Why Fall is the Best Time to Move to Sudden Valley and Bellingham

Any time of the year is a great time to move to Sudden Valley, or the greater Bellingham area, but moving here in the fall may sneakily be the best choice. Let’s think about it for a moment. 

Spring is beautiful, lively, and green, but it can feel busy and full of hurried preparation in anticipation of summer. Summer in the area is phenomenal and it’s why tourists and visiting family members fall in love with the area every year, but moving over summer can make for an uncomfortably hot experience. The crisp mornings of winter and snowy hillsides above Sudden Valley are lovely to observe, but winter in the PNW can often come as a shock to transplants. So what does that leave? Fall, of course. Let’s talk about it.

Here are our reasons as to why moving to Sudden Valley, or Bellingham, in the fall is the best choice for home buyers. 

#1 - Fall is a Great Time To Get To Know Your Home

Summer is great for potlucks, winter is time for skiing, and spring is ideal for yard projects. You know what fall is made for in the Pacific Northwest? Lazy mornings on the couch with your favorite caffeinated drink and weighted blanket. Take advantage of the foggy mornings and lounge around your new home without pressure to get up and go! Learn about your new home by just being in it. How does the rain sound on the roof? How does the light filter through the fog and plants in your yard? Where’s the best place to keep the TV remote so it’s easily accessible as you search for your new favorite spot on the couch? Getting acquainted with your new home and building new habits and routines can take time, so take advantage of the wetter weather to do so. 

#2 - The Housing Market Comes Back To Life

Summer in the local housing market isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, there’s a lull in activity near the end of the season as families opt to spend their time enjoying summer and transitioning back to their school schedule rather than buying or selling their homes. But at the start of fall that all changes. As people get back into their regular routines and the weather slowly moves toward the more storm heavy back half of the season, we see a spike in housing inventory in the local market. This increase in inventory creates a fantastic opportunity for buyers to take advantage of the competition amongst sellers to make favorable negotiations and move into their new homes at a price that they’re truly satisfied with. If you’re thinking about buying, now’s the time! Give us a call and let’s use the market conditions to our advantage. 

#3 - Changing Seasons Make For Great Exploring

The shift from summer to fall not only brings cooler temps and wetter weather, it brings back variation in color. We move from the bright greens of the trees and shrubs to oranges and deep reds of their dying leaves, and this completely changes the vibe of areas that we may have already seen. So whether you’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest all your life, or you happen to be new to the area, fall is the perfect time to get out and see new things. Here are some of our favorite spots to get outside during the fall season: 

Lake Whatcom Park’s Hertz Trail on the east side of Lake Whatcom is wide, flat, and perfect for experiencing the shifting season.The small creeks flow with runoff from the surrounding hills and the orange maple leaves fall around you. Across the water you can see how many trees are changing on the hills of Galbraith and Lookout Mountain. Fair warning, this trail can get windy on a stormy day. 

Head to Artist Point or Hwy 542 to hike in the alpine and witness the different colors of the native blueberries and heather. The Bagley Lakes Loop provides the easiest access and Chain Lakes is a great trail to do if you have cleared the calendar for the day. Just be sure to beat the snowstorms and crowds. If you can, head out on a weekday morning to avoid the weekend rush. 

If you don’t want to go that far, stay in Sudden Valley and take a walk around Lake Louise, the Lookout Mountain Preserve, or the Stimpson Family Nature Preserve. The local creeks drain through all of these areas with waterfalls and lovely bridge crossings, and the ducks begin to return to roost on the shores of Lake Louise and Geneva Pond for the winter season, so get your binoculars ready. 

#4 - Hobbies are Better in the Shoulder Seasons

We know what you’re thinking, “I love doing my hobbies in the dry season of summer. It feels the most alive and communal!”. That’s fair, but hear us out. Outdoor hobbies are better in the fall in the Pacific Northwest, so it’s a perfect time to move here and get into the nature that surrounds us. We’ll break down why, hobby by hobby. 

Where are our runners at? Running in the heat of summer and freezing cold of winter is painful. Either you’re sweating bullets and having difficulty keeping your electrolytes balanced, or your hands and nose feel like they want to fall off from the cold. But running in the even temperatures of fall literally helps you go further. The cooler air helps you avoid overheating and the occasional rain shower can bring your body temp down, meaning you can push further and faster than summer months. Get out there this fall and set those PR’s!

Want to get out on the golf course for a solid game of 18 holes? No problem! The change in weather brings about quieter golf courses as the local tourism season wain and the golf season slows down. Hit the links and take your time as you soak in the views on the Sudden Valley Golf Course without feeling the pressure of the party behind you creeping closer and closer.

Mountain bikers delight in the return of tacky dirt, aka “PNW Gold”. Sure, it’s nice to ride in t-shirts and shorts over the summer, but shorts weather also means we say goodbye to the moisture in the soil that PNW trails are famous for. The trails are heavily trafficked in the summer and the lack of rain makes for dusty rides behind your buddies and untrustworthy corners that offer little to no support. But riding in the fall is different and last night’s rain is today’s perfect trail conditions. Throw on that rain gear and enjoy the best dirt you could ask for. 

Let’s catch some waves! The arrival of off-shore storms makes for zesty conditions in Bellingham Bay and on Lake Whatcom, and paddlers, wind surfers, and kite boarders get to surf waves like they’re on the water in Hawaii! Avid water lovers can get onto Lake Whatcom via several boat launches or beaches, or into Bellingham Bay from Marine Park, the Community Boating Center, Boulevard Park, Waypoint Park, Zuanich Point Park, or Squalicum Beach. 

We’ve already touched on this a little bit earlier in this article, but hiking also gets better in the fall. No longer do you need to plan your hike around the heat of the day. You can leave the parking lot at any time and look forward to perfect temperatures. Oh, it’s a little cold when you started? That’s ok, layer up and expect to take off the top layer at some point on the ascent. With summer hiking you lack the ability to adjust and can only hope the sun doesn’t get the best of you. With the changing colors in the alpine shrubbery also comes changing crowd sizes, so be prepared to share the trail. 

As we said before, any time to move to Sudden Valley, Bellingham, or the Pacific Northwest is a great time to do so, but don’t sleep on moving here in the fall. You’ll love experiencing the change in seasons with your new home and we’d love to help you with your transition into a new space.

About the Weitzel & Andrew Home Team

For more than 50 years, the Weitzel & Andrew Home Team has helped buyers and sellers navigate the Sudden Valley and greater Whatcom County real estate market. Our passion for this community extends beyond real estate. We believe in supporting the people, events, and organizations that make this such a special place to call home.

Whether you're buying, selling, or simply exploring your options, we're here to be your trusted local resource.