The Real Estate Book of Skagit, Island, San Juan, and including Snohomish Counties

Three unit property on 3.03 acres just outside Sedro Woolley city limits. Level acreage with a 3BD 2BA 1228sf 1977 manufactured home + two smaller studio units attached to a large shop with a tall bay, and a large pole barn. Rental incomes from three properties. Or you can remove the mobile and build your new home. Tons of parking! Views of Mount Baker. Property backs up to farmland. Plenty of room to build your custom home in a privateback away from the road. Property is not in a flood zone.

SEDRO

3BD 3BA 1827sf home powered by solar, and built for efficiency, this home generates as much energy as it uses (net-zero). The builder took tremendous care & craftsmanship in both the functional design & aesthetic quality. Beautiful light-filled kitchen w/ custom cabinetry, quartz counters, induction range & premium SS. appliances. Spacious master suite w/ double vanity, quartz counters, expansive walk-in closet, & luxurious tile walk-in shower. Heat pump w/ AC & heat-recovery ventilator streams filtered fresh air into the home, keeping out allergens or smoke. This quiet neighborhood is walking distance to the food coop, parks & library, as well as quick access to the Skagit River, biking, hiking and more! MLS# 2004629 | $699,000

Tahlia Honea

(360) 333-5815 tahlia.withwre.com

Nicole Ganske

(360) 941-8999 nikkiganske.com

NORTH CASCADES Windermere

MOUNT VERNON’S FIRST BUILT GREEN HOME

OAK HARBOR Oak Harbor Steps to the beach & Windjammer Park! 2BD 2BA 1192sf w/ spacious balcony to enjoy the views. Open living room, dining & kitchen with tons of natural light. Gated entry, convenient shared garage & easy access elevator are great perks! #2002364 | $335,000

OAK HARBOR

Business opportunity! SR 20 highway exposure, 32 parking spaces, and 2 level building Zoned C-3. Main level includes large commercial kitchen, guest dining & a private patio for outdoor enjoyment. Upper level bar w/ view of Oak Harbor. #1868372 | $600,000

COUPEVILLE

Whidbey Island Westside bluff waterfront with panoramic water views from snowcapped Olympic Mountains to the lights of Victoria and beyond to the San Juan Islands. 5 Acre plus parcel is the perfect palette for you to create your estate home. #1973487 | $1,200,000

Windermere

MOUNTAIN & WATER VIEWS

2.52 acres w/ spectacular views of the Olympics and Strait of Juan de Fuca. South-facing, gently sloping property. Utilities already in: Drilled well, 3BD septic, electric, & fiber optic. Shared gravel driveway. Near terrific public hiking and swimming areas. #1986432 | $349,000

STUNNING NW STYLE HOME

2BD 2.5BA 3134sf w/ quality fir floors & trim, clear cedar ceilings, mullion doors & walls of bookcases. 582 ft mediumbank WF on 13.24 acres. Detached studio/office. Stone steps take you to beach kayak storage & great crabbing. Includes 3 totally fenced WF parcels. #1972757 $2,495,000

MARINER HILL VIEW ACREAGE

A partially wooded 1.7 acre lot with western marine views. Lot is ready for your building ideas. Includes community water, power and phone in the road. Be part of a great neighborhood, not too far from the Village on the sunny west side of Lopez. #1954230 | $297,500

CENTRALLY LOCATED ACREAGE

4.98 acres w/ cleared house site. 60gpm drilled well, shared. Recorded survey. Permit pending for 5BD septic system in top quality drain field soils. Power & phone at the road. Well-drained sloped land with potential for a good pond site. Adjacent 5 acres also available. #1988683 | $365,000

ABOVE FISHERMAN BAY

2BD 2.5BA 2394sf view home w/ office & 3-car garage. Great room with vaulted wood ceiling, Thelin wood stove, Brazilian maple floors & well-appointed kitchen with oversize granite island & Garland propane range. Wrap around, covered deck. Close to beach parks. #1984377 | $995,000

GET YOUR LOPEZ START!

Build your island home on this gently sloping, wooded 0.69 acres, consisting of three lots. Some glimpses of Mud Bay across the street and through the trees. Located on a deadend road. Close to Hunter Bay County dock and boat ramp. Adjacent lots available. #1952224 | $129,000

GIVE YOUR MUDROOM A WINTER MAKEOVER

It’s one of the hardest-working rooms in the house. The mudroom gets a lot of traffic but not a lot of respect. Why not give this workhorse space some TLC this winter and see how much more useful it becomes?

ADD STORAGE

Creating storage off the floor is a key way to keep the mudroom from becoming awash in shoes and boots. Since you need seating anyway, look for a bench with drawers or a cabinet on bun feet. Add a chaise chair cushion for comfort.

If you have small children, don’t overlook their height. Place hooks for coats and backpacks at their height and they’ll be more inclined to use them. Plus, you’ll get double the storage for coats, scarves and purses.

For even more storage, create a simple bench out of a flat piece of lumber and leave space underneath for shoes. Add a small piece of molding across the front at the

bottom to frame it out and keep shoes corralled neatly so they don’t spill out into the room.

