Eagle Harbor

Eagle Harbor lies on the east central side of the island and is its connection to Seattle.

THE SETTING AND LIFESTYLE

This waterfront setting resembles the eastern seaports found in Maine or Connecticut. The curving beaches here give almost every orientation with its 5 miles of shoreline, though most of it faces north or south. This creates a sharp dichotomy between the lifestyles. The north shore and Winslow are the epicenter of island activity, facing south to soak in the valuable sunshine no matter the time of year. The southern bank, however, is three road miles (and a different, quiet lifestyle) away and can hide in the shadow of the trees for a more relaxed setting looking north at Winslow.

One could argue the views can be just as opposite each other - residents of Winslow look south to a shoreline of homes, while residents who look north are overwhelmed with details of an active boating harbor. Residents up at the head of the harbor enjoy the privacy and serenity of a small cove while residents at the mouth of the harbor may have the broad open water views of Seattle and Mt. Rainier. Eagle Harbor likely holds more variety of views from its waterfront homes than any other shoreline on Bainbridge Island.

The waters of Eagle Harbor have hosted a myriad of human societies in recent centuries. Native Americans were settled here long before the others, benefiting from nature's abundant resources - fish, game, and lush forests. Early European settlers harvested the surrounding forests into what would become booming lumber and shipbuilding industries of the late 1800's, connected to the region through a network of mariners providing ferry service to act as highways connecting the growing port towns. After the bust and through the Great Depression, the harbor fell to a sleepy place a bit removed from the ever-growing City of Seattle, perfect for reclusive artists. In 1951, the inception of the Washington State Ferries (WSF) suddenly provided Bainbridge Island with a regular and reliable connection to Seattle, making it attractive to people looking to raise families in a rural area while commuting to the big city for work.

Today, the inhabitants living on the shores of Eagle Harbor range from the liveaboard in a marina to the commuter or retiree enjoying the fruits of their labor in their million dollar waterfront condo or their multi-million dollar waterfront home.

WSF makes 23 runs in about 20 hours every day, so the presence of “the boat” is constant. In fact, everyone in Eagle Harbor knows what the ferry is doing based on the sound of the air horn. One of the original WSF Captains had his home strategically built so he could be out of town but still able to have an ideal vantage point for watching the vessels enter and exit the harbor. His home was just traded out of the family a few years ago.

BEACH ACCESS 

Homes here are mostly no bank waterfront, but there is a section directly across from Winslow that is a medium/high bank. Many of the homes sitting atop the higher perch have steps down to a private or shared dock.

Depending on the location within this waterway and the strength of the tidal water, beaches here can be sandy, rocky, muddy, or even a lagoon full of drift logs.

PRICE TRENDS

In 2023, there were 10 residential sales (7 condos and 3 homes) in Eagle Harbor. The average sale price of a home was $2,087,066 (ranging from $936,199 to $3,000,000) and of a condo was $1,104,429 (ranging from $592,000 to $2,888,000).

Other averages:

SFH: price per square foot, $1,221; sale to list price ratio, 96.1%; days on market, 35

COND: price per square foot, $884; sale to list price ratio, 100.8%; days on market, 4

waterfront property for sale in eagle harbor on bainbridge island, wa

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