Waterfront Property

The Winding Wonder of Chuckanut Drive

Chuckanut Drive is, hands down, my favorite place to drive in the World. Admittedly, I haven’t had the chance to take the James Bond chase-scene route into Monte Carlo, but I’m pretty sure it would only be a close second.

Chuckanut Drive’s winding roadway hugs the hills between Bellingham’s Fairhaven neighborhood South to the wide valley North of Mt. Vernon.  Regardless of the weather, the 30+ minute drive shows off the absolute best of Northwest Washington’s geographical character, including  incomparable views of Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands, and a peak at Mt. Baker at the Southern end.

Of course, words fail to capture the wondrous majesty of this truly unique highway. So, I took some pictures.  This past week, in spite of the fact that the Winter Olympics have been happening right up the road, has been unbelievably beautiful. With clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid 60’s, conditions were set to get some truly fabulous pictures.

Click on the thumbnails below to see full-size pictures. You can also click here to see the complete collection of pictures I took.

The pictures are in order from South to North, between Mt. Vernon and Bellingham.

Thanks for reading!

For more information on Chuckanut Drive or Chuckanut Drive real estate, please e-mail Rob LeRoy at rob.leroy@exprealty.com, or call me directly at 206.883.6668.

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

Lake Whatcom’s Hidden Waterfront Hideaway

Looking for the perfect waterfront vacation home? How about a private corporate retreat?  Or maybe you’ve dreamed of owning a bed-and-breakfast or an income-producing vacation rental, perfect for grand weddings and family reunions… Here it is, the estate at Chesley Park on the shores of the beautiful Lake Whatcom.

Nestled at the southern tip of Bellingham’s Lake Whatcom is a small waterfront community of a few dozen beautiful homes.  Many of these are vacation homes, owned by snowbirds from all over the World. Just up the hill, overlooking the lake is a magnificent estate that rests on almost six acres.

The estate consists of a carriage house, a main residence, a couple of outbuildings for parking, storage and landscaping equipment, as well as 460-ft of shared Lake Whatcom waterfront, including a dock. The main residence is a grand, custom-designed marvel consisting of 6 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms. Designed and built in the early 90’s by its one and only owner, the home is like none other. The innovative floorplan includes a Great Room with 30-ft ceilings, a library, and a huge kitchen designed for traditional entertaining. The large deck extends from the dining and living area and faces north toward the private orchard and Lake Whatcom’s majestic blue waters. The carriage house offers 1725 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, with a double garage.  The finishes are high quality, though somewhat dated.  The right buyer with an eye for design could polish this gem into a shining masterpiece.

Click here for additional full-size pictures of the estate and surrounding area.

As a family friend of the owners, I have spent some time at this wonderful home over the years.  My personal feeling is that it is perfectly suited for a bed-and-breakfast, vacation rental or corporate retreat. It is possible to comfortably accommodate 15-20 people between the main house and carriage house. There is room for weddings and all sorts of gatherings in the front yard with the lake as a backdrop. Parking is ample, and the setting defines the words serene and private.  Weddings at comparable properties often go for thousands per day. Vacation rentals of this size can rent for thousands per week. The house is set up such that there is a true Master Suite on the main floor, apart from the rest of the house, perfect for a live-in operator of a bed-and-breakfast.  The opportunities and possibilities are myriad…limited only by the imagination and ambitions of an inspired new owner.

Currently listed at $1.25M, this home is truly unique. There is nothing else like it anywhere… 6 acres, 460-sf of Lake Whatcom waterfront, 8 bedrooms…surrounded by private forests… It may be beyond the scope of most of us, but there is a special someone out there for whom this magnificent estate will be a dream come true.

For more information, or to schedule a tour, contact Rob LeRoy directly at 206.883.6668 or by email at rob.leroy@exprealty.com

Thanks for Reading!

Bellingham’s Newest Waterfront Condos: Edgewater Place

A couple of days ago I had a chance to stop by the Edgewater Place Condominium project, currently under construction near Fairhaven.  Wow.  These places are NICE!!!  I’ve spent quite a bit of time touring condo projects, old and new, throughout the Northwest, from Portland to Seattle to Vancouver, BC, and I am not kidding when I say these compete with the best of them.  That’s no accident.  From what I’ve heard, the developers deliberately set out to emulate the best features of the most popular condo projects in each of those areas. Edgewater Place is a near-perfect hybrid of the best of the Northwest.  Combine that with it’s superb location, perched on a bluff overlooking Boulevard Park  and the beautiful Bellingham Bay.  Perfect as a vacation home or a relaxing, luxurious place to retire, Edgewater has a lengthy list of perks that make it stand out in front of the competition.  Prices range from $950-1.25M.  Spendy, yes. But well worth it.  A few reasons why:

