IS NOW THE TIME TO SELL MY ALASKA RENTAL?

Is it time to sell my Alaska rental home you ask?  Many homeowners over the last few years have opted to rent out their homes rather than sell them as they didn't have enough equity to sell without having to come to closing with a check.  For those homeowners that were 'upside down' or 'underwater', as it is commonly referred to, renting the home was an acceptable alternative.

 

If you have a home in Alaska and are curious about the value CLICK HERE for a fast easy evaluation. 

We at Alaska Home Sellers feel that there are a couple of things that you might want to consider.  If your goal was never to become a permanent landlord there are some timelines that you don't want to overlook.  And if you have lost touch with the current values of homes in the Mat-Su, it might be time to revisit the idea.

For many because they couldn't sell before they moved, they have been forced to rent at their new destination because they had always hoped that there would be equity in their home that they could carry forward to use to purchase their next one.  For many that have left the state of Alaska and have moved to the lower 48, they may also want to factor in what the appreciation rates are in their new state to help determine if selling here (albeit not as much as they hoped) might be a good financial move in order to to purchase sooner there.

For many that purchased at the peak of the market in Alaska in 2007-2008 and then tried to sell in 2011-2012, they found that their properties hadn't appreciated enough to cover the costs associated with selling.  Many then opted to rent it out and cross their fingers and hope that the market would come back.  If you have been wondering if now is the time to sell your Alaska rental, it could just be....but more on that shortly.

Did you know that the IRS has specific rules about the length of time that you can be out of your primary residence and still be excluded from a capital gains tax?  IRS Publication 523 has a wealth of information that you need to know about if you are one of those homeowners that rented out your home over the last few years.  In it there is a section regarding "Ownership and Use Tests" and that is the section that you might want to pay particular attention to.  It reads:

Ownership and Use Tests

To claim the exclusion, you must meet the ownership and use tests. This means that during the 5-year period ending on the date of the sale, you must have:

• Owned the home for at least 2 years (the ownership test), and
  
• Lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 years (the use test).
  

What does that mean?  Here are some examples that it gives: 

Example 1—home owned and occupied for at least 2 years.

Mya bought and moved into her main home in September 2011. She sold the home at a gain in October 2013. During the 5-year period ending on the date of sale in October 2013, she owned and lived in the home for more than 2 years. She meets the ownership and use tests.

Example 2—ownership test met but use test not met.

Ayden bought a home, lived in it for 6 months, moved out, and never occupied the home again. He later sold the home for a gain in June 2013. He owned the home during the entire 5-year period ending on the date of sale. He meets the ownership test but not the use test. He cannot exclude any part of his gain on the sale unless he qualified for a reduced maximum exclusion.

Period of Ownership and Use

The required 2 years of ownership and use during the 5-year period ending on the date of the sale do not have to be continuous nor do they both have to occur at the same time.
You meet the tests if you can show that you owned and lived in the property as your main home for either 24 full months or 730 days (365 × 2) during the 5-year period ending on the date of sale. 

For a homeowner that rented out their home for the last couple of years because they couldn't afford to sell, now could be faced with a capital gains tax on the proceeds of the sale if they have waited too long and no longer can meet the Ownership and Use Tests.

Many homeowners may not have kept a close pulse on the real estate market in Alaska after moving and may not know that property values have been on the increase, and particularly so over the last year. CLICK HERE for a look at Sold vs. List Price.  We pulled up 99654 for this example.  To find out another area, simply change the zip code to find out info about the area you are interested in.

If you have a home in the Matsu Valley that you have rented out because you were upside down, the environment hasn't been better in years to reanalyze your position and determine if now is the right time for you.  If you are getting to a point where time is of the essence, you will also be happy to know that approximately 1/3 of the pending home sales have occurred within 10 days at the moment, as buyers are scrambling to purchase before someone else beats them to it. Take a look at current listing prices here.

If you are curious as to the current value of the property, you can fill out this short form to obtain an approximate idea as to what it's worth.

