Residential Homes

A View to Remember on Chuckanut Shore

South of Bellingham, down the hill from the beautiful Chuckanut Drive, lies a small, cozy community of about two to three dozen homes perched on the cliffs above Bellingham Bay, overlooking the San Juans and the tiny Dot Island.  The setting is reminiscent of the cliffs of Malibu, California, mixed with the forest greens and cobalt blues of the Pacific Northwest.

Resting quietly at the center of this little community is a wonderfully updated 1960’s-era Cape Cod-style home with a commanding 180-degree SW facing view of the islands and the bay, with 103 feet of saltwater-frontage, complete with private dock.

The home itself contrasts perfectly with the breathtaking views by offering a refreshingly warm, intimate atmosphere, especially given it’s nearly 3200 square feet.  The main floor is comprised of a study, two living areas (one at each end) and dining area, surrounding a central kitchen.  A patio extends along the length of the house looking over the water. The layout is such that just about every room has a view of the islands.  There are a total of four bedrooms and three bathrooms.  Having received a face-lift in 2000, the home features Scandinavian-inspired character, with bright, vibrant colors, excellent natural light, and the best in modern appliances.  The decor is tasteful and inviting, carefully arranged by a loving owner with a true eye for design. Given the evident symmetry of home and decor, the owner’s are willing to include much of it with a sale.

Click on the pictures below for full-sized versions. Click here for a Virtual Tour.

Externally, this home and neighborhood have a lot to offer. In addition to the home’s 103 feet of private waterfront, there is a community boat launch nearby, as well as a  private beach available to owners.  The home itself has a private dock. The water is not deep for large vessels, though there is plenty of room for deep-water moorage out in the bay, with access by dinghy.  There is also a two-car garage, with guest parking available across the street.

View Larger Map

Priced at $1,595,000, this home is a real treasure.  It is quiet, private, and unquestionably special, perfect for anyone looking to live in understated luxury while enjoying the peaceful serenity offered by one of the most incredible natural settings in the World.

Owner financing is available at competitive rates to qualified buyers.

For more information on this luxury Bellingham home, please e-mail Rob LeRoy at rob.leroy@exprealty.com, or call me directly at 206.883.6668.

Please visit my website, www.TheRealEsateNovelist.com

Home-Staging Consultations FREE with New Listings!

If you are thinking about selling your house this year, you might want to get ready sooner, rather than later. With the impending expiration of the First-Time-Buyer tax credit, many experts in the industry are nervous about the potential market adjustment to follow. Given that first-time buyers accounted for an astounding 47% of all home sales last year, it stands to reason that there is the risk of a slump in sales following the expiration of the tax credit.  At the very least, it looks clear that there are a whole lot of would-be buyers running around scooping up whatever they can find while there’s still time. With the expiration of the tax credit set for June 1st, time is of the essence, and I’m here to help.

How About  a Free Home Staging consultation?

From now until April 30th, I will be teaming up with Bellingham Home Staging to provide complimentary home staging consultations on all new listings.  The fabulous Kimberly Lee of Bellingham Home Staging will give your home the makeover it needs to sell quickly for a great price.  So yes, you will have to lose the fuzzy tapestry of dogs playing poker ( I really miss mine from college…), and she’ll probably make you hide any self-portraits from past vacations (sorry, but buyers don’t need to see you in a thong…), but it will be worth it. Don’t worry, we won’t mock you for having bad taste (at least I won’t)…it’s not your fault. Some people just have a gift for design…just like some people have a gift for writing humorous real estate articles…ahem… I should clarify that Kimberly will be telling you what to do…not me. I’m too nice to tell you that you have bad taste. I will, however, bring donuts. What is Home Staging?

“Home staging is a proven advertising method in real estate, interior design, and retail that uses principles in design, psychology, and marketing to make a house more attractive to the emotions of a purchaser. As Consumers, we see this every day when we look at our favorite issues of Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart Living, shop at Ikea, or look through a Crate and Barrel Catalog. Items are placed, arranged, and organized to make the consumer want or need them. Everything is neat, orderly, and neutralized to attract a wide range of buyers who have differing styles and tastes. Ultimately, we want buyers to see and feel themselves living in your house. “ – Kimberly Lee.

