The Bellingham Real Estate Blog » Birch Bay/Blaine

Luxury Real Estate in Bellingham and Whatcom County!

Fawn — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:59:12 +0000

With a vast array of natural beauty, culture and history it is no wonder that we are noticing that Bellingham and Whatcom County seem to be attracting more luxury home buyers. Bellingham and the whole Whatcom County area are graced with many luxurious homes and estates. The incredible natural landscape and history help Bellingham boast some of the finest luxury real estate in the nation.

Wherever your real estate price point rests luxury can be at your finger tips. Whether you are looking for incredible snowcapped mountain views of Mt. Baker, rolling acreage to enjoy your equestrian members of the family or a private dock for you boat, you can find it all here.

Each week we showcase homes which have just sold and help you get an idea of what the Belligham and Whatcom County Luxury Real Estate Market’s have to offer. You can also search for active luxury real estate our our website’s Bellingham Luxury Real Estate Page.

Below are two homes which closed this week from the Bellingham area luxury real estate market:

5537 Nigh Heron sold this week for $780,000 and is located in Blaine, Washington just a short 5-10 min drive to the Canadian Border or a 25 minute drive to Bellingham.

This incredible 3 bedroom, 4.25 bath home is a spacious 4,200 sq ft. From the home you can enjoy stunning views of Drayton Harbor, the city of White Rock and the Canadian Mountians. If getting around is an issue for you or anyone in your family you are sure to be pleased with the small elevator making moving to the second level of the home a breeze. Luxury finishes throughout the home include stainless steel appliances, his and hers vanities, a gourmet kitchen and a cozy gas fireplace.

3911 Lakeshore Rd sold last week for $619,00 and is located in Bellingham just off the beautiful shores of Lake Whatcom. From this 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom house you can enjoy breathtaking Lake Whatcom views, your own private shop and the luxury of living in one of Bellingham’s most premier neighborhood.

To search for Bellingham and Whatcom County luxury real estate currently listed for sale be sure and check out The Johnson Team Real Estate’s Luxury Real Estate Page.

For more information on Bellingham Real Estate or to search for homes in the Bellingham and Whatcom County area visit www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com, your one stop Bellingham real estate and community information resource!

Birch Bay Polar Bear Plunge Jan. 1st!

Fawn — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 17:57:44 +0000

Are you looking for a new way to ring in the new year? Then you might want to head out to Birch Bay and check out the 28th Annual Polar Bear Plunge.

The cold plunge into the frigid waters of Birch Bay takes place at noon in the water in front of the Birch Bay Chamber and CJ’s Beach House. Registration for the plunge is free and starts at 9:30am. For those that are feeling extra adventurous there is a costume contest as well. Judging for the contest takes place at 11:30am. Prizes will be given for, Most Years Plunging, Oldest Participant, Best Individual Costume, Best Group Costume, and Farthest Traveling Participant.

If you are looking for something a little warmer and less intense you might check out the Birch Bay Ring of Fire and Hope that takes place on New Year’s Eve instead. The Ring of Fire and Hope is local residents way of ringing in the new year an bringing the community together. The ring is formed by flares in the form of a circle. Flares can be picked up at the Birch Bay Visitors Center at 7900 Birch Bay Drive, while supplies last.

If you have never been out to Birch Bay it is a wonderful community with many real estate options available from stately waterfront mansions to Summer cottages on the Bay, there is something for everyone. To view homes and condos for sale in Birch Bay visit the Birch Bay Real Estate Page.

September Real Estate Report for Bellingham and Whatcom County

Fawn — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:27:27 +0000

Real estate sales in Whatcom County for the 3rd quarter of the year bucked the trend of the first 2 quarters and saw the number of home sales hold or rise slightly from 2008. September was unusually strong, beating the sales numbers for August. Unfortunately, median prices did not follow suit, dropping slightly in Bellingham but more than 10% in the County as a whole. A few details of September sales relative to last year:

•Total Whatcom County sales were up by 13%, with Blaine/Birch Bay leading the pack with a 54.5% increase in the number of homes sold and Ferndale close behind with a 41% increase.

•Lynden is still struggling, with a 6.3% drop in sales and a 20% drop in the average sales price.

