What makes a listing in Bellingham super successful?

Even with the demand for homes in Bellingham, a successful sale rarely happens by accident. It’s the result of thoughtful strategy from the very beginning.

I started looking in to the most successful home sales in Bellingham’s downtown core over the past year and for this research project lets defined “successful” as homes that closed 5% or more above list price. Focusing specifically on the neighborhoods west of I-5 and around the city center—York, Sunnyland, Lettered Streets, Cornwall Park, and Columbia since selling on the south side of town can require a slightly different playbook.

Looking through these sales, I quickly noticed that the homes that performed the best appeared to be the hitting the market fully dialed in and showcased that there was a behind the scenes plan- The homes were prepared, professionally presented, and strategically priced to create momentum right away.

You can even see that roughly 70% of those homes came on the market in the first half of the year, where there was less inventory. As our Bellingham market continues to adjust and it becomes more balanced- launching a listing earlier in season can make a big impact when it comes to the final outcome.

 A good way to kick off the the success of the sale of a home is also understanding who the likely buyer is. I always try to picture that person when preparing a listing. What type of buyer is interested in this home? Are they downsizing? Moving from a bigger city? Are they drawn to historic homes? Is an outdoor space important to them?

Those details help mold the presentation—from the photography to the listing description to how the home shows when someone walks through the door and even the vibe surrounding the space!

When working with buyers who have chosen Bellingham’s downtown core, generally you can find them being more emotionally connected to their decision, they look for character, like historic homes and often celebrate the niches unique parts of the home that might otherwise be seen as “funky”.  

The story of the home matters.

They look for that connection from the beginning- scrolling through the listing online to walking through at the first open house, they already feel like like the home is made for them- and creating that kind of connection takes a vision and strategy before the home ever hits the market.