Bellingham Real Estate Blog ~ Author: Ryan Martin

FHA Approved Condos in Bellingham

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:04:31 -0500

The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently changed the rules for condominium financing. The most significant change was the elimination of the “spot loan” approval process. The HUD used to allow condominiums that followed the FHA guidelines to be financed through FHA loan programs even if they were not officially FHA approved. This is no longer the case, therefore it is more important than ever for condominium associations to follow and apply for FHA approvals.

FHA loans are more favorable to a lot of buyers because the programs are more lenient towards credit scores and require smaller down payments. FHA loans often require as little at 3.5% down payment. Because condominiums are typically less expensive than homes they are financed easier through FHA loans.

I have provided with a list of the FHA approved condos in Bellingham. These approvals are current through 10/20/09.

Cypress Place Condos

Darby Estates Condos

Fir Ridge Condos

Forest Lane

Forest View

La Bahia

Lake Padden Estates Condos

Maple Glen Condos

Maple in the Reserve at Cordata

Pacific Trails Estates

Southwinds Condos

Sunset Gardens

The Atrium Condos

The Drake Building Condos

Willow Wood

Woodcreek

Woodridge

Ryan Martin – Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc.

Your Bellingham condo expert

Direct Line: 360-296-7366

Oceanfront Vacation Homes in Birch Bay WA

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:56:28 -0500

Birch Bay Washington is one of the most affordable oceanfront locations along the west coast. Birch Bay is located just one hour south of Vancouver British Columbia and 2 hours north of Seattle which makes it an incredibly accessible location for both Canadians and Americans. Birch Bay has been a popular vacation destination for the last 100 years.

In the beginning, Birch Bay was just a group of small humble cabins located along the shoreline. Over time, Birch Bay has grown slowly but steadily. While many of the small cabins still exist today, there are also modern condominiums and timeshares mixed in along the waterfront. The main road in Birch Bay follows along the large public beach, while most of the homes and condos are located on the other side of the road.

One of the main summer time attractions in Birch Bay is the waterslides. The Birch Bay waterslides have recently been updated and are now part of Grand Bay Resort. The Birch Bay waterslides are open from Memorial Day weekend until the end of summer. The admission price for the waterslides is about $16 for the entire day.

If you are looking for fun day with where the admission is free, then you should check out the Birch Bay shoreline. There is typically plenty of parking and the shoreline is a beachcomber’s paradise. The road is extra wide for bicycles, rollerblades, or walkers. One of the unique aspects of Birch Bay is that the tide is unusually shallow and therefore has extreme highs and lows. The Birch Bay shoreline is a great place for people of all ages to enjoy the sandy beach and tide pools of sea life.

Birch Bay Village is gated community located at the north end of Birch Bay. Within this gated community one can purchase true low bank oceanfront properties in the $700k price range. This is an incredible opportunity for an oceanfront vacation home. In addition to reasonably priced oceanfront, Birch Bay Village also has a community club house, swimming pool, tennis courts, 9 hole golf course, private marina, and 24 hour security.

Shop for Birch Bay Vacation Homes Now.

Ryan Martin ~ REALTOR®

Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc.

Direct Line: 360-319-0040

Market Leader makes us look great to our prospects

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:30:14 -0500

The activity on my Market Leader website has really picked up this week. I am still averaging a handful of new prospects each week, but some of the past prospects are beginning to become more active. This week I received 4 direct e-mails from active prospects looking for more information about homes.

One of these prospects wanted me to increase the price of their search criteria. I was having a hard time figuring out how to change their current listing alerts, so I called Market Leader to get some help. My call was picked up within 2 rings and answered by a sharp young guy in Kirkland, WA. He was extremely helpful and we fixed the search within a couple of minutes.

For future reference, you cannot change listing alerts, but you can create new ones and delete the old ones. My prospect had completely set up the wrong search and I was able to go into their listing alert account and create a new one with the criteria that they were searching for and delete their old search within minutes. I then sent them a quick e-mail to let them know that everything was back on track.

The team at Market Leader makes us look great to our prospects and prospective clients.