As it relates to tax matters, we always recommend discussing the tax ramifications with an accountant or other tax professional in order to find out how it will impact you. 

Homes for Sale in The Ranch Subdivision and Creekside at The Ranch Wasilla, Alaska

Homes for Sale in The Ranch and Creekside at The Ranch Subdivision Wasilla, Alaska

Looking for a home in The Ranch or Creekside at The Ranch Subdivision?

If you are interested in finding a home for sale in The Ranch and the new Creekside at the Ranch Subdivision of Wasilla, AK please click on the link for immediate information about homes for sale.  If you would like to know a bit more about the neighborhood I have included a few facts and links that may be helpful for you. 

Why Do People Live in The Ranch and Creekside at the Ranch Subdivisions?

The Ranch and the new Creekside at The Ranch addition is a large neighborhood of single family homes, situated between the cities of Palmer and Wasilla, AK and located within a short distance of the Parks Highway. One of the big draws to this neighborhood is the proximity to the Machetanz Elementary School and of course the gorgeous neighborhood and beautiful surroundings.

What's the Neighborhood Like?

The homes you would expect to find for sale in The Ranch and Creekside at the Ranch Subdivision are generally going to range between 1460 and 4713 square feet. Most of the homes were built starting 2005 to 2014.  The typical configuration is mainly 3 to 5 bedrooms and 2 baths. The lots are approximately a little less than an acre to almost a full acre, most being at around 1/2 acre.

What's Going on Nearby These Subdivisions?

The Ranch and Creekside at the Ranch is conveniently located just off the Parks Highway between Palmer and Wasilla, Alaska and it is an excellent commute location to Anchorage and JBER.  Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is close by as well as big box discount shopping areas, most chain fast food establishments, as well as the local movie theater within 10 minutes. In addition we have a wonderful collection of local favorite restaurants, including Locals.  Find out about The Ranch and the surrounding area's community information including banks, schools, shopping and what the community statistics are at my web page.

What Schools are nearby?

If you buy a home for sale in The Ranch Subdivision and Creekside at The Ranch of Wasilla AK, the local schools serving this area are Machetanz Elementary School as well as Colony Middle and High School. To get local school scores and more information about these schools check out the Wasilla school reports on my website.
Because the area is in a growth phase sometimes school boundaries change, so you will need to reconfirm this.

Now You Really Want to Find a Home Here, Right?If you are interested in the current homes and lots for sale in The Ranch Subdivision and Creekside at the Ranch of Wasilla AK click on the link. Our 'for sale' property information is a direct feed from the Alaska MLS and is updated multiple times per day.

To Search for Homes in the Palmer, Wasilla, Houston and other areas please visit my site.

Alaska Real Estate is in a Stong Seller's Market

Alaska Real Estate is in a Strong Seller's Market.

The supply and demand ratio has tipped in the odds of the seller.  If you are curious what your home value is PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Future House Values? Simple as Supply and Demand
For some time now, we have attempted to shed light on the fact that pricing in today’s real estate market, as it is in the markets for every other saleable item, will be determined by the concept of ‘supply and demand’.

According to dictionary.com:

“The relationship between supply and demand determines the price of a commodity. This relationship is thought to be the driving force in a free market.”

In real estate, supply and demand is represented as the current month’s supply of homes for sale (the number of homes for sale divided by the number of homes sold in the previous month).

While there is no steadfast rule that will apply to pricing in every category of housing, here is a great guideline:

• 1-4 months supply creates a sellers’ market where there are not enough homes to satisfy buyer demand. Appreciation is guaranteed.
• 5-6 months supply creates a balanced market. Historically home values appreciate at a rate a little greater than inflation.
• 7-8 months supply creates a buyers’ market where the number of homes for sale exceeds the demand. Depreciation follows.

What is happening across the country right now?

