Q: My folks just sold their home to a couple from out of state.

These people, who were middle-aged, bought it for a second home! I was surprised. First because the house was over $700,000 and that's no "vacation cabin" to me. Second, I've never thought of Vashon as a vacation destination. What could make someone spend that kind of money to be here for just a few weeks a year?
A: Surprisingly, according to recent studies, Washington is a major market for second homes. In fact, according to published studies our state is one of the country's top second home markets. The percentage of our sales that represent second homes has grown over 140% in just a few years. Although there are no specific statistics available from Vashon Island, I would say that from my own experience, that second home sales have increased dramatically in the last 5 or 6 years.

There are at least three things at work here. First, we are a spectacularly beautiful island that is a dream destination for many visitors and vacation home buyers. We offer friendly people, beautiful scenery, close to a major metropolitan city, with a vibrant business and art community. We have water, mountains, beaches, forests, parks and are close to major recreational destinations.

The second issue is that more and more people are making larger sums of money than ever before. The "Microsoft Millionaires" are not the only people who have become wealthy at a young age. The average age of second home buyers nationwide today is 44! While it's sadly true that the poor are getting poorer in our country, the rich are getting richer, and these folks want a second home to go to for relaxation.

The third thing is the simple fact that Vashon has always had many second homes. Most of our waterfront cottages were built by Seattle area folks over 50 years ago for a summer playground for their families. That hasn't changed. We still have people from the region that want a getaway. They can just pay more for it.