Bellingham, the ugly truth.... (Seattle, Spokane: modular homes, high income, cabinet)
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The liberals love diversity. They don't mind overcrowding, filth, bums, crime, and crowds. Liberals strive for those conditions and they're succeeding in making Bellingham another hellhole of a city. Think San Francisco....
The number of Bellingham's brand new apartment complexes versus available jobs is baffling. Sure, tele-commuting is possible, but what if you lose that tele-commuting job? You're stuck in Bellingham working for a failing big box store and having 40 year old roommates in your brand new one bedroom apartment.
Look at all the homes for sale now. Smart money is bailing out of here fast.
So Baldy, have you sold your house yet? Current housing inventory for Bellingham is at 1.3 months--a healthy level of inventory is 4-5 months, so there are too few homes on the market, not too many. Listed homes are getting multiple offers, and some are selling well above asking, which indicates far more buyers than there are houses to meet that demand. A house about a half mile from us sold in July for $97K above the list price.
I've heard the "everybody's selling here" rhetoric for at least the past 5 years on this forum. And prices just keep rising. Could they stall or dip in the short run? Sure, but the long-run real estate values here are very strong.
So Baldy, have you sold your house yet? Current housing inventory for Bellingham is at 1.3 months--a healthy level of inventory is 4-5 months, so there are too few homes on the market, not too many. Listed homes are getting multiple offers, and some are selling well above asking, which indicates far more buyers than there are houses to meet that demand. A house about a half mile from us sold in July for $97K above the list price.
I've heard the "everybody's selling here" rhetoric for at least the past 5 years on this forum. And prices just keep rising. Could they stall or dip in the short run? Sure, but the long-run real estate values here are very strong.
Prices are strong, sure. Do we have a healthy housing market that represents any affordability? Absolutely not. Furthermore, all but a couple thousand college students are going to be schooling from home/online and that is going to take huge pressure off our starved housing market. I am seeing more rentals and more homes hit the market. The neighbors own 3 rentals and had to drop rents and were saying they were lucky to keep their units occupied. Keep in mind WWU, BTC, WCC, and a few other "colleges" students account for 29% of Bellingham's population. There is considerable downside in the housing market if a majority of these go online permanently Yes homes are selling fast and above listing prices overall, but we've had 15 years of housing starvation/pent up demand so I think the correction is going to be a "trailing factor".
The thing is, if you've lived here awhile, yes many people we know and work with ARE SELLING and getting out. There are plenty of implants to replace them though, who think our areas of homeless squalor are great compared to the 53 square blocks of it in San Fransicko.
I watch the real estate listings for whatcom county daily and lately, during the past month or so there are fewer and fewer listings. If someone is looking for something particular, there aren't as many options in the market. I think as covid is less and less feared more people are buying. The forbearance is keeping the prices up, but I expect foreclosures to slam the market into a buyer's market when the furloughs become job losses and forbearance ends. It's not like there are net job gains to justify an ever increasing price in real estate here. I think there are many well to do people moving here. People who have already lived here for some time should know the prices went up way to fast to be a safe purchase during this time.
I use to be a paperboy, I know it isn't free. But these papers are no longer journalism, they're indoctrination. They don't cover important topics, they focus on the boogie man virus and non-factual articles. Half the headlines are about covid or racism, but I wonder, what racists incidents are going on in the community? I'm of color and don't see it. So why do I have to pay to read about a covid mandate if its so important?
Your health department and other government sites will provide the latest updates on COVID mandates for free. You don't "have to pay."
Prices are strong, sure. Do we have a healthy housing market that represents any affordability? Absolutely not. Furthermore, all but a couple thousand college students are going to be schooling from home/online and that is going to take huge pressure off our starved housing market. I am seeing more rentals and more homes hit the market. The neighbors own 3 rentals and had to drop rents and were saying they were lucky to keep their units occupied. Keep in mind WWU, BTC, WCC, and a few other "colleges" students account for 29% of Bellingham's population. There is considerable downside in the housing market if a majority of these go online permanently Yes homes are selling fast and above listing prices overall, but we've had 15 years of housing starvation/pent up demand so I think the correction is going to be a "trailing factor".
The thing is, if you've lived here awhile, yes many people we know and work with ARE SELLING and getting out. There are plenty of implants to replace them though, who think our areas of homeless squalor are great compared to the 53 square blocks of it in San Fransicko.
...and WHERE exactly are all of these people you know "getting out" / moving to?
