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Local Farmer’s Markets 2021
When you shop at a local Farmers Market, you’re buying outstanding freshness, quality and flavor. Knowing exactly where your food comes from and how it was grown provides peace of mind for your family. Plus, you’re supporting a sustainable regional food system that helps small family farms stay in business; protects land from over-development, and provides the community with fresh, healthy food. Find one near you on the list below!
Bellingham Farmers Market
1100 Railroad Ave, Bellingham
Saturdays, 10am-3pm
Third Saturday of the Month in January, February, and March
Every Saturday April through December
**No Dogs Allowed at the Market
Bellingham Farmers Market – Wednesday Market
300 West Laurel Street, Bellingham
Wednesdays June-September 4-7pm
2106 South Nugent Road
Saturdays 10am-1pm
2007 Cherry Street (Near Pioneer Park)
Fridays 2pm-6pm, June 4th-October 8th
324 Front Street (across from the Jansen Art Center)
Saturdays 10am-2pm (begins after June 5th)
Nugent’s Corner: Saturdays 9am-3pm, June through October at Nugent’s Corner Roundabout, Hwy 542
North Fork Library: Saturdays 10am-2pm, June through October at 7506 Kendall Rd, Maple Falls
Riverwalk Park, 501 Main Street, Mount Vernon
Saturdays, May 15th – October 9th
Wednesday, 3pm-7pm, May 19th – October 13th at Hammer Heritage Square
Find many more great local farms for berry picking, locally grown fruits, and vegetables, and wonderful baked goods here.
You want to Sell, but need to Buy too…
Homeowners across our region are enjoying incredibly healthy equity levels due to an upswing in the real estate market over the last five years. In fact, the median price in Whatcom County is up 55% over the last five years. Over the last 10 years, the median price is up 80% in 10 years. This growth in equity has given homeowners the exciting option to sell their home for a high price and move on to their next chapter, such as a move-up, down-size, or second home. This price growth is great news and provides many opportunities; however, we have also faced some challenges in how to make these transitions due to tight inventory.
The biggest challenge for buyers, which is conversely a benefit for sellers in the marketplace right now, is limited inventory levels. Buyers who need to sell their homes first in order to buy want to benefit from the upward pressure on prices for their home sale but are fearful of finding their next home in a timely manner. Currently, King County sits at 0.6 months of inventory and 0.4 in Snohomish based on pending sales data. These levels create a multiple-offer environment that is tough for buyers whose down payment is not readily available. Historically, buyers that are also sellers (those who have their down payment tied up in the equity of their home) would commonly secure a new home contingent on the sale of their current home. Meaning the seller of the new home they are buying would give them a month or so to get their current house sold in order to buy theirs. In this market, that is only rarely an option- like unicorn status.
So, the million-dollar question is this: how does one who has gained so much equity, now itching to get that bigger house, more functional floorplan, different location, or perfect rambler for settling into retirement, make this transition? We need to get creative, have a strategy and be ready to take on some possible short-term discomfort for long-term gain. Three options that are proven to be successful are: negotiating a rent-back for my sellers, using the Windermere Bridge Loan program, or having the bold courage to sell first and possibly move twice.
1. RENT-BACK
First, negotiating a rent-back has become a great option for someone who needs to first sell their current home in order to buy. The way it works is we put their home on the market, price it competitively to create demand, and ask for a rent-back as one of the preferred terms. If this rent-back is successfully negotiated, then the seller closes on their home and collects their funds but gets to stay in the house anywhere from 30-60 days post-closing. This enables the seller, who is now a buyer, to have their cash-in-hand, time to find a new house, get it under contract, and close the sale when their rent-back is ending. This eliminates the need to move twice. There is a bit of calculated risk in this plan, but I’ve seen it work several times, always with a plan B (interim place to move) ready just in case. Rarely has plan B needed to be executed, and often we’ve even been able to negotiate under market rent rates during the rental period.
2. WINDERMERE BRIDGE LOAN
The second option is the Windermere Bridge Loan program. This is an amazing tool for homeowners that own their homes free and clear, or who have sizable equity. This is an efficient, low-cost option where a buyer who needs to sell can pull the equity out of their house prior to selling it in order to make a non-contingent offer. The way it works is we establish the market value of the house the homeowner currently owns, via comparative market analysis (CMA) that I complete and is signed off by my managing broker. We then take 75% of the CMA value and subtract any debt owed, and that is the maximum amount the homeowner can borrow for their next down payment (max limit $1M).
