For about $1.1 million in Washington, you could end up with a polished suburban home tucked into one of Bellingham’s most desirable neighborhoods — or a sprawling log cabin retreat near Wenatchee complete with a pool, guest house, and chicken coop.
The two listings sit at nearly the same price point, but the lifestyles they offer could not feel more different.
Property 1: Bellingham (Whatcom County)
- Price: $1.1 million
- 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
- 3,404 square feet
- 0.3-acre lot
- Built in 1994
- Located in Bellingham’s Geneva neighborhood
- Fully fenced yard with fruit trees, garden space, and gazebo
- Hardwood and slate flooring throughout
- Wine cellar and large bonus room
- Boat/RV parking
Property 2: Malaga (Chelan County)
- Price: $1.099 million
- 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
- 3,813 square feet
- 1.47-acre lot
- Built in 1995
- Log cabin-style home with detached ADU
- Heated in-ground pool
- Sauna, greenhouse, and multiple outbuildings
- Covered RV parking and space for boats
- Chicken coop and mountain views
The Homes Themselves
The Bellingham home feels like classic Pacific Northwest suburbia done well. From the outside, it presents fairly modestly — a simple single-story design tucked into a cul-de-sac — but inside, the home opens up into more than 3,400 square feet of warm, polished living space.
Hardwood and slate floors run throughout much of the house, while custom built-ins and plantation shutters give it a clean, upscale feel without pushing into flashy territory. The backyard is clearly one of the stars here: mature landscaping, fruit trees, garden space, and a gazebo with a natural gas fireplace create the kind of outdoor setup designed for quiet evenings and year-round use.
The lower level leans heavily into lifestyle amenities, with a Pilates wall, wine cellar, covered patio access, and a large rec room that could easily become a media space, gym, or multigenerational living area.
Click here to view the complete listing from Zillow.
The Malaga property takes the opposite approach. This is not subtle real estate.
The main home is a full-on log cabin retreat with vaulted ceilings, wood interiors, and sweeping territorial views. But the real selling point is everything happening outside the house itself.
There’s a detached carriage house-style ADU with two bedrooms and a sauna. There’s a heated in-ground pool with stamped concrete decking.
There’s RV parking, multiple sheds, a greenhouse, a chicken coop, and enough space to turn the property into a hobby farm, Airbnb compound, or multigenerational retreat.
The listing almost reads like someone combined a mountain lodge, vacation rental, and rural homestead into one property.
Click here to view the complete listing from Zillow.
What It’s Like To Live There
The Bellingham home is built for buyers who want comfort, convenience, and proximity to city life without living directly in the middle of downtown.
Geneva is one of Bellingham’s more sought-after residential pockets, known for larger homes, mature trees, and quick access to Lake Whatcom. Residents are minutes from breweries, coffee shops, hiking trails, and Western Washington University while still getting a quieter suburban feel.
This is the kind of property that likely appeals to professionals, established families, or buyers looking for a long-term “forever home” close to amenities.
Malaga offers almost the exact opposite lifestyle.
Located just outside Wenatchee, the area leans rural, dry, and wide open. You trade walkability and dense neighborhoods for privacy, land, mountain views, and room to spread out.
The property feels tailor-made for buyers who want flexibility: multigenerational living, short-term rental income, outdoor hobbies, RV travel, or simply space to breathe.
And unlike Western Washington’s cooler marine climate, Malaga delivers far more sunshine and heat — which suddenly makes that heated pool feel a lot less gimmicky.
Market Reality Check
In Bellingham, median home prices now hover around the upper-$700,000 to low-$800,000 range depending on the neighborhood and season. A $1.1 million home there typically buys upgraded finishes, larger square footage, and access to premium neighborhoods like Geneva.
Even so, the Bellingham listing still reflects how expensive coastal-adjacent Northwest cities have become. The property sold for just $214,000 back in 2002.
In Chelan County, median home prices are generally lower, though luxury and view properties can climb quickly. Around Malaga and Wenatchee, $1 million often stretches much further in terms of land, outbuildings, and lifestyle amenities.
The Bottom Line
These two homes perfectly capture Washington’s real estate identity crisis. In Bellingham, $1.1 million buys a polished, comfortable home in one of Western Washington’s most desirable suburban markets.
In Malaga, the same money buys what basically amounts to a private resort compound with mountain views and a chicken coop. One is about location and convenience. The other is about space, freedom, and lifestyle.