•Nooksack Valley prices managed to maintain last year’s levels, but every other area of the County dropped – down 9.9% to 20.4%.

Inventory levels continue to fall, which is normal for this time of year, and pending numbers increased again this month, which is not normal for this time of year. It looks as though a few more of these pending sales are translating into solds, based upon the higher September sales numbers, and if we look at the price distribution of those sales, we can see why the average and median prices have fallen. As the table below shows, the under $300,000 portion of the market in Bellingham increased by 7.5% from September of last year, but the pricing in that segment of the market dropped by 9%. This provided a double hit to the median and average prices.

Click to enlarge

To view the complete month end statistics, where we see the real estate market heading and information on Short Sales and Foreclosures visit The Johnson Team Real Estate Market Update Page.

Senior Centers in Belligham and Whatcom County

Fawn — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:22:53 +0000

Bellingham Senior Center

Whatcom County is home to eight senior centers. The largest of the Whatcom County senior centers is operated by The Whatcom County Council on Aging.

Each senior center has a full calendar of events ranging to games to volunteer activities, and meals. Each senior center also takes part in a senior wellness program which includes screening for glaucoma, hearing and cholesterol. A wonderful nutrition program provides meals to visiting seniors and several centers also deliver meals to seniors unable to make it to the center themselves. Not all centers serve meals so it is wise to call and check with your center before visiting.

Enjoy Your Senior Center!

Below is a list of the Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Senior Centers in Whatcom County:

Belligham Senior Activity Center: 315 Halleck St, Bellingham (360) 676-1450

Blaine Community Senior Center: 763 G St, Blaine (360) 332-8040

Everson Senior Center: 111 W Maint St, Everson (360) 966-3144

Ferndale Senior Activity Center: 1998 Cherry St (360) 384-5113

Lynden Community Senior Center: 401 Grover St, Lynden (360) 354-4501

Point Roberts Community Center: 1487 Gulf Rd, Point Roberts (360) 945-5424

Sumas Community Center: 461 Second St, Sumas (360) 988-2714

Welcome Valley Senior Center: 5103 Mosquito Lake Rd, Deming (360) 592-5403

For additional information on senior centers in the Bellingham area feel free to visit the senior resources portion of the Whatcom County Park website.

Waterfront Home in Birch Bay Village

Rich — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:53:40 +0000

New Real Estate listing of no bank waterfont in Birch Bay Village

If you are looking for that special place in paradise, look no further. This waterfront home at 5573 Haida Way in Birch Bay Village is about as close to it as you’ll ever find. This Get-A-Way will be the place of choice for you, your family and your friends for years to come. Whether you choice is sun bathing, a quick dip in the in ground pool, a water massage in the hot tub after an active day, a sauna for those especially achey muscles, a dinner of clams taken from your very front yard or a delectable crab dinner taken again from ever plentiful Birch Bay, it’s all here. All you have to do is walk through the door at 5573 Haida Way in Birch Bay Village and it’s all at your finger tips. To view additional photos of this Birch bay listing access The Johnson Team’s On-Line Photo Gallery.
If you’d care to preview this wonderful home contact The Johnson Team at
1-888-713-3056. They would be delighted to share it with you.

To view additional waterfront homes in Whatcom County, access The Johnson Team ’s
On-Line Internet Search is updated continually through the day. If you’d like to be in the Know relative to our local real estate market, you can do so by accessing The Johnson Team’s On-Line Market Update tutorial.

If you have questions about real estate in general or specific questions about a property that has peeked your interest, give us a call. We be delighted to help you any way that we can.

What’s Happening in the Bellingham & Whatcom County Real Estate Market?

Fawn — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:26:55 +0000

Whatcom County sales are coming back, although the resurgence is spotty.

Bellingham sold 100 houses in June of both 2008 & 2009
Sudden Valley was up from 8 sales in 2008 to 22 in 2009
Ferndale & Birch Bay/Blaine also had more sales in June 2009 than in June 2008
Lynden had the largest drop in sales, from 21 last year to 15 this year
Whatcom County as a whole was up almost 12% in the number of residences sold

The higher numbers were not totally unexpected, as pending sales have been rising for most areas relative to last year, while inventory levels continue to fall.

