Bellingham Real Estate Blog

Music lovers will be converging on the Deming Log Show grounds this coming weekend August 10 -12 for the Subdued Stringband Jamboree. This is a homegrown event in its 6th year here in Whatcom County. Started by  local musician, Robert Blake and his friends as a place to come together and play music and party, the event has grown every year to where it is now attracting not only the local Whatcom ans Skagit County musicians, but some regional and national acts as well.

Here's the line- up:

Those of us who live in Bellingham realize that it has been "discovered."  Well it seems we've just been found by Mother Earth News Magazine. "Beautiful scenery, access to an abundance of local food and a strong commitment to water and energy efficiency makes Bellingham really stand out." The author of the article talks about how locals of our town sink snowboarding was invented and perfected on Mount Baker. They're taken with Bellingham's commitment to quality of life issues and he green and sustainable lifestyle.

It's true or so much to do is the here in Bellingham and Whatcom County from snowboarding to sailing and kayaking, watching whales to watching concerts and seeing great art. The outdoor possibilities are almost endless here. If you're interested in any more information about Bellingham of the surrounding areas, check of my website at BellinghamProperty.com would give me a call.

The Lummi Island Reefnet Festival is a unique event happening this coming Saturday August 11, 2007 from 1:00-8:30 PM. It is an educational tribute to a culinary tradition. It will take place in Legoe Bay Marina, Lummi Island.

Reefnet fishing was originally practiced by the Native Americans of the Puget Sound in canoes using cedar bark rope and march grass to simulate underwater reefs.

Come on down to the island and watch reefnet fishing in action and feast on wild salmon, and learn about the tradition and history of reefnet fishing,

There will be live music, arts and crafts, skiff rides, and the food and beer garden as well as boat rides from 2-7 PM to see the reefnet fishing.

I took my family to see the Sand in the City event last night. It was awesome as usual. It is just amazing how creative people can be with the little or I guess in this case they had a lot wo work with. I hope to make it back there some time tomorrow to see what the professionals are doing.

Bloedel Donovan Park will be the site this Saturday for the 18th annual Bellingham Kids' Festival.

The free event attracted nearly 4,500 people last year.

The festival, geared towards at children 12 years and younger, promises free food, games, prizes, clowns, chalk drawing,face painting, balloons, bubble pools, obstacle courses, inflatable jumping houses, bowling, and tons of other sports activities including martial arts and rock climband entertainment.

The Banana Slug String Band, "dedicated to fostering positive attitudes about the environment through music," will be performing as well as The Bellingham Youth Jazz Band and children's singer Tim Noah..

The first 300 children to enter the festival,beginnin at 11 a.m., will receive free Kids' Fest T-shirts.

The event is sponsored by the Bellingham Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments.

This weekend is another event not to be missed, The Sand in the City Festival. It's not at the beach but in a parking lot near Squalicum Harbor. Truckloads of sand are brought in for the competition. Last year there were at leat 10 teams competing, this year they are saying over 150 competitors, Each team has 5 cubic feet of sand and 6 hours to create their sand sculpture, and try to win the "Golden Shovel" award. .  I was just blownn away by the awesome sand sculptures at last years competition.

There is a giant sandbox for the kids, music, food and vendors of course.

Sculptor Bert Adams and five associates will create a masterpiece over the weekend as well .

The hport sponsored event will also have guided bus tours of the Port's waterfront redevelopment site (former Georgia Pacific property) from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.

"The event, presented by the Northwest Discovery Project and the Port of Bellingham was created in 2006 to support the Marine Life Center, a community asset appreciated by 70,000 families and school children each year. The event is free and donations are encouraged to support the Marine Life Center operations."

The Mount Baker Rythm & Blues Festival is this weekend at the Deming Log Show Grounds. The show is always filled with great entertainers and lots of fun for thos who love the Blues. Lots of good food and vendors will be on hand as well.

Here is the line up for the weekend.

