Northwest Living | Bellingham Real Estate Market

Seattle WA - Cooking Light magazine named it’s top twenty cities in the country that provide the resources people need to live healthful lives, and topping that list was our own Seattle, Washington. The magazine ranked major metropolitan areas on 15 different criteria, including healthfulness and exercise data, restraurant ratings, farmers market listings, and parks and recreation data. The result of that study were the list of the top 20 American cities that best fit their philosophy to eat smart, be fit, and live well.

The magazine said with an abundance of fresh local foods, walker-friendly streets, and inclusive attitudes helps make Seattle America’s best city for healthy living. 

Whether seen from the vantage point of a peaceful kayak excursion on the waters of Puget Sound or a morning tour of bustling food lover’s mecca Pike Place Market, Seattle always appears to be a place where healthful living comes easily and naturally. In our year-long countdown of U.S. cities that epitomize the Cooking Light philosophy, Seattle ranked highest for dollars spent on parkland—$266 per person annually, according to the Trust for Public Land. The American Podiatric Medical Association ranked pedestrian-friendly Seattle a top spot for walking. Nearly 85 percent of city residents report exercising regularly and 89 percent say they are in good or better health, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. And when Seattleites are ready to indulge, they can do so in any of the city’s many top-rated restaurants—it’s home to both numerous James Beard Award-winning chefs and restaurants ranked “extraordinary to perfection” by culinary review, Zagat. If you love Cooking Light, we think you’ll love Seattle, too.

Portland, Oregon came in second on this list making the Pacific Northwest a must stop for travelor’s looking for quality light dining. Life is good in the second-ranked city, thanks to its seemingly endless supply of outdoor activities, cutting-edge restaurants, and vibrant environmental consciousness.

Portland is called the City of Roses for its proliferation of brightly hued blooms, but the color that best describes this city is green. Portland prides itself on being environmentally friendly, boasting an award-winning public transportation system, 277 miles of bike paths, and city planning that minimizes sprawl.

The soft seasonal drizzle that falls over the city (actually, there’s more annual rainfall in Atlanta) makes it literally green as well. Consequently, Portlanders enjoy 227 parks and 146 miles of lushly forested hiking trails, rain or shine. The climate also nurtures the fabulous food and wine produced here, helping make Portland fourth in the nation in per capita farmers’ markets and top for its number of organic restaurants.

Portland earned the second spot on the top 20 list of Cooking Light cities because it also ranked highly in the following categories: acres of parkland per capita; percent of population that reports to be in good or better health; percent of population that exercised in the last month; and its walkability. Read more about Portland, Oregon restaurants.

Jerry Campbell - The Muljat Group - Bellingham, WA - Whatcom County Real Estate

Puget Sound - It’s the kind of house that a year or two ago would have been snapped up in days: a refurbished rambler in a woodsy residential neighborhood minutes from downtown.

The asking price: $559,000.

But after seven weeks, the sellers had not received a single offer on their Wedgwood home.

The sellers really believed there would be no problem selling, But the whole feel of the market has changed. They might have to drop the price.

These Puget Sound sellers, along with local real estate agents and economists, wonder whether sluggish sales are part of the usual winter slump or a sign that Seattle, a perennial most-livable-city contender, is joining the rest of the country in declining home sales. The question has put many locals on edge.

Right now there’s not that urgency among buyers to pull the trigger, is the feeling among many local real estate agents. We should start to see what will happen early this year.

If sales are sluggish during the traditionally hot-selling months of February through April, then people will have a better idea whether Seattle has joined the national trend.

Of 20 major U.S. metropolitan areas, all but three markets; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; and Charlotte, N.C., experienced a decline in real estate values this October compared with last October, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller composite price index.

Home prices have fallen most in the Midwest, Southwest, Florida and California. In Los Angeles, prices fell 8.8 percent; in New York, 4.1 percent.

Seattle prices increased 3.3 percent, but that was the smallest year-to-year rise for the city in more than a decade. The annual appreciation in Seattle has been slowing for more than a year and a half.

Some economists say it’s only a matter of time before Seattle joins the national slump. Although the city experienced a year-to-year increase, October prices fell 0.9 percent from September, the third consecutive monthly decline.

Gov. Chris Gregoire told residents not to be affected by the gloom. Bad news elsewhere, she said, doesn’t have to translate into bad news here.

