As a new agent and first time home buyer, I am learning so much about the real estate process. I had no idea there was so much involved in     purchasing a home or property. I had already gotten my real estate license when my husband and I began looking for our first home, and even  with the amount of knowledge needed to get my license, I had a lot to learn. I have decided to document our journey and blog along the way to offer some behind the scenes looks at what exactly is involved in buying your first home.

Step 2: Making an Offer

After months of searching for the right home, we finally found what we thought was the perfect property. On close to 7 acres, this property would allow us to remodel the existing home and eventually build another home a few acres away, giving us a great investment opportunity. After taking a week to think it over and making sure this was what we wanted to do, we decided to make an offer.

Making an offer involves lots of paperwork and very specific timelines. Did we want an inspection? How long would we give them to accept our offer? When could we close? Was the property on a septic tank or city sewer? Would we need inspections on the septic? Buying land out in the county is different from buying in the city limits. You need to look into the quality of the land and whether or not it’s in a flood zone, if there are any wetlands on the property, how it is zoned and if it’s on a well or city water. Working with an agent makes this process much easier. They will prepare the paperwork, do research on the land, and help you put together a great offer. My mentor went through all the details with me until I was familiar with the information and Purchase and Sale Agreements. After they were all signed and ready to go, I called the listing agent to let him know I had an offer to submit. This is where our problems began.  He informed me that the sellers had gotten an offer the week before. Our excitement about our first offer immediately went down the drain- after all those months of searching and preparing, we would have to compete with another buyer for the most appealing offer. After reviewing our options and with lots of advice from my mentor, we decided to increase our offer and hope that ours would be more appealing than the other prospective buyer. When making an offer, there are other things to take into consideration other than just the price. Our offering price was higher, but the other buyer offered a much quicker closing date, which appealed to the sellers because they wanted to sell ASAP.  We were planning on getting an FHA Rehab loan, and the process required for that kind of financing would not allow for a quicker closing. In the end, we decided to start searching again to see what else was available.

We started from scratch, re-evaluating our goals and expectations, and started searching for houses that needed less work and were closer to town.  After looking at some more houses, we finally found one that fit our criteria. It was ready to move in, had beautiful upgrades, and was close to the freeway, making my husband’s commute about 5 minutes shorter. However, instead of the 7 acres we had found and loved at the previous house, this had a tiny yard and was in the middle of a very populated neighborhood. We had to compromise and decided that the yard would be large enough for our 2 small dogs and we liked the house enough to put in an offer. I wrote up the offer the next day and sent it along to the listing agent. He informed me that another agent potentially had a cash offer to bring in, but there was nothing submitted yet. This made us nervous and brought back nightmares from the other offer that didn’t work out, but we got down to business, got our lender in order and closed on our new house in 3 weeks. It was a long and emotional process full of excitement, disappointment and a lot of compromise, but in the end, we got a house that we can start a family in and can make our own.

Watch for next week’s blog: Step 3:  Closing. If you have any questions about real estate, the buying or selling process, or would like to see how eXp is changing the real estate world, please contact me

Mikki Flaherty -Realtor

Direct: ( 360)402-8968

mikki.flaherty@exprealty.com

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Suffice it to say, this is one of the toughest markets to be in if you are a home seller.

Imagine having to negotiate all this by yourself with no one to guide you, to counsel you, to be objective for you, to fight for you, to negotiate these offers on your behalf and with your best interest at heart.

If you have questions regarding Bellingham Homes for Sale,  are a homeowner considering selling your home or a buyer in need of Buyer Representation, and want qualified and dedicated representation,  feel free to call me direct at 360-303-3898 or via email at roberta.soares@exprealty.com.
and remember, it”pays” to hire a Realtor!

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Founded in 1883 by Dan Harris, aka ” Dirty Dan Harris” ( a nickname given to him due to his poor hygiene or lack of it), Fairhaven was originally  planned as the big import city of the upper West Coast, but lost this title to Seattle.  After a exodus of the towns people and laborers, the city revamped itself and became the charming town that it is today. Fairhaven still has many historic buildings and homes that were built in the late 1800′s.

It is also home to Bellingham’s Train Station, one of the best ways to travel to Vancouver or Seattle for a days visit.  I have rode the train to Seattle and what a fun day and trip it was.    You can also catch the Ferry to the San Juan Islands , Victoria or Alaska from the Bellingham Ferry Terminal.

Oh and don’t forget that ” It all ends in Fairhaven”.  Every Memorial Day Weekend, the annual Ski to Sea race is held and it does end in Fairhaven at the Fairhaven Festival.  A festival that overtakes the town with the race winners being awarded, food and craft vendors and much fun to be had.
As I mentioned earlier, there are numerous styles of homes from 2 Bedroom to 5 for the families out there or for those that love the older architecture or condos for those of you that are retiring and don’t want the responsibilities of a home. Prices in Fairhaven vary from Single Family Residence average selling price of $330,000 to  Condos average sale price at $580,200.

If you are looking to relocate to the Bellingham area you must visit Fairhaven.   Close to the university and in the Sehome School District, and Sehome High which was recently voted by Newsweek as one of the top High Schools in the nation, you can see that Fairhaven has so much to offer.

If you would like more information on Fairhaven or Bellingham Homes for Sale feel free to contact me at 360-303-3898 or email me at roberta.soares@exprealty.com.

I look forward to meeting with you to discuss your real estate goals.

I just wanted to take a moment and share  some of Bellingham’s beauty with you.

Although Spring is just about to end and  Summer is on its way, the flora here in  Bellingham has exploded, as you will see from  this photo essay.