I see the for sale signs; I have been following home sales for years now here as well. We keep asking ourselves where are people moving to if/when they sell their homes? We wanted to stay in WA state - where we were born and raised, but have come to face the reality that there is no where in western WA state that we can relocate to that will meet our needs or that is affordable.
We have only lived in Bellingham for four years now, but our initial love for this area faded quickly sometime in late 2017. Bottom line for us: Bellingham is completely over-rated. It is a difficult place to move to, to feel a part of and to plant one's roots. Housing, medical care, affordability,
The first condo we rented in Bellingham (we wanted to rent and then buy) was a temporary home as the out-of-state owner decided to sell due to the hot rental market. We paid $1075/mo in 2017 for that rental; those condos in the size we lived in are now renting for $1,650/mo. It's completely ridiculous. Insane. The couple that lived below us moved here from out-of-state, bought their condo in 2016 and now have it listed for 100K more than they paid for it. It was pending within a week. The "condos" are nothing more than apartments - several of them are rentals. There are NO amenities that come with the HOA apart from W/S/G being paid and outside yard care / building upkeep. No gym. No clubhouse. No pool. Yet people keep coming and buying. We've had 3 opportunities to buy a "condo" back in the same complex where we rented and we have said no each time. After having lived there (it was okay; but it was definitely a rental environment; not a place to establish a home), we said no way we would buy there.
We have been looking to buy since 2017 and are still stuck in the rental market as we can no longer afford the prices. We made four offers in late 2019 on homes and we were outbid by cash buyers each time. We patiently wait and keep adding to our down payment, but the prices keep rising faster. We're asking ourselves daily "What exactly are we waiting for?". We don't want to join the desperate masses who are trying to buy and live here. And they do seem desperate.
It's scaring me.... How bad is it "out there", outside of Bellingham? Where the h*** can we move? Not much appeals to us anymore.We tried to look into some of the affordable housing options to remain in Whatcom county, but they are either in areas we can't live in (i.e. Point Roberts, rural Whatcom Cty) due to lack of transporation / medical services or we are "over-income" for the programs. There is no middle ground.
Bellingham sits in a beautiful geographic area but, personally, we do not find it much to write home about anymore. It really reminds me of the housing boom in Seattle in the 1990's and the influx of Microsoft employees in the housing market. I lived in West Seattle where my family had lived for over 50 years, and literally felt like I had lost my homeland. I feel like I'm witnessing the same thing here in Bellingham.
I have no right to complain though... I, too, chose to move here and "invade" Whatcom County. My family and I moved here in hopes of planting roots like everyone else moving here. Locals had to deal with our moving here like we are dealing with newcomers ourselves. We just want to leave the area now. It's over-crowded (we'd actually prefer Seattle over this at times; it's laid out better than Bellingham but we can't afford it), it's over-priced, we avoid PeaceHealth Medical Center / St. Joe's hospital at all costs, the isolation is difficult (we've never lived in an area harder to establish friendships in than here in our lifetime... despite our trying - pre-COVID - to get involved in the area). Would love some suggestions on where others are moving when they sell their homes and leave Bellingham... What kind of area are they gravitating towards? That will be the most difficult part for us - we love the proximity to the water, mountains and trees here.
Last edited by momma4evr; 09-08-2020 at 10:56 AM..
Reason: re-phrase sentence
I am not sure why you are baffled. Journalists, editors, webpage managers, etc. are not community volunteers. They are professionals who need to earn a living. When newspapers used to land in your driveway, you had to pay the paperboy for your subscription, didn't you? Support your local press. The subscriptions are usually quite reasonable. If you don't like the content, don't complain about not being able to read it for free.
I can understand their complaint that only the wealthy can have access to current news... an ill-informed public (and one that can't afford the subscriptions) does not benefit our society. There are public broadcasting options (i.e. PBS, NPR), but it costs money to access PBS via a streaming service or provider such as Comcast.
I would like to support local journalism, but if I want local news (i.e. Bellingham Herald) AND quality regional news (i.e. Seattle Times), I'm looking at approximately $30+/month. Add that onto a streaming service plan or Internet/Cable cost each month and that IS NOT reasonable for a lot of people.
I can understand their complaint that only the wealthy can have access to current news... an ill-informed public (and one that can't afford the subscriptions) does not benefit our society. There are public broadcasting options (i.e. PBS, NPR), but it costs money to access PBS via a streaming service or provider such as Comcast.
I would like to support local journalism, but if I want local news (i.e. Bellingham Herald) AND quality regional news (i.e. Seattle Times), I'm looking at approximately $30+/month. Add that onto a streaming service plan or Internet/Cable cost each month and that IS NOT reasonable for a lot of people.
