Real Estate Information Archive

The 2009 AHBA Parade of Homes was held the last weekend of September.  The weather was nice and the 100's of people hit the streets to see the latest creations of the Anchorage Home Builders.  The total number of entries in this years Parade of Homes was 25.  These home were spread out across Anchorage and Eagle River.  They ranged in price from $199,000 to $1,800,000, and were situated in new subdivisions as well as older established areas that were being rehabilitated.

Last night was the awards banquet held in Builder's Millwork showroom.  The group assembled included builders, bankers, tittle companies, Realtors and their spouses.  The night was entertaining and food was great, but the main reason we were all there was to see who walked away with the hardware.  It is a great honor to win a ''Golden Hammer', showing that you are the best in your class (at least for this year).

I am very proud to tell you that two of the entries were located in Eagle River's Premier Subdivision, Powder Ridge.  The Harmony Town-homes, built by the Peterson Group, and a single family home built on Ezi View Circle by Nolan Homes, LLC.. 

In the single family homes priced from $300,000 to $500,000 the winner was "Nolan Homes, LLC.". The home on Ezi view won awards in the following categories:

• Best Exterior
• Best Design
• Best Interior
• Best Kitchen
• Overall Workmanship

And last but not least the home won the coveted

'Golden Hammer Award'

This years Parade of Homes was a great success, and I am glad that we were able to participate in it.  I was able to meet many of you that came through the home and hopefully we will be able to work with you in the future.  There is still time to start a new home this year and current prices and interest rates are added incentives.  For information call or text me at 907-360-7471.

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As we get closer to December there seems to be less and less inventory (homes for sale).  Usually this time of year the number of homes on the market is climbing.  There should be more homes on the market, but there isn't.  If you're a buyer looking for a home, I know you must be frustrated.

In Eagle River there was just 141 homes at the beginning of the week.  I just ran a search and there is just 121 homes plus another 15 homes marketed as to be built.  Here is a link to the search Eagle_River_Home_Search.

The number of condominiums available is 31.  This offers some alternatives to those of you desperately looking for a new home.  Don't be discourage, be ready.  Keep an eye on the market, get pre-qualified with a lender you trust.  I suggest visiting www.LendAlaska.com. This is Aaron Gray's website, Aaron is a great loan originator with Homestate Mortgage. 

If you have the right information than buying a house can be very easy, not stress free, but easy.

Hang in there.

Yesterday I did not really think it was that cold.  The temperature was moderate and a lite coat was perfect.  However as I was driving across the Hay flats I noticed many of the ponds just before the Knik river were frozen.

This is a sign that we will see colder weather soon.  Most lakes have not froze yet, although just the other night I thought I saw some ice creeping out from the shore.  So it is time to get winter ready.  If you are new to Alaska, remember to take the hose off the faucet.  This will keep you Hose bib from freezing over the winter.  Put up all tools and if you have fragile out door plants get them covered up with leaves or burlap bags.

Clean up all the toys and tools that may still be out there, they could disappear over night under a blanket of white not to be seen for months.  Also get you winter tires on.  The roads will be slick in the morning.  So slow down and be safe.

Everyone have a great day and don't forget to close your basement vents (very important).

This will be a short note to bring you up to speed on the market here in Eagle River Alaska.  Nothing spectacular is happening, at least not if your an Eagle River resident, because you already know this.  Eagle River is the "Most livable Community in Alaska".  The homes sales are steady and consistent, kind of boring, right?

Well to those of you that may be moving here or are just curious and stumbled upon this post, may seem incredible.  Our market is very good!  we are not selling hundreds of homes, we're just selling the ones that come on the market.  Less people are moving away from Eagle River and more are moving here.  Good steady, sustainable growth.  If the builders built 20% more homes than is currently underway we could easily fill the residences.  Eagle River residents are proud of their community and remain committed to it.  The first time home buyers tax credit expires in on December 1, 2009.  If you want take advantage of this, you need to move quickly. 

We lets dispense with the rhetoric.  Sales in the last week continue to be steady and stable.  There were 14 new homes listed for sale, and 7 homes went under contract (pended), while 6 homes closed.  The current inventory of homes is 150, just 1 more than last week.  Interest rates continue to be low, last week in the 4% to 5% range depending on the terms chosen.  fourteen (14) of the 150 are not built, and ten (10) are currently under construction.

Well, I'm getting a little long winded here so I'll wrap this up.  The market is good, now is the best time to sell your home, and it is definitely a good time to buy if you can find a good home.  If you can find one, call me we can always build it for you.

This weekend I was replacing light bulbs around the parameter of my home.  I replaced several burned out bulbs with the new energy efficient bulbs.  First let me explain that I am not a big fan of these bulbs, and definitely not outside in the cold winter nights.  They take forever to warm up and produce good bright light, but they do not burn out quickly and they will save my family money.  It is the right thing to do.

"Save Energy, Money and the Environment with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs" This is the headline I saw online for these bulbs.  However they do take time to warm up, before they produce good bright light. Which is why I am writing this post.  You save money, they do save you money, right?

Wrong, wrong, wrong, they will cost you thousands if you're not careful.  In Alaska lighting is very important, actually it is important everywhere, but in Alaska if the buyers think your home is dark they will move on to the next one.  Staging a home, moving furniture, cleaning, and painting are just some of the things sellers do to entice buyers.  They want the visiting buyer to leave with a positive impression of their home.

So why am I concerned about these lights, a buyer should feel good about you being environmentally conservative.  Many buyers visit a home when no one is there, all the lights are turn off.  They come in turn on the lights look around the room, turn off the light and walk out.  The compact fluorescent light bulbs do not have enough time to warm up, so their light output is low and the buyer may leave with the impression that the room is under lit, or worse dingy.  They may not know why they feel this way, they're not looking at your light bulbs trying to figure it out.  They're to busy trying to find a good home, and they do not want to make a mistake.  They do not want to be next years news story.

Here's my advice:  When you leave the house turn every light on. Yes, I said it, leave every light on.  This way your lights are working for you to sell your home.  It will make a difference, the lights will be warmed up and providing maximum out put. The home will be warm and inviting. The increase in your electric bill will be minimal compared to the amount of money you will make when they make they're offer on your home instead of the under-lit home down the street.