BIN THERE, DONE THAT

Small items tossed willy-nilly can quickly clutter up a mudroom. Add a bin where you can toss magazines and letters when you come in the door. Mount a second bin on the wall to hold caps, earmuffs, gloves and mittens.

Another option is to install some shelving above coat hooks, then add bins atop the shelves. Still another choice is to add bins on the vertical. A stacking row of shelves can easily hold baskets or bins so you can get grab scarves, gloves and hats quickly and keep the items you use most often within easy reach.

MAKE IT PRETTY

Just because it’s strictly utilitarian doesn’t mean your mudroom has to be ugly. Add some bead board wainscoting to the walls,

an attractive pendant light and a colorful rug to catch dirt and slush before it gets tracked into the house. A big bold poster can liven up the space, and make sure there’s plenty of lighting so you can find what you need easily.

Despite your best efforts, if the mud room remains chaotic and unsightly, consider adding a sliding door on the outside of the wall to hide the mess.

MAKE IT USEFUL

A mudroom with a place for everything and everything in its place will help keep the whole family more organized. That’s why it’s important to think about the little things that will make your mud room really work. Make sure that in addition to places for coats and scarves, you also include spots to stash keys, sunglasses, umbrellas, baseball caps and other small gear. These simple touches can mean the difference between getting out the door fast and facing the day unprepared.

SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT FROZEN PIPES THIS WINTER

Before the temperatures outside dip below freezing, it’s important to understand how to prevent frozen pipes and take the necessary steps to winterize your home. Read on to learn a few simple tricks to protect your pipes from freezing and keep the water running in cold weather. We’ll also walk you through what to do if you think your pipes might be frozen and how to thaw them to ward off a bigger home disaster.

Disconnect garden hoses. After you finish tending to your garden for the season, disconnect, drain and store your hoses. Close any shut-off valves that supply outdoor hose bibs and open the faucet outside to drain the line. Keep it open throughout the winter to allow space for any water that remains in the pipe to expand. Consider using faucet covers throughout the colder months for extra protection against frozen pipes. Additionally, drain water from any sprinkler supply lines following the manufacturer’s directions.

Insulate your pipes. Pipe insulation is fairly inexpensive and widely available at home improvement stores. Consider insulating any pipes located in unheated areas, such as in the attic, basement, crawl spaces or garage. In extreme cold, pipes underneath kitchen and bathroom sinks are also vulnerable to freezing. Apply

foam insulation liberally to provide a buffer against frigid temperatures. Wrapping your pipes in heat tape or thermostat-controlled heat cables can also keep them warm enough to prevent freezing.

Seal any air leaks. Inspect your home for any cracks or openings that could let in cold air. Seal any holes around the piping in interior or exterior walls and the sill plates, where your home rests on its foundation. Additionally, since leaving your garage open is like creating a giant air leak, always keep the door closed unless you’re going in or out.

Open doors and cabinets. Ensure warm air can circulate evenly throughout your home during cold snaps. Leave interior doors ajar and open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to distribute heat consistently around rooms. Remove any household chemicals or potentially harmful cleaners from open cabinets if you have small children or pets at home.

5. Let faucets drip. Even a small trickle of water can prevent ice from forming inside your pipes. When it’s bitter cold outside, start a drip of water from all faucets served by exposed pipes. Leaving a few faucets running slightly will also relieve pressure inside the pipes and help prevent a rupture in the event that the water inside freezes.

Keep a consistent temperature. Set your thermostat to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the day and night. In normal weather, bumping down your thermostat at night or when you’re not at home can help save on heating costs, but in extreme cold, maintaining a steady temperature is key to keeping your pipes free of ice. And if you’ll be away from home during cold weather, ensure your thermostat is set to at least 55 F. The few extra dollars you’ll spend on your utility bill will be well worth the thousands you’ll save by avoiding a burst pipe.

What to do if your pipes freeze. If you suspect you have a frozen pipe, start by turning on the faucet. If only a drip or trickle of water flows out, you likely have an ice blockage. Next, carefully inspect the exposed pipe for any cracks or breaks. If any pipes have burst, turn off the main water supply for the house and immediately call a plumber for assistance.

If the pipe is still intact, turn on the faucet to allow water to flow through as the ice melts. Gently apply heat to the frozen section of pipe, using a heating pad, hairdryer, space heater or warm, damp towels. If you are unable to access or safely thaw the frozen pipe, call a licensed plumber right away.

By Jessica Bennett, BHG.com ©2022 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

As lifestyles shifted due to the coronavirus pandemic, our homes had to adapt to new activities and routines. Dining rooms and closets became home offices, kids’ bedrooms served as home-school spaces, and guest rooms were outfitted with workout equipment.

Flex spaces are intended to help your home better accommodate your day-to-day life. Guest bedrooms, for example, can often be reimagined for more frequent and flexible use. “People are realizing that an entire room in their home dedicated to an occasional houseguest may not be the best use of space – a commodity that has become decidedly more precious over the past year,” says Los Angeles designer Stefani Stein. To maximize function within your home’s existing floor plan, follow these tips for creating a flex space that works with your lifestyle.

