Whatcom County Home & Garden Show

HSCover
The Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, will be hosting the Whatcom County Home & Garden Show this weekend, March 2 – 4, 2018.
It’s the 39th show presented by the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County.
Five thousand dollars in prizes will be given away throughout the event. A variety of food vendors as well as beer & wine tasting will be at the show. Friday evening is date night, and on Saturday there will be live music in the indoor garden area.
More than 160 exhibitors will be present at the show. Experts on home repairs, building, gardening, landscaping, garage doors, painting, closet systems, handyman services, flooring cabinets, appliances & more will be present.
If you have any Spring projects you’ll want to visit the Home Show for a myriad of ideas, newest products and advice.
Hours are Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Escalation Clause With Competing Offers


It’s a hot real estate market! The brokers at the office are dealing with competing offers and some buyer’s are willing to pay more that what the seller is asking. With multiple-offer situations, we see escalator clauses being more widely used. Adding an escalation clause to your offer is strategy you can use when competing with another bidder. It is designed to keep your offer competitive and there is no guarantee that the seller will accept your offer, even if it is the highest bid. A seller is free to accept the offer they choose to work with. In some instances, a seller sees a lower cash offer being better than a higher financed offer. Buyers should write an escalation that retains an appraisal contingency, so that the actual price will conform to the lender’s appraisal.
Check out the graph depicted showing the median amount of days that homes are on the Market – Whatcom County being the green line and the red line being homes in Lynden. What a difference from 2015 to 2017!
Call our office 360.354.4242 and we will set you up with a licensed Realtor that knows the Whatcom County real estate market. It’s a seller’s market out there – don’t hesitate!

Whatcom County Water Rights

The Washington Supreme Court decision in Hirst et al. vs. Whatcom County, WA Sup. Ct. No. 91475-3, took away the right of rural property owners to develop small household sized wells. This case, you may recall, concerned Whatcom County’s use of exempt wells to allow construction in the unincorporated portions of Whatcom County, particularly in areas where the watershed had not been closed. The County argued that it was able to rely on the Dept. of Ecology’s determinations concerning water availability to make such decisions and to grant permits for construction where the water would be provided by an exempt well.
The Senate’s effort to save household wells was highlighted at a hearing Tuesday, February 21, 2017, before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Property owners from Whatcom County and elsewhere said they have been devastated by the Supreme Court’s decision last fall that took away their rights to drill wells, and with it, their right to build on the land. A vote on SB 5239 is expected this week.
A hearing in Olympia makes a compelling case for household wells, property owners. Please watch the following Hearing:


Follow effort to save household wells on Washington State Senator, Doug Erickson’s, webpage: Senator Doug Erickson Webpage

Home Buyer Confidence on the Rise

First-Time-Homebuyer-Infographic
Home purchase sentiment reached an all-time survey high this summer, an indication that Americans are feeling more upbeat about the housing market, according to Fannie Mae.
Overall sentiments rose 3.3 points to a reading of 86.5. Each of the index’s six components including selling outlook and personal finances – also rose last month. One interesting potential bright note for housing in July survey is that younger households may finally be shifting toward buying rather than renting in greater numbers. Whether the shift in sentiment in July toward buying rather than renting on their next move holds up or is a temporary reaction to their view that rents are on the rise and mortgage rates will be lower, we will see.
Here are some findings from the latest survey:
* 33% of Americans say it’s a good time to buy a house, a 1 percentage increase over June.
* 20% of Americans say it’s a good time to sell a home, a 2 percentage point increase from June (a new survey high).
* 41% of Americans believe home prices will rise, an 8 percentage point increase from June.
* 36% of Americans believe mortgage rates will drop over the next year.
* 69% of Americans say they are not concerned with losing their job, a 1 percentage point increase from June.
* 11% of Americans say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago, a 3 percentage point increase from June’s sharp decline
Source: Fannie Mae

America’s Main Street Winner Is Lynden!

