March 30, 2022

Featured Listing- 8022 Dean Drive

Check out this excellent one level starter on large 1/4+ acre lot, just minutes from Ferndale, Blaine, & Bellingham. This four bedroom two bath home has a true primary suite with walk-in closet & full bath with double vanity. The kitchen and living space are open, providing a comfortable more modern feel while the french doors to the backyard provide amazing functionality, expanding the space outdoors. Revel in the privacy of your own garden oasis & the pleasant song birds. This property enjoys expansive garden space & a whole variety of fruits including hardy kiwis, currants, gooseberries, and grapes. A true laundry/utility space & large enclosed carport with drive-thru tandem parking and roll up door, provide excellent capacity for your projects.

Posted in Featured Listings
March 23, 2022

Featured Listing- 2421 St Clair Street

This 4 bedroom 2 bath home is livable and ready for move-in but could benefit from your updates. There is an exquisite opportunity to build equity through small improvements or even a short plat. Capitalize now, or in the future, on the city's desire for infill (alley access and/or use of a pipestem driveway could create options for a 2nd lot or ADU- buyer to verify). The home itself has a very functional layout with two bedrooms up near the kitchen and living space, & two bedrooms down near a family room and recreational area. Surrounding neighbors are all owner-occupied. Nearby trails, parks, & Barkley make this area very desirable. To top things off the home is equipped with an oversized garage for all your hobbies.

Posted in Featured Listings
March 10, 2022

Featured Listing- 3631 Mandarin Court, Bellingham

This quality 3+ bed, 2.5 bath home in a well-established neighborhood is central to everything in Bellingham. Enjoy walks in the Sunset Pond trails with the knowledge that you are just a short distance from I-5, theatres, grocery stores, shopping, restaurants and brew-pubs. This home is extremely well-maintained; the furnace was new in 2016, the roof and water heater were replaced in 2019, and the black-matte stainless appliances are also newer. What's not to like with a fully fenced backyard, concrete patio, apple tree with 5 grafted varieties, and room for a garden. The office/den space on the main floor is bonus, as is the large primary suite with walk-in closet and attached bath. LED bulbs throughout. Call to see it today or visit one of our opens.

Posted in Featured Listings
March 10, 2022

Build Your Dream Home-.64 Acre Lot For Sale in Bellingham

Just minutes from downtown shopping and restaurants, this lightly treed lot has access to city water and power at the street level. The sloped property faces South and has filtered views of Emerald Lake. Build now or hold as an investment in this strong Pacific Northwest Market. Note: no septic is installed and Buyer will need to complete all feasibility on this raw land. The good news is that homes have been built on either side of this plat providing some good indication of the development potential in the area (plat is positioned right between 1760 and 1766 Evergreen Lake Way).

Posted in Featured Listings
March 10, 2022

Just Listed- 3995 Squalicum Lake Road, Bellingham

Newly built in 2014, this Lexar Home is perfectly sized with three bedrooms and two baths. Sitting on a beautifully pastured plat just shy of five-acres, the property is adjacent to public land, and is close to trails and the lake, while just minutes from everything that Bellingham offers. With mountain and territorial views, an open floor plan with bright spaces, this home shines. Enjoy the slate tile, laminate flooring, and stainless-steel appliances, while relishing in the wonderful setting of Squalicum Lake Road. The elegant simplicity, in the design and finishes, is augmented with smart "extras" installed during the build: the home is wired for a generator, wired for exterior hot tub, & is heated via an efficient ductless heat-pump.

Posted in Featured Listings
March 3, 2022

Featured Listing- 916 E North Street

Check out this beautifully styled craftsman home in popular Sunnyland neighborhood. Just two blocks from Trader Joe's and the local brewpub scene on one side, and the pedestrian overpass to Barkley on the other, this house is set on a double lot with detached 720 SqFt 2-car garage and shop with loft for storage (or creative bonus space). The home itself features hardwood kitchen cabinetry, vaulted open-feel family room, period built-ins, oak flooring, large living room with fireplace, and two bedrooms just four steps up. An unfinished basement offers the possibility of additional 408 usable square footage while the newer high efficiency furnace ensures your comfort. This home is ready to move-in while still offering potential for improvement.

Posted in Featured Listings
Feb. 24, 2022

Just Listed- 2826 Undine Street

Tastefully finished 3 bed/ 2.5 bath townhome, in the heart of Bellingham and close to everything. This highly desirable location is connected by an expansive city trail system, to Barkley Village shopping, theatres, & area parks. The kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances, and the main floor has attractive laminate flooring. The home is efficiently heated by forced-air furnace and unlike many in this price-range, it has an owner-suite with 3/4 bath. The backyard is fully fenced and appointed with a large composite deck for entertaining, plus it includes a hot tub. Finally, the roof was replaced just six-years ago meaning no looming deferred maintenance costs. No HOA and no dues (this is a zero-lot-line home).