Think outside a room’s assigned function.

Consider your home’s least-used spaces, such as a formal dining room, breakfast nook, sitting room or extra closet, and how they could be put to better use. Your home’s builder might have intended the room for a specific purpose, but feel free to readjust if that doesn’t align with your everyday priorities. “Nothing is off-limits for reimagining how a space can be used,” says interior designer Shaolin Low of the Honolulu-based Studio Shaolin.

A flex space should be designed around the activities that will take place there, such as working, exercising, doing homework and more. “People are surprised by how cohesive they can make a space if they start from ‘What should the space facilitate?’ versus ‘What is supposed to be in this room?’” Johnson says.

Consider your long-term needs.

As you configure your flex space, consider how your needs might change as time goes on, and plan for flexibility, Low suggests. “If you have young children at home, think about how it will be utilized as they grow up. If you will host a lot of family or guests in the future, think about how you’ll accommodate,” she says. Opt for lightweight, easy-tomove furniture to help ensure your setup can be rearranged as needed.

“When it comes to exercise, consider alternatives to large and bulky equipment, such as tension bands,” says Tiffany Piotrowski of Tiffany Leigh Design. “These can be kept in a decorative bin or basket and still provide a full-body workout.”

Plan for storage.

Incorporate plenty of storage into your flex room to manage clutter and maximize space. “Add storage that can be closed off–cabinets with doors to hide messes and contain all the items necessary for whatever activities will be taking place in the room,” says Austin-based interior designer Killy Scheer. Choose furniture or containers that can stylishly and efficiently accommodate your storage needs, whether that’s for workout gear, office supplies, toys or other items.

Compartmentalize

If your flex space will serve multiple functions, section off areas of the room for each need, suggests Pramiti Bhargava of BlueGrape, a San Diego staging company. For example, designate one corner for a home office and use the other side of the room as a workout space. Room dividers or shelving units can serve as physical barriers that separate the space and offer added privacy. For a visual cue, lay down rugs or paint an accent wall to specify different sections.

“If you want to have a multipurpose space, you need to have multipurpose furniture,” Low says. Outfit your room with pieces that can transform to suit different needs or activities. Look for nesting furniture that can be stacked or separated, tables with extendable leaves or fold-down mechanisms, and armoires that can open up to reveal a workspace, suggests Scheer. Just be sure to measure the room carefully before purchasing furniture.

Customize your flex space to suit your style. Use it as an opportunity to go bold with a dramatic paint color or patterned wallpaper. Or tailor it to a certain hobby or interest. “There are so many creative ways to utilize extra space, so take it as an opportunity to showcase your personality and passions,” Bhargava says.

By Jessica Bennett, BHG.com ©2022 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

home warranty?

By Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce R. Glink & Samuel J. Tamkin

Some readers felt we never fully answered the question sitting. Ask for “comps,” which are recent sales of homes that the agents think are comparable to yours and take a deep dive when looking at the listing descriptions. (Due to some recent changes in how websites list properties that have recently sold, you may not be able to see photos of homes that have already closed. You should spend more time chatting with the agents about these homes, so you have an understanding of what condition they were in when they were for sale.)

4. How does your home compare to those that are selling? It doesn’t matter what the identical home would sell for in a different neighborhood, because you can’t move your house. So if, like our correspondent, you find your home is located in a declining neighborhood, you’re less likely to get more for the property whether you’re selling in “as is” or topnotch condition. If homes that are renovated or are at least updated are selling and homes in “as is” condition are sitting, you may have your answer – particularly if you

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If it turns out that your neighborhood is improving and all sorts of renovated and unrenovated homes are in demand, then it’s about the price differential: How much more money you could sell your home for if you renovate, and will the net profit you earn on those renovations be worth the time, trouble and risk that things might not turn out as planned? While these are tough questions to answer, you’re better off facing them now, before you start writing checks.

©2022 Ilyce R. Glink And Samuel J. Tamkin. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

©2021 Ilyce R. Glink and

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INVESTOR-BUILDER ALERT!

18.79 acres of vacant, prime land, zoned R-5. Views of mountains & water on the Pilchuck River. Space for horses & livestock, with small paddock & small barn. Gardner Lake Park across the street w/ hidden trails w/ fishing for large mouth bass, blue gill & more. Potential to subdivide. Pilchuck River frontage. #2003646

METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED 3BD 3BA 1888sf on 0.31 acre lot. The top floor offers high ceilings & fireplace. Septic & drain field are brand new this year! Full two car garage & space for additional storage. Two large decks, one outside the private primary bedroom & the other off the kitchen. 4th bed/ flex room. Oversize office w/ closet. #1999414

LUXURY ESTATE 3BD 2.5BA 3200sf on 0.77 acres w/ 4BD septic. High ceilings & large picture windows for year-round views. 2nd master w/ walk-in closet. Gourmet kitchen w/ lead glass doors to formal dining room. Top of the line appliances, view windows, glass doors to patio w/ electric cover. Garden shed. 3-car garage. #1967174