They can then make a non-contingent offer on a new home as long as their lender approves that they can hold the current home and qualify for the new mortgage at the same time. What is really great about this program, is that it doesn’t require an appraisal (like a HELOC does), and these can easily be turned around in 5-7 business days. This tool provides the opportunity to quickly and inexpensively utilize your equity, be competitive to win the next house, and eliminates the double move.
The fees associated with this program are a 1% loan fee on the equity that is pulled, a title report, and interest that is incurred between the loan funding and being paid off once the subject home is sold. That interest is conveniently wrapped up in the closing costs when they close the sale of their home, eliminating the need to make monthly interest payments. In a strategy that is somewhat mind-blowing- we can sometimes use these bridge loans and never have to actually fund them. For example, if we secure a property non-contingent with the bridge loan and immediately get the bridge loan home on the market, we can often secure a sale with a simultaneous closing, and never have to fund the loan. This eliminates the loan fee, interest, and the need to carry two mortgages.
3. SELL FIRST, MOVE TWICE
The third option is to tie up your bootstraps and get your home sold before you start actively shopping for the next. By all means, study the market, get pre-approved and have an idea of where and what you want, but remain committed to selling your home first. The benefits of selling your home first are being up against less competition and knowing exactly how much money you have to work with in the end.
Typically, we see more inventory come to market in Q2 and Q3, the earlier in the year a home comes to market the less competition they experience which is always favorable for the seller’s financial outcome. Knowing exactly how much you are going to net from your home sale is an empowered position to be in as is having the cash in the bank when vying for your next home. In this market, we are seeing shocking price escalations and this “extra” cash could be the difference-maker to obtain your dream home.
It does take bold courage to sell your home first as it often requires a double move. I know, that sounds miserable, moving is hard and disruptive. What is also costly and miserable is spinning your wheels as a buyer as prices appreciate and missing out on opportunities. The advent of VRBO and AirBnB has created a much more available short-term rental market and can provide an interim place to land while you shop for your next home. Some folks have friends and family that will take them in, it’s all in the name of getting creative. Having your cash in hand will make you more competitive and you will have a clear financial picture. Most things in life that are meaningful are hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Be bold, be courageous! Short-term discomfort for long-term gain is the focus with this strategy and after 2020 our resilience muscle seems to be a bit stronger, making this option more viable.
If you are excited about the equity you have grown and want to pair it with today’s low interest rates to obtain your next home, but have been fearful of how to do it all – I can help! These three options, along with great attention to detail, hand-holding, and careful planning have helped many people make these exciting transitions. It is my goal to help keep my clients informed and empower strong decisions. Please contact me if you would like further information on how this might work for you or someone you know.
Weekly Market Update
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Matthew Gardner’s Top 10
Last week I had the pleasure of attending (and hosting some of you at) Matthew Gardner’s 2021 Economic Forecast. Matthew is Windermere’s Chief Economist and coveted expert in our region often called upon by the local and national media for his insights on the economy and housing. Windermere has relied upon his forecasts and advice for over 15 years, and we were lucky to appoint him Chief Economist in 2015. He has been a huge asset to Windermere brokers who utilize his knowledge to help educate their clients in order for them to be empowered to make strong decisions.
Here are Matthew’s Top 10 Things to Look for in 2021:
#1 THE ECONOMY. Matthew expects the economy to continue to recover from the initial impact caused by the pandemic. He notes that we have already started to see jobs return, but with the vaccine starting to be administered he predicts additional gains in jobs over the second half of the year as businesses start to re-open at full capacity. In addition to jobs, he shared that many Americans have not been spending money like they typically do and have excess cash to spend, leaving many folks eager to travel, make big purchases, or just go out to dinner. He expects an increase in spending and additional job creation to boost the economy as we head into spring and summer.
#2 SURGE TO THE ‘BURBS. In 2020 we saw a large number of buyers moving to the suburbs due to the work from home (WFH) phenomenon and affordability. Living in urban areas is more expensive, and with many companies planning on continuing to let their employees WFH indefinitely or half-time moving forward, this has reduced the importance of commute time on a buyer’s wish list. This has also afforded buyers larger homes and yards in comparison to the more compact urban options. Do note however, that Seattle is not losing population, as the net in-migration figure for Seattle in 2020 was up 3.3%.