• The view is unparalleled, unobstructed and unbelievable.  Each unit has a 40-foot view of the park, the bay, and the San Juan Islands in the distance.
• Entertainment-sized decks with optional gas fireplace and BBQ
• Top-end appliances from Wolf, Sub-Zero, and Miele
• State of the art acoustical designs that keep the units almost completely soundproof
• Innovative, open floor-plans that maximize the view and make great entertaining spaces
• Two shared guest suites- so your friends and family can visit (and stay out of your face at the end of the day!)
• Shared gym and meeting area
• Secured underground parking with elevator access
• Great investment potential. There are only 16 units, so they will always be in high demand. It is unlikely that another project will ever come close to competing with the class and style of this building.  Owning one of these will make you feel seriously special.
• Click here for a full list of specs (provided by the developer)
• Click here for architectural drawings of the 4 unit types

For more of my pictures, please click here!

The Edgewater Place Condominiums are located at 472 S. State St. in Bellingham. Click here for a map

For more details on Bellingham condos, or to schedule a tour, call me any time at 206.883.6668, or e-mail me at rob.leroy@exprealty.com

Be sure to check out my other articles here!

Thanks for reading!  Please leave your comments below. I appreciate your feedback! If you have any questions about Bellingham, Seattle, or real estate in general, please feel free to email Rob LeRoy directly at rob.leroy@exprealty.com or call me at 206.883.6668

This post simultaneously published by Rob LeRoy at theRealEstateNovelist.com

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.

Sandy Point – A Waterfront Community

Sandy Point is a waterfront community that is situated on a small peninula south west of Ferndale. Sandy Point has many waterfront homes on it’s west side with outstanding bay and island views looking west to the Straits of Georgia, and the San Juan and Gulf Islands, these homes offer gorgeous sunset views. On the east side of peninsula there are many homes with awesome water views and fantastic views of Mt. Baker.Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Viddler video.

Boaters here at Sandy Point have easy access to the San Juan Islands.  Sandy Point has it’s own boat moorage that is well protected by an inside canal system. There are many homes that sit along the canal and have docks with private moorage.

Sandy Point has it’s own Marina which has secure moorage for about 60 boats as well as a launch ramp and gas dock for it’s members. They have a clubhouse with meeting rooms and a covered BBQ area and secure storage facility for boats and trailers.

The  Sandy Point community has a golf course for it’s members with great views of Lummi Bay, Mt. Baker and the San Juan Islands.

The Sandy Point Clubhouse has a large outdoor heated pool for Summertime use.

If your looking for a waterfront home you might want to consider Sandy Point.

Here are the Sandy Point homes on the market right now.

If you would like any information about these homes or to make an appointment to see them give me a call at 360-739-6981 or send me an email.

Ski to Sea Race – May 24

It’s Memorial Day weekend and what that means here in Bellingham is the annual Ski to Sea Race from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay.  The race is a relay starting on Mt. Baker with a cross-country skier handing off a baton to downhill skier who hands off to a runner who hands off to a bike rider who hands off to a canoer who hands off to a mountain bike rider who hands off to a kayaker who finishes the race in Fairhaven.

The race is often traced back to the Mt. Baker Marathon held from 1911 to 1913. The marathon was a  foot race to the top of Mt. Baker conceived by the Mt. Baker Club as a publicity stunt aimed at focusing the government’s attention on the region to have the North Cascades area designated as part of the National Park System

To present Ski to Sea Race began in 1973.  Now a relay race, it was designed to showcase the recreational opportunities available in Whatcom County. The Race has evolved into the annual event it is today, attracting participants from all over the world.  It has been featured on national television several times.

Aside for the race Ski to Sea weekend has also evolved to include a grand parade, a junior race, a junior parade, a golf tournament, and a tremendous party and festival where it “all ends in Fairhaven” on race day.  If you happen to be anywhere near Bellingham come on down to Fairhaven enjoy the party atmosphere, the art, the food, the music, and watch the racers cross the finish line.

Northshore Homes: A thumbnail sketch of the quiet side Lake Whatcom

A heartfelt thanks for the new construction on Northshore Drive, as it curves around the Silver Beach.  It’s a great drive, even better ride on a bike or motorcycle, but with the new paving, it’s a quieter ride.  And it sets the stage for the next 19 miles of the road that runs along the perimeter of Lake Whatcom (“noisy water” if you’re interested).

Northshore Drive turns to Northshore Road in a phase out that can only be compared to when they switched moms on Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, though you’d hardly notice with the homes that line up to greet as you drive south along the lake side. Passing the southern side of Silver Beach neighborhoods, and the other half of the bisected Academy Street, the road takes you past a smattering of the more elusive mistresses of the real estate market, the lake front home.