In most parts of the country, home values are rising. This is for two reasons:

1. According to NAR’s latest Existing Homes Sales Report, raw unsold inventory is at the lowest level since December 1999 when there were 1.71 million homes on the market.
2. According to this month’s Pending Sales Report from NAR, houses going into contract reached levels last seen in April 2010 which was the month the Home Buyers' Tax Credit expired.

This has resulted in a 4.2-month supply at the current sales pace which is the lowest housing supply since April 2005 when it was also 4.2 months.

Based on the table above, we can see that the supply/demand ratio is leaning toward a sellers’ market where prices will appreciate. That has created positive movement in housing values in most parts of the country.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE COST OF WAITING WITH PRICES ON MAT-SU VALLEY HOMES AND RATES ON THE RISE?

Do you know what the cost of waiting with prices on Mat-Su Valley Homes and Rates on the rise?

We, at Alaska Home Sellers, have often broken down the opportunity that exists now for Millennials who are willing and able to purchase a home NOW... Here are a couple other ways to look at the cost of waiting.
Let’s say you're 30 and your dream house costs $250,000 today, at 4.41% your monthly Mortgage Payment with Interest would be $1,253.38.
But you’re busy, you like your apartment, moving is such a hassle...You decide to wait till the end of next year to buy and all of a sudden, you’re 31, that same house is $270,000, at 5.7%. Your new payment per month is $1,567.08.

The difference in payment is $313.70 PER MONTH!

That’s like taking a $10 bill and tossing it out the window EVERY DAY!
Or you could look at it this way:

• That’s your morning coffee everyday on the way to work (Average $2) with $12 left for lunch!
• There goes Friday Sushi Night! ($80 x 4)
• Stressed Out? How about 3 deep tissue massages with tip!
• Need a new car? You could get a brand new $22,000 car for $313.00 per month.

Let’s look at that number annually! Over the course of your new mortgage at 5.7%, your annual additional cost would be $3,764.40!
Had your eye on a vacation in the Caribbean? How about a 2-week trip through Europe? Or maybe your new house could really use a deck for entertaining.  We could come up with 100’s of ways to spend $3,764, and we’re sure you could too!
Over the course of your 30 year loan, now at age 61, hopefully you are ready to retire soon, you would have spent an additional $112,932, all because when you were 30 you thought moving in 2014 was such a hassle or loved your apartment too much to leave yet.
Or maybe there wasn’t an agent out there who educated you on the true cost of waiting a year. Maybe they thought you wouldn’t be ready, but if they showed you that you could save $112,932, you’d at least listen to what they had to say.
They say hindsight is 20/20, we’d like to think that 30 years from now when you are 60, looking back, you would say to buy now…
Agents: How are you preparing to help Millennials understand the opportunity available TODAY by become homeowners? Watch a free replay of our most recent webinar, "Spring Ahead in 2014: KCM's Action Plan for DOMINATING the Spring Buyers' Season" to find out the steps you need to take!

Wasilla Alaska Real Estate for sale... But don't blink or that home will be gone

Wasilla Alaska Real Estate for sale ...

But don't blink or that home will be gone

In keeping a watchful eye on the state of  the Wasilla real estate market, something has really stood out as of late.  Homes are selling....and fast.

We thought that you may like to receive an update on the Wasilla Market that doesn't appear in the Market Insider information that you receive, and that is the percentage of homes that are currently under contract and how many of them have sold within 10 days.  Of the 211 homes that are pending today, 20 of them sold in less than one day!  There are a lot of multiple offers on homes right now as a result of the frenzy that we are experiencing.    

Here is the breakdown as of 5-2-14:

        PRICE                     # OF PENDING SALES               % SOLD IN LESS THAN 10 DAYS

$100,000-$150,000                           18                                                       55

$150,000-$200,000                           43                                                       37

$200,000-$250,000                           54                                                       35

$250,000-$300,000                           34                                                       32

$300,000-$350,000                           26                                                       23

$350,000-$400,000                           21                                                       33

$450,000-$500,000                            7                                                        43

$500,000 and higher                           2                                                          0

Should I wait to sell my house?