“There’s no real reason for it to slow in our state, but for the fact that people are watching what’s going on around the national economy,” Gregoire said during the unveiling of a budget proposal in Olympia.

Seattle, Portland and Charlotte have bucked the trend partly because each has a relatively healthy local economy and all three continue to draw newcomers, which keeps demand steady.

Seattle has three ingredients that work together to keep home prices high, according to Seattle-area real estate blogger Larry Cragun: “lakes, mountains and liberals.”

The lakes and mountains don’t need explaining. The liberals, Cragun said, have created such an anti-development atmosphere that available land for building homes is extremely limited.

“When you only have a certain amount of land to build on, the value of that land tends to run up,” said Cragun, who has been in the local real estate and mortgage business for three decades and blogs at Real­ Esta­teUndressed.com. But Seattle has “experienced the worst of it” already, he said, and will rebound soon.

As for the Dittmaiers, they continue to hold their front door open to prospective buyers.

The holidays have been rough. In addition to the usual hustle and bustle, the Dittmaiers and their two young children have been busy packing their belongings. They have already purchased a new house nearby.

The family has been moving to the new place little by little. But the transfer won’t be complete, Kristen Dittmaier said, until their old house sells. Not to mention that the couple soon will be forced to make two mortgage payments if the Wedgwood house remains unsold.

Meanwhile, Dittmaier said, she has not seen the latest home-price report in the newspaper. And it’s just as well: “I don’t need to read a report to know houses are not selling as quickly as they used to.” via Herald net

You don’t need a chairlift to have a good time in the snow this winter. In fact, some days, the lifts just get in the way. All that time spent riding the lift and waiting in line is time you could be playing. Craig Hill a reporter for the News Tribune in Tacoma put together his list of 25 things to do in the Northwest during the winter. So, if you’re looking to save a few bucks, get a better workout or just try something new, here are 25 ways to enjoy winter without a chairlift.

1. MOUNT TAHOMA TRAILS ASSOCIATION: There is no better bargain in winter recreation than an overnight cross-country trip on the Mount Tahoma Trails System near Ashford, Wash. The MTTA grooms more than 50 kilometers of trails and maintains three huts and one yurt. You can spend the night in the hut for $5 per person per night; www.skimtta.org.

2. NORDIC SKI JUMPING IN LEAVENWORTH: Whistler Blackcomb started installing its ski jump for the 2010 Olympics this summer, so Leavenworth’s modest ski hill no longer has the Northwest’s only ski jump. However, it’s the only one you can use. While nordic skis are ideal for this jump, many use alpine skis on the two hills; www.skileavenworth.com.

3. SPEED SKATING: If you like to go fast on the ice, Tacoma’s Puget Sound Speed Skating Club offers lessons at the Tacoma Hockey Club. The club offers short track skating, but some members are training for long-track racing; (253) 272-1757, www.pugetsoundspeedskating.org.

4. VISIT SUN MOUNTAIN LODGE: Tucked away in the Methow Valley, Sun Mountain Lodge is considered the ultimate base camp for a cross country skiing adventure. From the lodge you’ll find easy access to an ice rink, more than 200 kilometers of groomed cross-country trails and more than a dozen snowshoe trails; www.sunmountainlodge.com. 

5. GO TUBING: You don’t need to know how to ski to zip down a snowy slope. You can do the same with an inner tube from your local tire store. Summit at Snoqualmie has a tubing hill (you’ll have to use their tubes). You can find free tubing hills at Paradise and the Hyak Sno-P a r k; www.summitatsnoqualmie.com, www.parks.wa.gov/winter and www.nps.gov/mora.

6. TAKE A BIATHLON LESSON: You don’t have to go to Europe to try the biathlon. The Washington Biathlon Association, based at Stevens Pass, has events throughout the winter open to all skill levels, even gun-shy rookies; www.wabiathlon.org.

7. PARADISE: Whether you’re an alpine skier, nordic skier, snowshoer or tuber, Paradise, located on the south side of Mount Rainier, has places for you to play. Call ahead for road conditions; (360) 569-2211, www.nps.gov/mora.

8. PLAY HOCKEY: The Tacoma Hockey Club offers everything from hockey lessons and leagues for kids to adult leagues to lunch hour pickup games. The pick-up sessions are $5 and 90 minutes starting at noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; www.tacomahockeyclub.com.