Fri, Aug 3rd
7pm - Grey House Blues Band
8pm - The Fat Tones
10pm - Anthony Gomes

Sat, Aug 4th
11am - Back Beat Revival
12pm - Brian Feist Band
2pm - Cathouse Blues Band
4pm - Bump Kitchen
6pm - DK Stewart
8pm - Coco Montoya
10pm - Jeff Healey Band

Sun, Aug 5th
11am - The Fat Tones
12:30pm - "Big"
2:30pm - Tinsley Ellis
4:30pm - Kal David & The Real Deal
6:30pm - Savoy Brown featuring Kim Simmonds

The Bellingham condo market hasn't fared so well. The average sales price fell 17.1% compared to last year. The good news is the average sales price is up oer last month.

Median prices are down -3.3% compared to last year.

I think these statistics will change pretty drastically in the coming months to increases for condo sales prices as some of the upscale condos like the Waldron & Young, and the Drake buildings are finished and the reserved units there start closing.

If you would like any more information about Real Estate or Real Estate statistics visit my website at BellinghamProperty.com

Looks like things have slowed down a bit in July compared to last month but are still up over last year at this time by 5.7% for the average sales price. 

The median price went down quite a bit more from June and fell a bit from last year at the rate of -.6%.

So Bellinghm prices still seem to hold their own.  We live in a beautiful place and the Real Estate values are showing it to be a desirable place to live as well as the press.

If you would like any more information about Real Estate or Real Estate statistics visit my website at BellinghamProperty.com

Okay I've been memed by Steve Smith.

1. Some of you may know I like to consider myself recovering from multiple sclerosis. I been battling this disease for probably 12 years now and I like to think of myself as winning although it does often get the better of me. I'm into alternative therapies and though I once wanted to take one of the main stream drugs I had an enlightened doctor, who talked me out of it and I'm glad he did. I've been to Mexico several times for therapies that are not available in the US. I had an umbilical cord stem cell implant several years ago. I think it helped me quite a bit but only for about six months. I would love to do it again but it is very expensive and now hard-to-find. I've also done an ozone therapy in Mexico, and the clinic right across the border. Every day for about a month I went and had a little bit of blood taken out of my body mixed with ozone and then drift back into my body. This therapy help a little bit, while I was in this clinic I saw and met some people who had almost miraculous recoveries from many different viral diseases. Ozone kills virus. I highly recommend it for anyone with a viral related problems. Right now I am doing a drug called low dose naltrexone. It is inexpensive, and not much chance of side effects. It is hopefully stop the progression of my disease.If anyone would like more info about these alternative therapies please feel free to contact me.

2. I love Thailand. Previous to being a Realtor I was a massage therapist with a specialty in Thai massage. I was one of the first people in the United States to learn this art and bring it back to this country. I have studied Thai massage with at least six different teachers in Thailand. I taught Thai massage in many different places in the United States, and was a nationally recognized teacher. I once had my picture on the cover of the American Massage Therapy Association Journal. I've taken eight groups to Thailand to study Thai massage with my teachers there and tour the exotic land of smiles. My beautiful wife is from Thailand and her two children just arrived here on July 4.  I eat a lot of Thai food.

3. I was born and raised in Brooklyn New York and graduated from Brooklyn college.

4. I once worked as an engineer tracking satellites for Lockheed Missle & Space Company

5. In 1985 I drove from Bellingham Washington, which is just south of the Canadian border, to the southern border of Mexico, in 16 days. I went with two friends Ron,a Canadian, and Olive and English woman. We drove an early 80s Datsun pickup truck with 650 pounds of vegetable seeds, which we had legal papers to bring about 300 pounds into Mexico. We also had donations of cash to help support the Mayan refugees who are living in refugee camps along the southern border of Mexico. During this period the Mayans were being destroyed by their own government. We were bringing seeds for them to grow food and money for them to buy materials to be able to keep up weaving the beautiful cloth they had made in their own country prior to fleeing for their lives.

I would like to tag:

George Tallabas

Antoinette Scognamiglio

Craig Anderson