Downtown Nanaimo - also referred to as the Old City - is shaped like a half bowl. At the bottom of the bowl is the harbourfront, commercial district, and condos. Then there are about 18 city blocks of single family homes arranged on the slope of the bowl, overlooking downtown and the harbour.

It's a very convenient place to live, especially if you work downtown, or commute to Vancouver, or attend VIU, or don't want to pay for taxis back from events downtown! And of course, there are tons of beautiful old homes built a century ago.

You can see current listings below, or use this link to read more about the Old City below.

Old City Property Listings

Sort by:
New
328 Kennedy St, Nanaimo

$995,000

328 Kennedy St, Nanaimo

0 Beds 1 Bath 1,758 SqFt 13,940 SqFt Lot Single Family Detached MLS® # 926446

RE/MAX of Nanaimo

New
560 Milton St, Nanaimo

$624,900

560 Milton St, Nanaimo

3 Beds 2 Baths 1,192 SqFt 5,228 SqFt Lot Single Family Detached MLS® # 926808

Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty LD

New
555 Franklyn St 423, Nanaimo

$349,900

555 Franklyn St 423, Nanaimo

1 Bed 1 Bath 630 SqFt 436 SqFt Lot Condo Apartment MLS® # 926813

RE/MAX Island Properties

New
705 Robins St, Nanaimo

$539,900

705 Robins St, Nanaimo

3 Beds 1 Bath 1,468 SqFt 7,841 SqFt Lot Single Family Detached MLS® # 926678

One Percent Realty Ltd.

New
54 Prideaux St, Nanaimo

$805,000

54 Prideaux St, Nanaimo

4 Beds 2 Baths 1,751 SqFt 3,050 SqFt Lot Single Family Detached MLS® # 926604

Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty (NanIsHwyN)

New
158 Promenade Dr 106, Nanaimo

$547,500

158 Promenade Dr 106, Nanaimo

2 Beds 2 Baths 1,078 SqFt 0 SqFt Lot Condo Apartment MLS® # 926271

eXp Realty

New
1802 Front St 38, Nanaimo

$1,700,000

1802 Front St 38, Nanaimo

2 Beds 2 Baths 1,075 SqFt 872 SqFt Lot Condo Apartment MLS® # 926390

Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty (NanIsHwyN)

99 Chapel St 215, Nanaimo

$474,900

99 Chapel St 215, Nanaimo

2 Beds 2 Baths 980 SqFt 0 SqFt Lot Condo Apartment MLS® # 926292

eXp Realty

24 Prideaux St 206, Nanaimo

$399,900

24 Prideaux St 206, Nanaimo

2 Beds 2 Baths 950 SqFt 872 SqFt Lot Condo Apartment MLS® # 926242

RE/MAX of Nanaimo

510 Hecate St, Nanaimo

$499,900

510 Hecate St, Nanaimo

2 Beds 1 Bath 928 SqFt 4,356 SqFt Lot Single Family Detached MLS® # 926231

Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty (NanIsHwyN)

476 Machleary St, Nanaimo

$799,000

476 Machleary St, Nanaimo

4 Beds 3 Baths 1,937 SqFt 4,356 SqFt Lot Half Duplex MLS® # 924948

eXp Realty

235 Milton St, Nanaimo

$659,900

235 Milton St, Nanaimo

3 Beds 2 Baths 1,440 SqFt 5,228 SqFt Lot Single Family Detached MLS® # 925005

Macdonald Realty (Pkvl)

Old City Real Estate Profile

First, let's clarify that the Old City referred to on this page is not to be confused with the much smaller "Old City Quarter" centered on Fitzwilliam Street. I'm referring to the "Old City" region defined by VIREB (real estate board) which is bordered by the Millstream in the north, down Pine St. to where Fifth St. meets Old Victoria, then up to Milton St., down Milton to the water, and back up to the Millstream Estuary. (See map below)

There are about 800 single-family homes in this area, the majority of which might be called "character homes" by virtue of the architectural details which survive from construction in the 1890s-1940s. These include solid old-growth timber construction, craftsman front porches with chunky pillars and wide steps, stained glass windows, complex rooflines, original wood siding, etc.

One of the highlights of the Old City is the Nob Hill neighbourhood. This is directly above the Victoria Crescent part of downtown (very close to everything) and is characterized by some of the largest character homes in Nanaimo, gathered around little old Nob Hill Park, a quiet place above the fracas, with a good playground and some views of the harbour.

Note: Even the most desirable neighbourhoods in the Old City can be just a block away from a less desirable area. I know the area well and would be happy to discuss it with you. Contact me.

Condos & Apartments in Downtown Nanaimo

Nearby Parks

Old City Nanaimo boundary location map with landmarks

Back to Nanaimo neighbourhoods