Bellingham

Gear Up!

Autumn sets in rapidly here in the NW in October, sometimes you start to feel it in September.  There is a noticeable change. Our gorgeous summer is dissipating into brisk mornings and evenings.  The brilliant hues of reds, oranges, and golds have replaced the green of summer and you can feel and smell the rain, it’s coming.  And when we have our first good downpour, we’re out in it.  I love the feel of the rain pelting my face, getting drenched while out walking my pooches, it’s exhilarating!  To hear it falling on the rooftop or raining so hard, you can hear it hitting the ground.  There we are, out on the porch watching in amazement. That’s why we live here.  Because we love and yearn for the cooler season, or like me, for all of the seasons.  The colors and briskness of Autumn, the rains of winter and on occasion a sprinkle of snow.  If you’re anything like me and the countless many that have relocated to Bellingham, you yearn for the changes of the seasons.  Yes, we actually get bored with the same weather day in and day out.  Believe me, in 90-120 days, I’ll be screaming for summer again.  But now, winter is setting in and I’m looking forward to it.  I’m also here to offer some tips on keeping warm and comfortable in this, the colder of the seasons.   It’s time to rummage through your stored away winter clothing or cedar chest and start digging out the GEAR.

First for those rainy days of Autumn, WATER REPELLANT CLOTHING and if you’re into hats, a good, old baseball cap to keep the water out of your eyes.  Toss the umbrella for a lightweight water repellant jacket with a hood.  They are the best!  Umbrellas are cumbersome, while a jacket with a hood is flexible.  Pull the hood on , pull it off, that simple.  and believe me, if you’re going to worry about what the hood will do to your hair, maybe this is not the climate for you, or…..get a different cut!  Also, Autumn can still be shorts weather here, but you may want to wear a pair of socks with your sandals,  you just never know what Mother Nature will bring!

Although known for having mild winters in comparison to some, on occasion Bellingham does get it’s share of FRIGID cold weather coming down from Canada.  BBBBBBRRRRRRRRR is my word these days.  Right now at 11:35 a.m. with the sun blaring in all it’s glory, (clear as bell outside, no cloud in the sky) the weather channel says it’s 25 degrees and with the winds we’ve been having the wind chill makes it feel like 11.  Did I say BBBBBRRRRRRRR??!!
I did and do loud and clear.

Deceiving as it is, one might think that all you need is a light windbreaker if you decide to venture out for a jog, walk the pup, go Christmas shopping, rake the leaves??  NOT!  It’s time to GEAR UP.

Take my morning walk attire for example.  One long sleeve tightly knit shirt underneath a fleece lined sweatshirt, BUFF around the neck , ski jacket on top and of course silkies worn beneath the sweatpants, topped off with a knit hat or at least ear muffs to protect the ears and a nice warm pair of gloves.  It’s called layering.  Oh, and don’t forget the feet, wool socks.  I did say walk, right?  From the looks of me you’d think I was ready for the slopes.  Hmmm, better yet,  sitting in front of a roaring fire sipping a nice hot cocoa or spiced cider up at Mt. Baker sounds good right about now!
With all this layered garb on, I can barely bend the knees, but I did accomplish what I set out to do, KEEP WARM!

Another recommendation for “Gearing up in the NW”……A recent survey taken amongst friends and acquaintances, suggests that one must get an  Electric Blanket to survive the cold nights or,  get a couple of canines. They no doubt will somehow creep up in the middle of night to snuggle up and get warm as well.  I myself like the Canine approach best!

Gearing up also refers to the home.

If you are fortunate enough to have a fireplace or insert or pellet stove, keep it stoked, keep it turned on or keep the pellets flowing!! These are also a great resource to have as a backup heat source when the power goes out.  On occasion this does happen, especially when the Northeasterly’s blow.

Green is the word these days, green as in Energy efficient,  so look into insulating your home if it is not, replacing the old single pane sash windows with newer vinyl double pane or at least put up the storm windows.  To protect your outdoor faucet from freezing over, remove all water hoses and cover with a Faucet Cover.  You can pick them up at your local hardware stores for around $5.00.  Get the furnace serviced and replace those filters for top efficiency.  Getting new Energy Star appliances and improvements to your home  will not only help our environment, but will also get you some credits on your tax return.

So rummage through the closet, rummage through the garage, gather up the family and snuggle up with hot cups of cocoa and get ready to Gear Up!

Bellingham

Columbia……highly sought after

 
Remember a time when kids actually played outdoors?  Football in the streets, hide and seek….  What a refreshing pleasure to hear their laughter and playful screams. When you hoped the bags of Halloween candy you bought would be enough.        