If you have us list your home, you will get much more than this fantastic staging consultation. You’ll also get a custom blog article to accompany the MLS listing. I’ll write and in-depth portrait of your home that goes well beyond the limitations of the MLS, print media, and other traditional marketing avenues. You’ll see your home prominently featured on this website (with 7,000 monthly visitors!), as well as several similar sites to maximize exposure across the entire internet*. We’ll also broadcast the details by email to our database of thousands of website subscribers. For examples of my previous listing articles, click here, here and here. The combined force of our staging and unbeatable online marketing strategy will give your home the exposure it needs to sell for the best possible price in the shortest amount of time.

*87% of home buyers use the internet to look for homes, and 85% use buyers agents, who of course search online, as well.

For more information on Bellingham Home Staging, click here or join the Facebook fanpage here!

For more information on the benefits of home staging, in general, click here.

Click the thumbnails below for some before-and-after staging shots

Thanks for reading!  Please leave your comments below. If you have any questions or want to schedule a listing consultation, please feel free to email Rob LeRoy directly at rob.leroy@exprealty.com or call me at 206.883.6668

Be sure to check out my other website, TheRealEstateNovelist.com!

Rob LeRoy’s Happy Client Stories

Here are some of the nice things my past clients have had to say about working with me.

“You are heads above any of the other realtors we have worked with!” – Shelley T., Bellingham, WA

“As soon as I requested info on real estate in the Bellingham area, you were the first to respond.  Then you asked the right questions to learn what we wanted and sent me not only relevant listings, but also information about the area and other activities that helped convince us NW Washington was where we wanted to live. So when we arrived for our area tour, we were already pretty sure we wanted to live here.

Of course our wish list evolved as we actually toured the area and homes, and certainly your candid assessment of the different areas helped us more quickly focus on the areas that were right for us.   We saw a lot of homes, and you helped us screen well over a hundred before eventually buying one in an area you led us to.  The search was intense for several days, and we appreciated your energy, positive attitude, and daily research to help us reach our goal.

It was a pleasure to work with you!”  - Carl L. Anacortes, WA

“Rob made our home buying experience so easy. Buying a home sight unseen could have turned out very badly. However, he understood our needs and desires and was able to help us find the perfect home for us from across the country.” - Matt and Allison E., Bellingham, WA

A behind the scenes look at a Bellingham Real Estate Agent’s Day

Got a great call from my mom.  It’s at 1:55 on a Tuesday afternoon, the kind where she asks what I’m up to, forgetting the time difference between Rhode Island and here. In her defense, and playing to my role as a good Irish son, my mom is not at fault here.  She has no idea what I do all day, from day to day, and it’s nearly impossible to chart my hours.

The kicker? She worked in Real Estate for a while, but in what seems like a complelety different eon (not agism) with all the leaps and bounds technology has made in the last 20 years. 10 years. 5 years even.

If I were a doctor (she wishes), lawyer (ditto), or Indian chief (absent from Career Day), a call at 1:55 on a Tuesday would mean I’m knee deep in an operation, a court case, or negotiation for Cape Cod.  But who knows what a real estate agent does, minus the few hours you spend in his or her car? Your answer can be as different as your Starbucks order, depending on the over-caffeinated gal or guy you’re working with.

So I thought a real, and I mean REAL look behind the scenes, here’s what I do during the week to prepare for the time I get up, to when I fall asleep watching I, Robot for the 10,000th time at 11:30.

Client: Registers interest in the ether that is the Internet, in real estate in some shape or form.  Their info is sent to me via e-mail, phone call, or reference from someone who thinks I might be a good fit.

Me? Wake up, to the office at 8:00 to see what’s happened during the course of the night in the way of A) homes on the market that are new, and B) have gone pending, pending inspection, or sold. If I were a listing-centric agent, I’d also check the expired and cancelled listings, in hopes of inviting the seller to a new conversation about their next move.

Then I’m checking stats; what have homes sold for in the past 6 months? Anything else is a different season, equating longer to checking the salmon season regs when it’s deer season. Completely different animal. Unless you’re in a higher price range, in which there’s a longer period these homes are seasoning on the market. If I, haven’t been checking the stats on a weekly, daily basis, there’s no way to know this.

