Over the last decade, Bellingham has seen phenomenal growth. Blessed with the ocean, rivers, lakes, mountains and forests at our backdoors, people are flocking to the area to enjoy nature combined with city amenities. With this increased population there comes the question: do we move outward or upward?

The Growth Management Board of Washington, along with other city, county and state officials are opting for the latter. “Higher Density Housing” is becoming the buzz phrase of the area as we try to put more people into the same amount of space. This leaves us with a few questions:

How do we combine different types, sizes and prices of homes on land that is becoming increasingly expensive?

How do we deal with increased traffic and the risk of increased crime associated with higher density housing?

How do we maintain our unique “Bellingham” character?

These questions will be addressed by Gordon Price as he presents ” Growing/Liveable Vancouver - Creating the livable communities we want” on Thursday October 6, 2005 at 2pm and 7pm at the Whatcom County Courthouse Council Chambers located at 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham. As City Counciller for Vancouver, BC, and community planning professor at UBC, Mr. Price has helped Vancouver realize its potential as a family and business friendly city. For more information regarding this event, call 360-671-5600 x4.

We would love to hear your thoughts regarding this issue. Please feel free to post your comments here, or email us at info@johnsonteamrealestate.com.

For those of you wondering - do we have a citizenship day? We certainly do! It’s a day that I have come to remember. My article from a few years back will tell you why…. 

September 17th was Citizenship Day.  It was established in 1952 by President Truman to give recognition to those who have achieved citizenship during the past year, but it is also intended to remind all citizens of both their rights and their responsibilities.  September 17th was chosen because it is the day the Constitution of the United States of America was signed in 1787.  That Constitution is the oldest working Constitution in the world today.

I didn’t know all this until September 16th, when I watched my sister-in-law being sworn in as a brand new U.S. citizen.  I found it a very moving and interesting experience.  It took place in United States District Court, with a judge presiding.  41 people had completed the citizenship course, passed the test, and were now ready to become citizens.  Several of them spoke about the path that brought them to that point and their thoughts about this country.  As one who was born here and sometimes takes my life for granted, I was humbled.  For the people raising their hands that day the promise that America offers is very bright, and they are bringing energy, talent and a willingness to work and sacrifice that can only be of benefit to the rest of us.

It is so easy for us to criticize our country, because we have the right (and the responsibility) to do so.  We also have the right (and the responsibility) to change it for the better if change is needed.  The most basic way of asserting these rights and responsibilities is by informing ourselves and voting, and with an election on the horizon it seemed that this was an appropriate time for this story.

We of The Johnson Team take our responsibilities to our clients very seriously as well – call us with your real estate needs – we think you will be glad you did.
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THE BOTTOM LINE

If you will only play poker with a full deck, perhaps you should ask a real estate agent about their MLS affiliation before you hire them.�
You could be playing with half a deck in your real estate transaction.

There have recently been some changes in the way property listings are handled in Whatcom County.  While they aren’t particularly obvious to the public at large, they can have a huge impact on buyers and sellers. 

For years, agents have banded together in  Multiple Listing Services.  The agreement is that all member agents will pool their listings and make them available to each other to show and sell.  This gives buyers and sellers greater access to each other in a very efficient manner.  These MLSs  were typically formed on a local basis.  An example is the Bellingham Whatcom County Multiple Listing Service (BWCMLS).

Recent years have seen the growth of regional multiple listing organizations, such as the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), which serves much of the State of Washington.  Over the past 24 months some real estate companies in Whatcom County have joined NWMLS to give their listed properties broader exposure.  Recently, some of those companies have withdrawn from the BWCMLS, so their listed properties show up only to agents who are members of the NWMLS…and therein lies the impact on buyers and sellers.

If you are a seller and your agent’s office is a member exclusively of the NWMLS or the BWCMLS, many of the local agents are unaware of it and have no access to information about it.  Their buyers never see you.  If you are a buyer and your agent’s office is a member exclusively of the NWMLS or BWCMLS, they don’t know about all the properties available for sale in Whatcom County and neither do you.  Either way, it is your bottom line that is affected.