Yes, it’s true! The beautiful community of Lynden, Washington, really won America’s Main Street contest.
croplyndenmuralblog
cropwindmill3blog
After an incredible display of support for Main Streets from coast to coast, Independent We Stand, recognized Downtown Lynden, Washington, as the grand prize winner of the America’s Main Streets contest. More than 280,000 total votes were cast by the public nationwide. Lynden’s Main Street will receive $25,000 in cash and related prizes to help revitalize Main Street. Lynden is definitely on the upstream with many new businesses opening shop, namely: The INN at LYNDEN, OVERFLOW TAPS, Avenue Bread, Village Books, the Mill, Bellingham Baby Company and more! Be sure to visit The Muljat Group North real estate office in downtown, Lynden ~ located on beautiful Front Street, in downtown, Lynden Washington! It’s a terrific time to list your home & buy real estate in Whatcom County.
We have the most helpful Lynden Chamber of Commerce ~ Lynden is a great place to live ~ work ~ play!

Billy Waples Day in Lynden!

Waples

Upcoming chowder feed, beer garden, kids’ games and a day of family-fun activities in celebration of Billy Waples Day! Half a block of Fifth Street will be blocked off for outdoor seating.

The Mercantile building has been revitalized to once again claim it’s rightful place as the heart of Lynden. The historic Waples Mercantile Building was owned and built by Billy Waples, one of the original founding fathers of Lynden. The Mercantile Building was formerly the Lynden Department Store. The Lynden Department Store was the gathering place, and the market place, of the Lynden farming community. The Waples Mercantile Building is the vibrant new home for The Inn at Lynden, one of very few hotels in Washington State that resides in a structure listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. It is also the home for new businesses…Village Books And Paper Dreams, Drizzle, Overflow Taps, Avenue Bread and Bellingham Baby Company.

Come celebrate Billy Waples Day in the heart of downtown, Lynden, on May 1st!

Place: Waples Mercantile Building | 100 5th Street, Lynden
Date: Sunday, May 1st
Time: 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Destination San Juan Islands, Washington State

arial-islands
Come visit the San Juan Islands in Washington State. The slower pace appeals to both nature-loving artists and to just about anyone looking for tranquility, endless shorelines. The San Juans have one of the highest concentrations of bald eagles in the lower 48. Orcas sing in Haro Strait. Thanks to the rain shadow cast by the Olmpic Mountains, the summers are gloriously bright and mild. The San Juan Islands are just a ticket away by taking a Washington State Ferry
Read Washington’s San Juan Islands: an Ideal Tour by Shane Mitchell ~ you will truly want to live the island life!
If you are searching for a San Juan property, please call The Muljat Group North @ 360-354-4242.

Real Estate Industry Buzzwords

Here’s a quick reference guide so that you may keep up with the intimidating lingo. This may be helpful especially for the first-time home-buyer. If you ever have any real estate questions, please call the Muljat Group North real estate office. We have 20+ licensed Realtors® ready to assist you!
Are-You-Afraid-of-These-Real-Estate-Terms
Information: Inman.com

Soaring Over Lynden

Soar over Lynden, Washington, like an eagle! This incredible aerial was created by James Gassman. The beautiful community of Lynden is the second largest city in Whatcom County, Washington. It was named and established in 1874 on the site of the Nooksack Indian village, Squahalish. The town of Lynden began as a pioneer settlement headed by Holden and Phoebe Judson. Lynden is a great place to live, work & play! Searching for real estate in Lynden or Whatcom County, please call us at 360.354.4242 or drop by the office at 505 Front Street, Lynden WA. Visit The Lynden Chamber of Commerce for community events & more!

Happy Veterans Day

Today we are Honoring all the men and women who have selflessly served our country. Thank you!

Whatcom County Veterans Day events across Whatcom County.
Navy ~ Marines ~ Air Force ~ Coast Guard