Boats on Nanaimo harbour during sunset. Rick Hyne on Unsplash Camera Icon
Character Homes!

Old City Real Estate

Rich with history and culture, the neighbourhood of Old City, Nanaimo is composed primarily of historic homes, as well as seaside condos and modern reconstructions. Old City was the original heart and soul of Nanaimo's 1880's coal mining activities, serving as an economic and shipping centre. Today, Old City is home to Nanaimo's quaint downtown core, harbour-side amenities, and historic district. Old City is easily one of Nanaimo's most visually interesting communities and offers a cornucopia of unique real estate options. Contact Carly Carey today to start your home search, or click to learn more about Old City real estate.

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Historic District
Amenities
Downtown Living

Old City Real Estate Stats

Average Home Price $689K
Lowest Priced Home $290K
Highest Listing Price $1.8M
Total Property Listings 49
Avg. Days On Market 50
Avg. Price/SQFT $555

Property Types (active listings)

Old City Nanaimo street
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The Heart & Soul of Nanaimo

Old City Overview

The Old City, which is located on and overlooks the waterfront, is referred to as such because of its long history. Residents of this neighbourhood enjoy its walkability and central location, as well as its landmarks and older buildings. Mixing history with modern innovation, the Old City has a welcoming, friendly atmosphere and countless opportunities for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

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Downtown Core
Condos & Townhomes
Boats at Nanaimo marina during nighttime. Photo by Pierre-Alain Picard on Unsplash Camera Icon
Boardwalk on Nanaimo waterfront at nightCamera Icon
Rich History

Old City Real Estate Highlights

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    The Heart of Nanaimo
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    Independent specialty shops, boutiques and restaurants
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    Mix of revitalized heritage buildings and new constructions
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    Historic homes, condos and single family homes
Life In The Old City Old City real estate buyers will discover beautiful condos alongside a quaint collection of shops and restaurants. Although the occasional single-family home can be found in the downtown core, these are rare and sell quickly
Shops along street in the Old City district Camera Icon
The Best Place To Be

Where Old & New Meet

Though not formally recognized, the Old City district is split into two fairly distinct regions: the downtown core and the historic district across the bridge.

Recent efforts to attract visitors to the downtown business district have been extremely successful, and downtown Old City is a favourite location for Nanaimo locals and explorers alike. Offering local boutiques alongside larger retailers, there's much to see and discover in this neighbourhood. 

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Great Shopping
Local Businesses
Condo buildings along the waterfront at sunset in Nanaimo Camera Icon
Revitalized Downtown

Historic District

Across the bridge, additional businesses and hundreds of historic homes can be found along the streets of Old City, many of which boast a heritage home designation. Revitalization grants from the city encourage heritage renovations of both of these property types, helping permanently preserve the unique architectural diversity of the neighbourhood. In many cases, Old City businesses double as the owners’ private homes, serving as a creative mortgage-helper solution.

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Heritage Homes
Revitalization

Top Old City Attractions & Amenities

Apart from the multitude of businesses in this neighbourhood, one of the biggest highlights of the Old City neighbourhood is the Harbourfront Walkway, which begins at the Port Theatre and runs along the waterfront, ending at the Townsite Marina. It passes through Maffeo Sutton Park, recognized for its large, colourful Nanaimo sign. Many enjoy strolling down by the water, perhaps indulging in some gelato as they go, viewing the boats in the marina and the sea planes landing/taking off. There are also whale watching services in this area

Additional highlights include the Vancouver Island Regional Library. A particular hit with the kids, this is located right next to the Nanaimo Museum and the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, and has a large mural on the exterior side.  Port Place Shopping Centre offers a lot of the shops and local dining spots, but most of the boutiques are located along Commercial Street. 

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Enjoy an all-access pass to the amazing properties on the Old City Nanaimo market – they're yours to discover.

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Sunset at Nanaimo, BC marina with waterfront condos in background. Rick Hyne on Unsplash
Carly Carey
Get In Touch

Start the conversation

If you would like to discuss your central Vancouver Island real estate questions from Lake Cowichan through Qualicum and everywhere in between, please reach out. I love talking about Naniamo real estate and I can’t wait to meet you to discuss your next home with you.