Coupeville Waterfront
Captains in the 1850s knew paradise when they saw it. The deep waters of Penn Cove were advantageous for commerce, the land was lush, the sea life was abundant, and the views were incredible. Coupeville became known as the “City of Sea Captains,” where at least 5 wharves have stretched into the cove over the years. Today along the shoreline of the historic town, maritime commerce has mostly been replaced with local shops filled with books, treasures, art, and more. Restaurants serve the world-renowned Penn Cove mussels straight from the waters below. Enjoy Coupeville, one of the oldest towns in the state of Washington. This beautiful image of Coupeville Waterfront was taken by @pnwdeparture
Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.
Utilize That Tax Refund to Benefit Your Future Self
While every tax refund is different, if you received a refund this year, it’s likely that it is larger than in years past. On April 15th CNET shared that:
“The average refund size is up by 4.6%, from $2,878 for 2023’s tax season through April 7, to $3,011 for this season through April 5.”
There is a good chance that your tax refund not only was larger, but it also may have hit your bank account by now. If you haven’t spent it already, keep reading for a couple ways you could leverage it with real estate.
First and foremost, purchasing real estate is like investing in yourself. Each payment you make towards your mortgage lowers your debt and increases your equity. Combine this increase of equity with the historical average home price increase of 5% per year, and it becomes clear that homeownership can be a powerful wealth-building strategy. Over time, not only do you build equity through mortgage payments, but your home also typically appreciates in value. Each payment further enhances your overall financial position. Can we agree that spending a little extra now on a mortgage of our own to pay out a greater return in the future could be worth it? If you are open to this idea of wealth building let’s discuss how you could utilize that tax refund to benefit your future self.
Saving for a Down Payment
One of the greatest obstacles for attaining home ownership is saving enough for a down payment. Your tax refund might just be the boost in income you needed to make homeownership a reality. Lucky for you the 20% down payment requirements of the past are long gone. However, there are benefits when you do put down 20% check them out here. Today, lenders have options as low as 3% down. If you are a military Veteran there are 0% down VA Loans. Learn more about them here. Check with your lender to see what you qualify for and if these loan types will benefit your home goals. If you are not currently working with a lender connect with us and we can help you locate a few.
Pay Closing Costs
Closing costs are the fees and expenses incurred when finalizing a real estate transaction. They typically range between 2% and 5% of the total purchase price of the home. These costs encompass various expenses, such as loan origination fees, appraisal fees, title insurance, and property taxes. Considering these expenses, directing your tax refund toward covering closing costs can help alleviate the financial burden at the time of closing.
Reduce Your Mortgage Rates by Purchasing Points
If rates today mean affordability is tight, consider talking to your lender about reducing your mortgage rates by purchasing points. You could use your tax refund to buy down your interest rate. Talk to your lender to see if you qualify and if this option is right for your homeownership goals.
Make Extra Payment Towards Your Mortgage and Reduce Overall Interest
Another alternative, if your loan allows for it, is to make additional payments towards your mortgage loan. Each additional payment reduces your total pay off amount. Your payment remains the same, it just means with each additional payment your mortgage will get paid off sooner. Check with your lender, but depending on your loan type, if you pay it off earlier your total interest paid is less than it would have been if you made regular payments.
Whether you are ready to buy now, or in the future, connecting with a trusted real estate professional that understands the process and your options to ensure that you are ready to buy is of the utmost importance. If you are not currently working with a Realtor, connect with us today. We can help you utilize that tax refund to benefit your future self.
Fort Casey Forts
The coast artillery post displays of Fort Casey State Park includes four inactive historic guns atop bunkers, dark tunnels underneath and control towers to climb. It creates an opportunity for both historical education and exploration. One of three forts built in the 1890’s, Fort Casey is part of the “Triangle of fire” safeguarding the entrance to Puget Sound. Now, over 100 years old, the Battery Moore section has recently been restored to keep it safe to explore for future generations. It will look different in person than in the older photo on the front of this card. Take this to compare when you visit! If you are just visiting and find yourself falling in love with Whidbey Island and wishing to tour homes while your here, or wish to learn more about Whidbey Island connect with us.
Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.
Visit Fort Casey
Freebies on Whidbey
Free? Such a fine idea. Whether because of benefactors, enlightened management, or simply because it is simpler, many things are free on Whidbey.
Buses
Thank you, Island Transit! Bus rides on Whidbey and Camano are free. Someone realized that the cost of putting cash boxes, providing security, and generally managing the system cost so much that it was easier and possibly cheaper to let folks ride for free. Free definitely makes life easier. There’s no need for folks to wait for someone else to search for exact change. It is easier for kids to ride. Generally, things are more congenial all around. A bonus: in the more rural sections, you can wave at the bus to get them to stop. They’ll also drop you off along the route, no bus stop required. An extra bonus: Island Transit also provides special customized services for paratransit or destinations that aren’t on normal routes. They even conduct special bus tours to hikes and dedicated events. There are so many options that you should call for details.
Libraries
Read all about it! Or listen, or watch, or talk about it. The libraries on the island are part of the Sno-Isle Library system, a collection of libraries in Snohomish (Sno) and Island (Isle) counties that joined to benefit from numbers as they try to provide services to their neighborhoods from the mountains to the islands. Library cards are free, which isn’t much of a surprise, but they also supply movies on DVD, a streaming service, meeting rooms, events, and a repository of local information. Check them out for printing, too. They can also provide professional researchers who know there’s more to research than ‘Googling it’. Don’t be surprised to see people and cars near the libraries, even after hours. Wi-fi is free and has been known to leak out beyond the walls. Don’t stress about that book you forgot to return, no fees! Just bring it on in.
