Bellingham shows up as No. 2 , on The Washington Post's rankings of America's best cities for fostering entrepreneurial business. Mount Vernon comes in at No. 17. The only other Washington city listed was Longview.
"Locally-owned businesses are at the heart of the American economy," the article says on the paper's Web site. "They create jobs, boost local economies and add vibrancy to nearby communities — and that is particularly true in the 25 cities on our list. These metropolitan areas, which range from bustling New York City to towns in central Oregon, are hotbeds for small businesses and local entrepreneurs."
They say that Bellingham: "is encouraging residents to chime in with their ideas for a revamped downtown using an online survey on the city's Web site. The city will share its plans with residents early next year."
If you have any questions or want to see any Bellingham Real Estate feel free to email me at or give me a call at 360-739-6981
Government officials want to start a trial program to sell the homes that they own in bulk to investors who will turn them into rentals. That means Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA homes in selected markets around the country. Their hopes are that getting these homes off the government's books, minimizing the losses and putting people back in them will help stabilize neighborhoods as well as housing values.
Fannie and Freddie combined have about 215,000 homes with more coming into foreclosure every day. This program could help get some of those homes lived in again and even help stabilize the housing market as there will not be so many distressed sales dragging down property values. Since rates are beginning to rise in many parts of the country this may help stabilize the rental market as well.
This program will probably take place in selected markets where there are large numbers of foreclosures. Reading between the lines I don't think this will have much effect here in Bellingham.
Here's a quick analysis of the Bellingham Residential Real Estate Market
The graph looks like we bounced up a bit from last month, but we're still in a downward trend overall, and ended the year that way. I think that what happens next year in the housing market will depend a lot on what happens in the economy in general, and even in the European economy as that will affect ours.
Stay tuned for 2012.
There is still a First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Available through a program called the Mortgage Credit Certification. It is a Tax Credit paid on Mortgage interest.
Interest rates are at historic low's and there are some great values in the Bellingham market right now. You might want to take a look at what it would cost you to purchase one of these homes at today’s rates. You might be surprised at what your monthly payments would be, maybe less than your paying for rent right now if you are renting a comparable sized house or condo.
If you have any questions or want to see any Bellingham Real Estate feel free to email me at or give me a call at 360-739-6981
Data are based on information provided by the NWMLS
It's that time of year, the days are short, the nights are long, a great time for some lighted parades. Friday and Saturday (Dec 2 & Dec 3 from 5pm - 8pm) you can see the Lighted Boat Parade if your anywhere near the waterfront, but especially around Fairhaven. Boats will gather near the Bellingham Cruise terminal and make 2 laps past Taylor Dock and Boulevard Park.
If you don't have a boat and are looking for a participatory event, there is the Superhero Lighted Bike Parade tonight. Come dressed as your favorite superhero and bike through down town Bellingham. Be sure to decorate your bike with lights and reflectors, riders will rendezvous at 6:30 pm at the Pacific Arts Festival grand opening (formerly TubeTime) next to Public Market on Cornwall Avenue
image courtesy of flicker.com by kevincole
The following data is for Single Family Residential Homes:
New Listings: 8
Closed Sales: 7
Pending Sales: 14
Total active listings at the end of the week: 438
I like to educate my clients about the real estate market, so they can make good choices, and I can create new friends for life.
Welcome to my profile which will guide you to the beauty of Bellingham and it's surrounding areas as well as provide you with information about Bellingham Real Estate, and what is presently available here in residential, condo, commercial and investment real estate. Search the MLS to find your new home in Bellingham or anywhere else in Whatcom and Skagit Counties.
I focus on my clients needs and takes care of them before, during and after their transaction closes. I believe in excellent customer service and helping my clients find the best professionals to help them with their real estate transaction.
I have been a Realtor® since 2000. I have lived in and around Bellingham since 1974, so I know the area and Bellingham Real Estate very well. My background is a mix of many things that have gotten me to this point in my career. I have been a self employed entrepreneur for more than 20 years. Most recently before becoming a Realtor I have been a nationally recognized teacher of Thai Massage.
Bellingham is at the heart of Whatcom County. It is an area of unparralled beauty and abundant recreational oppurtunities. I have travelled and lived in many parts of the world and I am always amazed at the beauty of this area on returning from anywhere on the planet. The city with a smalltown feel sits on Bellingham Bay, with Mt Baker to the east and the San Jaun Islands to the west. We are within a short drive of Seattle to the south and Vancouver B.C. to the north. Many homes in Bellingham Have spectacular views of the Bay and Islands as well as Lake Whatcom. Real Estate values here are on the rise, but still a bargain compared to many other desireable places to live.
Ferndale is a smaller town 15 minutes north of Bellingham that is surrounded by farmland. It is a fast-growing community with many homes featuring spectacular views of Mt. Baker. The town sits on the edge of the Nooksack River and has easy access to several of Whatcom County's premier parks.
