We map out the can’t-miss summer events across Skagit County, from tulips and street fairs to parades, fireworks, and art booths. Then we shift into a late-spring real estate check on what buyers can negotiate and how to think about the months ahead.
• Tulip Festival as the big seasonal anchor, plus street fair growth, food vendors, and live music
• Skagit County Fair highlights, from petting zoo to rides, plus a memorable ride rescue story
• Sedro-Woolley Fourth of July plans, parade to barbecue to Riverfront Park fireworks
• Berry Dairy Days weekend schedule, parade, vendors, and fireworks
• Mount Vernon Cinco de Mayo parade, downtown closures, community pride, and local businesses
• Highland Games at Riverfront Park and the Anacortes Arts Festival downtown
• Market snapshot in late spring, three-month supply of inventory, more balanced pricing
• Buyer strategies, closing cost credits, possible price drops, and more room to negotiate
• Contingent offers feeling more doable when the pace slows

if anyone's interested in buying or selling, we're here. Contact Betsy at betsya@johnlscott.com, Dania at daniam@johnlscott.com

We welcome Kim Iverson to discuss her new podcast "Anchored in Anacortes," which fills an important information gap for the community by covering local events and real estate trends. Kim shares her inspiration for starting the podcast and explains how it helps residents stay informed about happenings in and around Anacortes.

• Kim started "Anchored in Anacortes" after noticing people on Facebook constantly asking about local events they'd missed
• The podcast covers Anacortes events plus worthwhile happenings in nearby Whatcom County, Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley
• Kim interviewed the Mount Erie Fire Chief for a 4th of July episode featuring home fire safety tips and resources
• Anacortes real estate market update: 14 new listings in the past 10 days with 7 under $700,000
• The market is balancing with homes under $700K still moving quickly, while luxury homes over $1M have more inventory
• Current market sees 98% list-to-sale price ratio, down from 100% a year ago, indicating more negotiation room
• Upcoming events include Shipwreck Fest, Shipwreck Music Fest, weekly farmers markets, Birds of Prey demonstration, and free summer concerts
• Kim recommends the farmers market vendor Skagit Gourmet Mushrooms and the fresh fruit trucks from Eastern Washington

Find and subscribe to "Anchored in Anacortes" on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

You can reach Kim Iverson at kimiverson@johnlscott.com

Rose Raivo shares her 25-year journey building and flipping six homes in Skagit County, revealing strategies for finding value in overlooked properties and turning challenges into equity-building opportunities.

• Finding deals by looking for land that others avoid due to complications like wetlands or required additional surveys
• Writing letters directly to landowners to find off-market opportunities, which resulted in successful land purchases
• Building on various properties from quarter-acre city lots to seven-acre rural parcels
• Recognizing that properties with challenges often sell at discounts that create immediate equity once issues are resolved
• Shopping discounts and materials more aggressively when building specifically to flip
• Using manufactured homes as investment properties for faster turnaround times (under six months vs 9-12 months)
• Walking land at different times of day to determine optimal home positioning and design features
• Leveraging construction loans to finance projects after thorough feasibility planning
• Working as a husband-wife team with complementary skills in construction and design
• Examining properties for potential views, light exposure, and unique features to maximize value

You can reach Rose at roser@johnlscott.com