If you have been considering a vacation home or 2nd home, look no further than south of the border, south of the Canadian border that is.
Bellingham ,WA and its’suburbs offer many options from the historical district of Fairhaven and its many boutiques and restaurants to Sudden Valley or Birch Bay and Semiahmoo, waterfront to water view , single family residence to Condo, there is a vast array to choose from.
Take the Birch Bay community, within minutes to the border, a few of the local activities include the beaches, shopping outlets, golf courses as well as bicycling and kayaking. Birch Bay has a number of Condo Complexes right across from the beach with bayviews, pools, low maintenance and secure . The sale price of 2-3 bed Condos range from a low of $120,000 to a high of $550,000 with an average sale price of $267,500. Tell me where in B.C.,Canada can you find that?? If Condos are not for you there are also many single family residences (SFR) in the surrounding areas that are within walking distance to the beach and situated on the bluff with water views.Another popular location apprx. 20 minutes southeast of Bellingham is Sudden Valley, a Bellingham neighborhood with some homes within a block of Lake Whatcom if not right on the lake.
In addition to offering lake access, Sudden Valley has its own clubhouse with gym and state of the art equipment, golf course, swimming pool and hiking trails. The average sale price in Sudden Valley is $262,000. Sudden Valley is also a “gated “ community ( 7 gates in total) with a large Home Owners Association and patrolled security so it is a popular area for foreigners to have property.
For Canadian or Foreign Investors , you can purchase either a primary residence or 2nd home as a cash purchase or with a minimum credit score of 620, you may be eligible for a loan. There are closing costs associated with a home purchase, but no tax. A tax will be applied though when a foreign investor sells their U. S. property. This is called FIRPTA.
I also wanted to provide a side note in regard to foreclosures in Whatcom County. With all of the attention placed on foreclosures in the U.S., one might think that there would be many a hot buy here in Whatcom County, but in reality our real estate market has stayed stable and only about 12% of sales have been foreclosures. Whatcom County did not see as large of a real estate bubble as did the California, Florida or AZ markets, etc. so therefore, less distressed properties. Not to mention our great coastal location, which helps to keep our values up.
So come on down and take a look around at this great region with all it has to offer which includes a great real estate market. You can spend some quality time with the family while building equity. Come play in our large backyard with lakes and the bay, ski Mt. Baker or hike along the beautiful Chuckanut Trail.
So close yet far enough away!!
If you would like more information on the Whatcom County real estate market or Bellingham Homes for Sale or have any questions feel free to contact me direct at 360-303-3898 or drop me a line at roberta.soares@exprealty.com.
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