Blog - Whidbey Island

Ebeys 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 […]
How Long Does it Take to Save For a Down Payment?

Saving enough money for a down payment on your first home can be one of the biggest obstacles to homeownership. Depending on your circumstance you might need anywhere from 3% – 20%. Speaking with a reputable local lender will help you find out exactly what your percentage will be. But how long should it take, […]
Downtown Langley

On the southern side of Whidbey Island along the Saratoga Passage lies the lovely little town of Langley. With a population of just over 1,000, this quaint town is home to a creative culture and endless entertainment. Established in 1891, Langley served as South Whidbey’s trading center for all types of goods with the wharf […]
4 Online Resources That will Blow Your Mind!

…and help when buying vacant land on Whidbey Island. ICGeo This is a sophisticated GIS mapping tool for Island County that can show layers and layers of geographically specific data overlaid on a map. Just turn on the layers of data you are interested in and search till your heart is content! Island County Public […]

Ebeys 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 […]

How Long Does it Take to Save For a Down Payment? Saving enough money for a down payment on your first home can be one of the biggest obstacles to homeownership. Depending on your circumstance you might need anywhere from 3% – 20%. Speaking with a reputable local lender will help you find out exactly what your percentage will be. But how long should it take, […]

Downtown Langley On the southern side of Whidbey Island along the Saratoga Passage lies the lovely little town of Langley. With a population of just over 1,000, this quaint town is home to a creative culture and endless entertainment. Established in 1891, Langley served as South Whidbey’s trading center for all types of goods with the wharf […]

4 Online Resources That will Blow Your Mind! …and help when buying vacant land on Whidbey Island. ICGeo This is a sophisticated GIS mapping tool for Island County that can show layers and layers of geographically specific data overlaid on a map. Just turn on the layers of data you are interested in and search till your heart is content! Island County Public […]

Is the Oak Harbor Housing Market Getting Squishy? Written by: Kristen Stavros 16 September 2021 There is a general feeling amongst brokers that the Oak Harbor market has softened up just a bit. As Branch Manager and Co-owner of Windermere Whidbey Island I pay close attention to what my brokers are seeing and feeling out there in the market. When I begin to […]

Rainy Days: A Whole New Perspective Do you find that these rainy days bring you down? Or do you find the excitement of your day “rained” on? We’ve made some suggestions below that may have you looking forward to the next rainy day we have on Whidbey Island! Don’t worry, these activities cater to everyone. Give them a chance and you […]

Must Watch Movies and Shows Filmed on Whidbey Perhaps the chill in the air has you finding yourself spending more time in doors these days now that summer is over and you are wondering what there is to do? ‌ ‌ By‌ ‌far‌ ‌the‌ ‌most‌ ‌common‌ ‌entertainment‌ ‌strategy‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌finding‌ ‌shows‌ ‌and‌ ‌movies‌ ‌to‌ ‌watch!‌ ‌ Online‌ ‌streaming‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌a‌ ‌lifesaver‌ ‌for‌ […]

Bowman Bay Although not technically on Whidbey, Bowman Bay is a large part of our island’s local culture. This bay, which is located on the Fidalgo Island side of Deception Pass, has a rich history spanning back to the late 1800s. Originally a settlement to a large Samish village, the bay has since served several purposes including […]

Staging a Home Should You Stage Your Home? Every home is changed by those who live in it even under the care of the most vigilant homeowners. Staging a home for sale is one tactic that may take the attention away from less than stellar paint, flooring, or kitchen cabinets and convince the buyer that they can make […]

Crockett Blockhouse In the late 1850’s, word of the Indian Wars came to Whidbey Island encouraging settlers to construct blockhouses as an effort to protect their families and land. After several other blockhouses were built by other settlers Col. Walter Crockett built his own in 1857. These houses were small two-story buildings built with logs placed horizontally […]

Is it better to buy a home or to rent one? Is it better to buy a home or to rent one? This discussion has been happening for decades. Supporters of buying claim you are making an investment, which can significantly increase in value every year you live in the home. Additionally, if/when you decide to rent out your home your renters are essentially paying for your […]

Admiralty Light House Seated high above the waves of Admiralty Inlet rests a structure quite unlike any other. Originally built in 1861 by the U.S. Lighthouse Board, Admiralty Head Lighthouse was constructed in conjunction with the Point Wilson Lighthouse in Port Townsend to assist travelers entering the sound through the shallow waters of the inlet. Deconstructed and rebuilt […]

What View is Best on Whidbey Island? Whidbey Island straddles the 47 to 48th parallel. This means the summer brings gluttony of sun, so much that black-out shades are a staple in Pacific Northwest homes. Although, this abundance of light is sometimes hard to remember during the darkest days of winter when the sun only passes by at a shallow 45 degrees […]

Deception Pass Washington’s most visited park can be attributed to its prominent historical landmark, the Deception Pass Bridge. Thoughts of the landscape without this icon are unimaginable yet only 100 years ago the barren Pass was simply a deep and turbulent channel of water connecting the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Saratoga Passage. After years […]

Whale Bell Park Spring brings with it a special excitement for Whidbey. As the waters warm, we welcome back one of our favorite travelers; whales! Orcas and Gray Whales grace the Puget Sound waters every spring on their migration to the wild waves of Alaska. Luckily, sightings are not at all uncommon on the island. To commemorate the […]

Bird Watching on Whidbey Island 50 miles South of the U.S./Canada border and 25 miles North of Seattle lies Whidbey Island, an incomparable destination for nature lovers and bird enthusiasts. On Whidbey, you can get lost for hours and find yourself mesmerized not only by incredible views but by a breathtaking variety of birds. Whidbey Boasts 148 miles of winding […]

Monthly Stats: June 2021

Greenbank Farm In the early 1900s, the Greenbank Farm in Greenbank was used to harvest trees and maintain a dairy herd. The main barn you see today dates back to 1904. By the 1940s the farm was sold to John Molz who began loganberry farming. By 1970 it was the largest Loganberry farm in the US. Later […]

Mukilteo/Clinton Ferry The Mukilteo/Clinton ferry has dutifully sailed the waters of Puget Sound to transport passengers from the busyness of the mainland to the serenity of Whidbey Island for over 100 years. Originally started in 1919 by the Island Transportation Company it remained primarily within the private sector until the formation of the WSDOT Washington State Ferries […]

Set Yourself up for Success by Doing These 7 Things When Buying Your First Home Buying your first home can be easy when you are adequately prepared and you have a good agent on your side. But where to start and what actions are most important? We will get you pointed in the right direction. Let’s get started! Know your credit score. Many first-time homebuyers fail to recognize that one […]