We’re about at 8:30, at which point, as I’m human, I’ve already checked Twitter 400 times, Facebook on my phone to see what folks are up to, and Mint.com to see if I’m still financially in business.

From here? Taking a look at my East Coast clientele, and their folders of favorite homes they’ve saved in the last 12 hours, and planning my phone calls appropriately. Planning phone calls? Yup. I need to have updates, new possibles for you, so the call has actual value to you, and I’m not beamed back to 8th grade, where I call and say,”so, uh, what are you up to?” Then I’m making those calls, leaving messages, and setting new times to call. I’m calling so you don’t have to remember to. It’s to keep me in your mind, so when you DO decide this might be a move you want to make, I’m the guy who’s been helping you, and I’m front of mind.

In between calls, I’m checking e-mail, and answering other calls from the previous day, because every home I visit, the listing agent and seller want to know what I think.  It’s a good system of checks and balances, and beats the hell out of the impersonal e-mail where I fill out a survey.  E-mails can range from changes in banking programs, home warranty stuff so when your “new to you” dryer breaks, you’re not cursing my name at Home Depot as they load in another $500 incidental you didn’t plan for when you moved.

Then I’m out the door. Walking through homes clients have chosen as favorites, new listings on the market that have caught my personal eye, and property in hot spots in our area.  I’m more inclined to preview Fairhaven condos than Vacant Land in Maple Falls, because that’s not where the lion’s share of business resides. I’m taking photos of the interiors of some to keep them straight in my head, giving my clients a better idea of the layout, and sometimes because the photos online? Not so good. They’ve either been touched up more than Mickey Rourke’s Glamour Shots, or just haven’t given an accurate depiction of the property as it sits today. Anybody with a home on Alabama Hill who listed their home in August, and has a green lawn in the photos, knows what Willis is talking about.

This takes me to lunch. Where I sleep a good 4-5 hours. Martinis do that.

The reality? I work through lunch, because my clients don’t. This may be that time where they’re at work browsing for homes, and if I can talk to you while you have real estate on the mind, I jump back into the circle of people trying to help, rather than get you to sign up for Quickstar.

I’m also sending out info on school systems, neighborhood info, recent political news, like land grabs off the Guide, how to correctly navigate roundabouts in Cordata without indirectly paying for someone’s four years at WCC, whatever it takes.  I’m a concierge for Bellingham and Whatcom County, and love that part of my job, as it keeps it dynamic.

Now I’ve got a showing. Just get in the car with my list and unlock the homes. Nope. I’m making appointments, ensuring your 45 pound dog is allowed in the building should you love this place, checking that the house feeds into the high school you want. And putting this together as sweetly as possible without the aid of a Trapper Keeper so it doesn’t look like the cluster it could be. Because two homes into the tour, we might find out that your needs are completely different that we originally talked about. But I’ve spent the morning previewing other possiblities, so we re-adjust the flight pattern, and keep on keeping on.

Right about now, my mom has called twice. And texted. Because my brother thought it was a good idea to open that Pandora’s box to a string of “Lerve you.whts the 411?” messages. Yet my concentration is on the client. Because this might be the only chance I get. I’ve gotten an e-mail during our tour letting me know the loan program we’re using is expiring soon, so if today’s a bust, we’re going back to formula.

Back to the office after the tour to debrief what we liked, disliked, and I’m keeping notes to make sure one home doesn’t blend into another. The contracts here can be up to about 4,000 pages long, depending on the situation, which is great, because it protects the parties involved. But we’re going through it line by line, because this is the largest financial purchase you’re going to make in the next 5 years;  you had better know it back to front. I’ve memorized these forms, and broken it down so it’s understandable in a previous morning, so I’m not bumbling through this meeting like Mr. Furley at Spacecamp Orientation.

Putting the offer together, and coordinating the delivery, then back to the office to catch up on calls and e-mails that have come in during the last 4 hours or so. And rest.

Plan out tomorrow in my head so I can sleep. Then carry on with the rest of my life. This day would be ideal.  But much like all things planned, I’ll reschedule in the middle of the day at a moment’s notice to make sure my client’s needs get met. That’s my job. That’s my day.

