mountain amenities are an optional membership next door rather than an unavoidable part of the strata structure.

Western Highlands

For buyers who genuinely require remoteness, old-growth forest, and dark skies, Western Highlands delivers all three without compromise. Mount Work Regional Park trail access and Crown land borders mean the natural amenity set is essentially permanent, and no future development can alter the wilderness character of the surrounding land.

Community Highlights

Large acreages and rural properties

Mountain and forest views

Thetis Lake Regional Park access

Equestrian-friendly community

Protected natural environment

Low-density, private living

Explore Highlands Neighborhoods

Discover the unique character and real estate opportunities in each distinct neighborhood within Highlands.

Bear Mountain

Eastern Highlands

Western Highlands

Planning your purchase in Highlands?

Use these tools and guides to prepare before you make an offer.

Talk to a Mortgage Broker

Get pre-approved with a local Victoria specialist

Read the Buyer's Guide

Step-by-step guide to buying in Greater Victoria

Explore Development Potential

SSMUH zoning, lot analysis, and Bill 44 explainer

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