When you took an evening stroll to the local park to hear the summer music series?  Families bike riding together……Welcome to the Columbia district of Bellingham.

A very tight-knit, family-oriented neighborhood comprised of Victorian Classics ( homes built in late 1800’s to early 1900’s), remodels, and bungalows with average home prices in the upper 200’s to mid-300 price range.  Pride of ownership and individuality shows here with well maintained homes and close attention to gardening and landscaping.  For this reason, home-values in this neighborhood tend to hold due to so many wanting to live here, raise their families here, and their children able to attend  Columbia Elementary.

Within walking distance to Little Squalicum Park and Beach and downtown Bellingham, Columbia is also a mobile neighborhood allowing many to bike or walk to work and walk to school.  A gardener’s paradise, with good size lots (on average 5000 sq.ft), to plant food and flower gardens.  Where you’ll see cornstalks on the side of the road, sugar snap peas ” take a pea but please don’t  leave one”!  Also, Home of the Annual Columbia Garden Tour  showcasing some of the finest gardens in Bellingham.

Also within walking distance is Elizabeth Park, one of the oldest parks in Bellingham with walking pathways, squirrels galore, tennis courts and a Gazebo where summer concerts can be heard or plays enacted.    Newer to the Columbia area is Squalicum Creek Park with it’s new baseball diamond and plenty of bike paths and walking trails.                                    

                           

It is quite obvious why so many want to reside in this fabulous community, with all it has to offer;Sense of community, location, educational systems and look at all the activities to be had……
Welcome home to the Columbia neighborhood..

Bellingham

A Place to stay while searching for property in Bellingham

Just wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some wonderful places to stay while your on a quest to see if Bellingham Washington could be your next home.

I have personally stayed at the Hotels listed at one time or another and this is of course my opinion.

Please note many have spa’s. This is due to my body needing to recover every now and then..

I also want to be able to recommend properties suited to each clients individual needs. Here is the first hotel featured in a series of great accommodations in Bellingham and surrounding areas:

Chrysalis Inn and Spa

The Chrysalis is a fantastic property nested in the Historic area of Bellingham named Fairhaven. You will not be disappointed when you are gazing out the window of your room and watching the sunset on the bay. The rooms are decorated with newer features of slate, granite and glass. Jacuzzi tub to relax in and window seat to enjoy the view. Fireplace for the winter nights and just an overall feeling of total relaxation.

This is good because sometimes I have been with clients and shown a dozen homes and you just need a place to download all the real estate you just toured.

The restaurant and Wine bar Fino is wonderful and you will enjoy the complimentary breakfast. An assortment of bagels, muffins, eggs, granola, yogurt and the usual coffee tea and juice. Dinner is truly an experience as well as the sun sets upon the bay.

The spa is award winning and would be my favorite. The smell of the Essential Elements spa products help maintain a relaxing space and you feel so blissful every moment you spend whether it be a massage, facial or just a pedicure.

Just steps outside will find you walking on a fantasic pier that connects to Boulevard Park where you can enjoy a wonderful cup of coffee and perhaps a scone at Woods Coffee. Take a walk in the other direction and you will find yourself in the heart of Fairhaven. So much to do and see that is a whole other blog in itself.

The only disclosure that must be made is that you may hear the occasional train drifting by, I personally love the sound of a train.

If you are looking to spend time looking for real estate in Bellingham and would like stay overnight, give the Chrysalis a try. It will take the stress out of riding around Bellingham with a Realtor all day:)

A sweet and simple approach to real estate,

- Katharine Carey

Bellingham

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!

Bellingham

I hate yardwork! Bellingham Condos that answer your prayers

Ahhhh. The lawnmower won’t start, mostly because the plugs have been fouled. Fouled by old age, fouled by being  stored in a shed that you promised yourself would be your new Mecca come Saturday morning.  But seriously, you’re into yardwork as much as you’re into that wall-size crossword you got for secret Santa. Three years ago.

You hate yard work. I hate yard work. Welcome to the support group; it’s called everybody. And we meet at the Farmer’s Market, to see how the successful folks do it.

What’s your answer?  Real estate’s dirty little secret for those who just love turn-key living.  Sure, you’re paying $200-ish a month for homeowner dues, but when you break it down, and I do, it comes out to about $50 a weekend of yardwork you don’t have to do.  No skinned knuckles.  No whipped ankle meat because you left the thread too long on the weed wacker. Or ran over the mole hillf instead of stomping it down like that brown bag of humility that got the best of you last Halloween.

