If you've spent time on the Everett waterfront, you've no doubt noticed Hat Island, our mysterious neighbor to the west. It's an unusual square mile of land, thick with trees and surrounded by large beaches below steep bluffs. It seems like a cool place to boat over to and check out, but you can't—it's privately-owned and only residents and their guests are allowed.

Luckily I found the perfect resident to show me around, real estate expert and 32-year resident Charlotte Maulsby.

Maulsby knows everything about Hat Island and probably everyone who lives there, having sold homes to many of them. If you're interested in land or a home on the island, she can take you over on her boat and drive you around in the car she keeps there.

Our first stop on the tour was a client visit at a gorgeous 2,300 square foot home just up the hill with an amazing view of the marina below. At $575,000, Maulsby says a similar view home on the mainland would cost twice as much. Bear in mind that much like with a condo, you'll owe dues since the island needs a budget to operate. It works out to about $140 per month.

So, what's life over there really like? Just about everything is different. They get electricity from the mainland and water from six wells around the island that's treated using reverse osmosis. Cell phones work and you can have high-speed internet, but you can't get mail or deliveries. Residents buy airlift insurance for medical emergencies. Recycling is available, but you have to haul garbage to the mainland yourself. That can be done using the passenger ferry from Everett, but it only runs twice Thursday and once daily Friday-Sunday. There's a shuttle to get you from the marina to your house.

Many residents use their own boats and cars instead. Slips at the marina cost about as much for a year as one would pay for a month in Everett, and cars don't have to be registered or insured. Fuel is only available for purchase at the fire station on Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m., but you're unlikely to need a refill very often.

So what do you do when your car breaks down? "Someone can help," Maulsby says. The same goes for home repairs. It's a great place to be if you like to DIY, but more importantly, it's a community that takes care of itself. This means it's not really a place to go if you want to be completely alone, but it's perfect if you want to know your neighbors. If that sounds like you, Maulsby can show you everything Hat Island has to offer.

Some homes are on multiple lots and often include the lot across the road to preserve the view. If you'd like to build rather than move into or fix up an existing home, materials can be brought over by barge and several builders live there. One thing to keep in mind is that Hat Island isn't part of the tiny house craze; they enforce an 800 square foot minimum when building, and no mobile homes are allowed.

If you'd like to check it out, several vacation rentals are available via Airbnb and VRBO, and there's even an apartment for rent at the marina office. You can also visit by boat if you're a member of any of the 77 yacht clubs with reciprocal privileges. Once each year for 48 hours, those members can use the reciprocal dock and access the clubhouse, golf course, tennis court, and picnic area.

It's unlikely you could find or afford a private island, but you can certainly have a piece of one at Hat Island. It's a boating, golfing, crabbing and clamming paradise, so if those are your favorite activities and you love them with a singular focus, Hat Island may be the perfect place to claim your vacation property or permanent home.

Additional photos provided by Charlotte Maulsby.

Christopher Bragg works from home in Everett and loves walking, swimming, and cats. You can find him all over town, but only if you keep weird hours and avoid crowds like he does.