Bellingham Alive’s Best of the Northwest: Thank You, Bellingham, for Voting Me Best Realtor

Recently I was notified that I was voted Gold Medal Winner for “Best Real Estate Agent” in Bellingham Alive’s 2025 Best of the Northwest. 

Last year I was honored with the Bronze in the same category. To be elevated to Gold this year, by the people who live, work, and invest in Bellingham and across Whatcom County, is a deeply humbling experience.

What The “Best of the Northwest” Award Means

If you are not familiar with Bellingham Alive, it is an upscale lifestyle magazine that highlights the best of life in Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan counties. The annual Best of the Northwest issue is a big deal in our region. Readers cast over 1.2 million online votes across 130 categories that cover local businesses, restaurants, services, and professionals.

Voters can only submit one ballot per email address and they have to vote in at least ten categories. That helps make the results a true reflection of the broader community, not just a popularity contest. The top three vote-getters in each category are recognized as Gold, Silver, and Bronze, and featured in the October issue and at a celebration event here in Bellingham.

To be chosen as the Gold Medal Realtor in a market filled with over 1800 experienced, hardworking Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan County real estate brokers is an incredible honor.

A Long Road In Bellingham Real Estate

This award arrives in my 19th year as a real estate broker and more than 30 years after my start in “housing-related careers. I first swung a hammer as a carpenter, in 1995. After 8 years in construction, I attended Bellingham Technical College’s Home Inspection program and completed more than 700 home inspections, before moving full time into real estate sales. Since then I have had the privilege of helping clients buy and sell well over a thousand homes in Bellingham and Whatcom County.

From those early carpentry days, through running my boutique firm Brandon Nelson Partners, to my current chapter at Compass, one thing has never changed: Every single client, every home, and every move tells a story, and has been a rich, learning experience. That is what keeps this work endlessly fascinating and meaningful.

A Heartfelt Thank You

So this post is really a thank you letter.

Thank you to the clients who invite me into your lives during some of your biggest transitions. Whether you are buying your first home in Bellingham, selling a long-time family house in Whatcom County, or navigating a complex probate or senior move, I do not take your trust lightly.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote in the Best of the Northwest poll and wrote my name in as your Realtor of choice. Thank you to the colleagues, lenders, inspectors, escrow teams, contractors, and support services who help make each transaction successful. Many of you were also recognized in this year’s issue and I am proud to stand alongside you.

Most of all, thank you to my family for the endless support that allows me to serve this community at a high level.

Looking Ahead

Awards are wonderful, yet they are really just a reminder to keep doing the work, keep learning, and keep showing up for people. My commitment is to continue offering above-and-beyond real estate service in Bellingham and throughout Whatcom County, to keep educating homeowners and buyers, and to help you make wise, confident decisions about your next move.

If you are thinking about selling or buying, or just want to talk strategy and timing, I would be honored to connect. You can always reach me through the Work With Me page here on BrandonNelson.com.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this Gold Medal award.

PS… I’m honored to have been recognized at the same level of some of the businesses and professionals I work with, and have the privilege of referring to others. Congratulations to these other Gold Medal winners, who are also my friends:

Highline Construction – Best Home Builder
Kent’s Garden & Nursery – Best
Whatcom Land Title – Best Title Company
Jason LaClair – Best Artist
Nicole Burdick – Best Financial Advisor
Bellingham Automotive – Best Auto Repair Shop
Katy Moran – Best Photographer