There is something special about spending the Fourth of July on Bainbridge Island.

Maybe it’s the small-town feel, the waterfront views, or the fact that you can enjoy a full day of summer activities without ever leaving the island. Whether you're a longtime local, visiting for the weekend, or thinking about making Bainbridge Island home, Independence Day is one of the best times of year to experience the community.

Here are some of my favorite ways to spend the holiday on Bainbridge Island.

When people start searching for homes on Bainbridge Island, it is easy to focus on square footage, finishes, or whether a kitchen feels updated enough.

But one of the most important things I tell buyers is this:

You can renovate a house.
You cannot recreate the neighborhood.

You cannot manufacture walkability, water access, quiet streets, sunset views, or the feeling of living in a place people genuinely love being part of.

And on Bainbridge Island, location and lifestyle matter more than almost anywhere else.

That is why buying the “worst house on the block” can actually be one of the smartest long term decisions a buyer makes here.

The right neighborhood often outweighs cosmetic imperfections because the value of Bainbridge Island living goes far beyond what is inside the walls of a home.

Here are four Bainbridge Island neighborhoods I always encourage buyers to pay attention to before starting their home search.

If you’ve been thinking about Bainbridge Island, you’re not alone.

Just a short ferry ride from Seattle, Bainbridge offers something that’s getting harder to find: space, calm, community, and a lifestyle that actually feels like a lifestyle. It’s the kind of place people visit once… and then can’t stop thinking about.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about living on Bainbridge Island—from neighborhoods and lifestyle to real estate and what it’s really like day to day.

If you’re thinking about selling your house this year, you may be torn between two options:

• Do you sell it as-is and make it easier on yourself? No repairs. No effort.

• Or do you fix it up a bit first, so it shows well and sells for as much as possible?

In 2026, that decision matters more than it used to. Here’s what you need to know.

One of the biggest homebuying advantages you can give yourself today is surprisingly simple: a flexible wish list.

Think of it like this. Your wish list and your budget are the guardrails of your search. And when your budget needs to hold firm, there’s another lever you can pull. That’s seeing if you truly need all of your desired features. Because the truth is, a small compromise could be the difference between feeling stuck and getting the keys to your next home.

Homebuyers are weighing their options right now, and they certainly have a lot on their minds. With everything going on in the job market, the economy, and more – there's a lot to think about these days. And maybe that’s making you wonder if it really makes sense to buy a home right now.

But here’s what many recent buyers would tell you: even with all that, making a move is worth it.

And this is why they’re thankful they went ahead and took the plunge already. Life doesn't wait for better market conditions. So, your decision shouldn't be about trying to time the market perfectly. It should be about moving when the time is right for you and what you need – and it’s different for everyone.

You want mortgage rates to fall – and they've started to. But is it going to last? And how low will they go?

Experts say there’s room for rates to come down even more over the next year. And one of the leading indicators to watch is the 10-year treasury yield. Here's why.

Want to know something important you probably don’t have a professional check for you nearly as often as you should? Spoiler alert: it’s the value of your home.

Because here’s the reality. Your house is likely the biggest financial asset you have. And if you’ve lived in it for a few years or more, chances are it’s been quietly building wealth for you in the background – even if you haven’t been keeping tabs on it.

You might be surprised by just how much it’s grown, even as the market has shifted over the past few months.

Mortgage rates are still a hot topic – and for good reason. After the most recent jobs report came out weaker than expected, the bond market reacted almost instantly. And, as a result, in early August mortgage rates dropped to their lowest point so far this year (6.55%).

While that may not sound like a big deal, pretty much every buyer has been waiting for rates to fall. And even a seemingly small drop like this reignites the hope we’re finally going to see rates trending down. But what’s realistic to expect?

Foreclosure headlines are making noise again – and they’re designed to stir up fear to get you to read them. But what the data shows is actually happening in the market tells a very different story than what you might be led to believe. So, before you jump to conclusions, it’s important to look at the full picture.

Yes, foreclosure starts are up 7% in the first six months of the year. But zooming out shows that’s nowhere near crisis levels. Here’s why.