For out-of-state buyers
Moving to the Puget Sound? Let's make it easy.
From Bainbridge Island to Port Townsend, Seattle to Gig Harbor. One trusted advisor across the entire Puget Sound, and a vetted agent in your current city to handle the home you're leaving behind.
Raymond Conners · Managing Broker, The Agency Bainbridge Island
The Puget Sound at a glance
Why people move here.
4.1M
Puget Sound population
No state
Income tax in Washington
10+ routes
Ferries connecting communities
2,500+ mi
Of saltwater shoreline
The commute
Ferries, not freeways.
The Washington State Ferries system is the largest in the country. Most of my relocating clients trade a daily slog on I-5 or I-405 for a coffee, a laptop, and a saltwater crossing. Here are the routes worth knowing.
The headliner
Bainbridge · Seattle (35 min)
The second-busiest WSF route. Walk-on or drive-on, sailings roughly every 50 minutes. Lands at Colman Dock in downtown Seattle.
North Kitsap
Kingston · Edmonds (30 min)
The fastest route to the Eastside and Snohomish County. Popular with North Kitsap commuters working in Bothell, Lynnwood, and north Seattle.
Fast ferry
Bremerton · Seattle (28 min)
Kitsap Transit's passenger-only fast ferry. The traditional auto ferry runs 60 minutes. Lower cost-of-living trade for a slightly longer commute.
South Kitsap
Southworth · Vashon · Fauntleroy
The triangle route. Connects South Kitsap to West Seattle via Vashon Island. Also serves as the Vashon ferry for full-time islanders.
Olympic Peninsula
Port Townsend · Coupeville
A 35-minute hop across Admiralty Inlet to Whidbey Island. The scenic link between Port Townsend and the San Juan corridor.
In-city
King County Water Taxi
West Seattle · Pier 50 (12 min) and Vashon · Pier 50 (22 min). Smaller boats, downtown-only landing, peak-hours focused.
For live sailing schedules and boat status, see WSDOT Ferries, Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries, and King County Water Taxi.
Schools
Strong districts across the region.
The Puget Sound has several of Washington State's top-performing public school districts. The right one for your family depends on commute, price point, and lifestyle. Here is the lay of the land.
The islands & peninsula
BISD303 & Kitsap districts
Bainbridge Island School District is consistently ranked among Washington's strongest. North Kitsap, Central Kitsap, South Kitsap, Peninsula (Gig Harbor), and Port Townsend round out the peninsula options.
The Eastside
Mercer Island, Bellevue & more
Mercer Island, Bellevue, Northshore, Lake Washington, and Issaquah are the headline Eastside districts. Each draws relocating families with strong academics and well-funded programs.
In-city
Seattle Public Schools & independents
Seattle Public Schools serves the city proper with option, gifted (HCC), and language immersion programs. The Puget Sound also has a deep bench of independent schools (Lakeside, University Prep, Bush, Seattle Academy, Eastside Prep, and more).
In accordance with Fair Housing law, Raymond does not rank schools or characterize neighborhoods. For ratings and comparisons, please consult GreatSchools, Niche, and the OSPI Washington School Report Card.
Two Referral Networks · Nationwide
You're not selling alone. I have great agents in every market.
Most relocating buyers have two homes on their mind at once: the one they're buying in the Puget Sound, and the one they need to sell where they live now. I make both sides easier by personally introducing you to a top, vetted real estate professional in your current city, then staying involved in both transactions until your move is complete. I draw on two complementary referral networks to find you the right agent.
Network 01
The Agency — Global
As a Managing Broker at The Agency Bainbridge Island, I'm part of a global brokerage with offices across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East. The Agency was built for cross-market, often cross-border luxury and lifestyle moves.
Best for: in-city Seattle, the Eastside, California, New York, Florida, Texas, international destinations, and any move where a single, design-forward brand is a meaningful part of the experience.
Network 02
Buffini & Company — Nationwide
I'm a Buffini & Company Certified Full-Service Professional, connected to thousands of independent agents across the United States who train to the same Working By Referral service standards I hold myself to.
Best for: small-town and suburban markets, secondary cities, and anywhere outside a major metro where a deeply rooted local independent agent will outperform a brand name.
If I don't already know the right agent in your city by name, I find them through whichever network fits your move best, interview them, vouch for them, and introduce you. You get a coordinated, two-coast experience instead of two strangers running parallel processes. There's no extra cost to you, and you keep one trusted advisor (me) from your first conversation through both closings.
01 · You reach out
We talk about both moves
Where you're living now, what you're hoping to find in the Puget Sound, your timeline, and what would make the move feel calm instead of chaotic.
02 · I make the introduction
A vetted agent in your city
I personally reach out to an agent I trust in your current market, vouch for them, brief them on your goals, and introduce you by name.
03 · Both sides, one coordination
One advisor, two transactions
I stay in the loop on both sides of your move. Timelines align. Surprises shrink. You always know who to call first.
Two networks, one trusted advisor. Learn more about how I work.
Housing
Where in the Puget Sound fits you?
The Puget Sound is many markets, not one. In-city density. Eastside tech corridors. Walkable island villages. Forested peninsula homesteads. Victorian seaports. We narrow it together during your initial consultation.
The Island
Bainbridge Island
Walkable village, top schools, 35-minute ferry to downtown Seattle. The marquee island market.
In-city & Eastside
Seattle & the Eastside
Seattle proper, Mercer Island, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond. Tech corridor and urban density.
North Kitsap
Poulsbo & Kingston
Little Norway on Liberty Bay and the Kingston-Edmonds ferry village. Walkable downtowns, strong schools.
South Sound
Gig Harbor
Maritime village across the Narrows from Tacoma. Picture-perfect harbor, strong Peninsula schools.
Olympic Peninsula
Port Townsend & Port Ludlow
Victorian seaport, arts scene, and waterfront living on the gateway to the Olympic Peninsula.
See all communities
Every community I serve in depth
Fourteen dedicated pages so far, plus Seattle, the Eastside, Snohomish County, and the broader Puget Sound by request. Ask me about your target neighborhood.
What you trade, what you gain
An honest comparison.
Most relocating buyers I work with are choosing between Puget Sound life and a denser, hotter, drier U.S. metro. Here is a straight read on the trade, with two notes: this comparison is honest both ways, and the right answer is the one that fits your stage of life.
| You'll trade | For |
|---|---|
| State income tax | Zero state income tax in Washington (yes, really) |
| A long, dry summer | The sunniest, mildest July through September in the country, and a longer wet winter |
| Freeway-only commuting | Ferries, water taxis, and light rail as legitimate daily options |
| An 1,800 sq ft city lot | A half-acre or full acre with mature firs and madrones (on the islands and peninsula) |
| Anonymous neighbors | School parents, parade marchers, and First Friday faces you'll see all year |
| Big-box convenience on every corner | A 20-minute drive (or one ferry ride) to almost anything, with quiet in between |
And if you're moving the other direction, from the islands and peninsula into Seattle or the Eastside for work or school, I help with that too. The conversation is the same: where do you want your daily life to happen?
Free download
The Puget Sound Newcomer's Guide.
A printable PDF I send to every relocating client. Ferry routes and schedules, school district overview, community-by-community housing breakdown, year-round events calendar, recommended local services, and a personal welcome from me. Enter your details below and the PDF lands in your inbox in under a minute.
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