Ryan Martin Your Bellingham Real Estate Agent
Specializing in Bellingham Washington Homes

Breakdown of Condominiums in Fairhaven Washington

Tue, 26 May 2009 14:04:46 -0500

There are 9 main condominium buildings located within the core of downtown Fairhaven. Condos in Fairhaven range in price from $175,000 up to $1M+. To give you an idea of what your money can buy in Fairhaven, I have broken down the condo availability within price ranges.

$175k - $250k - This is a very tough price range for Fairhaven. There are a couple of studios and one bedroom units available in Harris Square or the Fairhaven Square building. There are also 1 bedroom units in the Larrabee condos that sometimes become available under $200k.

$250k - $300k – Pushing you budget over $250k and up closer to $300k, will make a big difference in your Fairhaven condo search. There are typically 2 bedroom (900 sq.ft.) condos available in Harris Square under $300k. This is also the entry price range for 1 bedroom units in the Fairhaven Gardens building. Judson Plaza also becomes an option near $300k, however there are seldom units available in Judson Plaza. 2 bedroom (900 sq.ft.) condos in Creekside also fall within this budget.

$300k - $400K – Stepping up over $300k will considerably open your options in the Fairhaven condo market. This price range also opens up the possibility of condos with views of Bellingham Bay. Nearly everything in Harris Square is available under $400k. There are 2 bedroom condos in Fairhaven Gardens available between $300k - $400k. Some of the larger units in Creekside are available around $350k. The Young condos and Fairhaven Heights also become available over $300k.

$400k - $500k – Once you start shopping over $400k in Fairhaven, you can begin to look at some of the larger condos that Fairhaven has to offer. Nearly all of the condos will be over 1,000 sq.ft. and will have bay views. You can also begin to look at some of the higher end finishes. There are a couple of corner units in Harris Square that fall in this price range. There are also units available in the Young Building in this category.

$500k and Beyond – While there are not a lot of condominiums over half a million dollars available in Fairhaven, they do exist. The Waldron Building currently offers the most expensive condos in Fairhaven with prices ranging up to $1.4M. The Young Building and Fairhaven Gardens also have some units that valued well over $500.

If you are interested in purchasing a condo in Fairhaven, work with an expert. I have been located in downtown Fairhaven for over 6 years and have detailed knowledge of every condominium building located within the core of Fairhaven. I would be happy to educate you on the market and give you a personal tour of the inventory if you think that Fairhaven might be the right place for you.

Ryan Martin – Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc.

Your Fairhaven condo expert

Direct Line: 360-296-7366

Market Leader is like a Buffet for Consumers

Tue, 26 May 2009 13:43:23 -0500

If you are looking into joining the Growth Leader program, be prepared for some lag time. As you are probably aware, real estate can be a 3 to 4 month business. In other words, the things that you do to increase your business today, will likely take 3 to 4 months before they payoff. This is especially the case when working with Internet prospects. Most prospects that are signing up for accounts through the Vision websites are in the very early stages of the home buying process. The good news is that Growth Leader has already planned for this.

The best part about the Growth Leader system is that it takes care of itself. When your prospects sign up for listing alerts, they receive listings without any effort on your behalf. It is sort of like a buffet, you just have to prepare and set the food out on the table and the prospects can take whatever they like on their own schedule.

The key for you is to ask the prospects questions and stay in touch. You can use the default responses to keep in constant contact with high volume of prospects in a fairly short amount of time. Courtney Cooper even came up with a great idea to send one e-mail out to all of your prospects at the same time. Courtney did a great job on the tutorial, so check it out if you have the time.

My Week 8 Weekly Update:

Last week my Growth Leader website produced 91 visitors and 1 new prospect. Currently I have generated 45 active prospects since I joined Growth Leader near the end of March. Of the 45 active prospects, 55% have signed up for listing alerts.

Ryan Martin Your Bellingham Real Estate Agent
Specializing in Bellingham Washington Homes

How to Test and Treat a Well for Coliform Bacteria

Thu, 14 May 2009 14:50:19 -0500

There are a lot of homes in Whatcom County that rely on private wells as their primary source of drinking water. While Whatcom County boast some of the cleanest drinking water in country, it is important that you test your well for E. coli and coliform bacteria. Coliform bacteria will not likely cause illness, but it is a sign that there might be disease causing organisms within the drinking water system.