The Johnson Team and The Muljat Group
 Members NWMLS & BWCMLS

I have nearly finished reading the 9/11 Commission Report.  It was not something I planned to read, but I picked up a copy, glanced inside, and was caught.  I don’t know who did the actual writing, but it was masterfully done.

I learned a great deal.  The report begins with a background of terrorist activities directed toward the United States by al Qaeda and other extremist Islamic groups since the early 1990’s.  It gives a minute by minute account of what happened with each of the 4 planes that were hijacked that day and the actions taken by the entities involved from the airlines to the military.  It discusses the roles of the various governmental agencies involved in the security of the US.  It describes the rescue work done at the World Trade Center.  I am now reading the recommendations made by the commission as a result of its investigation.

The book describes two major failures which allowed 9/11 to happen and cost additional lives in the rescue attempt:  a “failure of imagination” and a failure of communication.  In reflecting, it seems to me that so many disasters in our daily lives are caused and made worse by the same failures.  Typically they don’t cause deaths, but they certainly cause relationships and financial dreams to die.  Perhaps from 9/11 we can all learn something that will help us to make our own small part of the world better, and maybe that’s a start on the rest of it.

My how the time does fly by during the sunny months of summer.  All of us here at The Johnson Team are settling into the fall season as the pace seems to slow down a bit when the kids back in school and the summer vacationers are back to work. The Johnson Team Moving Truck is especially in demand this time of year as the fall showers are starting to move in and suddenly a covered moving truck seems much more appealing.  If you are thinking you would like to use our truck just call ahead and make an appointment and we’ll be sure to fit you in.

Mike is currently ending one recreational season and moving onto the next.  Golf and boating season are coming to end with fishing and hunting now on the horizon. So, if you see Mike twitching his arm the next time you see him, don’t worry, nothing is wrong, it’s just a case of the golf withdrawals during the fall and winter months.  Lauren, Mike’s little one is growing by the day, the next time you are in the office, be sure to check out his latest photos, as the proud Dad would be delighted to show them to you.

Graham too has been busy at the office, and with our new server installed this summer, he is also able to do a lot of his work from home as well. Next, month is going to be a big month for Graham.  The condo he is purchasing in the Morse Square Building with be fully complete and ready for him to move in.  He is already teasing us about no longer having to mow a lawn or upkeep the flower beds.

Fawn has been spending time in the office working on some new marketing ideas that you’ll see implemented throughout the year.  The beginning of the month also saw much fun for her, as she headed off to Northern California for a racing road trip.  First is was off to the Napa Valley for a three day race at Calistoga Speedway, then a couple of days off to relax in Sacramento with the racing crew and finally off to the highlight of Fawn’s year, Gold Cup. Held in Chico, CA, Gold Cup is a three day World of Outlaws Sprint Car race, full of fast cars, racing families and afternoon barbeques, all of which go straight to Fawn’s heart.

Rich has been taking sometime to explore various internet sites that may help our listing exposure, and has been getting some great results.  But, the big news here at The Johnson Team, is Rich’s Office.  After much constructive criticism from the Team, his office has gone through a major transformation.  We aren’t exactly sure what made the difference, the four heft trash bags that were hauled out of there or the new pictures of the wall, we’ll let you decide when you come for a visit.

Lylene has been working on new systems in the office to help better improve our client service and efficiency.  Between that, both she and Rich enjoyed a lovely three week visit with their eldest son Chandler. They took a family trip over to Grandview to visit Lylene’s Dad and have enjoyed some great dinners with family and friends alike.

Now that you are up to date with the happenings of the team we would love to hear what’s new with you and your family, if you are in the area be sure to drop by our office for a visit, we would love to see you.  Remember, too if there is anything we can help you with don’t hesitate to call, we’d be glad to help.

Team Talk

The office was full of changes and business during the summer months.  Kesha is no longer with the team and has moved to other opportunities at Whatcom Land Title, which is great since she still comes by the office daily.  She says it’s for a pick ups or deliveries, but we really think that maybe she just misses us.  The other big happening was the team trip to the Star Power Real Estate Conference in San Francisco.  What a great time, with so many new ideas and all the new technology it really helped to keep us all on our toes.