Should I wait to sell my house?

Should I wait to sell my house is a common question that many Alaska home sellers may ask.

Many sellers are still hesitant about putting their house up for sale. Where are prices headed? Where are interest rates headed? These are all valid questions. However, there are several reasons to sell your home sooner rather than later. Here are three of those reasons.

If you are interested in selling your home CLICK HERE

1. Demand is about to skyrocket

Most people realize that the housing market is hottest from April through June. The most serious buyers are well aware of this and, for that reason, come out in early spring in order to beat the heavy competition. We also have a pent-up demand as many buyers pushed off their home search this winter because of extreme weather. Sellers in markets where seasonal weather is never an issue must realize that buyers relocating to their region will increase dramatically this spring as these purchasers finally decide to escape the freezing temperatures of the winters in the north.

These buyers are ready, willing and able to buy…and are in the market right now!

2. There Is Less Competition - For Now

Housing supply always grows from the spring through the early summer. Also, there has been a growing desire for many homeowners to move as they were unable to sell over the last few years because of a negative equity situation. Homeowners have seen a return to positive equity as prices increased over the last eighteen months. Many of these homes will be coming to the market in the near future.

The choices buyers have will continue to increase over the next few months. Don’t wait until all the other potential sellers in your market put their homes up for sale.

3. There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move-Up

If you are moving up to a larger, more expensive home, consider doing it now. Prices are projected to appreciate by approximately 4% this year and 8% by the end of 2015. If you are moving to a higher priced home, it will wind-up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait. You can also lock-in your 30 year housing expense with an interest rate at about 4.5% right now. Freddie Mac projects rates to be 5.1% by this time next year and 5.7% by the fourth quarter of 2015.

Moving up to a new home will be less expensive this spring than later this year or next year.

For a look at the Palmer and Wasilla, Alaska real estate trends CLICK HERE

Homes for sale in Mountain Ranch Subdivision, Wasilla, AK

Homes for Sale in Mountain Ranch Subdivision Wasilla, Alaska

Looking for a home in Mountain Ranch Subdivision?

If you are interested in finding a home for sale in Mountain Ranch Subdivision of Wasilla, AK please click on the link for immediate information about homes for sale.  If you would like to know a bit more about the neighborhood I have included a few facts and links that may be helpful for you. 

Why Do People Live in Mountain Ranch?

Mountain Ranch is a large neighborhood of single family homes. Situated outside the between the cities of Palmer, AK and located within a short distance of the Glenn Highway. The fair is close but not to close. This is very convenient when it is State fair time.

What's the Neighborhood Like?

The homes you would expect to find for sale in Mountain Ranch Subdivision are generally going to range between 864 and 3333 square feet. Most of the homes were built starting 2005 to 2014.  The typical configuration is mainly 2 to 5 bedrooms and 1 to 3 baths. The lots are approximately a little less than 1/2 acre.

What's Going on Nearby the Mountain Ranch Subdivision?

Mountain Ranch is conveniently located just off the Parks Highway between Palmer and Wailla, Alaska and it is an excellent commute location to Anchorage and JBER.  Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is close by as well as big box discount shopping areas, most chain fast food establishments, as well as the local movie theater within 10 minutes. In addition we have a wonderful collection of local favorite restaurants, including Locals.  Find out about The Ranch and the surrounding area's community information including banks, schools, shopping and what the community statistics are at my web page.

What Schools are nearby?

If you buy a home for sale in Mountain Ranch Subdivision of Wasilla AK, the local schools serving this area are Sherrod/Swanson Elementary School as well as Palmer Middle and High School. To get local school scores and more information about these schools check out the Palmer school reports on my website.
Because the area is in a growth phase sometimes school boundaries change, so you will need to reconfirm this.

Now You Really Want to Find a Home Here, Right?