#3 PREFERRED HOME FEATURES. What buyers are looking for in a home is changing. Open-concept floor plans used to be all the rage, but now buyers are looking for separate spaces where an at-home office or Zoom space can be incorporated. Outdoor living areas are also coveted due to the option for year-round entertaining and/or exercise/home gym space. Rural homes with high-speed internet are coming at a premium as these properties create room to roam and the option to WFH. Not all rural areas have the infrastructure in place to support the technology needed to WFH, so the areas that do are in demand.
#4 INTEREST RATES. In 2020, we broke the all-time low for interest rates 16 times! We are currently under 3% and down an entire point from the previous year. This has fueled demand in all segments of the market, particularly first-time home buyers, luxury buyers, retirees downsizing, and move-up buyers. Note that a one-point drop in interest rate gives a buyer 10% more buying power, which is helping off-set the expense of price growth. While Matthew anticipates rates rising in 2021, he expects them to settle around 3.1%. With the long-term average at 7.9%, a bump up above 3% is still something to celebrate and will continue to be the gas in the tank of buyer demand.
#5 MORTGAGE FORBEARANCE. In the spring of 2020, the banks were quick to offer the option of mortgage forbearance in response to the job losses created by the pandemic. Many homeowners that needed to, took advantage of this option. The good news is that since May there has been a 43% reduction in participants in the program. Currently, there are 2.7M people in the program, many of which are returning to work and will be able to continue with their mortgage payments. For those that will not be able to afford the monthly payments, the option to sell after double-digit year-over-year price appreciation in markets such as WA, CO, OR, MT, and ID will provide a financial benefit. Matthew disagrees with the naysayers that think we are sitting on the brink of a wave of foreclosures in our region as equity levels are in favor of a homeowner selling vs. giving their home back to the bank. Buyer demand is also at an all-time high ensuring a plentiful home-buyer audience.
#6 HOME PRICES & SALES. Strong buyer demand will continue due to low interest rates and lifestyle moves influenced by the option to WFH and Baby Boomers retiring. Matthew believes we will have an increase in closed sales in 2021 and that we will continue to have price appreciation. Bear in mind that we are coming off above-average year-over-year price appreciation in 2020 (up 11% in Whatcom County & 13% in Skagit County), and he expects price growth to temper in 2021 year-over-year which will help with affordability and rate increases.
#7 LUXURY HOME MARKET. 2020 was an amazing year for the luxury home market, with Whatcom County closed sales over $1M up 80%, and over $2M up 25%. There was a brief stall in the spring when jumbo loan rates surged and were in some cases unavailable at some banks. By May, jumbo loans found their place in the market, and home buyers in the upper price points were able to enjoy the historically low interest rates as well. Matthew sees this continuing in 2021 along with more foreign buyers coming to the market with international travel opening back up in the second half of the year.
#8 ZONING. Matthew sees affordability as the biggest challenge in our market and zoning changes are the most efficient way to solve it. He expects legislators to have more discussions about adjusting zoning policies to create more affordable housing. He does not expect this to happen overnight or even in 2021, but for the stage to start to be set to make progress in this arena.
#9 APARTMENT RENTAL MARKET. The pandemic has been rough on the rental market, especially apartment rentals in big cities such as Seattle. The WFH option and a newfound aversion to shared living spaces have driven increases in vacancy rates. This has caused rental rates to decrease, and with an anticipated bumper crop of new apartments set to come to market in 2021 this segment of the market will take some time to recover due to supply and demand. Single-family rentals have fared much better than apartments. We expect the eviction moratorium to be lifted in tandem with increased vaccination rates and the rebound of the job market.
#10 ADAPTIVE REUSE. While the expense to convert apartments to condominiums is cost-prohibitive, he sees some opportunity to convert some hotel spaces to residential living. This goes in-line with creating more affordable housing and could be a positive economic option for motel or inn owners that have suffered during the pandemic. Other adaptive reuse options due to the surge in online commerce would be shopping malls converting to mixed-use (commercial with residential) space, and strip malls being bought out by developers for residential units.
