Resources
Guides for island matters
Plain-language starting points for the questions we hear most often. These are general information, not legal advice — every matter turns on its own facts.
Buying property on Orcas Island
Island parcels come with questions a mainland checklist won’t catch. Before you waive contingencies, know the answers to these:
- Title & access — does access cross private land, and is the easement recorded? Who maintains the road, and is there an agreement that says so?
- Water — well, shared system, or rain catchment? If shared, ask for the water-system agreement and recent test results.
- Septic — when was the system last inspected, and is it sized for the use you intend?
- Shoreline — waterfront parcels carry state and county shoreline rules that limit what you can build or change.
- Boundaries — older parcels may never have been formally surveyed; fences are not boundaries.
An estate-planning checklist
A complete plan is usually a small set of documents that answer who decides, who inherits, and who steps in:
- A will — and for many island families, a revocable living trust
- Durable power of attorney for finances
- Health care directive and medical power of attorney
- Beneficiary designations that match the plan (retirement accounts and life insurance pass outside your will)
- Guardianship nominations if you have minor children
- A letter of wishes for the personal things documents don’t cover
What probate actually involves
Washington probate is more straightforward than its reputation. The court appoints a personal representative, creditors get notice, assets are gathered and debts paid, and what remains is distributed — commonly six months to a year. Good planning (and often a trust) can simplify or avoid the process; poor beneficiary paperwork is what tends to complicate it.
Useful official resources
- Washington Courts — probate forms and self-help resources
- San Juan County — recording, assessor, and land-use information