Whenever you purchase a home on a private well, you should test the water quality by performing an E. coli and coliform water test. If your test comes back positive for coliform bacteria, you should watch this video to learn how to correct the problem.

Coliform bacteria can be eliminated by “shocking the well.” To shock the well you will need a hose, some bleach, and a ratchet set. First, locate the well head and remove the cap with the ratchet. Next, pour bleach into the well. Now, run the hose into the well and turn the water on. Cycle the water between the hose and the well for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, go into the house and run all of the faucets and showers. This will run the diluted bleach solution throughout the house. Run the water through all of the facets for 1 hour.

The coliform bacteria should no longer be present. To retest the water quality, get a test kit from Avocet Lab in Bellingham and fill the bottle up to the line from the kitchen sink. Bring the bottle back to Avocet within 24 hours and wait for conformation. That is it. The process is actually pretty simple.

Ryan Martin, Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc.

Your Bellingham Real Estate Professional

Search Bellingham Washington Homes for sale today

Typo in Default Responses

Wed, 13 May 2009 11:22:49 -0500

I have been using the default responses to maximize my time in Vision. One of my favorite things to offer new prospects that sign on is the addresses of home listings. This gives me a chance to offer something in an attempt to build a personal relationship. However, I just realized today that the default response that I have been sending out has a typo, or at least sounds odd. This is something that Vision should take a look at correcting.

Here is the default response.

Addresses of Home Listings

"I have activated your account to be able to view all the addresses of homes for sale in the MLS. From now on, just go back to my site http://www.servingbellinghamrealestate.com/, sign in, and the addresses will appear at the top of the home details.

When you're ready, please call me to let me know you want to go out and visit any homes that catch your eye."

The last sentence sounds really awkward to me. Maybe if it said... "When you're ready, please call me to let me know that you would like to take a look at a couple of these homes." There is just something about that last sentence that doesn't sound right to me.

Ryan Martin Your Bellingham Real Estate Agent
Specializing in Bellingham Washington Homes

Understanding Micro Markets in Real Estate

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:30:56 -0500

It is important to understand that there are many micro markets in real estate. When someone says that home prices are down 10% are they talking about homes across the US, within the state, in the city of Bellingham, or in your neighborhood? While real estate is affected at a broad level, it is also highly sensitive to the neighborhood.

It is not necessarily a bad time to sell your home. It really depends on your micro market. Let’s look at Bellingham as an example. There are currently 512 homes on the market within the city. Over the last 6 months the average days on market for homes in Bellingham that have sold is 105 days. Based on these figures you might think that your home in Bellingham will take 4 months to sell, but that is not necessarily the case. Let’s look a couple of niche markets within the Bellingham real estate market.

Cornwall Park is a pretty established and popular neighborhood. Most of the homes were built in the 1920’s. The average price pint in the Cornwall Park Neighborhood is under $300k and lower than the average in Bellingham. This makes the Cornwall Park Neighborhood an ideal location for first time home buyers. Over the last 6 months the average days on the market for the neighborhood was only 39 days. If you currently own a home in the Cornwall Park Neighborhood and wanted to upgrade to a larger, now is a perfect time. Where would be a good place to buy a home in Bellingham right now?

The Barkley Neighborhood might be a good place to target. Most of the homes in the Barkley Neighborhood are priced over $300k. On average, the homes in the Barkley Neighborhood are larger and newer than homes in the Cornwall Park Neighborhood. Over the last 6 months the average days on the market for the Barkley Neighborhood was 134 days. While it looks like it might not be a good time to sell a house in Barkley, it does look like a good time to buy one.

It is important to know your mirco market when making decisions about buying and selling your house. Don’t rely on national media or your local newspaper to sway decision to buy or sell. You should be contacting a real estate professional that knows your micro market. Original Article

Ryan Martin, Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc.

Your Bellingham Real Estate Professional

Search Bellingham Washington Homes for sale today

Twitter + Bellingham = Web Promo Video? What!

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:11:10 -0500

I was recently introduced to Roger Hutchison of WebVideoDesigner.com. Although Roger and I both live in Bellingham, we actually met on Twitter. Over the last several months Roger and I have had several tweets go back and forth. At one point he referred one of his friends to list their home with me. The referral ended up not working out as the friend was able to get their former agent to reduce their commission. To no surprise I am pretty sure that their house is still on the market.

