We trace how Anacortes grows from an 1850s waterfront settlement into a premium Skagit County housing market shaped by industry, bold promotion, and civic investment. We connect the town’s working-waterfront past to the lifestyle and retirement demand that drives Anacortes real estate today.
• early settlement roots and Amos Bowman’s promotion of Anacortes
• the waterfront economy of fishing, lumber, transportation, farming and canneries
• postwar housing patterns and how neighborhoods spread across town
• Skyline as an early view-driven development and a turning point for utilities and growth
• why Anacortes prices stay higher than Mount Vernon, Burlington and Sedro-Woolley
• ferry visibility versus the Navy base and other true demand drivers
• the 1992 mill fire, the end of rail service and the Tommy Thompson Trail conversion
• recent high-end development pressures and what the West Basin project could change
If you have questions about Anacortes you know the Atterbury second and third generation real estate are the guys to ask
it's a great place come see us

A brand new listing status just hit the Northwest MLS, and it’s already changing how homes show up online. We sit down with Joy Edwards Brown to unpack “First Look,” the closest thing Western Washington has had to a true Coming Soon program, and why it matters whether you’re selling a home in Bellingham, Skagit County, or Island County or trying to buy in a tight inventory market.

We walk through the mechanics in plain English: First Look can last up to 21 days, it flips automatically to Active, and it can’t be used again for 60 days if you try to reset it. Then we get practical about marketing and visibility. IDX syndication is the feed that pushes listings to public portals like Zillow and Redfin, and not every website is handling the First Look status cleanly yet. That means buyers may not see everything online, and agents need to update searches and client expectations so no one misses real inventory.

On the seller side, we talk strategy you can actually use: testing price without racking up days on market, gathering feedback on unique properties with few comparables, and creating a short runway when the house isn’t quite ready for showings. We also share the cautions: be consistent if you say “no showings” or “no offers,” double check listing input details, and don’t damage your first impression with rushed photos or half finished prep.

If you’re a buyer, seller, or agent trying to understand how First Look impacts exposure, negotiation, and fairness, this conversation will give you the framework to make better decisions. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s moving, and leave a review if it helped. Are you planning to use First Look or avoid it?

Thinking about buying your first home in Skagit County, Washington? Cintia Barajas shares practical first-time home buyer tips, including how to get started, financing options with as little as 0% down, and where to look for opportunities in the Skagit County real estate market.

Cintia discusses how first-time buyers can prepare for the home-buying process, understand their financing options, and identify areas and property types where buyers may find better values.

With the Skagit County real estate market shifting into a buyer’s market, buyers may have more negotiating power and opportunities than they’ve had in years.

In this video, you'll learn:

• How to get started buying your first home
• First-time home buyer financing options
• How 0% down home loans may work
• Areas of Skagit County where buyers may find opportunities
• Property types that can offer good value
• How a buyer’s market can benefit first-time buyers
• Why now may be a good time to begin preparing for a purchase

Whether you're looking in Mount Vernon, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, Anacortes, La Conner, or other communities throughout Skagit County, these tips can help you understand the local market and take the first steps toward homeownership.

Thinking about buying a home in Skagit County? Start the conversation with a local real estate professional and find out what options may be available for you.

You can reach Cintia Barajas at cintiab@johnlscott.com