Overall, Matthew’s take on the economy as we head into 2021 is hopeful and on the housing market extremely positive. If you would like the recording of his forecast or the Power Point slides in PDF format to review the data yourself, please reach out. It is always my goal to help keep my clients informed and empower strong decisions.
Weekly Market Update
WAY TO GO BELLINGHAM!!!
North Snohomish County Quarterly Market Trends – Q4 2020
The 2020 real estate market was a bright spot in the economy and the fourth quarter finished strong, with the median price up 10% complete year-over-year. Interest rates started the year just over 3.5% and ended the year under 3%! The long-term average rate is 7.9%, putting into perspective the massive advantage for homebuyers which has created feverish demand for available homes. Even though new listings remained even year-over-year, low interest rates helped drive an 8% increase in closed sales in 2020.
Pandemic-driven moves were spurred by folks working from home, taking early retirement, and in some cases responding to job loss. Remote working eliminated the need to have a home close to work which encouraged people to flee to the suburbs. Eliminating the commute and the desire for larger spaces with outdoor enjoyment quickly moved to the top of peoples’ wish lists. The last 8 years of positive price growth has led to formidable seller equity, enabling early retirement for some and/or the opportunity to liquidate and recover from the negative effects in some employment industries.
We expect rates to stay low in 2021 and with many Millennials coming of age there will continue to be large amounts of homebuyers eagerly waiting for fresh inventory. Ending the year at 0.5 months of inventory is essentially ground zero for selection, putting home sellers in the driver’s seat for now. I will continue to keep you updated throughout 2021 as we navigate these unique times. It is my goal to help keep my clients informed and empower strong decisions; please reach out if I can help.
North King County Quarterly Market Trends – Q4 2020
The 2020 real estate market was a bright spot in the economy and the fourth quarter finished strong, with the median price up 7% complete year-over-year. Interest rates started the year just over 3.5% and ended the year under 3%! The long-term average rate is 7.9%, putting into perspective the massive advantage for homebuyers which has created feverish demand for available homes. Even though new listings remained even year-over-year, low interest rates helped drive a 7% increase in closed sales in 2020.
Pandemic-driven moves were spurred by folks working from home, taking early retirement, and in some cases responding to job loss. Remote working eliminated the need to have a home close to work which encouraged people to flee to the suburbs. Eliminating the commute and the desire for larger spaces with outdoor enjoyment quickly moved to the top of peoples’ wish lists. The last 8 years of positive price growth has led to formidable seller equity, enabling early retirement for some and/or the opportunity to liquidate and recover from the negative effects in some employment industries.
We expect rates to stay low in 2021 and with many Millennials coming of age there will continue to be large amounts of homebuyers eagerly waiting for fresh inventory. Ending the year at 0.7 months of inventory is essentially ground zero for selection, putting home sellers in the driver’s seat for now. I will continue to keep you updated throughout 2021 as we navigate these unique times. It is my goal to help keep my clients informed and empower strong decisions; please reach out if I can help.
South Snohomish County Quarterly Market Trends – Q4 2020
The 2020 real estate market was a bright spot in the economy and the fourth quarter finished strong, with the median price up 12% complete year-over-year. Interest rates started the year just over 3.5% and ended the year under 3%! The long-term average rate is 7.9%, putting into perspective the massive advantage for homebuyers which has created feverish demand for available homes. Even though new listings were down by 6% in 2020, low interest rates helped drive a 3% increase in closed sales.
Pandemic-driven moves were spurred by folks working from home, taking early retirement, and in some cases responding to job loss. Remote working eliminated the need to have a home close to work which encouraged people to flee to the suburbs. Eliminating the commute and the desire for larger spaces with outdoor enjoyment quickly moved to the top of peoples’ wish lists. The last 8 years of positive price growth has led to formidable seller equity, enabling early retirement for some and/or the opportunity to liquidate and recover from the negative effects in some employment industries.
We expect rates to stay low in 2021 and with many Millennials coming of age there will continue to be large amounts of homebuyers eagerly waiting for fresh inventory. Ending the year at 0.3 months of inventory is essentially ground zero for selection, putting home sellers in the driver’s seat for now. I will continue to keep you updated throughout 2021 as we navigate these unique times. It is my goal to help keep my clients informed and empower strong decisions; please reach out if I can help.
