Beyond the Cap Rate: The New BC Investor Playbook for Victoria and Vancouver Island

For years, real estate investors could rely on a simple formula: acquire assets with sound fundamentals, stable income, and long-term appreciation potential. In today’s British Columbia market, particularly in Greater Victoria and across Vancouver Island, that approach is no longer sufficient on its own.

Successful property investment has become a three-dimensional challenge that requires equal attention to income fundamentals, legal compliance, and policy and tax risk. The margin for error is smaller than ever, and investors who fail to adapt often find themselves exposed to unnecessary financial and regulatory risk.

1. The New Reality of Investing in Victoria and on the Island

Capital appreciation over cash flow

In Victoria’s core, capitalization rates commonly sit in the 3 to 5 percent range. Purchase prices remain high, while rents are constrained by regulation. As a result, most successful investors today are not chasing immediate cash flow. Instead, they are focused on long-term wealth creation through principal paydown and market appreciation.

Income is not irrelevant, but assumptions must be conservative, realistic, and stress-tested against regulatory and policy risk. Policy risk is now a core investment factor

British Columbia has made it clear that housing policy is actively being used to shape investor behaviour. Regulations now strongly favour long-term rental housing and penalize non-compliance. Investors who do not understand these rules can face significant financial consequences.

2. Conservative Underwriting Is No Longer Optional

Rent assumptions must reflect reality

Investors should never assume they can reset rents to market levels upon purchase. Existing tenancies are inherited, and rent increases are strictly regulated. Return projections should be built using current contractual rents plus only the provincially allowed annual increase, without relying on speculative upside.

Expense planning must be realistic

Key costs that must be incorporated into any investment cash flow projection include:

• Vacancy allowances of at least 5 percent

• Capital reserves, particularly for older properties, are often $0.50 to $1.00 per square foot annually

• Professional property management fees, typically 8 to 10 percent of gross rent

• Insurance costs, which are higher for rental and multi-family properties and often require specialized coverage

Underestimating these expenses can materially distort expected returns.

Financing friction matters Rental properties typically require 20 to 30 percent down, and interest rates are often higher than for owner-occupied homes. In addition, tenancy notice periods can delay vacant possession, increasing the risk of mortgage rate holds expiring before completion. These timing risks should be accounted for when preparing investment cash flow projections.

3. Tenancy Law and Strata Rules Can Create or Destroy Value

Residential Tenancy Act compliance

When purchasing a tenanted property, the buyer inherits the tenancy agreement in full, including rent levels and terms. Evictions for purchaser use are highly regulated and require strict adherence to prescribed notice forms, compensation requirements, and minimum occupancy periods.

Failure to comply can result in penalties equivalent to 12 months’ rent, creating unplanned cash outflows that directly affect investment cash flow projections.

Strata rules: opportunity and risk

Long-term rental bans in strata buildings are no longer enforceable, reopening many properties to investors.

Short-term rentals are a different matter. Strata corporations may still restrict or prohibit rentals under 30 days and impose fines of up to $1,000 per day. These risks must be identified during due diligence, as they materially affect income assumptions used in investment cash flow projections.

4. The Short-Term Rental and Vacancy Tax Landscape

Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act In most Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island municipalities with populations over 10,000, short-term rentals are restricted to a principal residence plus one secondary unit. Dedicated investment properties are generally prohibited unless a specific zoning exemption applies.

Speculation and Vacancy Tax

The Speculation and Vacancy Tax now applies broadly across Vancouver Island, including Greater Victoria and Nanaimo. Scheduled rate increases beginning in 2026 make it essential that this tax be incorporated into underwriting assumptions, even when an exemption is anticipated.

The goal for most investors is to remain exempt through compliant long-term rental use, not to absorb the tax as a recurring expense.

5. Zoning Changes and the Hidden Upside

Recent provincial legislation allowing small-scale multi-unit housing on many single-family lots has introduced a potential density upside. While this may not immediately improve annual cash flow, it can materially enhance long-term asset value and exit strategies.

Savvy investors factor this future optionality into their overall investment analysis, even when it does not appear directly in near-term investment cash flow projections.

6. Why the Best Investors Build a Professional Team

Today’s regulatory environment demands a coordinated approach. Real estate decisions cannot be made independently of tax planning, and tax planning is ineffective without a clear understanding of tenancy law, zoning, and market realities.

The most resilient investors rely on: • An experienced REALTOR® with local market and regulatory knowledge, tenancy structure, strata bylaws, and zoning

• A CPA to evaluate after-tax returns, model investment cash flow projections, and advise on ownership structure

• Legal and inspection professionals to manage tenancy compliance and physical risk

When these disciplines work together, investors make more informed decisions and protect long-term wealth.

Final Thoughts

Real estate investment in British Columbia has not disappeared. It has evolved. Investors who adapt to the new rules, prepare conservative investment cash flow projections, and work with experienced professionals are still finding strong long-term opportunities in Victoria and across Vancouver Island.

The playbook has changed, but for disciplined investors, the opportunity remains.

Andy McGhee is a REALTOR® with Andy McGhee Personal Real Estate Corporation at REMAX Sabre Realty in Victoria, British Columbia. He specializes in helping buyers, sellers, and investors navigate the Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island real estate markets with clarity and confidence.

With a background as a Red Seal Journeyman Plumber and Gas B Technician, Andy brings a practical, systems-focused perspective to real estate, particularly when evaluating investment properties, building condition, and long-term value. He works closely with accountants, lawyers, and mortgage professionals to ensure clients make well-informed decisions that align with both their financial goals and regulatory realities.

Andy is known for his calm, data-driven approach and his commitment to helping clients make smart, sustainable real estate decisions in an increasingly complex market.

Andy McGhee 

Personal Real Estate Corporation 
REMAX Sabre Realty- Victoria 
778-678-8290
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