Mike chose not to fly down to the conference and instead drove down, checking out many of the local golf courses along the way.  After the conference was over, Kim flew down and met him and they enjoyed making the drive back together checking out the Napa Valley Wineries, Carmel, San Jose, Lake Shasta and all the sites along the way.  It was a great trip for both he and Kim, but boy are we glad to have him back!

Graham has seen some of the busiest months of his career this summer and has it seems as though there wasn’t a single new listing that he didn’t take the time to preview.  He did take a much deserved weekend off and headed over to Leavenworth to enjoy a great weekend soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the Wenatchee River.

Fawn is finally getting settled into her new house and she and Yukon (her dog) have adjusted nicely to life in Everson.  Racing season locally is coming to a close at the end of the month, but as we speak she is anxiously looking forward to her trip to Chico, California to attend Gold Cup, a World of Outlaws sprint car race.  There is also much talk of her racing full time locally next year, so it looks as though we may soon have a Johnson Team sprint car to match the moving truck.

Rich also enjoyed sometime away from the office pre-conference, he flew down early first to attend a technology conference and then took the couple of days before the next conference to spend some time backpacking in the Lake Tahoe area with he and Lylene’s eldest son Chandler.  Then it was back to San Francisco to meet up with the rest of the team for the Star Power Conference.

Lylene didn’t get as lucky to travel around and check out the sites, but she did get the chance to attend her Grandview High School Class reunion (we’ll let you guess which one), and spend sometime in the valley with her father.  She had a great time and happened to be in the valley during the peach harvest, which was great for everyone here in the office whom she brought back extras for.
Seems as though the summer came and went almost a quickly as some of our listings.  Nothing has slowed down here, the office continues to be a hustle and bustle of new listings and sales, but there is always room for more, so give us a call if there is anything we can help you with.

Every summer we attend a national real estate seminar.  We return from it brimming with ideas to improve what we do and filled with increased energy and enthusiasm.  As soon as possible after we return we have our team retreat, where our goals, both business and personal, are set and the programs are established to get us to those goals during the following year.

Recently the following article came across my computer.  Knowing how well early planning works for us, I thought I would pass the following along to you:�
You may have noticed that toward the end of summer your energy level begins to sag. Your tendency to accomplish less may be obvious or even quite subtle.  Nevertheless, when that first fresh breath of autumn passes through, you suddenly feel rejuvenated.  Your energy returns, your objectives come back into focus, and you’re back on track.

What a great time of year to formulate some positive autumn resolutions - to literally “turn over a new leaf.”  In a 1949 issue of “Good Housekeeping”, an author notes that we make negative resolutions in January, i.e. “lose” weight, “quit” smoking, etc. - and we do it at a time when we are “worn out in spirit, body, and pocketbook, and have no real urge to do anything but rest.”

So - why not use November’s entrance into the new season as your excuse to formulate some new goals?  Instead of concentrating on the negatives (as in January), take some time alone to work on the positives you want to invite into your life.  It can include everything from simple joys of time with family and loved ones to a complex plan to pump up the production level of your business.

Best of all, you won’t be worn out by the holidays and depressed by the weather.  There’s no need to share your revitalized outlook with anyone.  Work quietly, think outside the box, and plant some new seeds for future growth.  Happy “New Year”!

Last night we had a wonderful treat – Rich and I had dinner with our sons.  Graham lives here so we are fortunate in being able to see him often, but Chandler lives in California at the moment, so it is not often that the 4 of us can be together.

The boys are now adults – self-supporting, independent young men – and being able to spend time with them was worth all the various hassles and inconveniences along the way (we were actually pretty lucky).  Last night we remembered the growing up years on Lummi Island – their friends, the old timers, their grandparents – all the parts of  becoming an adult.  We told stories and laughed a lot, and it was one of those special nights that sometimes just happen. 

We enjoyed our children during those growing up years, but I really think the greatest pleasure in being a parent lies in one day looking at this adult and realizing that while they will never cease to be your child, what you now have is a very special equal – a friend with whom you have a unique bond.

So for those of you with young children, appreciate them, enjoy them, love them – and know that it will only get better.