Blog - Whidbey Island

Coupeville Waterfront

Long before European Explorers discovered Whidbey Island, Penn Cove hosted one of the largest native populations in the region. The Coast Salish People used the well-protected cove with easy access to the rest of Puget Sound for ample trading opportunities while the nearby prairie produced bountiful crops. As settlers came, Coupeville remained the central trading […]
Buying a Home When You Are Self-Employed

If you are self-employed or thinking about becoming self-employed you are not alone. Did you know that roughly one-third of the American workforce is comprised of people who are self-employed and the number continues to rise? Self-employment allows people the flexibility to bring in an income when their life might otherwise not allow them to […]
We are NOT in a Housing Bubble: Here’s Why!

Home buyers are beginning to believe we are heading into a housing bubble. It is easy to acknowledge this premonition, as year-after-year home price appreciation has continued to remain in the double digits. However, we are here to put your mind at ease as this market is very different than it was during the housing […]
Penn Cove Mussel Rafts

Gracing the waters of Penn Cove floats a particularly unique & quite famous feature of our island. Wood & rope intertwine to create seemingly countless rafts bobbing on the waves above and creating magic below… You may not know this, but Island county is home to the oldest & largest mussel farm in the United […]

Coupeville Waterfront Long before European Explorers discovered Whidbey Island, Penn Cove hosted one of the largest native populations in the region. The Coast Salish People used the well-protected cove with easy access to the rest of Puget Sound for ample trading opportunities while the nearby prairie produced bountiful crops. As settlers came, Coupeville remained the central trading […]

Buying a Home When You Are Self-Employed If you are self-employed or thinking about becoming self-employed you are not alone. Did you know that roughly one-third of the American workforce is comprised of people who are self-employed and the number continues to rise? Self-employment allows people the flexibility to bring in an income when their life might otherwise not allow them to […]

We are NOT in a Housing Bubble: Here’s Why! Home buyers are beginning to believe we are heading into a housing bubble. It is easy to acknowledge this premonition, as year-after-year home price appreciation has continued to remain in the double digits. However, we are here to put your mind at ease as this market is very different than it was during the housing […]

Penn Cove Mussel Rafts Gracing the waters of Penn Cove floats a particularly unique & quite famous feature of our island. Wood & rope intertwine to create seemingly countless rafts bobbing on the waves above and creating magic below… You may not know this, but Island county is home to the oldest & largest mussel farm in the United […]

Annual Report 2021

Racial Discrimination in Real Estate This room might seem simple to you, but to me, it marks the saddest day in my career. 💔 This picture was taken shortly after I had finished staging one of my client’s homes. I wanted to show the owners all I had done – admittedly looking for a pat on the back. Although I […]

The Gardner Report: Q4 2021

Penn Cove Mussels Every city or county has that one thing they are famous for. Their claim to fame that puts them on the world map. For some it is a world-famous sports team, others it is a historical location, still some gain fame from the presence of rare exotic animals. For Island County, it is our mussels. […]

7 Tips for New Horse Owners Horses have been a prominent animal throughout history, dedicated to their human’s side. Many would go as far as to suggest that horses, just as dogs, cats, and other pets can be man’s best friend. Like other pets, horses can contribute to the health, wellbeing, and happiness of their humans so much so that there […]

Maylor Point In this amazing shot by Willie Shaw at Team Shaw Photography, you can see the actual harbor of Oak Harbor, the marina, Maylor Point with its iconic white radar dome, the spit to Polnell Point, and the snow-covered Cascade Mountains. Phenomenal views like this one can be seen while driving all over Whidbey Island. Winter […]

The Price Sculpture Forest After purchasing 15.1 acres in 2008 conservationist Scott Price and his family decided to develop their home elsewhere. After doing so they journeyed down a long road of determining what to do with the property before concluding a sanctuary where art and nature entangle as one. After years of dedicated time and development, they unveiled […]

Fort Ebey Fort Treading toward the pinhole of light at the end of the dark tunnel, you hear the creak of an old metal door as it’s caught by a slight breeze. Your steadiness escapes you as you break into a firm sprint until your eyes see the safety of the trees and vista. It’s hard to keep […]

The Benefits of Putting 20% Down on a House If you read our, “How Long Does it Take to Save For a Down Payment?” article back in October, you know you don’t need a 20% downpayment to purchase a home because there are many alternative options available to you. However, while there are a plethora of options that you might qualify for, let’s look […]

Goss Lake Langley Located between Freeland and Langley on the southern end of Whidbey, Goss Lake is the perfect spot for relaxing and taking in the fresh PNW air. Enjoy the beautiful greenery and waterfront view with a hike around Goss Lake Loop or (on the warmer days) take a dip in the freshwaters. During the colder seasons, […]

Thinking the Housing Market is Going to Slow down this Winter? Think Again! Last week’s article, Why You Should NOT Wait to List Your House Right Now couldn’t have been more TRUE! Americans have more motivation than ever to buy a home. Whether buyers are taking advantage of today’s low mortgage rates or they feel the increased need for flexibility of working from home, we have seen an […]

Ebey’s Landing In 1850, local history was made on the shores of Whidbey Island when Isaac Ebey landed on a rocky westside beach and became the first official white settler on the island. With an entire island to choose from, Ebey couldn’t have done much better than the pristine pastureland of what is now known as Ebey’s […]

Why you should NOT wait to list your house right now As the year comes to an end, we recognize a trend where homeowners are motivated to make the move and finally get into a home that complements their changing lifestyles. It is clear that homeowners have begun to understand the benefits of today’s sellers’ market. With record-breaking home price appreciation, growing equity, low inventory, and competitive mortgage […]

The Search for Equestrian Property Buying property suitable for horses is no small task. It is certainly not the typical home buying experience. There is so much to consider from what kind of property best meets the needs of your horses to what kind of home will best meet your wants and needs. Speaking from experience, the horses’ needs are […]

Fort Casey Forts Standing tall along the western coast of Whidbey Island, these 10” barrel guns tell the story of a relationship to the United States Department of Defense that began long before any plane took flight. At the time of its construction in the late 1800s, Fort Casey was a military marvel. Part of the “Triangle of […]

Things to do Today to make you a Homeowner Tomorrow As the gap between the cost of rent and the cost of a mortgage continues to close, we see an increasing number of renters interested in buying. But how can renters make the transition to owners? The purpose of this article is to help renters implement three critical changes today to help them successfully purchase […]