The Alaska Ferry arrives and departs Fairhaven every Friday for it's trip thru the Inside Passage to several destination points in Alaska.
This week long trip leaves Bellingham every Friday at 6 pm and returns the following Friday at 8 am, so you have several options depending on the amount of time you have for a trip. Ideas for your trip could be to take a week staying on the Ferry by either bunking in a cabin or pitching your tent on the deck or drive your vehicle on and get off the Ferry at one of it's several destination cities in Alaska for a few days and then catch the Ferry on the return trip back.
The Inside Passage is beautiful as you meander through the islands, while watching nature pass by. Several pods of Orca Whales live in the area as well as waterfowl, seals and porpoises.
If you decide to plan a trip on the Alaska Marine Highway System, be sure to schedule in time to tour the Historic Fairhaven urban village with buildings originating back to the late 1890's.
There is a multitude of great places to dine in Fairhaven. It would even be fun to make it an evening with a "progressive meal" in Fairhaven.
So lets see, your options are unlimited! You could have a appetizer at Flats, then head across the street to Skylarks for some wonderful soup, then head up Harris Ave, while window shopping of course, to Mambos Italiano for some salad & bread and then back down Harris Ave to Dirty Dan Harris on 11th for your main course of steak or seafood. Then as you go across the street through the Village Books Store to ponder some literature, while your food digests, it's into the Colophon Cafe for a piece of incredible cheesecake.
Or pick one of the great Historic Fairhaven Restaurants and spend your evening relaxing and dining in a great atmosphere. Choices like thai, italian, mexican, steak/seafood, soup/sandwhich/salad and don't forget the desserts; ice cream, gelato, cupcakes, cheesecake, tiramasu & cake.
If you don't already know about the long running Ski to Sea race in Bellingham, Washington; now is the time to learn. With the event quickly, it seems, approaching on May 24, 2009 don't waste anymore time to learn about the Fairhaven Festival and Race!
The approximately 89 mile multi-leg race starts on Mount Baker at about 4,000 feet and ends on the beaches of Marine Park in Fairhaven. Whether you enjoy Mountain Biking, Canoeing, Running, Kayaking, Road Cycling or Skiing there is a leg for everyone on your team. If you want to participate on a team or volunteer to help coordinate the race now is the time to check out the Ski to Sea race details.
The Jr. Ski to Sea race is an excellent competitive opportunity for the kids to enjoy as well as the corresponding parade.
A wonderful community event that garners international participation finishes in Historic Fairhaven with a festival that sees upwards to 35,000 people pass through
Events happen daily, weekly and monthly in Historic Fairhaven! 
The Events calendar on the Fairhaven website is updated consistently with fun and usually free activities for everyone to particpate in. Events rannge From listening to readings from Authors at Village Books or music at Archer's Ale House or wine tasting at Skylarks or running/walking opportunities with Fairhaven Runners or artist shows in local shops.
This urban village known as Historic Fairhaven continues to grow and thrive with many different business as well as residential condominiums nestled in the buildings high above the streets.
The Waldron Building, built in 1891 from bricks brought over on ships as ballast, originally housed the Bank of Fairhaven on it's street level has after 114 years become home to another bank. Whidbey Island bank opened this week in it's new Fairhaven location in the recently renovated building.
The upper three levels of the Waldron Building has two luxury condominiums per floor as well as a lower level, which opens to McKenzie Alley. This lower level space is still available for lease and would make an excellent location for most any business. The Historic Fairhaven District has many other historic buildings within a three block radius to the Waldron.
Bellingham Condo & Fairhaven Neighborhood Specialist, plus a REO Certified Specialist, experienced in Short Sales & Bank Owned properties serving Western Washington.
I have tremendous enthusiasm for selling Real Estate and dedicated to educating the clients that I provide my servcies too. I received my Brokers License in 2005 and I have been actively involved in both the Washington State Association of Realtors and local Whatcom County Association of Realtors serving as a State Director on the Board of Directors for the past three years. I have served on several committees through my local association including the Habitat for Humanity Committee and Chairperson of the Countywide Open House event in April 2009, which had 650 homes open to the public over one weekend.
My passion lies in supporting our wonderful community! Currently a member of the Old Fairhaven Association, I serve as President of the Board of Directors, Chair person for both the Dirty Dan Days Festival & Veterans Memorial Flag Pole Committies, plus C0-Chair of the Fairhaven Festival where It All Ends with the Ski to Sea Race.
Additionally, I enjoy spending time with my "Little" Elaine, whom I was lucky enough to meet through the Big Brothers & Sisters program in Whatcom County eight years ago.
Whatcom & Skagit County Real Estate
I am experienced and knowledgeable in Condominiums and Residential properties sales, plus commerical, multi-family and investment properties.
My specialty niche is with Condominium sales and First Time Home Buyers. I am also consider to be the Neighborhood Specialist in the Historic Fairhaven District.
The expansion of Condominiums in the "greater" Bellingham area has increased dramatically over the last few years and the development of Fairhaven as an Urban Village with mixed-use buildings has grown. Condominiums continue to be a very popular investment for easy low maintenance living in our beautiful Pacific Northwest corner of the United States where most people want to be out participating in various activities instead of maintaining a single family home.
Contact Stephanie for your Real Estate needs.
Whatcom County Real Estate
Located in the Northwest corner of the United States, Whatcom County is snuggled in between the Canadian border to the north, Cascade Mountain Range to the east, Pacific Ocean to the west and Skagit County on the southern border. Bellingham is centrally located between two major metropolitan cities; Seattle, WA and Vancouver, B.C. along the I-5 corridor.