Prices dropped across the board from June of 2008, but the average sale price for Whatcom County as a whole is up by 3% and the median by 2.2% from May, which is more indicative of what our market is doing right now. An interesting side note is that the percentage of sale price to list price has stayed quite consistent over the past year.

Bellingham: June 2008/June 2009 Average down 18%, Median down 10.8%
Bellingham: May 2009/June 2009 Average up 6.3%, Median up 9.6%
Total Whatcom County: June 2008/June 2009 Average down 17.7%, Median down 9.6%
Total Whatcom County: May 2009/June 2009 Average up 3%, Median up 2.2%

As the chart below clearly shows, we went to a new, lower “normal” price range after August of last year, but unit sales are showing a sharper seasonal increase than they did a year ago.

So where is the Bellingham and Whatcom County Real Estate Market going? Visit www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com to view the complete June 2009 Month End real estate report .

Bellingham & Whatcom County Weekly Real Estate Activity

Fawn — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:52:06 +0000

Weekly we keep track of the number of homes on the market that have offers on them and those that do not, this is what we call Pending Ratios.

As of today July 6th the pending ratio in Bellingham was 23%. Bellingham’s pending ratio remained stable from the previous week’s percentage of 25%. Pending is the time frame between when an offer has been mutual accepted between the buyer’s and the seller’s of the home and when the title actually transfers hands. This give the buyer’s time to get the financing, do inspection, review the title reports and more.

Birch Bay had a pending ratio of 18%.

Ferndale has a pending ratio of 20%.

The Lynden area in East Whatcom County has a pending ratio of 15%.

The Sudden Valley pending ratio was 23%.

To view a complete history of Whatcom County Pending Ratios or for other real estate statistics don’t hesitate to contact The Johnson Team at (360) 303-2734 or by email at Info@JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com

Saltwater Waterfront Property in Bellingham / Whatcom County

Rich — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:37:43 +0000

Waterfront property in Whatcom County & Bellingham is about as good as it gets. Whether you are a kayaker, fisherman, kid with a sand bucket & shovel or an avid clammer with clam gun, there is something here for everyone.

Secluded Sunrise Cove on Lummi Island

Waterfront property / real estate in Whatcom County is about as varied as you can imagine.

If you are interested in saltwater waterfront / real estate, look no further? With about 65 miles of coastal shoreline from the US / Canadian border to Blanchard on the South, Whatcom County has plenty to offer in the way of saltwater waterfront property that will appeal to a variety of needs & uses. From North to South this Whatcom County waterfront includes:

