Bellingham is a city located in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. With a growing population of 71,289 it is the largest city in Whatcom County. Bellingham has a beautiful landscape with Bellingham Bay on one side and mountains on the other. It is easy to see why this city was ranked one of the top retirement cities in the nation (March 2005, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance). Bellingham is also home to the longest running Peace vigil in the United States.
A few of the major colleges and universities in Bellingham include the Western Washington University (516 High St), Whatcom Community College (237 W Kellogg Rd) and Bellingham Technical College (3028 Lindbergh Ave). The Western Washington University is home to a nationally ranked women’s rowing team. The largest public school in the city include Squalicum High School (3773 E McLeod Rd), Sehome High School (2700 Bill McDonald Pkwy), Whatcom Middle School (810 Halleck St), and Geneva Elementary School (1401 Geneva St). Private schools include Well Springs Community School (920 24th ST) and Assumption Catholic School (2116 Cornwall Ave).
The Ski to Sea Race is an annual well recognized event held in Bellingham: teams from all over the world compete in this seven-leg race. Not only is it entertaining for the city but it also brings in on average over five million dollars for the economy. Another annual event is the Bellingham Festival of Music which takes place in July. Whatcom Falls Park is a beautiful park in the city which offers walking trails and four sets of stunning waterfalls.
Mount Baker Ski Area is another popular spot. Large amounts of snowfall each year make it a great location for skiing and snowboarding. Other attractions include Lake Padden (rated by Golf Digest as one of the best municipal courses in the state), Whatcom Museum of History and Art and Lake Whatcom.
In the Bellingham real estate market there were a total of 346 sales in third quarter 2012. The average selling price for that period was $304,999 and the average median selling price was $260,000. Certain sections of the city experienced an increase in both sales and average selling price while other areas had a decrease in sales and average selling price. It is a great time to buy if you know where to look, as a real estate expert in the Bellingham market, I’m here to help you find a great property at a great price, please contact me today for an up to date market report.