I am a career Realtor since 1978 living my entire life in Whatcom County. My comprehensive knowledge in the real estate industry includes familiarity with the housing markets, property values, and available inventory. My expertise with listing & purchase documents, financing knowledge, and my negotiating skills will be a huge asset to you. I have team support to cover all aspects of every transaction. My wife, Joan, serves as my full time licensed office coordinator, she is available in our office to handle details from the beginning to the end of your transaction. In addition, Joan has competed her ASP designation, and will assist you as an Accredited Staging Professional to professionally stage your home for sale. I have been among the top agents in company sales performance every year for the past 45 years. Over 90% of my business comes from return clients or referrals from previous satisfied clients.This summer, we will celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary. We are the parents of 5 adult children. One of our greatest pleasures right now is the role of grandparents. We have 16 beautiful grandchildren ranging in age from 21 to 1, two joining us via adoption from Ethiopia! Our family of 7 has exploded to include 4 daughter-in laws, a son-in law as well as our grandchildren. We`re delighting in watching our family multiply and seeing our kids discover God`s unique plan for their lives! Together, we`re passionate about the outdoors and enjoy camping & biking in the summer, cross country skiing in the winter, an annual trip to the sunny shores of Maui, and cheering our grandkids on at their events (which includes traveling as 3 of our families live out of state.) I am actively involved in the community , a past Secretary of Mt Baker Rotary Club and have served on the School Board of Lynden Christian as well as a council member of Sonlight Community Church in the recent past.You`ll notice the difference when someone has a passion for what they do. I won`t waste your time, but get the job done for you. Choose YOUR Realtor as you`d choose other professionals like your physician or attorney. You could save thousands. Interview me for the job. Let me show you a smooth, hassle free transaction. I promise you, you`ll notice the difference!!"Rick's service was above and beyond excellence. His attention to detail and weekly updates were added value. I am recommending him at every opportunity.""Great service! I was always kept informed, and the staging made our home stand out above others.""Rick provided outstanding service. He was easily accessible, informative & guided us step by step through the whole process of buying a house. He was knowledgeable of the market. We would refer him to anybody.""I liked the way Rick & Joan directed the process. We could always call on them to find out what is next and they were ready to lead us to the next step. I never felt that we were being ignored or put off.""Excellent! We really liked the weekly update calls, the staging and the excellent communication by Rick!""It was great having such a professional and conscientous Realtor.""I usually think everyone has room for improvement but the Vander Giessen team does everything possible to sell your home at the best price possible. No one in Whatcom county could have done a better job.""Rick and Joan are the best you could get!""You know your stuff and you're honest! Living in another state while having a property listed was challenging--thanks for working with me through the process!"