The Pacific Northwest’s Best Kept Secret
In a recent feature article, Mansion Global shares the “Secret of the San Juans” in a celebration of the beloved archipelago that highlights its position as “the hottest luxury real-estate market in the country.” The growth, as Nancy Keates describes it, is a product of Seattle’s tech-boom and the enchantment of the island retreats found there, as Seattleites explore places to stretch out in the northern end of Puget Sound. The article showcases four distinct luxury estates that include Madroneagle and Friday Harbor Estate, both listed by Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty.
It’s no surprise that the San Juan Islands are receiving praise in recent years, given their close proximity to Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, and for the legacy homes that grace their shores, from vacation retreats and second homes to breathtaking residences that build the foundation of a family’s story.
In the case of Madroneagle, Keates says “it took three years and about $12 million for Kathleen Dickinson and her late husband Ron McDowell to build their house, which was finished in 2007. On 41 acres on Orcas, it is filled with reclaimed wood and intricate architectural details. It first went on to the market in April, 2016 for $11.6 million, and was reduced last year to $10 million, a price she says is under the cost of construction.”
Friday Harbor Estate, the other featured home, is an extraordinary residence owned by rock legend Steve Miller and is currently listed for $14.8 million. As Keates notes, the home offers “an 11,686-square-foot, stone-and-wood home on a total of about 40 acres. It also has a dock with deep-water moorage.” What’s more is Friday Harbor’s seamless access, as Miller tells Mansion Global that convenience played a large factor in his decision to purchase the property in the late ‘90s. “For a guy like me, who does 70 cities a year, I needed to be somewhere I could get in and out of.”
“It’s great to see such unparalleled properties receiving worldwide recognition with Mansion Global,” said Eddie Chang, broker with RSIR. “Each home will offer its next steward a distinct lifestyle opportunity within the Pacific Northwest’s Best Kept Secret.”
For more information on the history of the San Juan Islands, what makes a legacy home, and a market comparison of the San Juans to the most desirable estates found in Long Island, New York, view RSIR’s Legacy Home Report.