Bellingham, Ferndale Home Sales Lead Whatcom County in 3Q
October 03, 2024
As per a report from Peter Ahn of the Muljat Group, significantly more home sales in the third quarter and another double-digit increase in the median home sales price highlighted the difference between Bellingham and the rest of Whatcom County, according to a local real estate report released today.
Bellingham’s median sales price rose 13.6% from a year ago to $795,000, according to Peter Ahn, co-owner of Bellingham-based The Muljat Group. Ahn prepared a report based on data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. The number of Bellingham homes sold in the third quarter, typically the busiest quarter of the year, increased 9.1% to 229.
All of Whatcom County’s communities also saw homes selling for more, but at lower levels than Bellingham. The countywide median sales price jumped 12.4% in the third quarter ending Sept. 30 to $652,000, Ahn said, with a wide range among individual communities. Lynden ranked second at $699,950, followed by Ferndale, $680,000; Birch Bay/Blaine, $650,000; Sudden Valley, $585,000; and Nooksack Valley, $500,000.
“Bellingham’s status as the county’s largest city, along with some properties offering stunning views of the Salish Sea and Mt. Baker, leads to consistently more demand from buyers,” Ahn said. “But a broad spectrum of prices is good for a healthy market and makes home ownership possible for more people”
Many of those people found their home in Ferndale in the third quarter as home sales increased 11.9% and the median sales price soared 21.5 in just a year to $680,000.
While homes were selling at a brisk pace in Bellingham and Ferndale, activity was down or flat in other areas as homes sold in all of Whatcom County ticked up only 2.9%.
The median sales price, average sales price, number of units sold and average days on the market (DOM) before a sale for Whatcom County and individual communities for the third quarter of 2024, with percentage comparisons to the third quarter of 2023, follow.
Whatcom County – Median price, $652,000, up 12.4%; average price, $730,888, up 12.9%; units sold, 739, up 2.9%; DOM, 35, unchanged.
Bellingham – Median price, $795,000, up 13.6%; average price, $931,683, up 14.6%; units sold, 229, up 9.1%; DOM, 19, down 9.5%.
Birch Bay/Blaine – Median price, $650,000, up 16.3%; average price, $726,616, up 14.6%; units sold, 105, unchanged; DOM, 44, up 18.9%.
Ferndale – Median price, $680,000, up 21.5%; average price, $720,807, up 13.1%; units sold, 113 up 11.9%; DOM, 38, up 22.6%.
Lynden – Median price, $699,950, up 5.3%; average price, $732,126, up 2.6%; units sold, 56, down 6.7%; DOM, 36, up 20.0%.
Mount Baker – Median price, $408,500, up 18.1%; average price, $473,069, up 29.1%; units sold, 82, down 14.9%; DOM, 62, up 21.6%.
Nooksack Valley – Median price, $500,000, up 0.1%; average price, $517,411, down 11.9%; units sold, 33, down 23.3%; DOM, 40, down 25.6%.
Sudden Valley – Median price, $585,000, up 4.5%; average price, $641,869, up 8.7%; units sold, 41, down 4.7%; DOM, 22, down 15.4%.
Bellingham’s median sales price rose 13.6% from a year ago to $795,000, according to Peter Ahn, co-owner of Bellingham-based The Muljat Group. Ahn prepared a report based on data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. The number of Bellingham homes sold in the third quarter, typically the busiest quarter of the year, increased 9.1% to 229.
All of Whatcom County’s communities also saw homes selling for more, but at lower levels than Bellingham. The countywide median sales price jumped 12.4% in the third quarter ending Sept. 30 to $652,000, Ahn said, with a wide range among individual communities. Lynden ranked second at $699,950, followed by Ferndale, $680,000; Birch Bay/Blaine, $650,000; Sudden Valley, $585,000; and Nooksack Valley, $500,000.
“Bellingham’s status as the county’s largest city, along with some properties offering stunning views of the Salish Sea and Mt. Baker, leads to consistently more demand from buyers,” Ahn said. “But a broad spectrum of prices is good for a healthy market and makes home ownership possible for more people”
Many of those people found their home in Ferndale in the third quarter as home sales increased 11.9% and the median sales price soared 21.5 in just a year to $680,000.
While homes were selling at a brisk pace in Bellingham and Ferndale, activity was down or flat in other areas as homes sold in all of Whatcom County ticked up only 2.9%.
The median sales price, average sales price, number of units sold and average days on the market (DOM) before a sale for Whatcom County and individual communities for the third quarter of 2024, with percentage comparisons to the third quarter of 2023, follow.
Whatcom County – Median price, $652,000, up 12.4%; average price, $730,888, up 12.9%; units sold, 739, up 2.9%; DOM, 35, unchanged.
Bellingham – Median price, $795,000, up 13.6%; average price, $931,683, up 14.6%; units sold, 229, up 9.1%; DOM, 19, down 9.5%.
Birch Bay/Blaine – Median price, $650,000, up 16.3%; average price, $726,616, up 14.6%; units sold, 105, unchanged; DOM, 44, up 18.9%.
Ferndale – Median price, $680,000, up 21.5%; average price, $720,807, up 13.1%; units sold, 113 up 11.9%; DOM, 38, up 22.6%.
Lynden – Median price, $699,950, up 5.3%; average price, $732,126, up 2.6%; units sold, 56, down 6.7%; DOM, 36, up 20.0%.
Mount Baker – Median price, $408,500, up 18.1%; average price, $473,069, up 29.1%; units sold, 82, down 14.9%; DOM, 62, up 21.6%.
Nooksack Valley – Median price, $500,000, up 0.1%; average price, $517,411, down 11.9%; units sold, 33, down 23.3%; DOM, 40, down 25.6%.
Sudden Valley – Median price, $585,000, up 4.5%; average price, $641,869, up 8.7%; units sold, 41, down 4.7%; DOM, 22, down 15.4%.