And during all this, I’m taking care of my marketing department, my accounting department, fun department, and generally working on staying a good guy. Because no one wants to work with a tool, save Bob Vila.

The point?  You’re going to see a calm and collected person, excited to find your next place or property, in an organized fashion, because you need to know that throughout all the mess that’s going on in the world, you’ve got someone who’s going to make it okay.

Report Finds That Real Estate Agents are Normal People

According to a recent report by a highly reputable investigative entity, most… several…that is, some real estate agents out there are actual people, just like you- with hearts, minds, maybe even a personality!  I can tell you how to spot them.

I know the drill- you’re up late one night, semi-casually considering the possibility of maybe buying Bellingham real estate but don’t know which website is the best, so you sign up to a few, then over the next few days or weeks you get bombarded with phone calls and e-mails from all kinds of people asking you about your potential plans to buy or sell or move or invest… It’s annoying. Some of them stammer, others talk too fast. They leave awkward, rambling messages on your voice-mail and always seem a little bit jittery and caught off-guard if you actually pick up one of their phone calls. I know, I know, it’s all just so uncomfortable…like talking to your mother late on a Sunday afternoon when she’s been out golfing* with “the girls”.  Just remember though, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them. Just be gentle and let them speak.  Who knows, you might get lucky and find one that actually knows what he’s talking about.  That’s especially likely to happen if you dial 360.510.2230 and ask for Rob LeRoy.  He’s one of the best. If you don’t believe me, read this article (#5) written by an industry insider who’s “in the know.”

*drinking Bloody Marys

And another thing- it’s important to keep in mind that this is what we do for a living.  All day, every day…losing sleep, missing birthdays, missing weddings (sometimes our own), ignoring medical check-ups and Happy Hours…wait, we actually never miss those…but, still, you see what I’m getting at. This is our job, our career, so don’t be so surprised when we call and remind you that we exist. It is not our intent to irritate or harass, but rather to educate and provide you with a service, whether that service involves an actual transaction somewhere down the road, or simply some casual, professional advice or instruction on the fascinating world of real estate.  If you’re truly interested, let us know.  If not, don’t be afraid to say you’re just browsing.  We can take rejection, believe me.  Only about 1 -to- 2 out of every 20 people who sign up to a real estate website  actually buys something.  The rest are just browsing, researching, or laughing out loud as they read an exceptionally humorous article written by a gifted young real estate agent.

Good agents are happy to help either way, but it certainly saves everybody a lot of time if you just let us know up front which side you’re on.

Thanks for reading!  Please leave comments below, if you have any. If you’d like to read more of my posts click here.

Extensions happen, stay calm!

They say that buying or selling a home can be among the most stressful experiences of a person’s life, and it is easy to get carried away and freak out. However, with a little bit of patience, preparation, and education, potential hurdles can be easily overcome. One common hurdle is what is called an “Extension of Closing”.  If you aren’t properly prepared, it could jump out at you from the shadows and cause all-manner of stress, chaos…possibly even binge-eating!

Here’s what happens: Whether you’re on the buying side or the selling side, chances are that by the week of closing you’ve had just about enough of haggling, packing, paperwork, and change-of-address-ing. You’re ready to just get this thing the Hell over with!  It is at this point, more than ever, that you must remain calm and patient. The proverbial fat lady has yet to belt out that first note. Remember, real estate transactions take a long time, and sometimes they take even longer.

Extensions were relatively common before the current financial predicament, and it seems like they are even more common now. In my personal experience as an agent, I would have to say that at least 50% of the transactions I’ve worked on have had extensions of anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks. Lately, it seems like closer to 60-70%. The problems that arise are myriad- scheduling conflicts for signing appointments, or end-of-month traffic jams at the escrow office, though, in my experience, they are most commonly the result of a delay in the drafting of the Buyer’s loan documents.