Condos in Bellingham  under $350,000 right now represent the Zen of reality. Sure, you’re not playing the spin game of  Time-traveler in 2,000 square feet of square footage, but let’s face it: two bathrooms are about an hour worth of cleaning. I’ll leave you to decide how often you do it. And someone has to vacuum.

You’ve got 250 to choose from, ranging from waaaay north to Fairhaven.  Depending on your level of comfort, you can have whatever you like…

A couple points to ponder:

• 136 of these have been finished in the last 3 years, so inventory being high, there’s a good chance you’re the first to cross the threshold, and pick out colors.
• 47 are two bedroom;  you can supplement your mortgage with a roommate, or convert it to an office, hobby room, or exercise room to harbor that treadmill to hold up all of your dry cleaning.
• 102 are under 1000 square feet.   So you can put away the checkbook for the vacuum cleaner, and buy a Swiffer and a Rumba, and take your Saturdays to organize the dry cleaning in your home gym.
• Homeowner dues got you down?  Why not negotiate the first two years into the contract, and try on condo living for a little bit?  The worst the seller could say is no. If the HOD are $250 a month, that’s only a difference of $6,000. And it’s worth a shot in a buyer’s market.
• 163 of the condos have some form of covered parking.  Your Whitesnake CD cover will be safe from another winter of impromptu scraping after the weatherman promised “a 70% chance of snow, but only a 50% chance of that”

Condos aren’t for everybody.  If you’re raising alpaca, or harboring a few adopted Malamute because your friend’s spending their next few months in the Serenghetti, you’re going to want some acreage.  But if the idea of folding up your homelife with your laptop sounds appealing, and not needing a place to store a kayak without Quantum Physics as a side hobby, it might be for you.

Yes, there are fire alarms at 3:30 in the morning. And your neighbor might really, really like playing The Final Countdown by Europe to get going in the morning. But that guitar solo might beat weeding, cleaning gutters, edging, windows, or painting the fence because that darn Tom Sawyer’s a better salesman that the Sham-Wow guy.

Bellingham

Preliminary Bellingham School District Calendar for 2009/10

As spring is in full bloom, there are many families that are going to start to make a transition to move either within the city of Bellingham or folks that are now moving to the area. Here is a link to the Preliminary Bellingham School Calendar for 2009/10 from the district website. Hope this is helpful.

2009/10 Bellingham School Calendar

Questions about the area or additional school information,

You are welcome to contact me at 360-220-5915

Bellingham

Hucking yourself into a career: One man’s answer to “Where are the jobs in Bellingham?”

So, I’m sitting at Wood’s Coffee in Downtown Bellingham, early last Saturday, and there’s no place left to sit.  SRO (google it).  Actually, the truth, and the way society is gravitating, is there are no seats near electrical outlets.

So rather than bring out the old 500 foot long orange extension cord one might use to A) put up Christmas lights, and B) strangle plastic Santa with, when he refuses to acquiesce with  his luminescence, Jeff Schissler  introduces himself, and takes a seat at the long table with me.

Why this blog focuses on him was because of the conversation that followed;   about the photos he was uploading, the resume he was working on, and his position on making it happen in this town where great career opportunities seem to be as fleeting the need to see Flock of Seagulls, should they ever come back to town. Yeah, they were here.

Jeff rides, airs, jumps mountain bikes, with much heavier frames than the usual BMX bikes you’ll see out there.  Jeff does this for fun, and for a living, which is pretty much freelance.  Meaning he’s a one man army of marketing, public relations, accounting, talent, and direction.  He does this all from Bellingham, though he’s travelled a bit to different spots for shoots.  But he does it from Bellingham because of where it lets him go, and come back to.

When we were talking, he was editing photos, and compiling a list of sponsors to send his recent launches to, in an effort to buld his business over the course of the next year.  He’s faced with the same hurdles the rest of us are, creating new and innovative product in new photos, new angles, new quirks in photography. 

And being outsourced;  nothing could be tougher to compete with than a 16 year old hucking gainers because all THEY’ll miss if they crash is a few weeks of school, or the new High School Musical.   Jeff would miss a few weeks of work, more opportunities to launch, and put his name out there for more product sponsorship, which allows him to ride more, and work less at his OTHER job.  Because  in Bellingham, Baton Rouge, or Bogota, a business needs a constant income stream to keep it’s doors open, no matter what.

