Bellingham, the ugly truth.... (Vancouver, Redmond: big house, water heater, salary)

[rainbow12345]

Originally Posted by ElphinKnight

Average prices are not the right prices to look at because a few very-expensive houses can pull the average deceivingly higher. You want to look at the median price of homes in an area to see what a usual price is for that area. Right now the average listing price for Bellingham is $416,000, but people are only getting an average sales price of $303,000. But again, these are averages. One thing we can get from this is that homes are selling for a lot less than people are putting them on the market for. Home prices are dropping in Bellingham.

thanks for your detailed explanation, according to your stats, people are lowballing instead of bidding up the prices, certainly a reversal of the situation, and the huge difference between the average listing price and the selling price is certainly worth noticing, i see some properties have been sitting for months and prices have reduced several times, do you see a glut of houses on the market? and how are the more expensive homes (>500k) doing versus the more affordable ones (<300k)? i ask this because i am primarily interested in the lower end market, and wonders if this segment is still holding strong, thanks

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by pw72

Hi! I'm new to the forum, seems to be an interesting place to talk about cities.

I have been considering moving to Bellingham for atleast a couple of years, but after reading this thread, am having second thoughts. Has it really gotten that bad? Or is it still a livable small town within easy distance of Seattle and Vancouver, (my original attraction)...

Hey I have not found a post where there are not a WHOLE LOT OF Grippy whinny folks who hate where they live. The folks that love where they live, are not using these Forums, think about it. Why would we be looking, or writing on this post if you LOVED where you lived. You would not have bothered to look up the website. Unless you have absolutely nothing better to do and feel you had such a good deal in life that you owe it to every one to spend all your time commenting. I am one of those folks who hates where I live, thats why Im here. I could go on and on and on (and on and on) why I HATE the heck out of Texas. Don't get too scared. Ive been to bellingham. Seriously folks, there may not be a better place on the PLANET. I have been in the US Navy and so I think I might have a better insite than most of you. I have been to 33 countrys, 48 states. You think the rain is bad. Stop it NOW, Just shut up. I have Devastating flooding, Tornadoes, and Huricanes to deal with. Arizona has 130 degree days (heck with that). The humidity in the South is ultra miserable. So Cali is nice, but for 800,000 you can get your piece of junk cookie cutter house. They have Smog and wild fires. The flat midwest.....well its FLAT with out mountains. Colorado...all the trees are dying and they are running out of water. Ive been on a 6 month national tour to find the place that fills my needs. Ever place , thats worth moving to,has ugly traffic. Everybody says its the Californians. I met more folks here in Austin from Washington State than california. They cant be blamed for everything. You have very little snow, almost no wind, Very little in the way of 100 degree days for weeks on end. You have volcanos to look at, Canada to visit, San Juans to visit, Whidby Island, Seattle to visit. The Paciific NW has the most wonderful coast IN THE WOLRD man. Tell me where the perfect place is that has no traffic, great jobs with high pay, low cost of houses, No crime, Great schools. Please tell me where that place is, Ive been on the web and on the road for months. Hey...IT DOES NOT EXIST.

[rainbow12345]

Originally Posted by sberdrow

... Ive been to bellingham. Seriously folks, there may not be a better place on the PLANET. I have been in the US Navy and so I think I might have a better insite than most of you. I have been to 33 countrys, 48 states. You think the rain is bad. Stop it NOW, Just shut up. I have Devastating flooding, Tornadoes, and Huricanes to deal with. Arizona has 130 degree days (heck with that). The humidity in the South is ultra miserable. So Cali is nice, but for 800,000 you can get your piece of junk cookie cutter house. They have Smog and wild fires. The flat midwest..... You have very little snow, almost no wind, Very little in the way of 100 degree days for weeks on end. You have volcanos to look at, Canada to visit, San Juans to visit, Whidby Island, Seattle to visit. The Paciific NW has the most wonderful coast IN THE WOLRD man. Tell me where the perfect place is that has no traffic, great jobs with high pay, low cost of houses, No crime, Great schools. Please tell me where that place is, Ive been on the web and on the road for months. Hey...IT DOES NOT EXIST.