Getting back on subject, Roger had been producing a lot of long distance web videos, but was interested in doing more local video projects. Specifically he wanted to launch a new product for local businesses. I have always had a fascination with web video, so Roger and I ended up creating the following video. I think the video turned out great. Had KC and I been better public speakers, this could have turned out even better, but Roger truly did a great job.

Follow Roger on Twitter - Follow Ryan on Twitter

Ryan Martin
Your Bellingham Real Estate Agent
Search Bellingham Washington Homes Now

Ideas for Market Leader

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:15:02 -0500

I missed my post last week, so I’m writing two this week. Instead of giving another update I figured that I would provide some more useful information with my second post. With that said, I attended Gary Keller’s seminar in Seattle on Wednesday and watched a presentation on Top Producer. I’m also messing around with Graphical Data’s backend IDX right now, so I have been keeping a close eye on the various products that are available to real estate agent right now.

Jumping right into Top Producer, I was impressed with their Market Snapshot product. I like that fact that the monthly updates are e-mailed monthly. That is a really nice feature for real estate agents with a large database of contacts. If Market Leader was to produce a competing product, I would recommend using Google Maps instead of Microsoft. I just prefer Google’s maps to Microsoft’s. I would also make the map a little bigger and try to organize the data a little better. The graph that is next to the map is stupid. They should get rid of that and use images of the homes that sold. That would help consolidate the information as well as add a better visual affect.

Moving on Graphical Data’s IDX and products, I think that they need to more forward on automated information. Currently, they only offer to automatically e-mail listing, which most MLS’s offer at this time. I think they need to get ahead of the curve on the automated systems for agents. I do however like their map search. I was actually a bit surprised that Market Leader doesn’t offer one. I also like how their template websites are hardly templates and that virtually all of the information can be edited, tweaked, and optimized. Here is a sample of my Bellingham Graphical Data Site.

…and just for comparison here is a link to my Market Leader Site.

Ryan Martin Your Bellingham Real Estate Agent
Specializing in Bellingham Washington Homes

Week 3 of Growth Leader in Bellingham, WA

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:21:55 -0500

Week 3 in Growth Leader Week three was a slow week in growth leader as far as leads when. I only received two leads, of which only one provided any contact information. However, in week three I did discover how to allow consumers to see the addresses of homes. This is actually a pretty cool tool. In the back end of Vision, there is button that you can click to allow consumers to see the addresses. You can then go into the consumers profile and send them an automated message that lets them know that you have just turned on the address function for them.

This is a great way of staying in contact with consumers a couple of days after their initial introduction e-mail. I found that nearly all of my prospects when back to the Market Leader website within a day of receiving this e-mail. Had I not offered the prospects something, I don’t that they e-mail would have be received as well. Now that it has been another week I am looking for the next added service that I can auto e-mail my prospects. Does anybody have any good ideas of things that have worked for them?

Ryan Martin Your Bellingham WA Real Estate Agent
Specializing in Bellingham Washington Homes

How much does it cost to buy a house in Skagit County?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:46:16 -0500

How much does it cost to buy a house in Skagit County? When a buyer purchases a property (land, house, condo, etc.) in Skagit County using the standard real estate forms the buyer is required to pay half of the escrow fee and provide a title insurance policy insuring the lenders interest in the exact amount borrowed. The following are the cost associated with both buying and selling a $300,000 house in Skagit County.

$300k house purchase the buyer's costs would be:

$750 escrow charge

$865 title insurance if buyer puts $50,000 down ($0 if buyer pays cash).

$50 recording fee

Plus any lending fees associated with the purchase

$300k house purchase the seller's costs would be:

$750 escrow charge

$965 title insurance in favor of the buyer for the full purchase price

$50 recording fee

$5,340 excise tax to the State of Washington

$9,000 buyer's agent commission (3%)*

$9,000 listing agent commission (3%)*

*All commissions in the State of Washington are negotiable, but in life you usually get what you pay for.

Start you Skagit County Real Estate search today.