Well, you are lumping in a whole lot of services that extend beyond local news. You might as well say, I also have to buy food, so I can't afford to subscribe to a newspaper....which I am sure is true for some people. Everyone has to prioritize their needs within their individual budgets. A digital subscription to the Seattle Times is $3.99 a week. If that doesn't fit in your budget, there are other ways to obtain news. I personally can pick up PBS for free in my area via a $35 antenna I have mounted in a window. It is kind of ridiculous, though, to simultaneously complain that the content of newpapers is no good while bellyaching that they won't let you read it for free as the prior person did.
Your health department and other government sites will provide the latest updates on COVID mandates for free. You don't "have to pay."
Yeah, true. Except the government sites give disinformation and it would be nice if a free press could call it out and not be owned by the same interests who own the government. Press is dead now. I find more accurate info on YT. Even PBS which is free can't be trusted.
There's a Jefferson quote..
… the man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them, inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.
...and WHERE exactly are all of these people you know "getting out" / moving to?
I see the for sale signs; I have been following home sales for years now here as well. We keep asking ourselves where are people moving to if/when they sell their homes? We wanted to stay in WA state - where we were born and raised, but have come to face the reality that there is no where in western WA state that we can relocate to that will meet our needs or that is affordable.
We have only lived in Bellingham for four years now, but our initial love for this area faded quickly sometime in late 2017. Bottom line for us: Bellingham is completely over-rated. It is a difficult place to move to, to feel a part of and to plant one's roots. Housing, medical care, affordability,
The first condo we rented in Bellingham (we wanted to rent and then buy) was a temporary home as the out-of-state owner decided to sell due to the hot rental market. We paid $1075/mo in 2017 for that rental; those condos in the size we lived in are now renting for $1,650/mo. It's completely ridiculous. Insane. The couple that lived below us moved here from out-of-state, bought their condo in 2016 and now have it listed for 100K more than they paid for it. It was pending within a week. The "condos" are nothing more than apartments - several of them are rentals. There are NO amenities that come with the HOA apart from W/S/G being paid and outside yard care / building upkeep. No gym. No clubhouse. No pool. Yet people keep coming and buying. We've had 3 opportunities to buy a "condo" back in the same complex where we rented and we have said no each time. After having lived there (it was okay; but it was definitely a rental environment; not a place to establish a home), we said no way we would buy there.
We have been looking to buy since 2017 and are still stuck in the rental market as we can no longer afford the prices. We made four offers in late 2019 on homes and we were outbid by cash buyers each time. We patiently wait and keep adding to our down payment, but the prices keep rising faster. We're asking ourselves daily "What exactly are we waiting for?". We don't want to join the desperate masses who are trying to buy and live here. And they do seem desperate.
It's scaring me.... How bad is it "out there", outside of Bellingham? Where the h*** can we move? Not much appeals to us anymore.We tried to look into some of the affordable housing options to remain in Whatcom county, but they are either in areas we can't live in (i.e. Point Roberts, rural Whatcom Cty) due to lack of transporation / medical services or we are "over-income" for the programs. There is no middle ground.
Bellingham sits in a beautiful geographic area but, personally, we do not find it much to write home about anymore. It really reminds me of the housing boom in Seattle in the 1990's and the influx of Microsoft employees in the housing market. I lived in West Seattle where my family had lived for over 50 years, and literally felt like I had lost my homeland. I feel like I'm witnessing the same thing here in Bellingham.
I have no right to complain though... I, too, chose to move here and "invade" Whatcom County. My family and I moved here in hopes of planting roots like everyone else moving here. Locals had to deal with our moving here like we are dealing with newcomers ourselves. We just want to leave the area now. It's over-crowded (we'd actually prefer Seattle over this at times; it's laid out better than Bellingham but we can't afford it), it's over-priced, we avoid PeaceHealth Medical Center / St. Joe's hospital at all costs, the isolation is difficult (we've never lived in an area harder to establish friendships in than here in our lifetime... despite our trying - pre-COVID - to get involved in the area). Would love some suggestions on where others are moving when they sell their homes and leave Bellingham... What kind of area are they gravitating towards? That will be the most difficult part for us - we love the proximity to the water, mountains and trees here.
I am sorry you are experiencing this situation of being unable to afford to buy a home. We are Bellingham natives who could not afford to buy our home today in our gentrifying neighborhood. Million dollar plus mega mansions surround our plain 1970s home. Our middle class neighbors have either passed on or moved being replaced by the professional class.
I don’t know the answer but middle income people, especially if they are locals, should be able to remain where they call home. My best.
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