406 East Madrona Boulevard Northwest

Board the ferry, watch the mainland fade into the distance, and step onto a place most people never even know exists. Herron Island is one of Puget Sound's last private islands, a tight-knit community of just over 100 neighbors where eagles circle overhead, deer roam at will, and the rest of the world genuinely feels far away. Fill your days at North Beach Park, along the natural shoreline of South Beach, or relaxing at Goodpastor Park. It's the kind of island people stumble onto and can't stop thinking about afterward. This 1-bedroom, 1-bath bungalow with a bonus room sits on just over half an acre, one of the island's larger buildable lots, and has been thoughtfully improved with a full gut renovation of the kitchen and bathroom plus all-new appliances. The groundwork for a little homestead is already here: a deer-proof, fenced garden area where dahlias once flourished, and a chicken coop ready for new tenants. Use it as your personal escape, rent it out while you're away, or hold onto it and build something bigger down the road. HOA covers water. Access is via the community ferry, the Charlie Wells, a 10-minute crossing that makes all the difference. Step off the ferry and you'll pass a general store currently under construction, close enough that your ice cream won't have a chance to melt.