Ryan Martin, Windermere Real Estate

Your Bellingham real estate agent

Bellingham Homeowners Implementing Green Alternatives in the Home

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:05:34 -0500

A catalyst for homes, public facilities, schools and businesses, achieving environmental sustainability is being driven by a common goal to move cities and states to a green form of living. While human beings use energy to drive daily chores and activities, many take eco-friendly methods of construction and living for granted.

For a large part of the 20th century, corrosive and hazardous forms of insulation were used in homes, buildings and military applications. An older prominent building material that has plagued homeowners is asbestos. The use of this fibrous mineral became widespread due to the variety of industries stationed in Bellingham. Industries such as chemical plants, paper mills, shipyards and oil refiners used the material because of its fire resistant and ultra durable qualities.

Environmental awareness for citizens of Bellingham is on rise partially due to the rise in technology and green methods that will not only produce a healthier home, but can save homeowners on annual energy costs.

Tax breaks are being offered through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009. This package extends energy efficiency tax incentives first enacted in 2005 and even creates some new ones for those who remodel their homes using eco-friendly materials.

This is good news for people looking to remodel their homes. Some of the measures eligible for tax credits include: Replacement windows and skylights which are equal or below a 0.30 U factor, window films certified by the manufacturer that the product meets the requirements of a green insulation system, pigmented metal or asphalt roofs that meet Energy Star requirements and added insulation to walls or any part of a structure that meets the 2009 IECC specifications.

It is important to remember that any home built before 1980 could likely contain asbestos. When undisturbed, asbestos is fine. Most experts suggest leaving it un-disturbed, as this can allow its fibers to become airborne. Consistent exposure to asbestos can lead to many illnesses, such as pleural mesothelioma. Due to the fact many mesothelioma symptoms are similar to less serious ailments, diagnosis of this asbestos ailment is one of the more difficult tasks mesothelioma doctors encounter.

Citizens and organizations in Washington are doing their part in nurturing and prospering their mountains, natural springs and fresh air. The Washington Foundation for the Environment is a nonprofit corporation striving to provide projects and education focusing on environmental awareness. It also provides detailed information to citizens, schools and public facilities about the health hazards of asbestos.

Replacing the asbestos with healthy forms of insulation such as cotton fiber, lycnene foam or cellulose is more energy efficient and reduces the risk of asbestos exposure. Many locations throughout the United States are swiftly.

Ryan Martin Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc.

Your Bellingham real estate professional

Search Bellingham Washington homes for sale

Jobs in Bellingham Washington

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:33:04 -0500

I am often asked about Bellingham’s job market. The most common two questions are “Are there any jobs in Bellingham?” and “Where do people work in Bellingham?” . The answer to these two questions are yes and there are jobs available in many different sectors in Bellingham.

Click here for a list of the current top employers in Bellingham. I have also provided a list of links below to places where current, available jobs are posted for Bellingham and the surrounding vicinity.

Worksource is a popular place for businesses to post available jobs. Worksource is a joint venture of organizations that provide resources for both employers and perspective employees. Along with job postings for all of Whatcom County, in a variety of professions, the Worksource website also provides an array of tools to help job-seekers find and get the job that they are looking for. BP, Western Washington University, and Peacehealth (St. Joseph Hospital) are just a few of the employers who post job openings on this site.

Craigslist is another popular source for finding jobs in Bellingham. Many local employers are using Craigslist to post both full time and piece work jobs. Craigslist does a great job of categorizing their job postings, however, you will need to scroll down the page a bit to find older postings. Sometimes there are still open postings that have been pushed down the page because they are a few days old.

Another place to search for jobs is on the local paper’s website. The Bellingham Herald’s job classifieds is powered by Career Builder and allows you to search for new job postings by keywords. I have not found this to be the best place to find local employment opportunities, but it is another place to expand your search.

If all else fails, another great way to find the job you are looking for is to simply ask around. If you are interested in a particular line of work, let people know. The beauty of a small town lies in the connections you find. If you are a go-getter with a positive attitude and a drive for success, someone may be willing to create a position just for you.

There are jobs available in Bellingham and in Whatcom County, you just have to know where to look, and sometimes you need to do a little digging, but I guarantee that there are some awesome opportunities just waiting for people like yourself. We need more workers! If you are looking for a new place to hang your hat from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, and if you are looking to relocate, browse these links – your dream career may be in Bellingham Washington! See Bellingham Wa Jobs

Ryan Martin - Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc.

