Cobalt Mortgage has opened a new Bellingham branch in Barkley Village at 2915 Newmarket St.

The facility is the company’s 19th office in Washington state. Cobalt now operates more than 50 offices across the western U.S., and plans to expand eastward during the next several years to make its products more broadly available, according to the company.

The Bellingham branch is run by manager Scott Ask, who has more than 10 years of mortgage-industry experience. Ask said the local office currently employs seven loan officers and intends to add more in the near future. He added that plans to open an additional Bellingham location are also in the works.

“Being a lifelong Washingtonian, I know that it’s the people who make this area such a great place to live. I’m excited about hiring a team of local experts to bring Cobalt Mortgage’s broad selection of loan offerings to homeowners in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties,” Ask said, in a news release.

Cobalt is licensed in 18 states, and is one of the largest privately held mortgage-banking firms in the U.S.