Posted in Featured Listings
Dec. 22, 2021

The Art of Identifying Wild Plants

2021

flora familiar

THE ART OF IDENTIFYING WILD PLANTS

WRITTEN BY MARESA GIOVANNINI

Nature—with its greenery, fresh air, and symbiotic ecosystem—has the incredible power to help you heal. The mental clarity and sense of belonging you can find in the woods is said to be a boon for your health, from lowering blood pressure to improving pain thresholds. And who couldn’t use a little boost these days? If you are looking to spend more time outdoors, you may also want to learn about the flora (and fauna) that surrounds you. Here, we’ve gathered some get-started guidance for identifying wild plants.

Flora Familiar #1

Identify the Reason.

Foraging for plants to use for food, art, or medicinal purposes is a popular pastime. If you are feeling inspired by the Luddite lifestyle and want to live simply, foraging public land or your own property can be a great way to stay sustainable. Of course, there is always a level of risk when harvesting plants you find versus grow. Spend ample time learning before you harvest. And always set aside some extra pieces for additional identification in case you have an adverse reaction. Get your hands on a forager’s calendar so you can keep track of the type of plants that are in season any given time of the year.

Identification doesn’t need to have tangible results. Perhaps you desire a new hobby or a wealth of outdoor information. Learning all about local plants can help you design a better home garden, be mindful of where you step on the trail, and—as an added bonus—enhance your success at trivia games and crossword puzzles. However you use your newfound knowledge, it doesn’t hurt to know more about the wild things just outside your door.

Learn the Ropes.

Plant identification is an activity the whole family can participate in. With so many ways to approach the process, you can make it work for any age or skill level. If you have a child who shows extra interest, consider enrolling them in a nature camp. Kids and grown-ups alike may find kindred spirits in local foraging groups. Regional parks may offer interactive day or weekend experiences.

If you would rather do it yourself, there are a few tools that can help you succeed. First and foremost, grab a field guide to keep in your backpack or back pocket (see the sidebar for specific suggestions). Then, consider optional items such as a magnifying glass, binoculars, ruler, nature journal, and colored pencils. The journal and pencils will help you keep track of your finds and become more familiar with the shapes and shades of plant families in your area. While these tools will help you with tried-and-true identification methods, feel free to download an identification app or two to confirm your findings.

Take It Home.

If you want to bring the natural world inside your home, collect broken leaves and flowers on a nature walk. Use a flower press to flatten and preserve your finds, then display them in a floating frame or mounted to archival paper. This type of hands-on activity is a great way to engage children and help them see the fruits—or flowers—of their labor.


botany books

The best tool to help you get started with any kind of identification is a field guide. Look for one that specializes in the plants and animals native to the region where you live or frequently visit. Getting accustomed to identifying flora and fauna that you see every day will inspire you to think outside the box and make more observations leading to identification on the fly. Here are a handful of general guides to get you going.

Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification
by Thomas J. Elpel
This illustrated guide helps you learn in bulk and change the way you see plants. Instead of identifying one at a time, it teaches you to identify based on plant family patterns, ultimately giving you freedom from a guide when exploring.

Flowering Plant Families of the World
by V. H. Heywood, R. K. Brummit, A. Culham, and O. Seberg
Specially designed to help you study and identify blooms, this colorful guide is a go-to for botany from A to Z.

Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary
by James G. Harris and Melinda Woolf Harris
One of the many resources used by US Forest Service botanists, this glossary is good on the go. The paperback book provides over 1,900 illustrations with key descriptors.


Shannon & Gordon Neufeld

360.393.1183 Shannon

360.393.8299 Gordon

www.NeufeldNW.com

Lic.# Shannon: 94057

Lic.# Gordon: 27470

Posted in Real Estate News
Oct. 7, 2021

Featured Listing- 2005 Northshore Drive

Check out this immaculate lake front home, bathed in sun from dawn ‘til dusk. This open concept 4 bedroom Northshore offering enjoys fabulous water views & 360’ of shared waterfront; there's even a dock for owners to tie-off their boats. This home has everything one would want for northwest living: vaulted ceilings, large composite deck & new windows, great room w/ cozy gas fireplace, and newly crafted custom kitchen with gas stove and all new appliances in 2017. All elements speak to the owners’ level of detail and artistic flair. The infrastructure is beautifully maintained with newer roof, furnace, A/C, and hot water heater. Great off-street parking and newly fenced backyard with space for garden beds and fruit trees, is nicely appointed while ready for your personal touch.

Posted in Featured Listings
Sept. 30, 2021

Featured Listing- 8506 Golden Valley Drive

Check out this fantastic single level home located on a bright sunny lot in beautiful Maple Falls. Enjoy the open floor plan and ease of living this home has to offer. Built in 2018, this home features 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a spacious owner's suite with en suite, and a walk-in closet. The kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances and opens up to back yard deck, making this the perfect place to entertain. This home also features a bright, spacious dining area which opens right up into the living room. In the living room, you can sit and enjoy the warmth and ambiance of the built in gas fireplace. This home also features a laundry room, spacious two car garage, and a fully fenced yard. Schedule a tour today!

Posted in Featured Listings