These days, mortgage brokers and loan officers are running around like headless chickens trying to get loans approved in the face of constantly changing requirements, rules and regulations.  Many banks, especially the larger ones, are having to constantly tinker with their programs to try to adjust to changing economic conditions, but their operations are so vast and nebulous that the brokers on the ground are never quite sure what the latest changes are. It takes time to get memos and rate sheets out to everyone who needs them. What ends up happening is that the mortgage brokers will think all their ducks are in a row and then, at the last minute, find out the rules now require a row of geese, instead. This might mean they need to request additional records from the Buyer, or maybe even redraft the loan docs completely. This can easily take an extra day or more. Thus, the dreaded extension. I don’t mean to pick on the banks, it’s just that this is  what I’ve been seeing in my recent transactions.  Obviously, the banks and their brokers are doing their best to remedy these issues…it’s just going to take some time.

So…what can you do about it? Well…be patient. Remember to breathe. If you are the Buyer, try to make sure you have all of your loan paperwork submitted quickly, and stay on top of your mortgage broker! These are very busy people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t assert yourself as their top priority.

Understand that real estate transactions are fluid and flexible, and that the 30 or 45 day closing period is really more of a guideline than a concrete expectation. Sure, we’d all like to be able to plan ahead for things like movers, vans, and hotels, but things aren’t necessarily going to happen according to your predetermined schedule, and you need to be ready to make adjustments on the fly. Try to remember how excited you are to get this over with, and stay focused on the future. Don’t let the details bog you down, and please, please, PLEASE remember that it is not your agent’s fault! If you need to vent, vent with your agent, not at them.

Thanks for reading. Comments welcome and encouraged! Click here to read my other Bellingham real estate posts!

By the way, I wrote this from the Woods Coffee at Boulevard Park, in Bellingham,Washington, right on the water. The setting is amazing and the views are the best around.

This post simultaneously published by Rob LeRoy at theRealEstateNovelist.com

Real Estate Investment and your College Kid

If you are the parent of a college kid,  you might want to take a minute to think about real estate investing.  You’re already spending a ton of money sending the kid to school, “investing” in his or her future, so why not hedge your bets on an investment that might actually pay you back someday?  Think about it- you’ve got at least four years of living expenses to pay for on top of the tuition. You can either throw it away paying for a tiny, overpriced dorm or some dumpy, overpriced rental, OR you can take that money and put it toward something that has a future. Like real estate.  Let me explain…

I went to Western Washington University, here in Bellingham, so I will use it as an example, though the numbers would likely look quite similar in just about any college town. Rates per person at Western’s dorms run roughly $500 (3 kids in a room) to $800+ (single occupancy) per month, NOT including food expenses.  Rental rates anywhere near campus run about $400-600 a month per room, depending on the number of rooms.  Studios and 1-bedrooms are commonly $700-900/month, whereas you might find a decent  3-bedroom for $1400.   Let’s be conservative and say it’s about $600/month on average, per room. Over 4 years (48 months) that’s almost $30,000(!) that you will NEVER get back.  As Everett Dirksen famously said,“ A billion here, a billion there…pretty soon you’re talking about real money!”

Consider this:  Right now, you can buy a 1-bedroom, 600 square foot condo, built in 2006, less than a half-mile from Western Washington University, for $140k.  With 20% down at 6% interest, the monthly payment, which includes taxes, insurance, and HOA dues (W/S/G) comes to about $925, leaving only electricity and cable for expenses.  Sounds like kind of a lot, doesn’t it? Let’s take a closer look.

• Similar units in this building are currently renting for between $725 and $800.

• You can write off some (maybe  all) of your interest payments , giving you roughly 25% back at tax time, depending on your bracket, making the effective monthly expense closer to $700. Make sure to talk to your accountant about this and other creative write-offs you might find…

• As an owner, your monthly expenses remain fixed over time.  According to Cory Walken, a colleague who studies rent growth in the area, rents near Western have increased at an average of about 6% per year, over the past 5 years.  Assuming that trend were to continue, the monthly rent on that same unit would go up  to almost $900-$1000 by the 4th year of your student’s education. Over 4 years, that would cost you between $38000-$42000 in rent! Gone, flushed….never to be seen again…

• Don’t forget about appreciation! Even in these tough times, most analysts are expecting the market to have corrected itself in the next couple of years, meaning there is a good chance the value of your investment will begin to increase during the 4-5 years that your student will live there.  That’s right, you might even MAKE money on this thing! Worst case, you can always hang onto it to make sure the kid doesn’t try to move back in with you after college…