The abundance of outdoor activities is unlimited with the amount of flora and fauna that encompasses Whatcom County from the Mt. Baker Wilderness area to the Puget Sound with the San Juan Islands and the numerous parks, lakes and trails that are scattered among the neighborhoods. The annual Ski to Sea race from the slopes of Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay is a world renown race that brings competitors from all over the world to Bellingham. The Bellingham Parks Department as well as the Greenways group do a wonderful job of maintaining our many parks as well as developing new ones. The Innerurban trail runs parallel to the popular and scenic Chuckanut Drive taking you from South Bellingham through Larrabee Park ending at Clayton Beach.
Contact Stephanie for more information about Whatcom County.
Skagit County Real Estate
The sleepy Skagit River Valley has grown tremendously over the past few years and has changed before my eyes. As a child growing up in Sedro Woolley, along the North Cascades Highway, and now an adult it has been an amazing transformation to see. From a sleepy logging community, originally named Bug, Sedro Woolley is a bustling community and the gateway to the North Cascades.
With the hub cities of Mount Vernon and Burlington on the I-5 coridor, Anacortes to the west on Fidalgo Island and Sedro Woolley to the east the Skagit River Valley is a diverse area. The river valley "flats" creates an excellent area to grow Tulips and Daffodils, which Skagit Valley is famous for and distrbutes their bulbs all over the world. The Historic town of La Conner is a small town on a water channel that brings in thousands of travels every year.
Contact Stephanie for Skagit County Real Estate.
First Time Homebuyers
What is the definition of a First Time Home Buyer? Someone who has not owned a home in the previous 36 months or the party in a divorce that does not get the home.
As a First Time Homebuyer it is an exciting and educational experience going through the process of learning about home ownership. Get the Facts Your First Home campaign through Washington Realtors provides an excellent resource guide breaking down the process into seven steps. At our first meeting I will provide you with this free guide, answer your questions and start going over these basic steps.
Looking at homes, whether it be condominiums or single family homes, is only a part of the excitement and I am here to help you through the home purchase process. Keeping you updated on new listings that come on the market daily or referring you to lenders and professional home inspectors is part of my commitment to you.
In the current shift of the Real Estate market it is no time better than now to buy your first home! The interest rates are at all time lows, home prices are down and the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit incentive is an incredible opportunity for you. If you have not heard of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit ask me and I am happy to go over the details with you.
There are many great financing programs for the First Time Home Buyer, so if you think you can't qualify or don't have enough money for a down payment be sure to speak to a lender so you really know. In some cases, you can get an FHA loan with as little as 3.5% down and you can use gifts or loans from family members as well as us money from your IRA. You can check out FHA, HUD or Rural Development loan programs online, if you want to do further research prior to speaking to a lender.
Contact Stephanie for information if you or someone you know is a First Time Homebuyer.
REO Northwest
We have a successful team in Western Washington with an REO presence along the I-5 corridor. We provide exceptional service to our corporate clients as well as to our large network of buyers. Our team has been commended several times.
There is 19 members of the team to include; Listing Specialists, Buyer Representatives, Transaction Coordinators, IT staff, BPO Specialist, Administrative and maintenance personnel.
Our team is highly proficient at completing BPO's and understanding market trends. We have frequent team meetings, discuss and analyze market shifts and stay current with all legislation that impacts the real estate and mortgage industries. All of this translates into the quality of our BPO's and our knowledge of the market & ability to think "outside of the box".
Utilizing the latest advances in technology to procure the most accurate & timely data. All team members are equipped with wireless technology to stay connected in field use, which means we can quickly communicate new assignments, vendor requests, or buyer lead information form the home office to our team members in the field.
Additionally, our websites are actively promoted and have a growing pool of investor/buyers who log in regularly to check out our active listings. Furthermore, we have a network of repeat buyers because of the rapport we have established with both banks & buyers, and because of our ability to smoothly and quickly negotiate transactions while maintaining a high level of integrity.
The Historic Fairhaven District of Bellingham is a wonderful area in south Bellingham located on the waterfront. The Fairhaven District was founded in the mid 1800's by Daniel Jefferson Harris, aka Dirty Dan, due to his lack of or limited hygenie. Dan was introduced to whaling by an uncle in the North Atlantic and joined the Pacific Whaling company in 1851. He arrived on Bellingham Bay in 1853 rowing from Victoria and became the largest land holder in the the area. Dan platted the town of Fairhaven on January 2, 1883.
Fairhaven is the transportation hub of Bellingham, featuring Amtrak, Greyhound, water taxis to the San Juan Islands, Victoria, as well as Port to the Alaska Marine Highway. Harris Bay is the home to many privately owned vessels with boat launch access from the Bellingham Bay Community Boat Center.
The past five years has produced an explosion of growth in Fairhaven, particularly the development of mixed use commerical and residential buildings. Whether it be new buildings with an old world flair or old buildings rehabed to keep history alive. The boutique shops, restaurants, art gallerys, banks, pharmacies and a grocery store in close proximity makes Fairhaven an excellent area for retirement or just easy urban village living. The beautiful new buildings that have developed have architectual controls to preserve the historic feeling of the district.
Fairhaven is a destination you must visit to experience and enjoy. The Old Fairhaven Association sponsors events practically every month with an all volunteer board and merchant participation. The Historic Fairhaven website features an event calendar that displays all the activities including individual merchant events. The Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema is a huge event every Saturday night running from late June through September on the Village Green. Come on down, throw out a blanket and enjoy a movie while snacking on pizza delivered by Fairhaven Pizza. And don't forget the Farmers Market every Wednesday afternoon on the Village Green to supplement your Saturday shopping at the Bellingham Farmers Market downtown.
You can view my blogs at MissFairhaven.com to learn more about the events and daily activities in Historic Fairhaven.
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