Brandon Nelson

Columbia

Located less than a mile northwest of downtown Bellingham , the neighborhood of Columbia — sometimes called “Columbia Eldridge” — reigns as one of the most desirable, character-rich and oldest neighborhoods in Whatcom County.

Defined primarily by Craftsman Bungalows and the occasional Tudor or Victorian, Columbia also hosts a small number of multi-family properties, a couple churches, and highly-regarded Columbia Elementary School. It is run through with pedestrian friendly, mature-tree-lined streets, lots of outdoor activity in every corner of the neighborhood, and plenty of happy, proud home-owners in general.

With only 11 Active listings as of this writing, and 9 Pending sales, the resulting 45% Pending Ratio shows the incredible strength of the Columbia market. The average price of all sales in ‘09 thus far is $329,970 with the median at just above $300K.

You can find the occasional $200K fixer in Columbia, but you better bring your A-game when you write the offer. I just helped a client close on that exact type of property, having successfully beat out FIVE other offers on Day 1.

Still, it’s worth every dollar and every ounce of extra effort to land a home in the heart of Columbia. I recommend you leave your car parked in town, jump on your bike and spend an afternoon cruising up and down the Columbia streets. You’ll likely makes some new friends along the way!

Schools

Children attending public schools and living in Columbia will be in the Bellingham Schoold District.
The Elementary Schools is Columbia Elementary.
The Middle School is Whatcom Middle School.
The High School is Bellingham High School.