9. POLAR BEAR SWIM: You might need to be a little off center — not to mention thick-skinned — to enjoy this New Year’s Day tradition. Olalla Lagoon is home to Washington state’s biggest Polar Bear Club. When a cannon signals, participants dash — bridge-jumping is no longer allowed — into the frigid water. Why? Who knows; Al’s Grocery Store, (253) 851-4955. 10. CRYSTAL’S DUMMY DOWNHILL: Enter Crystal Mountain’s Dummy Downhill race. You won’t have to race, but you’ll have to build a contraption that will. The dummy mounted on skis or a snowboard will have to be sturdy enough to survive a jump. Don’t worry, there are awards for the best crashes. This three-year-old event benefits the Crystal Mountain Fire Department; www.skicrystal.com.11. MOUNT SPOKANE: Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; www.mtspokane.com or www.parks.wa.gov/winter.Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or

12. SKI ST. HELENS FOR MOM: One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber; www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-st-helens.

13. SKI ICICLE RIVER TRAILS: While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails; www.skileavenworth.com. Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails; Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails;Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails;Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails;14. SCOTTISH LAKES HIGH CAMP: You can ski or snowshoe five miles into the back country at Stevens Pass to stay in one of nine private cabins, or you can hire a snowmobile driver for $60 per person. Cabins are $70-80 per person per night; www.scottishlakes.com.

Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails; You can ski or snowshoe five miles into the back country at Stevens Pass to stay in one of nine private cabins, or you can hire a snowmobile driver for $60 per person. Cabins are $70-80 per person per night;15. FREE SNOWSHOE TOURS: You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules; www.nps.gov/mora or www.nps.gov/olym.You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or

16. SNOWMOBILE: Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; www.parks.wa.gov/winter.

17. BLUEWOOD BASH: Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden; www.bluewood.com.You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden;You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden;You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden;You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden;18. CATT CREEK ROAD: This Forest Service road outside of Ashford is closed to vehicle traffic in the winter, leaving a snowy playground for families. When Mount Rainier National Park was closed last year, the road still lured people to Ashford; www.mt-rainier.com.

You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden; This Forest Service road outside of Ashford is closed to vehicle traffic in the winter, leaving a snowy playground for families. When Mount Rainier National Park was closed last year, the road still lured people to Ashford;19. SKI THE LIFTLESS HILLS: Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95).Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95).

20. ICE SKATING: If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and www.sprinker.org.

21. SKI WHITE PASS: The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails; skiwww.whitepass.com. Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails;Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails;Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails;Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails;22. BUILD AN IGLOO: There’s something cool about spending the night in an igloo. You can do this any place where there is ample snow and winter camping is permitted. Olympic National Park is a popular destination for igloo campers. Check out this Web site for some good igloo construction instructions; www.primitiveways.com/igloo.html.

Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails; There’s something cool about spending the night in an igloo. You can do this any place where there is ample snow and winter camping is permitted. Olympic National Park is a popular destination for igloo campers. Check out this Web site for some good igloo construction instructions;23. TRY CURLING: Curling might look like shuffleboard on ice, but you might be surprised how fun the Scottish game can be. The Granite Curling Club, the Northwest’s only curling club, is in Seattle and offers open houses Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and March 8 and 22 for $10 per person or $25 per family; www.curlingseattle.org. Curling might look like shuffleboard on ice, but you might be surprised how fun the Scottish game can be. The Granite Curling Club, the Northwest’s only curling club, is in Seattle and offers open houses Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and March 8 and 22 for $10 per person or $25 per family;

24. TAKE A LESSON: Ed Strauss offers two-hour cross-country lessons for $16 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and younger. He’ll also guide you on a four-hour tour of Rainier for $80 and $20 for each additional hour; www.mashell.com/~mtrretail/Skiing.htm. 

25. WATCH THE BEST: Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24; www.cypressmountain.com,www.whistlerblackcomb.com. Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;

Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;

 This morning The Good Morning America  show featured the gorgeous town of Leavenworth, Washington as part of it’s segment called “Good Morning America Lights Up The Holidays“. They did a live feed to begin the Good Morning America’s show in New York.

Leavenworth with it’s Bavarian village like town is celebrating the beginning of it’s Christmas time events. They were selected as one of the top 5 spots in the US for for the Christmas celebration.

