Go off-the-grid, get away from it all, and be conveniently close to Canada by buying this 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 1,570 square foot house on Stuart Island that's listed for $595,000.
If you're expected to get there by ferry, well, you can't get there from here. Stuart Island is so far north and west of the most of the Northwest that a slight border shift would put it in Canada. Getting to the island means using a boat or a plane; and luckily, this house has access to moorage and an airstrip. Considering the price of real estate in King County, the amount you save by buying on the island may be more than enough to pay for sailing or pilot lessons.
The house is a custom design by Joe Greene from 1992. The photos may not show it as well as possible, but it is impressive and practical. Building anything on the island is impressive because everything has to be shipped in. The house is practical by necessity. If it's going to be that far off the grid, it has to have good and unconventional systems. That may be why the heating source is listed as "Other". A bit of LP, solar, and maybe some wood can fill a lot of needs. If you want another sign of how far off the grid it is, check out the antenna array on the roof.
As if retreating to the island wasn't enough, there's a separate building for a studio, just in case there's too much happening in the house.
The location is the thing. It is 100 feet of waterfront as part of 0.94 acres of relatively flat land. The views are to the north and east, and of course, whatever happens to be swimming or flying by. Say hello to the whales and the eagles.
Also say hello to Canada. Look north to their islands because you're as likely to see one country as much as the other. Maybe that's why they're flying two flags; they want to be ready just in case there's a political shift.
· 911 Marine Dr, Stuart Island [Zillow]