I started taking a few shots back in early Spring and took my latest one today, and it’s raining here today.  Don’t believe what they tell you on the Today show weather reports, it is not always raining here.  In fact, we’ve had a bit of a dry spell here, so this precipitation is more welcome than normal.  The flowers, trees, and my vegetable garden are thirsty for some water.

Enjoy the views~~~~~~~~~~~

Columbia Eldridge is a many faceted community with local businesses set amongst old and new residential architecture as well as beautiful old churches, and a few community parks.
One of the many attributes enjoyed by not only the residents but other visitors to Columbia is how walkable it is. So many enjoy walking the different blocks and viewing all of the different homes, colors and gardens.

Take a walk to Elizabeth Park  with walking paths, playground and tennis courts, not to mention its own set of ” residents” -  the local squirrel family.  Carl Lobe Park is a small park on Eldridge Ave. with a small grassy area and newly remodeled playground.  To the north is the Squalicum  Creek Park and Baseball Diamond, a great place, of course, to take in a ball game, or a great place to take the dog for a walk with its large bowl set back away from the road.

As I stated earlier, there are also quite a few local businesses that sit on the eastern border of Columbia on Meridian St.
To name a few, Cascade Pizza, Coffee Bean, The newly opened The Fountain, a coffee and wine bistro and of course, ReStore, a home remodeling center filled with architectural details from local teardowns or donations.  You name it you can find it at ReStore, from cabinetry to glass door knobs to paint to bath fixtures, Very cool place.

Columbia elementary school,  a highly rated public school, is here in this neighborhood, hence the namesake.

Click on the link to view the  photo tour of this wonderful community.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Roberta1318/ColumbiaEldridgeAPhotoEssay02#

Enter this serene country estate through a large rustic gate blacksmithed by the owner himself.   This is just a taste of the multitude of attributes this estate and property has to offer.

If you’re looking for a quiet ” room to roam” property spread out from your neighbors, yet close enough to all that the city has to offer, this is it.   Just about 15 minutes to Bellingham, 45 minutes to Mt. Baker and 25 minutes to the Canadian Border, very central and ideally located allowing you to still live the country life.

Miss the sounds and wonder of wildlife?  You’ll have it in your own backyard.  In the still of the night you can hear the coyotes howl, or on occasion the owls’ hoot.  One look out your bedroom window and behold “ the deer and the antelope playing” .   In the spring comes the fabulous honk of the geese and their gaggle.  Witness Mother Goose herself as she teaches her young goslings the ways of the world in the large shared pond at the north end of the property.  There is so much to explore here and we haven’t even hit the home yet!!

Situated on five acres of rolling pasture sits a 3200 sq.foot palace of a home designed and built by the owner.  It is a 3+bedroom, 2.5 bath incredible fortress with soaring ceilings and massive windows in the great room that allows in light even on the darkest of our NW days.  The great room is combined with the gourmet kitchen complete with concrete counters, high-end appliances, custom made cabinetry and beautiful tile-back splash. The maple flooring hand laid and the slate tile flooring hand cut and laid by the owner.  There is a Garden room off of the great room with a mosaic-themed tile floor and plumbed for a hot tub or to protect your prized plants in this climate controlled environment.
What you see on the surface belies the craftsmanship beneath/behind the walls.  The owner built this to withstand the cold and blustery winters as well as hot days of summer.  The insulation is above the normal requirements therefore, keeping your energy costs down in all climates.  Pretty much everything about this home is above and beyond the norm.

Maybe you own your own business and need a property large enough for your home, family and business?  In addition to the home is a 3000 sq.ft heated shop complete with office space.  You have to see it to believe it and appreciate it.  Also, other outbuildings to house your equipment or maybe house your farm animals.  This  would  be a great property for the hobby farmer.  So much space to plant your garden, or a few grazing animals such as sheep and horses.  Sit back on your covered deck and watch the eagles soar.

There is so much more to mention, but I really suggest you come and see this marvel for yourself.

Call me, Roberta Soares,  for a private tour at 360-303-3898.

This list includes:

• Water
• Something Sweet
• Slip-On Shoes
• Digital Camera
• Positive Attitude

Love what you do. Do what you love. Love, love me do.

The draw?  Silverado;  newer construction in Bellingham on an acre that boasts Master Bedrooms on the main floor, and unique interior design that offers a real Great Room, and a kitchen to match.  This isn’t the McMansion area that you might be thinking of, but rather a neighborhood of homes that were built in the last 8 years in a neighborhood that welcomes you from the street.  Green pastures with white fences, grand entrances, large windows to let in the light, just amazing.

And rare to come on the market.  Since 2005, only 3 have come on the market, one sold, one still remains, and the other has just gone to inspection. Each is over 3,000 feet, on an acre of manicured lawn, and upon entering, the feel is palatial, some of the homes even featuring columns in the formal dining room (remember those?).

The view is country, or territorial as you’ll see on most real estate websites, but the location’s champion points are easily your proximity to shopping, Canada, the airport, and serenity.  The neighborhood is off of Axton, and the commute to DT Bellingham could be longer than you would want, but the features of the home and the neighborhood might just make it worth it. Worth over $599,000?  That will be one of those conversations to have with your REALTOR, yours truly included.

If you’re interested in further photos of the interior of the remaining home, feel free to e-mail us and they’ll be sent from my phone as soon as possible.  There are a number of neighborhoods and properties that have similar features, and I’ll be happy to recommend those as well.

Owning a home is a keystone of wealth.. both financial affluence and emotional security.
Suze Orman