Good Morning America host Sam Champion was live in Leavenworth.  To do the show though and have it live back in New York most of the people that wanted to be on the show had to arrive at 3am this morning and then taped it from 4am to 6am. the show was live here on the west coast at 7am this morning.

On Wednesday the Good Morning show visited Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for the first town in it’s Morning Holiday series.  From here until Christmas, the Good Morning Show will visit several other towns, but their locations are kept under tight wraps until the morning of the show. So I wonder where Sam is off to next…

Well…there goes my shot at buying a small chalet somewhere in that beautiful Leavenworth valley…(smiling). Actually in all fairness the Leavenworth WA real estate market has seen decent price appreciations over the last few years compared to the rest of Washington State.  Nearby Wenatchee had the highest home price appreciation rate in the nation, jumping 15.7 percent in the past 12 months.  But even with that said, it seems that home prices for Chelan County real estate seem to be pretty decent when compared to the average home prices in Western Washington.

Leavenworth really is a great little town to visit and with the Cascade mountains as a back drop, you really do feel like your in Bavaria.  If your planning to visit the area go to Leavenworth, WA - The Bavarian Village.

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group Realtors - Bellingham, WA 98225 - Northwest Living

 The United Health Foundation made public today their year long study on the health all 50 states in the Union.  Washington State claimed the twelfth spot on this years report.  Washington was also noted as oneof the five most improved states, having moved three spots in the overall rankings from fifteenth in 2006. 

This year’s healthiest state in the nation is vermont, and it is a story from which Washington State should take inspiration from.  In 1990, Vermont was 16th in state health rankings; by 2001, the state had moved up to 8th, and today Vermont is number one for over all health.

In 2003, Washington State the idea to form the Washington Health Foundation’s (WHF) Healthiest State in the nation campaign was born from the fact that our state had slipped to 17th in the national health rankings.  Shortly after this. WHF kicked off its healthiest state in the nation campaign to attention to areas in which Washington State needed to making improvements in it’s health systems.  Today, the Healthiest State Campaign is the largest civic engagement project for health in state history, now involving more thatn 35,000 individuals, 980 organizations and over 360 schools.

In the 2007 edition of America’s Health Rankings released today, two areas Washington State increased the most were in the following measures:

1. Child poverty rates continued to decrease, where Washinton’s rank improved from 21st to 4th best in the nation.
2. The percentage of Washington residents with health insurance continued to increase improving Washington’s rank from 23rd to 14th overall.

Vermont was ranked as the healthiest state in the nation, with Minnesota, Hawaii, New Hampshire and Connecticut rounding out the top five. Mississippi is the least-healthy state, with Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee completing the bottom five.

“We’re absolutely moving in the right direction,” said state Health Secretary Mary Selecky, who pointed to Gov. Chris Gregoire’s push to lower tobacco rates as a bedrock to the state’s low heart disease and cancer rates. She also credits the expansion of the state’s Child Profile Immunization Registry, where physicians can keep track of a child’s vaccine records, for improved rates, but admits the state has been slow to adopt the chickenpox vaccine and looks to improve on the immunizations.

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group - Bellingham, WA 98225 - Bellingham Real Estate

 Washington State will experience a cut of about $132 million from the states expected income due to the housing market slow down over the last two years.  The State of Washington actually had a surplus of $1.4 billion, so this actually just reduced the surplus instead of the state being short any funds.  Lawmakers in Olympia are currently preparing to update the state’s budget for the next fiscal year.

Washington States chief economist, ChangMook Sohn, said the drop in income was the first time in about five years that the state saw any setbacks in quarterly revenue projections. Still, Sohn called the lower income numbers “clearly a very minor fine-tuning, rather than a major change.”

Strong real estate and construction markets have pushed the state’s economic fortunes in recent years, and the state has been relatively insulated from national housing-market weaknesses that have stung mortgage lenders.

Most of the weakness in income numbers was due to the fact that we had less sales of homes in the state over the last two years.  When ever a home sells in the State of Washington, property owners have to pay the state an excise tax on the sale ranging from 1.25 to 1.80% of the property sale.  In Whatcom County the rate is 1.78% excise tax on the sale.  Here’s a link to find the Washington State real estate excise tax rates for each county in the state.

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group - Bellingham, WA 98225 - Bellingham WA Real Estate

Washington state’s wine industry has exploded in the past two decades, from fewer than 20 wineries in 1981 to more than 360 today. Washington is home to more than 30,000 acres of wine grapes, and the industry is worth close to $3 billion to the state’s economy.