Bellingham seems to be a great place to make it happen, but taking Jeff’s approach to an outdoor career lifestyle is not 9 to 5, it’s cradle to grave.   And he’s throwing it all out there.  And with a town that’s seemingly running on independant contracts, business owners, and enterpreneurs, it’s becoming more the rule, than the exception.

And that’s us.  Make no mistake about Bellingham; the train that runs along our waterline should remind us that we are white collar, blue collar, but collared notheless.  How you work it in Bellingham will be a direct correlation to how long you stay here.

So good luck to Jeff.  These are the people in your neighborhood in Bellingham.

Bellingham

GET OUT OF BELLINGHAM!

Seriously.  To anyone who lives here, get out of Bellingham.  There are only so many times you can eat at your favorite place, take a run around your favorite lake (Padden, I’m gunning for a swim this week), or meet your  favorite group of friends for humongous Big Mama’s at Jalapenos  for a Friday that will end sooner than a Vin Diesel Oscar nomination party (Sorry, brah, maybe next year).

And so begins a series of different places to go on  weekends with yourself, friends, family, or that trio of workmates that wear too much cologne (ONE spritz per application).

PLACE #1:  Whiterock, BC

It’s right across the border, and yet a whole country away.  Indian food, seafood, Charlie Don’t Surf, European Fusion, which is a food, and not the new album by Autobahn.

Place #2: Deception Pass

Great Drive , great parks, you can pack up the old cooler full of PB & Jay-sadillas, some Welch’s grape soda, and road trip in the family truckster, while the kids fight over who has to ride on the hump.  There are enough fresh fruit shacks along the way to keep your whitest whites from white for the rest of the spring and summer.

PLACE #3: Fenway Park

Sure, it’s an investment. But since the airlines out of Bellingham are flying to more and more places, at basically what it would cost most folks to PARK at Seatac, reasoning would lead a logical person to lean towards seeing the Green Monster before they tear it down. But if you’re into Vegas…..

PLACE #4:     Seattle

The Mariners, the Sounders, The Showbox, the Museum, Quest Field, Pike’s Place Market, Thai Tom’s, The U District. And they have coffee. Not sure of the company, though.

Finally #5 There’s this place in Mount Vernon called Relaxation Station

For $45 per person, you can treat yourselves to an after-hour party with all the spa treatments offered here, and they’re pretty incredible.  Check out the site;  all those weird space capsule deals, and massage chairs, oxygen bars, and infrared spa beds your cousins from California have been telling you about?  All night long.  Just like Lionel Richie.  Well, up to 3 hours.

 

So get out.  And don’t say you can’t.  Can’t means won’t, and won’t means push-ups.  Thanks, coach.

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

                                                              -St. Augustine

Bellingham

Prospect Cafe in downtown Bellingham,Wa

Bellingham

Quiet Lake Community known as Glenhaven.

Glenhaven is a quiet community built around 2 lakes, Reed lake that spills over into Cain Lake.  Both lakes are kept quiet due to the prohibition of motor boats and jet skis. Only quiet electric motors and paddle power allowed.  Larger Lake Whatcom is only a 5 minutes drive to South Lake Whatcom public boat ramp, that allows power boats.

The mountain to the west is Lookout Mountain and boasts many great hiking trails including Squires Lake, and spectacular views from the summit.  The mountain to the east is called Anderson Mountain.There are currently 678 homes in Glenhaven with 5 more in the construction phase.  The community consists of 1198 lots.

The community has some great ammenities that include the clubhouse pictured here which is available for members to use for those special gatherings.  Located on the Glenhaven Island on Glenhaven Drive.

The community heated swimming pool is a hit during the long days of summer.  The pool offers full time life guards, adult swim time and occasionally has  swimming classes.

Just to the south of the swimming pool you’ll find a tennis court and several basketball hoops to practice your shots.  The island also has a large grass field to enjoy and play set for younger children to explore.  Along the grassy field is a nice pebble beach on Cain Lake’s northern shore. That’s where you’ll find me and my family on most warm summer days with our Kayaks close by.

Much of the area has either lake views or mountain views. On some of the higher lots you may find great views of the Twin Sisters.  The numerous large cedar and hemlock trees throughout the community adds character.

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Viddler video.

The orientation of Glenhaven is almost directly between Burlington I-5 exit 236, and Bellingham I-5 exit 252,and only 6 miles from Glenhaven to the freeway at I-5 exit 240. Glenhaven Map  For additional information check out GlenhavenHomes.

If you are looking for a valley of refuge and safety, thus it’s meaning, take a drive over and let me show you around.  I live and work here all year around.

All the Best,

Dale Kreiser

360-319-6365

dale@buyertours.com

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