FreelandHomePlaces January 29, 2024

Honeymoon Bay

Honeymoon Bay is a scenic neighborhood located on the southern end of Whidbey Island. The neighborhood is situated on the east side of the island, just south of the town of Freeland.

Why do people love Honeymoon Bay so much that they want to live there? 

One of the main reasons people choose to live in Honeymoon Bay is the stunning natural beauty of the area. The neighborhood is surrounded by forests and offers picturesque views of the bay, as well as nearby mountains and islands. Additionally, the neighborhood is relatively secluded and quiet, providing a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. While also offering a quick drive to the nearby city of Clinton to hop on a ferry to the big city when needed.

What can you do at Honeymoon Bay? 

The bay itself is a popular destination for outdoor activities such as swimming, kayaking, and boating, and there are several public beaches and parks nearby.

Some of our favorites are:

The area is also home to a variety of wildlife, including eagles, otters, and seals, making it a haven for nature lovers.

Is there anything close by? 

In terms of amenities, the town of Freeland is just a short drive away and offers a range of shops, restaurants, and services.

Some of our favorites are:

The nearby cities of Greenbank and Langley offer additional options for dining, shopping, and entertainment.

Overall, Honeymoon Bay is a beautiful and peaceful neighborhood that offers a unique combination of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and small-town charm. It is a popular destination for those looking for a quieter, more relaxed lifestyle while still enjoying easy access to nearby cities and amenities.

If you are looking to call Honeymoon Bay home, do not hesitate to connect with us.

Real Estate September 20, 2021

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 Portal

Use this tool to look up a parcel number or a street address to determine if there are any site registrations, septic permits, or septic as-builts done for the parcel. It will also disclose any permits a property has recently applied for and its status.

Groundwater Spatial Analysis Report

This tool analyzes the potential groundwater quality at any given spot on the island by grabbing the data on wells within 1/8 mile of the point you choose on the map (or the nearest 40 wells). It automatically generates a phenomenal report. Just submit the application and the report is emailed to you almost immediately.  This document will offer you more detailed information on what you get in the report

Washington Coastal Atlas Map

With the Shoreline Photo Viewer, you can compare what has happened to any stretch of shoreline over the last 50 years through photography! This tool uses 5 photo sessions capturing images of our shoreline all the way back to 1970. Even if you are not currently buying waterfront land this is a fun tool to compare what has happened to any section of our shoreline. There are even aerial photos from the 1940s. Check out the image below taken before Rolling Hills or Penn Cove Park were developed.

4 Online Resources That will Blow Your Mind!

To find more amazing tools at your disposal or to get help using these tools to find specific information you can call us, and we will connect you with one of our knowledgeable Windermere brokers. You don’t have to be actively selling or buying a home! We just love to help! Contact us here. 

Uncategorized July 19, 2019

Solar Savings

Solar Savings

Solar, Whidbey Island, Cost savings, Tax credits, give back, preserve, resources

Did you know Whidbey Island gets half the rain of Seattle and about 30 additional days of sun? The island is one of the sunniest Washington areas west of the Cascades! Because of this extra boost of sunshine, we have a secret superpower. Or should I say Solar Power?

Residents all over Whidbey have been tapping into this natural resource and benefiting big. Granted, preserving our environment by investing in sustainable energy is already a great benefit to us and generations to come, but solar power has a lot more to offer consumers than the feel-good fuzzies from giving back.

Here’s 4 benefits/incentives to going solar:

  1. Net Metering

Net Metering is a program set up to allow residential and commercial customers for energy services to store up credit with the company when they generate excess energy during the summer months from their solar panels. During the winter months, when the sun is less likely to come out and play, that credit can be applied to their account!

  1. 30% Federal Tax Credit (2019)

Individuals who purchase and install solar panels to their home or business by the end of 2019 are eligible for a 30% federal tax credit when filing. This amount will reduce to 26% in 2020 and 22% in 2021. – Don’t let the sun go down on this great opportunity!!

  1. Sales Tax Exemptions

Purchasers of solar panels are also eligible for sales tax exemptions! This can save some customers 8.7% of the upfront install cost. That’s a total of 38.7% in tax savings!

  1. Increased Property Value

Finally, installing solar panels increases the value of your home. Homes that are energy efficient save owners hundreds if not thousand throughout the year and can greatly increase the value of your home when you go to resell.

To learn more about Solar Power you can visit Greenbank Farm’s Solar Fields where they dedicate one acre to solar panels and have helpful information for visitors to read!

Ready to take the leap? Contact Whidbey Sun and Wind! They are Whidbey Island’s experts on renewable energy and will have everything you need to make your home a little greener. They will provide a cost savings timeline which will demonstrate how many years it will take to profit from the up-front expense of installing solar power.

You Might Also Like:

Real estate, decore, blog, windermere, whidbey island, realtor, sell my home

Making a Memorable Home

Blonde Lawns, Whidbey Island, Grass, yard, Home

Blonde Lawns: Whidbey Island Utility Costs

 

PlacesUncategorized June 10, 2019

Blonde Lawns on Whidbey Island

Blonde Lawns on Whidbey Island

Hello Summer! Can you believe it’s here? That beautiful time of year filled with beach walks, swimming lessons, trips to Kapaws Iskreme and so much more! Here on Whidbey we have countless summer traditions we treasure greatly. From our Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration to the Whidbey Island Fair, there is so much to cherish about this time of year. One tradition you may be unaware of is actually more of a movement.

Blonde Lawns.

Through the course of the summer months you can watch the emerald grass of this evergreen island fade to a sandy shade. Before you know it, this rock will be rocking a brand new blonde look.

What’s with the lack luster lawns? Well, it all has to do with conservation.

It’s no surprise to anyone that Whidbey tends to be a rather environmentally conscious. We love taking the extra step to ensure the beauty and resources we enjoy today will be around for tomorrow. One of those resources we care deeply about are our aquifers.

Aquifers:

Aquifers is the scientific term for ground water. Deep below the grass you walk on are pockets of “permeable” soil which store water that can then be tapped into for use. Annually these aquifers are recharged by the rain that falls to the ground.

According to Island County, Whidbey Island’s sole source of potable water comes from the ground.1 Sounds great, right? I mean, it’s Washington and it rains here. We should be good.Whidbey Island

Unfortunately, not all is good in the aquifer hood.

According to a report released by the Washington State Department of Ecology, “increasing demands for water from ongoing population growth, declining stream flows and groundwater levels… have put Washington’s water supplies at risk.” Whidbey is by no means immune to this water depletion; in fact, seawater intrusion and our lack of rain fall in comparison to the rest of Western Washington puts us in a pretty tight spot.

So, what does this have to do with the blonde lawns of Whidbey (I think you can guess).

The summer months, when there is little rain, poses a particularly difficult dilemma for island aquifers. Between keeping ourselves hydrated in the summer sun, watering plants, animals, and filling the pool in the backyard we use A LOT of water.

This increase of use and lack of resource hits hard on our aquifers and our wallets! Many newcomers to Whidbey are shocked when that first summer water bill comes in. The rules of supply and demand are no strangers to Whidbey Island water.

So how can we save our aquifers (and our wallets)? By going blonde!

Grass is far more durable than people sometimes realize. More times than not the golden grass that takes over Whidbey in the summer will be green again by next spring. Blonde lawns DON’T mean dead grass.

So, save yourself time, money, hassle and save our precious resources. Let your lawn go blonde!

 

Resources:

You might also like:

Geo Caching, Whidbey Island, Discover, outdoors, Things to do on whidbey, Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Freeland, Langley

GeoCaching on Whidbey Island