Your Bellingham Real Estate Agent

Search for Bellingham Washington homes for sale now

Week 2 of the Growth Leader Program

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:25:20 -0500

Now that I have had another week of working with the Vision system and Growth Leader, I am really starting to get into a grove. The leads are still pouring in. I have to admit that I am getting far more leads from Growth Leader than I anticipated. I believe that I have had nearly 30 contacts since the site was launched a couple of weeks ago. I was expecting to receive closer to a few leads a week.

One thing that I pointed out last week was that I have never used forced registration on my websites before. I am very pleased with the number of leads that force registration produces, but I am a bit displeased with the quality of the leads. There is clearly a tradeoff of quantity of quality. In the past I have mostly relied on phone calls and direct e-mails from my websites. These leads are very warm and the prospects are usually ready to go see properties. The leads that come from forced registration are typically doing research before they are ready to buy. These leads are still valuable, but they will take a little more time to nurture.

Moving on the tech side of things, I should get into a couple of things that I would liked changed. The most important thing to do when dealing with internet leads is to get back to people ASAP. I am typically very successfully with getting people information extremely fast. When I am in front of my computer, it is a given that I will reply to e-mails as they come in. I’m usually just as fast when I am in the field. I keep my Blackberry on me at all times and constantly respond to e-mail. I currently have Vision set up to e-mail me if I have a new prospect sign up, or if I receive a message from a prospect. However, when I am using my Blackberry for e-mail I am unable to respond to new messages, without getting online and filling out the form response. I would love to see Vision have an option where we can e-mail clients directly from our mobile device without having to find a computer and logging into the system.

The other recommendation that I have in regard to the website is that it doesn’t give out the addresses to the homes, even after prospects login. I have received several requests for the addresses of homes from prospects that have already signed up. It seems that they should be able to see this information once they have become a “member” of the Vision websites. While I appreciate the interaction with the prospects, I do not like to be tied to my computer all day giving out addresses to homes.

Ryan Martin Your Bellingham WA Real Estate Agent
Specializing in Bellingham Washington Homes

Week 1 of the Growth Leader Test Program

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:21:38 -0500

This is officially my first full week of the Market Leader and Vision test program. My immediate impression is that the Vision website combined with Growth Leader is a lead machine. I have been involved with online real estate marketing for the last 6 years and I can tell you from experience that the Vision website simply generates leads. The difference between the Vision website and the websites that I have been using in the past is the registration process. My past websites have always offered registration free access to the IDX.

My thinking was that people will not register for real estate websites because there are so many other websites out there that do not require registration. I was wrong. I have had 15 people register to my Vision website over the last 10 days through the Growth Leader program. I have 7 other real estate websites. All of the other 7 websites generate more traffic, but none have produced this many leads in such a short period of time.

I am also pretty impressed with the backend of Vision. I like how all of the prospects are organized on one page. The other feature that I am very happy with is the auto e-mailing system. I love that prospects are greeted with an introductory e-mail and then sent a follow up e-mail the next day with more properties that may be of interest. As I am very familiar with working with internet buyers, I recognize that the key is to constantly stay in front of them. Visions auto e-mail system has really helped streamlined this process.

As for recommendations for Vision, I would like to have more more flexibility in customizing the search widgets. I recognize that their search widgets are a more advanced feature, but it would be nice to be able to fit them into the sidebar of my blogs as a "quick search". Also, it would be better if we could set up different search widgets. I would like to be able to set up different search widgets for the different areas that I service and not have the other areas appear. All in all, I am happy with Growth Leader and the Vision website and I am curious to learn more about how I can take full advantage of these resources.

Ryan Martin Your Bellingham Real Estate Agent
Specializing in Bellingham Homes for Sale

Take a Day Train Trip from Bellingham

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:24:53 -0600

Two Hour Train Rides from Bellingham Washington

Are you looking for a fun weekend trip from Bellingham? Consider taking the Amtrak train along the Pacific shoreline to Seattle or Vancouver, BC. Trips to Vancouver, BC and Seattle are both about an hour from Bellingham via the train. The Amtrak schedule runs daily and the rates are pretty reasonable.