Blaine is a small town just below the Canadian border. It is the closest US town to 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver which is only half hour away. Peace Arch State Park is spanning the US Canadian border and providing a reminder of peace between our two countries for over two centuries. Blaine sits on Boundary Bay with Semiahmoo Bay actually closest to Blaine which has recently built a new boardwalk for people to stroll along the water. Being a border town Blaine has a very colorful history.
Birch Bay is a beautiful community located on the water well know for it's miles of beaches. It is growing fast, what used to be a resort area now has many full-time residents. It is well known for its good crabbing and clamming. It's actually part of Blaine. Birch Bay State Park is popular camping spot.
Lynden is a small town with strong Dutch heritage. It is situated just south of the Canadian border east of Blaine. The town features a 72 foot tall windmill with moving blades. Lynden is surrounded by farmland many with spectacular views of Mt. Baker. There are lots of dairy as well as many berry farms in the area.
Everson and Nooksack are small communities located in the north of Whatcom County. Surrounded by farmland there are many places here with beautiful views of Mount Baker and a short drive to Bellingham or Canada.
Sumas is very small city in the north of Whatcom County with a population of just over 1000 people, across the Canadian border from Abbotsford B.C. a large city of over 100,000 people.
Deming is about 10 miles east of Bellingham on the road to Mount Baker.
Maple Falls and Glacier are the last towns before Mount Baker and are popular resort destinations for skiers in winter and hikers in the summertime.
Lummi Island is one of the gems of the San Juans. It is serviced by a small ferry that takes about 10 minutes to cross and runs at least once an hour. It is a rural island with unspoiled natural beauty. There are no parks, campsites or commercialization, it is quiet getaway.
Sudden Valley is a community along the shores of Lake Whatcom located ten minutes east of Bellingham.
We fully and completely recommend Michael Eisenberg as a real estate agent. We both bought and sold a home through Michael. We found him to be professional, knowledgeable, responsive, available, and accommodating.
We are very demanding in terms of what we required when we listed our house with Michael. He agreed to all of our requests, kept in touch with us regularly, and most importantly followed through with everything we asked. This included advertising, photography, open houses, and negotiating. His market appraisal was dead on and helped us to price our house so that it would sell in our time frame. This was no small accomplishment as our house sold during a time when few houses were selling anywhere in Bellingham.
We felt that Michael acted ethically at all times and provided us with two positive experiences. He enjoys what he does and does it very well. He knows his market and shares his knowledge with his clients.
Mark & Karen Sherman
A lot of comparable homes were on the market for a much longer time than ours was. That fact should speak for itself.We appreciated Michael's efforts in pricing our home right, and keeping right on it when it came to showing it and getting interested generated. His firm also made sure we got plenty of "print" expose weekly to generate interest as well. We sold pretty quickly!
We would recommend listing with Michael to anyone!
The Weinberg's
As an out of state buyer my wife and I were very fortunate to have Michael Eisenberg working on our behalf. A particular home in Bellingham caught our eye on the internet. Michael was able to provide us additional information and pictures to help us evaulate the home and arranged for several of our friends and family to personally view the home on our behalf. Through Michael's assistance we ultimately negotiated the purchase of the home without actually seeing the home in person. Michael also assisted us in finding a local mortgage lender and worked on our behalf throughout the closing process while we remained in Wisconsin. We would highly recommend Michael to anyone looking to purchase a home in the Bellingham area.
Stephen Sakai
I sure appreciate your perservernce and diligence helping get my very challanging property sold. Thanks
Robb McGregor
I highly recommend Michael Eisenberg as a real estate agent. I have worked with him on several purchase and sale transactions and all has gone very smoothly. Recently Michael successfully sold my home during the slow market in early spring 2007, getting a full price offer! Michael employed every possible marketing technique available. The marketing materials were excellent. Michael is great to work with, always available for questions, and I recommend him without any reservations.
Jamie Moore
We want to thank-you for the great job in helping us complete the
purchase of our new home. Your attention to the details of the completion
was very professional and quick. It has been a very easy and enjoyable
transaction and we would have no hesitation to do business with you again in
the future and to refer you to other clients. We wish you all the very
best.
Kip & Gaylene Bergan
Michael helped us accomplish what seemed to be 'impossible'-finding a
reasonably price home in Bellingham in a great neighborhood that met all our
requirements. He worked with us with patience and diligence for over one
year, emailing and calling us with updates as potential homes came on the
market. We toured over 50 homes together. He seemed to understand how
important it was for us to find a home that really fit our needs. We never
felt pressured to settle for something less than what we were dreaming
about. Michael not only proved to us what a real professional he is, we
also made a friend in the process. We couldn't recommend him more highly.
Tiana Melquist and Norman Stolzoff
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