This is just one example, of course.  There  are several other condo opportunities I can point you toward.  There are also houses and duplexes, etc… The numbers can look even better if you buy something with more rooms. Then, you can collect $500-$700/month of OTHER PEOPLE’S money! That ’s the best kind of money, after all…

If you’d like to look more seriously at this type of investment, keep in mind that there are all kinds of different programs available, requiring anywhere from 3.5% to 20% down.  You can buy as an investment property, as a second home for yourself, or possibly as a first-home for the kid, which means eligibility for the $8000 first-time buyer tax credit. Each of these options has it’s own credit and income requirements, as well as unique tax implications.  Again, I would suggest consulting your accountant, as well as a mortgage professional, to make sure you understand clearly these particular details. You can talk to me if you want to know where to find these properties.

I can be reached on my cell at 206.883.6668, or by email at rob.leroy@exprealty.com

For more information on loan programs, you can talk to Jack DeCook, Senior Mortgage Consultant at Wells Fargo in Bellingham, 360.319.7119 jack.decook@wellsfargo.com.

This post simultaneously published by Rob LeRoy at theRealEstateNovelist.com

Great deals on new construction in Anacortes

If you’re looking for a fantastic view, superb design and affordability that will shock you, try looking in Anacortes.

Anacortes, the often overlooked little brother to Bellingham, is one of the best kept secrets in the Northwest.  Seated at the Northern tip of Fidalgo Island, Anacortes offers a quaint, but lively, small-town feel with amazing views from almost every direction.  What it also offers is a sizable collection of new housing developments that blend those views with great design and craftsmanship. The best part, from the buyer’s perspective, is that the real estate slow-down has hit the new-construction market harder than other areas, largely due to over-development.  The problem for new-construction developments is that they often take years to scout,  permit, and build, and in this case they just took too long to come to the market.  So now, after several months with little or no action, many of the developers are getting creative (sometimes downright desperate) about their pricing and packaging.

Here’s a great example:

I recently visited the Portalis community on the North side of the island, between downtown Anacortes and the San Juan ferry terminal.  Though made up mostly of single-family homes, the community itself is condominiumized, meaning that there is an association and common grounds maintained.  Though originally priced in the $500’s and high $400’s, most of  the prices are now down in the low-to-mid $400’s, and the inside word is that the developers are taking offers at 10% below that!  These homes are between 1800-2000 square feet with very high-end finishes and great, open floor plans.  Seriously, they are nice! I look at homes all the time, so I’m not easily impressed, but these are definitely worth a look.

On top of the price breaks, the developers and their lender partners have come up with all sorts of ways to sweeten the deal.  They’re offering things like lease-options and the paying of HOA dues for up to 5 years.  They’re even offering to cover mortgage payments for up to 6 months (!), which is great for buyers trying to sell their current home before relocating. For qualified buyers, Wells Fargo is offering loans on new construction with a downpayment of 3.5% with no mortgage insurance , meaning a savings of at least a couple hundred dollars per month.

Portalis is just one example. There are other new developments in the area with similar deals to be found.  For that matter, with a little bit of digging, you could find opportunities like this all over these days, even in Bellingham and Seattle. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look…and having the right real estate agent to help you, of course!

For more information on Anacortes, Portalis or similar opportunities, or real estate in general, feel free to email me at rob@buyertours.com or call my cell at 360.510.2230.

Internet Home Search: Drinking from a firehose

The Internet  is no longer a fad, much to the chagrin of a good friend of mine who will remain nameless. His stock in Beta tapes, Laser Discs, and Pepsi Clear are hopefully rounding his portfolio out nicely, and it’s from this perch that there are  few squatters left.

The solution the Internet solved was the lack of Information Now!, a movement that swept across the nation with the such speed that there’s not even an 80’s Pop reference I can make to draw a close-enough comparison, though jams and break-dancing are close.  It got you real estate information, whatever it was, when you wanted it, and when it didn’t get there quick enough, they went to fiber-optics, cell phone towers, and a failed attempted bringing back carrier pigeons.

And it solved problems…but questions beget questions.  And the one thing the ‘Innanet didn’t do, was ask you why?  Imagine the time saved?