Pockets of the state have thrived on the growing industry, with fine restaurants, inns and brick-lined streets accompanying dozens of wineries. Many wineries have summer concert series or wine festivals to draw both music and wine lovers to their region.

Evening Magazine lists several great Washington wineries in its Back Roads page. 

The following is a list of more Washington State Winery:

• Washington Wine Country
• Wines Northwest - Gateway to the Pacific Northwest Wine country wines and wineries of OR, WA, Id and BC.
• Wine Yakima Valley - Washington’s premium wine region.
• Washington wines quick facts
• Washington Wine Commission
• Go Taste Washington Wines

If your looking for wineries for the Northwest corner of Washington State you’ll find the information below very useful for your wine tours.

Up here in Whatcom County we have a few local wineries producing some nice quality wine as well.  Try these for starters: Dakota Creek Winery, Samson Estate Wineries, and Mt. Baker Vineyards.  Goto this link with Taste of Whatcom for more Whatcom County Wineries.

Skagit County features Pasek Cellars, Carpenter Creek Winery, Challenger Ridge Vineyards, Eagle Haven Winery, Tulip Valley Vineyards, Glacier Peak Winery, Compass Wines, and Chuckanut Ridge Wine Co.  A great place to stay while touring the wineries of Skagit County would be to stay in beautiful LaConner, WA and then tour from there.  One of my favorite places in LaConner is a bed & breakfast called The Heron’s Nest.

When visiting Island County, WA here are some wineries Whidbey Island Winery, Blooms Winery, and Greenbank Farms on Whidbey Island.  While touring Whidbey Island look up The Country Cottage of Langley for a nice bed & breakfast stay on beautiful Whidbey Island.  That gorgeous photo to the right was featured on the Country Cottage web site. While your on their web site check out the list of 20 things to do on Whidbey Island and an additional 20 great links called Whidbey Island attractions.

Don’t forget that Camano Island, as well as Whidbey Island make up the county of Island County.  Good place to start touring these islands would be with Whidbey and Camano Island Tourism site for all the links you’ll ever imagine.  For all your Whidbey Island real estate needs contact Paullete Hill, Tara Properties, Coldwell Banker, in Freeland, WA.  She’s a great resource for information in the South Whidbey Island area, especially in the Freeland, Coupeville and Langley, WA areas.

This list of wineries would not be complete without naming some vineyards located in the beautiful areas of San Juan County.  San Juan Vineyards is the only commercial vineyard and winery on San Juan island. Started in 1996, had first harvest October 2000. They also have a great gift shop. Located on Roche Harbor Road.  Lopez Island features Lopez Island Vineyards, with their grapes grown organically on the estate vineyards.

Well enjoy your tours of the wine country and be safe in your travels here in the beautiful Northwest.  Here’s the advertisement part: Remember to visit our real estate site for all your Whatom County real estate needs here in the fourth corner of Washington state by visiting Northwest real estate.

Inman News recently released a list of the 100 most influential people associated with the real estate business that reflects the industry’s best and brightest this business has to offer.  The list also includes some people outside the business who were considered influential to the home buying and home selling business of real estate.  According to Inman the people of this list embraced leadership, innovation, ingenuity, power and persistence.

The list was categorized into six categories that included: Brokerage, Technology and Online Real Estate, Trade associations and goverment agencies, media heavyweights, economist and Academics, Mortgage and ancillary services, and a bonus area called notables.

The list included some Northwest people and you can find them by going to 100 most influential real estate leaders.

For all your Bellingham real estate needs visit Bellingham WA Homes.

 Compared with the first quarter, U.S. home prices rose in the second quarter at the slowest pace in nearly 13 years, according to government data that provides fresh evidence of the housing market’s problems.The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight this morning said in its quarterly report on the housing market that nationwide home prices grew 0.1 percent from the first quarter to the second quarter.

Washington state led the nation with the number of cities in the top 20 for appreciation with five. In order, there are: Wenatchee (up 23.54 percent), Longview (up 13.6 percent), Seattle/Bellevue/Everett (up 9.89 percent), Tacoma (up 9.34 percent) and Spokane (up 9.3 percent). And, the state had no cities in the bottom 20, which were located primarily in California and Florida.

Washington state ranked third, with appreciation at 9.12 percent, behind Utah at 15.28 percent and Wyoming at 12.84 percent.

