Moving to Bellingham (Ferndale: rentals, high crime, coop)

[jac0978]

Hi I am in Phoenix, AZ and I am moving to Bellingham Washington with my family in a couple of months. Anyone who lives there, if you can give me some info on how it is there, I would appreciate it. How are the schools, weather, what things are there to do out there. Ect...thanks.

[Truly Heartless]

Originally Posted by jac0978

Hi I am in Phoenix, AZ and I am moving to Bellingham Washington with my family in a couple of months. Anyone who lives there, if you can give me some info on how it is there, I would appreciate it. How are the schools, weather, what things are there to do out there. Ect...thanks.

I have lived in Bellingham several times in the past 23 years. Great city for raising kids recreation-wise. Aim for the Sehome High School District. Bellingham High is a good enough (recently remodeled) school but the surrounding neighborhoods are near high crime areas unfortunately!

Take advantage of Mount Baker!! And enjoy what Boulevard Park has to offer. You will be happy in Bellingham if you can handle the annual rainfall. You are coming from a state with a lot of sunshine so be prepared to deal with possible side effects from the weather. Best of luck to ya!

[jac0978]

Thank you. Would you be able to recommend good elementary schools? My son will be finishing Kindergarten and then off to 1st grade.

[Truly Heartless]

Originally Posted by jac0978

Thank you. Would you be able to recommend good elementary schools? My son will be finishing Kindergarten and then off to 1st grade.

Larrabee! A friend of mine highly recommends it.

[jac0978]

Great thank you so much, I appreciate it. Also, what area of Bellingham is really nice to live? I am nervous about the move, I have two children and I just want to give them the best life. Would you recommend a realtor or know of any rental houses by chance? Thanks for your imput.

[Truly Heartless]

Originally Posted by jac0978

Great thank you so much, I appreciate it. Also, what area of Bellingham is really nice to live? I am nervous about the move, I have two children and I just want to give them the best life. Would you recommend a realtor or know of any rental houses by chance? Thanks for your imput.

Rentals are tough due to Western Washington University. Rents tend to be high even in bad areas. Try Chris Weitzel-with ReMax of Whatcom County?. He is a popular agent because he is very good, and so are the agents that work with him.

Having been an agent myself I will tell you that Chris won't be able to "steer" you to good and bad areas. I, on the otherhand, have and will if you need any advice. My advice is free however-lol.

[Foreverking]

Uded to live in Bellingham, Still would if the job market would support me. I tried hard to remain there, VERY VERY hard. Now I live in Gilbert AZ. BH is the most beautiful city in Western Washington. The weather is cloudy, and the rainfall is insane, however I would say that the sunshine is insane here. Right now the Pac NW is getting the most snow they have had in 57 years. I don't miss those snow days. Normally you only get a few a year. If you wanna water ski, snow ski, hike, or just go for a nice drive, you can do all that in the same day in BH. Better wait till spring or fall though.

[Loriandrandy]

First of all, make absolutely sure you can handle day after day, week after week, month after month, of dark, dreary, drizzly or rainy weather. It's oppressive and typically continues from October through June. Seriously. There is also precious little to do in the winter. There is one municipal pool (poorly maintained and crowded) and one indoor ice skating rink, a YMCA downtown (old and run down). The schools are pretty crowded. Lowell and Happy Valley are good elementary schools; Fairhaven is the best middle school, and Bellingham High School is now the best high school.
There is a great trail system (the Interurban Trail) and three beautiful lakes, and a nice waterfront park downtown (Boulevard Park) where they have community sunset concerts during the summer. The farmer's market in the summer is really popular - and it is fun, but the prices are ridiculous; produce there is at least double what you'll pay in the store for the same exact thing (organic, and from the same farm!). And it's the only Farmer's Market I have ever been to that has a "no-dog" policy.
Groceries are ludicrously expensive; thank goodness Trader Joes opened up to give the self-impressed Coop a run for its money.
I'm sorry to sound so negative, but I've gotten very soured on Bellingham over the past few years. It feels to me like it's dying.
Please ask if you want any more information; I promise I'll be honest.

[jac0978]

Well we lived in Nashville for 6 years and we got alot of rain, I mean alot. We are use to the 118 degree weather in the summer here so the weather there will be welcoming to us. Sure the rain will probably get old but if you have lived in AZ and had to deal with the summers, you would understand why I want to run from this place LOL...tell me, do you know anything about Ferndale?

[Loriandrandy]

Depressed community, overcrowded schools...has a redneck feel to it, extremely high population of migrant workers, lots of gang problems in school. Great high school football team.
(I work with Ferndale kids, middle and high school, so this is all firsthand knowledge. Sorry it's not better news).
As bad as Bellingham is, Ferndale is worse...