Long tail searches have really fleshed out this trend, where your computer, or G-Mail can almost see where you’re coming from, through algorithms  but not really.  “Live performances Final Countdown WAV” searched at 3:00AM  doesn’t need an explanation, it’s just basic curiosity, but ” Homes Bellingham Under $300,000″ can return, oh say, more than your share of sites.  And you just have a simple question.  That’s where we come in.

You might  get a call asking why, mainly because for every 5 billion  people who are looking online at homes, there are a few that have valid questions to be answered, and are frustrated because drinking through a fire hose doesn’t ever seem to quench thirst.  No one’s ever stood back up, and said “That hit the spot!” unless they were part of a very poorly written satire for the WB (that took a lot of time and effort to write, but did the execs call back? No).

So here’s why we’re calling. Offering problems to solutions, and here’s my list of how:

Looking for a property online? You’ve got three thousand Bellingham real estate websites at your disposal, and yet all you’d like to do is see all the three bedroom, 2 bathroom homes under 1,500 square feet.  You’d like to see them as soon as they come on the market if possible, because you’ve seen all the others, and they’re starting to blend together!  What if you only checked your e-mail, clicked on a link that showed you just these?

Researching the area?You’re interested in waterfront, lakefront, mountain view property but don’t know the area that well, the pricing for certain areas and why they might be higher than others, how close are the schools, are they any good?  What if there was someone who’s job it was to know all of these things, and keep you up to date with bulleted lists and photos?

Looking at homes based on what the listing price is? You’re looking to either move here, downgrade your home size,  check out second homes, or condos, but are amazed at the prices, and wonder if there are any hidden costs, association rules, or more importantly DUES?  What if the home has been on the market for 900 days, with no price reductions and the seller is ravenous to take any offer? What if there was a contact you’d made that could get you this info on all properties?

Looking at getting your feet wet by previewing a few homes? You’ve made your list of 19 homes that might meet what you’re looking for, but looking at the list it’s daunting. Some might have 3 bedrooms, some might have 3 bedrooms and an office that would fit what you’re looking for, but you could cut down your tour by about 10 homes if someone had walked through these before after talking to you for a little bit, and got a sense of exactly what your tastes were?

Looking online for a lender to give you the best rates? You’ve checked out homes online, and are ready to talk with a lender so you know which homes are in your realm , but you’re afraid of just putting your information into any system. You want someone who knows the programs, who’s done this a million times successfully without any hiccups, and is going to explain to you your options; the good ones, and the bad ones, and the ones you should just steer clear from, but you don’t know how to find these people.  What if there was someone who worked with lenders EVERYDAY, and knows the folks who follow through and have a great temperament for what you might be facing? First-time home-buyers, haven’t bought a home in a few years, or are just curious if there have been any changes?  What if there were someone who does this everyday that can take 5 minutes and walk you through the process?

Wondering what buying a home entails, start to finish?

Where to start if I want this to be a fairy tale, rather than a woe of caution? You’ve tossed and turned over whether or not this is a good idea for you, but have a zillion questions, and need a plan.  A successful plan to get you where you need to go.  What if there were one available, tailored to what you wish to accomplish?

Your answer could be a real estate agent.  Yes, you can do it yourself.  You can build a house yourself.  My Dad fixed the sink by himself, and watered his forehead and Chuck Norris T-shirt every time he went to get a glass of water, before they called a professional to come in and do the job correctly, quickly, and at minimal cost. And no round house kicks for disrespect.

Click to chat below, if you’ve got any questions, and I’m available!

Big Rock Garden on top of Alabama Hill in Bellingham

  I’m almost ashamed to admit that it took me 13 years living in the Bellingham area before experiencing this tranquil oasis known as the Big Rock Garden.  Located at the top of Alabama Hill nestled among some of Bellingham’s premier Real Estate and walking distance to Lake Whatcom. 

Current home prices for the 17 listed properties in the immediate area range from $240k for a 3 bedroom rambler up to $565k for a 4 bedroom, 3000 sqft view home. 

Here’s me talking about the garden…

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Turn up the volume to fully enjoy the experience…

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Coming to town?  Let me give you a personal tour of the area including Samish Hill area and the Columbia neighborhood to name a few. 

Call me anytime…Dale Kreiser at 360-319-6365 or click on the link below to IM me.  It’s a good life!

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