Buying in Whatcom & Skagit counties
Buying
a home.
We’ll look at how you want to live, what you can spend and which compromises you’re comfortable making.
At a showing
Picture an
ordinary day here.
Where will your desk go? What needs work? We’ll look at how the home fits your life, then identify the questions that need an inspection or more research.
What to look forEllen’s home search
Ellen’s search began in Bellingham and expanded into Skagit and Snohomish counties before she bought in Stanwood.
“During walk-throughs his eye for detail was helpful and his comments were honest and informative.”
The buying process
Your priorities
Start with your budget, timing and what matters at home.
The search
As we see homes, we’ll compare what works, what doesn’t and whether your priorities have changed.
Your offer
Weigh the price, terms and trade-offs before you commit.
Due diligence
Work through inspections and documents within the agreed deadlines.
Closing
Coordinate the final steps, signing and possession.
More about each stage
Before we start
We’ll discuss your plans, services and compensation before agreeing to work together. Your lender can help establish the payment and cash needed.
Choosing a home and making an offer
We’ll compare the property with your priorities and relevant sales. Before you make an offer, we’ll discuss the terms and the risks of any concessions.
After an offer is accepted
Complete the inspections and document review agreed in your contract. Bring unresolved questions to the appropriate professionals within the deadlines. The lender and closing team help coordinate funding, signing and possession.
Buyer questions
Costs beyond the down payment
Ask what cash you’ll need, when it’s due and how it fits into the total cost of buying and owning the home.
During the purchase
Ask when earnest money is due, where it will be held and how it appears in your closing figures. Plan for inspections and any specialist work you choose, along with an appraisal if your lender requires one.
At closing
Review your lender’s Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure. Ask about loan charges, title and escrow services, recording fees, prepaid expenses and any agreed brokerage compensation. Confirm the total cash needed after deposits and credits.
After the move
Include taxes, insurance, any HOA dues, utilities, maintenance and moving costs in your planning. Your lender, insurer and closing team can help clarify the figures for your situation.
“What could change between this estimate and closing?”
Who handles what?
Knowing who to ask makes the process easier to follow.
- Jay, your broker
- Helps you compare homes, organize questions, discuss offers and negotiations, and coordinate next steps with the people involved.
- Your lender
- Discusses financing, reviews your financial documents and works through loan approval and funding.
- Your home inspector
- Examines the home’s current condition within the agreed inspection scope. Ask what is covered and whether specialist follow-up would help.
- The appraiser
- Provides an independent opinion of value when an appraisal is required. This serves a different purpose from a home inspection.
- Title and escrow professionals
- Handle title and closing work, including the relevant records, documents and movement of funds. Ask your closing team to explain who is responsible for each part.
- Other specialists
- Your insurer, contractors and the appropriate local agencies can help with coverage, property questions, records and plans for future work.
Questions about a property
How the home would work for you
Think through an ordinary day: the layout, storage, steps, parking, outdoor space and getting to the places you use. What fits, and what would you need to change?
Condition and past work
What has been updated, and what records are available? Keep questions about water, the roof, heating, electrical systems and past work for the appropriate inspector or specialist.
Restrictions and future plans
Ask about any HOA dues and governing documents. If you have plans to renovate or change how the property is used, investigate the relevant rules and permits with the correct jurisdiction.
What still needs checking
Which questions need a document, another visit or a professional’s opinion? Confirm services and school attendance boundaries directly with the relevant providers or district when those matter to your decision.
We can organize what’s known, what needs research and who can help answer it.
Where do you work?
Whatcom and Skagit counties are my primary service areas. Out-of-area work by request.
Tell me about
your search.
Where are you looking, and what would you like help with?