Free Wi-Fi
The libraries are a nice entry to free wi-fi, but various establishments have turned some public areas into free wi-fi zones. Very handy if you’re trying to figure out where you are, how to get to where you want to go, and whether there’s food along the way. The good news is that such zones are growing, so keep checking for those signals.
Phone Booths
One business that offers free public wi-fi is Whidbey Tel, which also offers that increasingly rare service – phone booths. Mostly, if not exclusively, on the south end of the island are the old-style phone booths that still work. Local calls are free. How many phone numbers have you memorized? By the way, old-style goes all the way back to a phone with a dial on the wall, a handheld speaker on a cord, and a mouthpiece that’s basically a horn mounted to a wall. Check the foyer of the Cash Store in Bayview for that experience.
Parking
Free parking is not just a spot on a Monopoly board. Parking on the island is easy to take for granted, but a trip to The Big City on the mainland is a reminder that finding a place to safely get out of traffic can cost money. There are places where there’s a fee to be paid, like near the Clinton ferry, but even there the price per day gets close to the mainland’s price per hour.
Ferry
Riding the ferry for free? Yep, sort of. On most routes and most ways of traveling cost money to use the ferry. But, if you want to be a walk-on traveling from Clinton to Mukilteo, you won’t have to pay. There may be some message in the fact that you have to pay to get back onto the island, but at least the price is right for half the trip. Check it out here.
Parks
Parks, Whidbey’s got them. Some of the most popular parks on the island are free to use. County and state parks may require Discover Passes, but that’s for cars. Walk, bike, or bus your way to the local parks and enjoy a lot of nature and the outdoors for no charge. A few local organizations have also provided access to trails and such. Whidbey Camano Land Trust and Island County Parks & Trails offer dozens of sites to wander around.
Outdoor Art
From sidewalk sculptures to murals to sculpture gardens there is art about. Some sites request a donation, which is only appropriate, but Whidbey’s downtown streets host art that is worthy of galleries and museums, and may be for sale. Artists appreciate the interest, the compliments, and the business. Price Sculpture Garden proves that the art doesn’t have to be in town. Oak Harbor Main Street, Langley Main Street, and the Sculpture Forest are just a couple of great sites to check out if your looking to enjoy outdoor art.
Performances
Listen for them. Several times a year, there are music and dance festivals in the streets and in the parks. Watch the signs and find there are free indoor performances, too. If not free, they may be ‘pay-what-you-can’, and they mean it. World-class performers live here. Be thankful and applaud them, as appropriate. Windermere is a proud sponsor of the 4 free community concerts held in Windjammer Park every August as a bit of a pre-game to the full meal deal 3 day free Oak Harbor Music Festival!
Nature
Nature isn’t only in the parks. Nature is everywhere; we just happen to put some buildings and roads on top of it. Birders know there are constantly shifting visitors to watch. Whales come closer to shore than boats can legally do. One ferry worker got on the intercom to point out that the boat was slowing for whale traffic, which was a sight that would cost a lot of money from a whale-watching boat. Wander the public beaches and be a beachcomber. The beaches aren’t just sand. There are agates underfoot, and occasionally bigger items like mammoth bones and fossils.
Boats
Boats aren’t free, but find the right spot and launch your kayak from the beach and explore.
Swimming
Check out our article about the swimming options here. Got a wetsuit? Swimming in the ocean takes some care, but there’s no pay booth, either.
Sports
Basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, frisbee golf, pickle ball the list goes on of sports at the parks. Fortunately, the outdoor ones are easiest to spot. Play nice. And play!
Senior and Youth Centers
Seniors and youth have organizations supporting them with entertainment, but also support for the basics of getting through life. It isn’t always easy to find food and shelter. Advice about those essentials as well as job searches, Medicare information, and technologies, are available. There’s more. Ask. They may have what you need. A couple f great resources here on Whidbey are The Boys and Girls Club, The Hub After School, and Senior Resources.
Food
Food banks can be essential, or at least handy. Fortunately, Whidbey’s rural nature means the choices have been known to include fresh produce and fish. A meal made from food bank food can be better than what’s served in some restaurants, and is easier to fit your dietary needs. Dropping by in season can also mean picking from the local gleaners who pick fresh fruit from peoples’ yards who provided access to fruit trees. North Whidbey Help House, Gifts From The Heart Food Bank, and Good Cheer are a few here on Whidbey.
Volunteering
For almost every topic, there are opportunities to help by showing up. Being a part connects you to resources that may not be obvious otherwise. Who knows? In addition to finding free stuff, you might actually be asked to help and get paid to do it!
That is not all. There’s help with maintaining a home (Habitat for Humanity, Hearts & Hammers). Raising a family is hard, but it is made easier by Mother Mentors. Starting a business has many avenues (EDC, SBA, etc.). One reason for Whidbey’s long list of freebies is because Whidbey residents care, knowing that sometimes the best things are free, and know how to have a good time. The more the merrier – and if you can, chip in a bit. A little can help a lot.
Often times local events are free to attend. Keep an eye out for local events happening on Whidbey here.
Greenbank Farm
Greenbank Farm was originally established in 1904 by Calvin Philips, then sold to loganberry farmer John Molz in 1940. The farm grew to become the largest loganberry-producing farm in the United States by 1970. Seven years later, the farm went up for sale. In an effort to retain its history and save the farm from becoming a residential housing development a collection of community governments purchased it. Today, the gorgeous barn still stands among the beautiful farmland attracting tourists and residents alike. Visitors enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants, perusing the fine art galleries, a walk along the trails, or a slice of the heavenly marionberry pie.
Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.