After several years of intense competition and limited options, housing inventory is finally making a comeback.

For buyers in Bellingham, WA and Whatcom County, that shift could mean more choices, less pressure, and better opportunities this year.

According to Realtor.com, the number of homes available for sale this January was the highest it has been since 2020. While we are not fully back to pre pandemic levels nationally, the steady improvement signals a meaningful shift in the market.

Why Rising Inventory Matters

When there are more homes for sale, buyers benefit in several ways:

• More options to choose from

• More time to make decisions

• Greater negotiating leverage

When inventory is tight, the opposite happens. The market feels rushed, competitive, and stressful. Buyers often have to act quickly and compete against multiple offers.

In the years following 2020, there simply were not enough homes for sale across much of the country, including parts of Whatcom County. That imbalance created a strong seller’s market.

Now, conditions are starting to rebalance.

This visual can show how current inventory compares to 2017 to 2019 levels and illustrate the steady climb back toward normal.

More Markets Are Returning to Typical Levels

Inventory growth is not happening evenly everywhere. Some areas are recovering faster than others.

According to Lance Lambert, Co Founder of ResiClub, in January 2025 only 41 of the 200 largest metro areas had returned to normal inventory levels. By the end of the year, that number had grown to 90 metros at or above typical supply.

That is a significant improvement in roughly one year.

While Bellingham and the broader Whatcom County real estate market may not mirror national trends exactly, the overall direction is encouraging. More listings are coming to market, which gives buyers more room to breathe.

Inventory Is Expected To Keep Growing

Looking ahead, forecasts suggest the number of homes for sale could rise another 10 percent this year.

If that happens, many more markets could reach inventory levels similar to what we saw between 2017 and 2019. National projections indicate that by fall, we may approach more historically normal supply levels.

This graphic helps buyers visualize how additional inventory could shift market conditions over the coming months.

As Hannah Jones, Senior Economic Research Analyst at Realtor.com, explains, housing market conditions are gradually rebalancing after several years of extreme seller advantage. Buyers are beginning to see more options and modest negotiating power as inventory improves.

In simpler terms, the market is starting to work with buyers again.

What This Means for Buyers in Bellingham

For those considering buying a home in Bellingham, WA or anywhere in Whatcom County, this is one of the strongest setups buyers have seen in years.

While inventory is not fully back to normal everywhere, it is moving in the right direction. And in some markets, supply has already returned to more typical levels.

If you have been waiting for a moment when you would have:

• More listings to choose from

• Less intense bidding wars

• A little more negotiating power

This may be that window.

Bottom Line

The housing market is not completely back to normal, but it is clearly improving.

If you are curious about what inventory levels look like right now in Bellingham or Whatcom County, the best move is to look at local data. National headlines give context, but real estate is always local.

If you would like to see what is happening in your specific neighborhood or price range, connect with a local real estate professional who understands the current market conditions here at home.