We Bought Land!
After years of visiting Hawaii, Alex got to thinking…let’s find a place here! He’s part fish and has always dreamed of having a place near water with views. We noodled and even spent a trip wandering through villages, townhomes, and houses. Alex ran a lot of calculations and it all felt very complicated and…very far away. Life got busy and we pressed the pause button. We dove into our summer focusing on the things we love.
Staying Island Curious
Staying “Island Curious” helped us get a lot more clear about what was important. Whidbey Island became the perfect location for us. It was the Goldilocks of island living. Not too close, not too far - developed, but not too developed, and perfect weather year-round. We let the search be our guide to learning about what we wanted. We assumed we would buy something somewhat move-in-ready, and ended up with land! In the end, our requirements were:
Land
We discovered that nothing truly matched our aesthetic or "perfect" design. We did learn it was important to have something already developed, ideally with a well, electricity, a driveway, and septic. We looked at properties between 3-10 acres and discovered there’s immense value in having space to engage with nature and explore the outdoors when there’s enough room to play!
View
Initially, we were hesitant about finding anything with a view; it seemed daunting and too expensive. However, when we shifted our focus from move-in-ready to finding the right property, everything began to click. Alex became obsessed with the county geo map, meticulously sifting through every potential listing (there aren’t many left!). Whidbey Island is remarkable, with stunning views and snow-capped mountain ranges framing both the east and west sides of the island. Armed with valuable advice from a friend who spent summers here, we decided to focus on the West side to make the most of our sunsets over the Olympics.
Location
Whidbey is a LONG island, and the distance from the ferry matters. The Naval Air Base also conducts regular carrier-based flight training, meaning EA-18s zoom overhead if you’re not in an ideal location outside the noise zone. While some people might enjoy the occasional air show—Alex, as a pilot, finds it super cool—it might become a bit much to experience multiple times a week! Proximity to ferry, food, and resources was a priority. When you realize you need more butter or sugar and both neighbors are off the island, it’s important to know there is a store close by (ours is 5min up the road!!!).
Our Little Slice of Heaven
We have big plans and like everything on the island, we are learning to take it slow. An eventual house, workshop, art studio, cottage (someday), and some other surprises!
The best part of the search was eating, laughing, and learning. We spent some quality time dreaming together. It’s really what life is all about….