A roundtrip for 2 from Bellingham to Seattle runs about $84. The train takes a little over two hours to reach Seattle from Bellingham, WA.

A roundtrip for 2 from Bellingham to Vancouver, BC runs about $56. The train takes a little less two hours to reach Vancouver, BC from Bellingham, WA.

If you are looking to get a little further out of town, consider a trip to Portland, OR. Portland is a beautiful town and only 6 hours south of Bellingham.

A roundtrip for 2 from Bellingham to Portland, OR runs about $120. The train takes a little over 6 hours to reach Portland, OR from Bellingham, WA.

Bellingham Amtrak

401 Harris Avenue

Bellingham, WA 98225

Hours 8:00am to 9:00pm

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham Washington real estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA

Search Bellingham homes for sale

*Amtrak image via creative commons license jpmueller @Flickr

Fairhaven Gingerbread House Contest | Fairhaven Ferry Terminal

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:33:35 -0600

Fairhaven Gingerbread House Contest ~ Dec 5th

There is a Gingerbread contest going on at the Fairhaven Ferry Terminal this Friday afternoon and evening. The contest is open to all ages and entry is free. The Gingerbread houses need to be submitted by Friday afternoon and will be view by the public for 3 days.

Entry forms are available on the Fairhaven Event Website

Event Information

Friday: 12:00pm – 8:00pm

Saturday: 11:00am – 6:00pm

Sunday: 11:00am – 5:00pm

Bellingham Cruise Terminal 355 Harris Ave. Bellingham, WA

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham Real Estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA

Search Bellingham homes for sale

Find places to stay in Fairhaven Washington

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:19:50 -0600

Find places to stay in Fairhaven Washington

Are you planning to visit Fairhaven WA? There are only three places to stay the night in Fairhaven. I have listed your options below.

Fairhaven Village Inn

The Fairhaven Village Inn is located in the heart of Fairhaven directly across from the Village Green park. The Fairhaven Village Inn is an ideal location for someone that is passing through town by bus or train, as it is just a few blocks from the Fairhaven Terminal. The Fairhaven Village Inn is also right next to the many wonderful Fairhaven restaurants.

Rates range from $159 to $269 per night

The Chrysalis Inn & Spa

The Chrysalis Inn & Spa is a very nice place to stay. The inn overlooks the Taylor St boardwalk and Bellingham Bay, with bay and island views. The Chrysalis is located on the fringe of downtown Fairhaven and is just a short walk away from the many restaurants located in Fairhaven.

Rates range from $199 to $299 per night

The Fairhaven Bed and Breakfast

The Fairhaven Bed and Breakfast is a Victorian style bed and breakfast that is located just two blocks south of downtown Fairhaven. This is the perfect place to stay if you are looking for an old world vacation. The rooms are large and patrons are given access to an entire floor including a kitchen and two bathrooms.

Call 360-734-7243 for rates

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham WA Real Estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA

Boulevard Park Bellingham's Most Popular Park

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:06:25 -0600

Bellingham's Most Popular Park is Boulevard Park (in my opinion)

Recently I have become more and more intrigued with video blogs, podcast, or whatever you want to call them. In any event, I created this short video about Boulevard Park in Bellingham. Being one of the most popular parks in Bellingham, a lot of people have written articles and blog posts about this park (myself included). I chose to create this video for those people that have not been to Boulevard Park and for those who may not get the change. Here is my treat to you.

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham WA Real Estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA

Don't be a Qwitter, Stick with Twitter

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:33:19 -0600

Don't be a Qwitter, Stick with Twitter

In case you are too lazy to watch the video above and just want to leave a comment below for your 25 points, here are the cliff notes. It seems that a lot of people open a Twitter and really struggle at the beginning. The problem is that new members aren’t following anyone and nobody is following them. Unless you love to talk to yourself, this isn’t going to be much fun and certainly isn’t going to be an effective marketing tool.

The key to Twitter is to get out and start following people right away. I don’t recommend that you start by following as many random people as possible. You should start by following people that are already in your network. Look for members of ActiveRain that inspire you and start to follow them. Once you have a good group of people that you are following, you will meet new people and want to follow them.