The agency’s index of U.S home prices grew 3.2 percent in the second quarter from year-ago levels, the smallest year-over year price growth in 10 years.

“House prices were basically flat in the second quarter despite tightening credit policies, rising foreclosure rates and weakening buyer sentiment,” OFHEO Director James B. Lockhart said in a statement. “Significant price declines appear localized in areas with weak economies or where price increases were particularly dramatic since June.

OFHEO’s index is calculated based solely on information from the government-sponsored mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Combined, Fannie and Freddie finance or guarantee about two-thirds of all U.S. home mortgages.

 Other reports have come up with different readings of the housing market.

The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Schiller quarterly index, which tracks price trends among existing single-family homes across the nation compared with a year earlier, on Tuesday found that U.S. home prices fell 3.2 percent in the second quarter, the steepest rate of decline since S&P began its nationwide housing index in 1987.  Via SeattleTimes

New local firms help consumers find environmentally friendly homes.  Kathryn Crawford’s concern for the environment influenced where she decided to work and what she does for a living.

It’s not surprising, then, that when Crawford decided to buy a home in Everett, she wanted a real estate agent who understood a “green” home means more than energy-efficient appliances and solar panels.

“I didn’t think a traditional agent would understand what I was looking for,” said Crawford, a community planner with a strong environmental ethos.

She became one of the first clients of a new Everett-based real estate brokerage focused on helping clients buy and sell properties built with green practices and products.

The business, Greening Properties, is the first of its kind in Everett. A handful of area agents at traditional brokerages specialize in green properties, and a company with similar aims, GreenWorks Realty, operates in Seattle.

Green agents aren’t the only sign the Northwest real estate industry is getting greener. The Northwest Multiple Listing Service recently added environmental check boxes to its listing forms, so homebuyers and agents can identify homes with certain features or third-party certifications. A homeowner can now tell, for instance, if a home offers Energy Star appliances, renewable bamboo floors or a drought-tolerant landscape.

Greening Properties operates like a regular brokerage, representing both buyers and sellers and providing standard services such as market analysis for sellers and presenting offers and negotiating on behalf of buyers.

What differs is knowledge of green practices and products, say owners Valerie Steel and Mary Ehrlich. Both have a history of community involvement, particularly on local environmental issues. Both were founding members of the Everett Shorelines Coalition, formed to protect shorelines, and Historic Everett, focused on preserving buildings with historic significance.

The term “green building” covers a lot of ground, including design, materials and building practices. One client may be interested in energy efficiency while another may be concerned about building materials that could exacerbate a child’s asthma.

Green encompasses a home that’s smaller and more energy-efficient, and it also can apply to older homes, since buying one doesn’t require the use of new resources. Sustainable homes also include touches a homeowner may never see, such as recycled materials, and paints and finishes that emit fewer toxic fumes. It may also mean the land was developed in a way that minimizes erosion, or workers recycled materials at the job site.

The specialty knowledge includes the ability to cut through what’s green and what’s marketing, Ehrlich said. The pair saw a recent listing where an agent misrepresented the greenness of a property, describing a home as green because it had a brick facade.

The company also differs from a traditional brokerage by providing clients with a livability checklist based on criteria by various green certification agencies such as Built Green and the American Green Building Council. For buyers, that checklist compares the features of properties they might wish to buy.

For sellers, the company rates sustainability of property and recommends how to make it more sustainable before it’s listed. For instance, if a client planned to spruce up his home with new paint and carpet before listing it, the agent might recommend using low-fume paint and a renewable flooring such as bamboo instead of carpet, Ehrlich said.

Demand for homes with green features is growing, and it can be difficult to find homes with certain green features, Steel said. Finding a home with Energy Star appliances is easier, while finding a home on land that hasn’t been “slashed and scraped” by developers is more difficult, she said.

Crawford, one of the company’s first clients, didn’t expect to find a green home ready for her to move in. Instead, she asked Steel to find an older home with “good bones” that she could remodel. She settled on a solid 2,220-square-foot home in the Port Gardner neighborhood, and she is already making plans to add solar roof tiles, replace windows and add bamboo floors. Via HeraldNet

If any of our viewers want more information on green homes visit Tree Hugger, these guys post an amazing 20-25 articles a day and have a ton of resources living green.

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group Realtors - Bellingham WA -Bellingham Green Homes supporter