And there’s been a dry spell in sales here, which will be great inventory to bring into the summer, where this section of Bellingham really begins to shine.  About 37 homes are currently on the market on this stretch of lake road. mostly 3 and 4 bedroom (around 32 of the listings) and averaging a little under 2900 square feet.  Where some of my clients have really found hurdles has been in the age of the homes.  Some off them have needed updating, and some have reached the level of maturity where preventative maintenance has done all it can, and things need replacing, which is a great segue into the new 203(k) loan you can ask your REALTOR about.

Future residents should be prepared to learn about septic systems, their upkeep, their half-lives, and the incredible array of them that now exist, including ultra-violet filtration systems.   Look for well agreements, shared road provisions, and for the 23 homes on the market that have docks?Walk out on them, and see what sort of shape their in.  The days of replacing your decking with 2 X 4’s from the tree fort the county condemned because your boy needs a few more hours watching Bob the Builder? They’re over, and there are new conditions for material.

Homes on the Eastern side of Northshore Road show more acreage than a prospective owner are used to, as 21 of the listings have at least 1 acre.

And knowing that if you’re commuting to the highway, you have a few options for getting out to it, rather than winding back through town to hit Britton, or Lakeway.

I can only pray to the Gods that the restaurant that is on the corner of Y road, and Northshore, opens back again, and continues to serve some of the best Eggs Benedict since that turncoat sold us out, and wrecked the deliciousness of Hollandaise with the bitter taste of treachery. Grammy’s, you will be missed.

It’s country living on the lake, and a stones throw from Mount Baker Highway and the Northshore Trail.

Bellingham’s Bay View Homes

I wrote about Bay view condos this week, so today I thought I would take a look and see what was available in the way of Bay view homes.  As of this morning there a 118 homes listed in the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, that say they have Bay views.  Some of them have spectacular views  (like the one that I recently listed and had a contract on in one week on 238 Bayside Road), some have nice views, some have partial views, but unfortunately some have no views at all but have potential views, as the one I happened to see that said “Possible city and bay views but currently blocked by trees.”  But this is the exception to the rule.

The asking price for these Bay view homes start at $234,900 for a 1 bedroom, 1.5 bath 1,028 square foot home with a view of Lummi Island and Hales Passage at Gooseberry Point, near the Lummi ferry terminal.  They continue on up in price to $2,950,000 for a 5 bedroom, 1.5 bath 5500 square foot home in Edgmoor with sweeping views from the Olympic Mtn Range to the Canadian Cascades.
The average price of one of these homes is $762,202 while the median price is $599,000.

• 8 of these homes are under $300,000.
• 19 of them are between $500000 and $600,000.
• 23 of these homes are over $1 million.

25 Bay view homes have sold so far this year ranging in price from $205,000 for a small craftsman 1 bedroom, 1 bath home on Sehome Hill to a 3 bedroom, 1 .75 bath home on Cove Road near Larrabee State Park for $1,325,000.
There are presently 42 homes listed as waterfront homes, 12 of those along the bay and 30 are lakefront homes.  The lakefront homes are mostly along Lake Whatcom, but there also lakefront homes on Emerald Lake, Cain Lake and Lake Samish. There was only one waterfront homes sold on the bay this year but there were 5 waterfront homes sold on Lake Whatcom ranging in price from $550,000 to $950,000.

If you’re interested in any view  or waterrfront homes give me a call at 360-739-6981 or send me an email me .

Bay View Condos

We’re so fortunate to live in this beautiful place called Bellingham.  One of the things I enjoy so much about being here is being around the waterfront, and having water views all around.  Driving in and out of Fairhaven on the Boulevard and seeing the Bay is always a joy.  Sometimes I’ll drive down 36th Street out of Fairhaven, which is another great place to see the Bay.  I was out taking some pictures and looking at condos in Fairhaven today and thought I’d see how many Bay view condos are available in Bellingham today.

If you looking for a Bay view condo there are 77 of them available in Bellingham as of today.

The least expensive ones is a 1 bedroom 1 bath unit on High Street near Western Washington University selling for $115,500, there are 6 Bay view condos on the market for under $200,000.

The most expensive condo is in the Waldron building, it is a 2 bedroom 2.75 bath unit in the heart of the Historic Fairhaven district and it is selling $1,565,000.

The largest unit is a 2 bedroom 2.25 bath unit that is 3345 square feet and its in the new Park Place Residences above Boulevard Park selling for $895,000.

60 of these Bay view condos are in Fairhaven or on South Hill.

There also three Lake view condos available in the Bellingham market from $164,900 for a 2 bedroom and 1 bath unit to $349,900 for a 2 bedroom 1.5 bath waterfront unit where you can walk out your patio door to your own beach with a dock.

There were 13 Bay view condos sold so far this year ranging in price from $87,700 of to $570,000.

If you’re interested in any view condos  feel free to email me or give me a call at 360-739-6981.

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