AMEN!! i've been to bellingham too, sort of, passing by on the freeway when my friend drove from her home in mt.vernon to BC, but i remember it was quite a scenic ride with lush green and fresh air, of course at that time we were looking at the big picture (BC) and forgot about bellingham altogether...you guys are truly blessed with none of nature's woes, no flooding, Tornadoes, and Huricanes afflicting other parts of the country, or earthquake in Cali, yet has all the goodies nature has to offer, is located within reasonable distance between two great cities, etc. etc.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by rainbow12345

AMEN!! i've been to bellingham too, sort of, passing by on the freeway when my friend drove from her home in mt.vernon to BC, but i remember it was quite a scenic ride with lush green and fresh air, of course at that time we were looking at the big picture (BC) and forgot about bellingham altogether...you guys are truly blessed with none of nature's woes, no flooding, Tornadoes, and Huricanes afflicting other parts of the country, or earthquake in Cali, yet has all the goodies nature has to offer, is located within reasonable distance between two great cities, etc. etc.

Yeah, when I was in the Navy at Whidby Island in the late 80s, Bellingham was a pass through on the way to Vancouver....you boys know what Vancouver meant to us. Also I used to live in Mt Vernon, I owned a Video Store right accross from the Community College called Moms Video. Its a Mexican restaurant now. Anyway, the Road to Vancouver BC is how I discovered Bellingham.

[Screenial]

Originally Posted by sberdrow

Hey I have not found a post where there are not a WHOLE LOT OF Grippy whinny folks who hate where they live. The folks that love where they live, are not using these Forums, think about it. Why would we be looking, or writing on this post if you LOVED where you lived. You would not have bothered to look up the website.

Actually, I discovered this website because my husband and I have been thinking we may have to relocate due to a job after he gets out of the military, not because I hate where I live.
Opinions are like a$$ holes, everyone has one. People leave their .02, take it or leave it. You may think the Pacific NW has the most wonderful coast in the world, but I think the Mexican Riviera is a 1000 times more wonderful. Just my .02 Other people on this site have traveled quite a bit too believe it or not.

People ask about the Bellingham area, I lived there 20 years so I give my opinion. I haven't just passed through and said, " Gee, that Bellingham sure is pretty." Sure there are places better or worse, but does it fit what the person considering it needs or wants? Every place has it's pluses and minuses, it's up to each and every person to weigh them. If you find Bellingham so wonderful than by all means move there. But I will never ever regret getting the heck out of that town.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by Screenial

Actually, I discovered this website because my husband and I have been thinking we may have to relocate due to a job after he gets out of the military, not because I hate where I live.
Opinions are like a$$ holes, everyone has one. People leave their .02, take it or leave it. You may think the Pacific NW has the most wonderful coast in the world, but I think the Mexican Riviera is a 1000 times more wonderful. Just my .02 Other people on this site have traveled quite a bit too believe it or not.

People ask about the Bellingham area, I lived there 20 years so I give my opinion. I haven't just passed through and said, " Gee, that Bellingham sure is pretty." Sure there are places better or worse, but does it fit what the person considering it needs or wants? Every place has it's pluses and minuses, it's up to each and every person to weigh them. If you find Bellingham so wonderful than by all means move there. But I will never ever regret getting the heck out of that town.

Then why be sour grapes for all the other people who might appreciate what the pacific NW offers. Most of the time its all doom and gloom. Beleive me, if you are just going to cut it down, most of us are glad about you getting the heck out of town too. Go the your favorite beach so that in 20 years you can take a dump all over that place too.

[travlin family]

I am sorry but I have lived in Idaho my whole life and you can not buy 5 acres with a 5 bedroom house and a big shop for $200k. Not in 2000 and especially not in 2007. If you want all that you should be prepaired to spent $400k to $500k. I know becouse we have 5 acres and a nice house with a big shop.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by travlin family

I am sorry but I have lived in Idaho my whole life and you can not buy 5 acres with a 5 bedroom house and a big shop for $200k. Not in 2000 and especially not in 2007. If you want all that you should be prepaired to spent $400k to $500k. I know becouse we have 5 acres and a nice house with a big shop.

You might be able to in Texas. I looked at Idaho and I did not see such a good deal, but I only looked at ID falls and Boise.

[Linson]

on the subject of cost of living and affordability - what does an average electric bill or gas bill (heating/cooling bill) look like in say July and January?

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by Linson

on the subject of cost of living and affordability - what does an average electric bill or gas bill (heating/cooling bill) look like in say July and January?

a rectangel piece of paper with some words at the top and a bunch of numbers, sometimes a big number, sometimes small, it comes in a package called an "Envelope" ha ha ha ha