About Island County, WA

I am often asked by those who come to this island just north of Seattle to make it their home, “What do you love best about living on an island?

From the well of who I have become living here, comes these thoughts; Eagles soaring above in the bright sun, Madrona red sunsets, black nights with brilliant starlight, and most of all, the silence that surrounds you. The sounds of civilization evaporate in the moody waters between the island and the continent.

Whidbey Island didn’t start with a Pig War like San Juan Island. It has a more gentle history of families coming to camp here in the very early 1900’s. Eventually, independent families making their way to begin a new life farming the land, and merchants arriving to support them settled the island.

If you look at the videos and photos on my website you will see the rich and fertile life one can lead here on this island. It is easy to see why today it is the dream of many to move here. www.realwhidbey.com

THE FERRY CROSSING FROM KEYSTONE (WHIDBEY ISLAND) TO PORT TOWNSEND, WA IS A VISUAL TREAT

A good day trip to take in the Puget Sound area is the ferry ride from Keystone (just west of Coupeville) on Whidbey Island to Port Townsend. If you park your car on Whidbey and walk on the ferry you are assured passage. Driving on can result in a long wait, as the boat is small. Here are some pictures of the view during the trip.

Coming into Port Townsend, which is one of the oldest cities in Washington.

You can see the Olympic Mountain range in the distance. The crossing takes 35 minutes.

Leaving Keystone and Heading Toward Port Townsend

Keystone on Whidbey Island.

According to the Washington Center for Real Estate Research 2009 First Quarter Housing Analysis; Island County home re-sales were down +4.7% from the previous quarter, and down -28.3% from the first quarter in 2008. Statewide home re-sales were down -8.6% from the previous quarter and down -30.6% from the first quarter in 2008. Overall building permits in Island County are down -61.5% from the first quarter of the previous year, in comparison to the -53.3% reduction statewide. The median re-sale home price in Island County is down to $248,000 (down -14.3% from the first quarter in 2008), below the statewide median of $253,500 (down -13.7% from the first quarter of 2008). The 2009 first quarter Housing Affordability Index (HAI) was 115.6 for Island County, lower than the statewide index of 125.5

Brushcutting in Island County proves to be a large area when you combine Whidbey Island and Camano Island. Both require some miles when traveling from one to another. Brushcutting is routinely needed along roads, long driveways, access's and sometimes just to reclaim grown over clearings or pastures. Brushcutting in a residential or small commercial environment usually requires a mechanical type process. Option's may include a small type agricultural tractor with a hydraulic side boom cutter used while on a level trail, road or driveway reaching out to the side and cutting the vegetation. The vegetation involved in brushcutting can include blackberries, salmon berries, snow berries, laurel, sahlal brush, small alders and many other species of plants. In our mild and oftentimes wet environment the brush just keeps growing and growing. Not until after the summer equinox does most of the vegetation stop (except blackberries). Then as the weather becomes dryer and cooler we transform to late summer and early fall most of the growth tends to stop. When hiring a brush cutter make sure the machine is a mulching type machine so any cleanup would be minimal if not at all.

Today is Friday the 13th, 2009 and that shouldn't freak out people. I like Friday the 13th. They generally have always been above par days and today is no exception. Whidbey Island weather is calm, I could view Mt. Ranier to the south, the ever present Mt. Baker to the Northeast, and the rugged Cascades as the backdrop to Camano Island across the water, all from my front windows this morning. Maybe Spring is sneaking up on us soon...?

I reflect on the 13th since it reminds me of exceptional things in my life. My daughter was born on a 13th, I was married on a 13th, and a family anniversary was on a 13th. I like to see the good in little things. Today for instance, it was a good day because I had a couple of nice work related emails and phone calls, I had time to work on higher learning classwork and grasped some great educational information that I am going to put into practice very soon that should make a lot of new clients/homeowners very hopeful. Lastly, it's not raining, foggy, windy or snowing out! Yippee!!! So.....YES, today has been a very GOOD day so far and tomorrow is Valentine's Day! I wish each and every one of you a very Happy "Smiling, Chocolate filled, Cupid's" Day!