The waterfront town of Oak Harbor is Whidbey Island’s largest community and home to over 20,000. It is neatly situated within the Olympic Rain Shadow, allowing our silver winter skies to carry less rain than the island’s south end.
This once quiet farming community was settled in the 1850s and is symbolically named for Garry Oaks, a rare native tree which still graces our older neighborhoods.
Change arrived in 1935 when the Deception Pass Bridge linked Whidbey to the rest of the world. The bridge and 4,100 acre State Park are celebrated as one of the scenic wonders of the Pacific Northwest.
Ten years later, the U.S. Navy established an air base nearby and became forever linked to the economic health of the region and evolution of the town.
Oak Harbor today is a blend of turn-of-the-century charm and the energized bustle of the Island’s commercial heart. You’ll find a burgeoning arts community, a world-class yachting regatta, breathtaking sunsets and snowcapped mountain views to inspire the spirit and satisfy the soul.
December 19th, 2011
For the past year, I have been the happy recipient of the weekly Grange Food News email from Chris Williams, who is an officer of the Deer Lagoon Grange. Chris' official title is Pomona, and like her Roman Goddess namesake, she dispenses tantalizing tidbits of information about the gardens, fruits, vegetables and local …
November 8th, 2011
Recently Whidbey Island Realtors received an email from the Whidbey Island Board of Realtors alerting us to a new ordinance regarding Ebey's Reserve. Here's an excerpt from a letter from Island County, the Town of Coupeville and the Manager of Ebey's Reserve that was addressed to all "Whidbey Island Real Estate …
October 31st, 2011
The Seattle Times has a good article on the FHA financing rules changes for condominiums that take effect on November 2nd, 2011. These rules may make FHA loans more difficult to obtain for some condominiums. FHA financing can enable borrowers to get loans with less downpayment (as little as 3.5%), and are kinder to …