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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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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.![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=9a0a2958-7c1d-4151-88b0-6a70f4e423d1)
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