That is about it. Twitter is simple and that is one of the biggest reasons that it is so popular. If you like my video (or not) and want to follow me, I am @RyanRE

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham Real Estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA

Where Do I Dump Junk & Garbage in Bellingham?

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:21:54 -0600

Where Do I Dump Junk & Garbage in Bellingham?

It is easy to accumulate waste at your house. Typically people start a pile somewhere and just keeping adding to it. If you live in Bellingham, there are actually some pretty simple solutions to junk & garbage removal.

RDS Recycling and Disposal Services, Inc.

If you have a truck, or a way to haul your garbage, RDS is the cheapest route to go. They accept household garbage at $0.05/lb. RDS will also accept your yard waste (including sod & dirt) for only 2.25 cents/lb. In addition to household and yard waste, RDS also accepts, construction waste, wood, metal, concrete, appliances, air conditioners, and automotive tires.

RDS Disposal Price List

Sanitary Service Company

If you live in the City of Bellingham, you can sign up for standard garbage and recycle pickup. SSC offers both weekly and bi-weekly pickups. If you have a lot of waste that you need removed and you don’t have a truck or the capacity to transport the waste yourself, SSC will actually drop off a large garbage container for you. You can fill up the waste container on your own schedule and they will pick it up for you when it is full.

Sanitary Service Company Price List

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham Real Estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA

Poll Question: Can People Learn Sales or are they Born for Sales?

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:48:00 -0600

Poll Question: Can People Learn Sales or are they Born for Sales?

Are certain people born to be great real estate agents, or can anybody learn how to be an effective real estate sales person? This was a question that a fellow agent and I were discussing yesterday. There are two basic trains of thought here. One thought is that being a real estate agent is like a math equation, in that anyone can put the time in and make it work. The other idea is that some people just have the "it" factor and can't help but be successful in real estate.

What are you thoughts?

Are some people simply natural real estate agents?

Online Surveys & Market Research

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham Real Estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA

Bellingham Wine Event ~ Grape & Gourmet November 2nd

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:01:17 -0500

Bellingham Wine Event ~ Grape & Gourmet November 2nd

Grape and Gourmet is one of my favorite annual events in Bellingham. Grape and Gourmet is a wine and food tasting that is put on by the Bellingham Bay Rotary Club. While I am not a member of the Bellingham Bay Rotary Club, I have several friends that are and it is really a great group of people and this is a wonderful event.

Grape and Gourmet is a classy tasting that features the best wines from the top Northwest wineries and amazing food samples from the best local restaurant. There is never a shortage of great food or wine at this event. If you are a local or visiting Bellingham, you have to check out this event.

Grape & Gourmet Bellingham 2008 ~ November 2nd

Location: 714 Lakeway Dr. Bellingham, WA 98229

5:00pm (early entry) & 6:45pm to 8:30pm

Early entry tickets $125

Regular tickets $75

Bellingham Bay Rotary Club

*According to the Bellingham Bay Rotary Club website, there are still about 100 tickets left and there should be some tickets available at the door.

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham Real Estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA

Lake Padden Best Jogging Trail in Bellingham

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:32:06 -0500

Lake Padden is the Best Jogging Trail in Bellingham

If you are new to Bellingham and looking for a place to jog, you need to check out Lake Padden. Lake Padden is a beautiful publicly owned park that features a jogging trail around the lake.

The Lake Padden jogging trail is exactly 2.59 miles long. This a perfect distance for beginners. Many of the more advanced runners tend to take a few laps around the trail. Another ideal aspect of the Lake Padden trail is that half of the trail has gentle hills, while the other half is flat. The jogging trail is also fairly wide and provides plenty of room for runners, on leash dogs and bicycles.

In addition to the jogging trails, Lake Padden features hiking trails, off leash dog area, tennis courts, horse trails, basketball court, picnic tables, barbecue grills, fishing dock, restrooms, softball fields, playground, and of course access to the lake. Make sure to stop by Lake Padden the next time you visit Bellingham.

Lake Padden Website - Park Hours 6:00am to 10:00pm

Ryan Martin - Realtor®, e-Pro®

Your Bellingham Real Estate agent

Keeping you informed about Bellingham WA