Is a February flurry of activity a predictor of a busy summer selling season on Orcas?

It has been a long quiet winter on Orcas Island and in the Orcas Real Estate market. There have been an average of 7 transactions in escrow during the winter months.  We have had plenty of time for grandchildren and sunny days in Las Vegas, but now I feel like maybe the tides are changing.  The energy in our office makes me wonder if “the buyers are back” . When a lovely couple...

Fractional Ownership

We now have a fractional ownership listing. I think it is a great concept and probably the wave of the future.  In the 12 years that I have been selling real estate on Orcas Island I have watched waterfront property increase in price to the point that many can no longer afford the luxury. Unfortunately we also do not have enough public beaches in the San Juan Islands. So the perfect solution...

Interest Rate Still Record Low

March 30 came and went and real estate professionals held their breath as the Federal Reserve pulled back from mortgage-backed security purchases. Everyone waited to see what the effect would be on interest rates. Rates have been historically low for a long time and the perception was that this event would cause a rapid increase in rates and thus a slowdown in already sluggish home sales....

First Baseball Game

Today was the first baseball game. My grandsons are young (5 and 9).on the same team, and the league is a little laid back, very Orcas. It took about 30 minutes to figure out who was going to show up to play and to get a mitt in every one’s hand. Meanwhile the pitching machine whirled and everyone had a great time waiting. Only on Orcas is it fine to show up to play ball in your mary...

Earth Day Parade

I grew up as a military brat and in all my travels ( this is my Mom’s 31 house) I have never experienced anything  like Orcas Island. Mild temperatures, community spirit and exciting waterfront adventures have made this the perfect place to have been nested for the last 12 years. We have grandchildren on Orcas and grandchildren in Las Vegas, Nevada and the contrast is always startling....