A crisp winter morning in the Bay

Drayton Harbor &

Semiahmoo Bay povide ecellent moorage for boats of all sizes. In this area, waterfront property / real estate prices range from a $25,000 boat slip at the marina to a 4 bedroom home on Drayton Harbor priced in the mid $500,000 range to a gorgeous home with water access on Blue Heron Ln for $2,475,000. There are Whatcom County waterfront homes in this area to fit a variety of price points. If you have interest in homes currently on the market in Drayton Harbor, click here for homes in Semiahmoo click here.
Birch Bay Village with its breakwater, moorage & docks, all of which is just moments to the heart of the San Juan Islands includes homes that fit a variety of budgets. To review those homes that are currently listed for sale in Birch Bay Village & Birch Bay and click here..
Birch Bay where every kid in Whatcom County has had an opportunity to build a sand castle & chase seagulls. Birch Bay has been enjoyed by generations as a place to vacation & is a favorite for all those who are seeking a beach to hang out for a sunny afternoon. Waterfront homes / real estate prices range in Birch Bay & Birch Bay Village from a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath condo at Jacob’s Landing for $208,500 to a home on the beach on Nakat Way in Birch Bay Village for $999,950.
Industrial area of Cherry Point where Foss Tugs escort oil tankers to the loading docks to drop off crude and ore or take on a load of fuel or aluminum.
Sandy Point community with their breakwater, marina & docks, the community of Sandy Point offers an opportynity for the person who wants direct access to the Puget Sound. There are a variety of housing choices ( waterfront real estate ) here that range from homes with moorage slips to double wide manufactured homes with beach access in Sandy Point Heights. If you have interest in homes that are currently on the market in Sandy Point or Sandy Point Heights click here.
Gooseberry Point has the ferry terminal for the Whatcom Chief, taking passengers to Lummi Island. There are some wonderful housing choices at Gooseberry Point that range from no bank waterfront homes with sandy beaches to homes on high dramatic bluffs with views of the San Juan Islands.
Lummi Island lies across Hales Passage from Gooseberry Point. Lummi Island was our home for nearly 30 years, and while our reasons for living there were varied, they all came down to lifestyle. The facts of the Island are straightforward. It lies less than a mile off the coast of Whatcom County, which is just a 10 minute ferry ride via the Whatcom Chief. It supports a permanent population of approximately 900 people, a store, several restaurants, several bed and breakfasts and an active artists’ colony. Real estate varies on Lummi Island from a gorgeous contemporary home in Sunrise Cove to a lovely high bank waterfront home at 1170 Beach Ave in Lummi Island Scenic Estates to a cozy 2 bedroom at 3708 Harmony Lane. If you have interest in homes that are currently listed for sale on Lummi Island, click here
Headed into Bellingham Bay we’ll go by Portage Island to Eliza Island. Eliza Island has a land mass of about 140 acres & as of the 2000 census there were 10 year around residents. The population base comes from week-end & vacation residents who have built homes there. Access to Eliza Island is by either private boat or plane except in the summer, when there is footpassenger ferry service to Eliza Island & beyond. Currently, there is a home listed for sale very near the dock that is a wonderful piece of no bank waterfront.
Bellingham Bay is always interesting (it seems as though there is frequently a stiff SouthWesterly there that can make crossing the Bay in a small boat interesting or wet. An excellent way to discover Bellingham Bay in the summer is to take the Bellingham Bay Cruise sponsored by the Historical Society.
After circling Bellingham Bay & continuing South you’ll discover the Chuckanut Shoreline to Skagit County which includes some of the finest waterfront real estate in Whatcom County. Bellingham waterfront homes would include the house currently on the market at 414 Bayside which has its own unique marina. To view a market analysis for waterfront property along Chuckanut click here. If you have interest in homes that are currently listed for sale in this area, click here.

The waterfront shoreline in Bellingham & Whatcom County has changed dramatically since my family first moved here in the 1910’s. My Mom talked of picnics on the beaces of Fairhaven, digging clams, swimming in the lagoon formed by tresel #2 & bears swimming in their water reservoir. Much has changed since then but I can remember in the early 1950’s when we’d drive down Holly St & my sister & I hold our noses (making the appropriate noises) over the smell of the Georgia Pacific Pulp Mill. Looking back it seems impossible that the City would have allowed a garbage dump at the Roeder Ave site but at the time, no one thought the worse for it . The site of what is now the Bellweather Hotel was a favorite spot for kite flying & frisby play, or an afternoon picnic with your Family.

The San Juan Islands from Oyster Dome on Chuckanut Mountain

Depending on which side of the political fence you are on will determine how you look at these changes & those that will continue to be made. As a Realtor, a citizen & a Dad who wants to leave something for his kids & their generation, my wish is that we will give sufficent consideration to those changes yet to be made so that this remains a community with wide appeal to all. I have yet to have a client ask me to find them a home where there is plenty of asphalt, noise, traffic & hazy skies.

Birch Bay/Blaine Real Estate Statistics for the Week Beginning Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008

Fawn — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:56:11 +0000

Currently this week in Blaine/Birch Bay, WA the Pending Ratio is 10%, which is stable with the ratio posted last week. The pending ratios are the percentage of homes listed that have pending offers on them.

Below is a graph to view the Blaine/Birch Bay Real Estate pending sales trend.

To view the pending ratios in numerical form click here

Lummi Island Ferry Punchcards

Lylene — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:01:47 +0000

If you are still holding onto unused Lummi Island ferry punchcards that expired on June 1st, you have a limited time to exchange them for credit toward new cards. With the summer car and driver rate up to $10 per trip, purchase of a new 10 trip punch card at $72 will save you $2.80 per trip, and purchase of a 25 trip punch card at $160 will save $3.60 per trip. It’s worth stopping at the 2nd floor of 322 N Commercial St (across from the library lawn). . . or call 360-676-6876 and they will tell you how to exchange your old cards by mail. The deadline for exchange is August 29th. �