Why Bellingham?

Why live in Bellingham? I have lived on the east coast (North Carolina) the midwest (Indiana, Kansas and Ohio) and thought I would never be a west coast gal. My husband had to literally drag me out here in the 80's for a visit. As we flew in to Seattle, I couldn't believe my eyes! This looked nothing like any place I had ever been. The GREEN-NESS of it all, the low lying clouds that look like smoke drifting around the mountains. The beautiful Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands.... it was a revelation to me. I loved it. We walked in the old growth Forest and the smell of cedar, the quiet beauty of it all, I knew this was the place for me. We have lived in Bellingham for 6 years now and I still am amazed by the beauty that surrounds me on a daily basis. Living in a college town with loads to do and access to Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle makes life interesting.

The Bellingham Market

So, we have all heard the buzz that the real estate market has "burst its' bubble". While this may be true in some areas of our nation, the market is still strong in Western Washington State. In fact, home sales in Bellingham are slightly up this year over last year. The major effect on our market has been that homes are staying on the market slightly longer than they have in years past. Additionally, home value increases of 20%+ that we experienced in 2004 and 2005 are no more. House prices are up SLIGHTLY this year (about 2%). So, we are no longer a sellers market, but not quite a buyers market either. Many people have expressed to me that they are waiting to buy a home in Bellingham when prices start dropping. I don't think that this will ever happen. At best we may hold steady on prices going in to 2008. Photo credit toreofteness.com.