If you are interested in the current homes and lots for sale in Mountain Ranch Subdivision of Palmer AK click on the link. Our 'for sale' property information is a direct feed from the Alaska MLS and is updated multiple times per day.

To Search for Homes in the Palmer, Wasilla, Houston and other areas please visit my site.

Homes for Sale in Midtown Estates

Homes for Sale in Midtown Estates Palmer, Alaska

Looking for a home in Midtown Estates?

If you are interested in finding a home for sale in the Midtown Estates of Palmer, AK please click on the link for immediate information about homes for sale.  If you would like to know a bit more about the neighborhood I have included a few facts and links that may be helpful for you. 

Why Do People Live in Midtown Estates?

Midtown Estates is a small  neighborhood of single family homes. The area is nicely wooded. Situated between the cities of Palmer, AK and Wasilla, AK off the Palmer-Wasilla  Highway.

What's the Neighborhood Like?

The homes you would expect to find for sale in the Midtown Estates Subdivision are generally going to range between 1700 and 3500 square feet. Most of the homes were originally built starting 1986 to 2006.  The typical configuration is mainly 3 to 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 baths. Most of the lots are approximately 1/2 acre large.

What's Going on Nearby the Midtown Estates Subdivision?

Midtown Estates is conveniently located just off the Palmer Wasilla Highway between Wasilla and Palmer and is an excellent commute location to Anchorage and JBER.  Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is close by as well as big box discount shopping areas, most chain fast food establishments, as well as the local movie theater within 15 minutes. In addition we have a wonderful collection of local favorite restaurants, including Locals, Turkey Red, Pioneer Pizza and the Noisy Goose.  Downtown Palmer offers a variety of gift and specialty stores and caters to the local market with the Mat-Su Farm Market year round.  Colony Days and Colony Christmas as well as Friday Flings in Palmer which is another Farmers Market style of event are all well attended events.  Find out about Midtown Estates and the surrounding area's community information including banks, schools, shopping and what the community statistics are at my web page.

What Schools are nearby?

If you buy a home for sale in the Midtown Estates Subdivision of Palmer AK, the local schools serving this area are Pioneer Peak Elementary Schools as well as Colony Middle and High School. To get local school scores and more information about these schools check out the Palmer school reports on my website.
Because the area is in a growth phase sometimes school boundaries change, so you will need to reconfirm this.

Now You Really Want to Find a Home Here, Right?

If you are interested in the current homes and lots for sale in Midtown Estates Subdivision of Palmer AK click on the link. Our 'for sale' property information is a direct feed from the Alaska MLS and is updated multiple times per day.

To Search for Homes in the Palmer, Wasilla, Houston and other areas please visit my site.

Homes for Sale in Wasilla Creek Commons Palmer Alaska

Homes for Sale in Wasilla Creek Commons Palmer, Alaska

Looking for a home in Wasilla Creek Commons?

If you are interested in finding a home for sale in the Wasilla Creek Commons of Palmer, AK please click on the link for immediate information about homes for sale.  If you would like to know a bit more about the neighborhood I have included a few facts and links that may be helpful for you. 

Why Do People Live in Wasilla Creek Commons?

Wasilla Creek Commons is a small  neighborhood of single family homes and there are still plenty of lots available for those that wish to build. Situated between the cities of Palmer, AK and Wasilla, AK off the Palmer-Wasilla  and Parks Highway.  As the name implies, Wasilla Creek runs on the outer edge of the development.  In the summer Salmon can be found running the creek and it provides endless hours of entertainment for local kids.

What's the Neighborhood Like?

The homes you would expect to find for sale in the Wasilla Creek Commons Subdivision are generally going to range between 1700 and 2800 square feet. Most of the homes were originally built starting 2008 to present.  The typical configuration is mainly 3 to 4 bedrooms and 2 to 3 baths. Most of the lots range from just under 20,000 sq. ft. to 32,000 sq. ft. on average.

What's Going on Nearby the Wasilla Creek Commons Subdivision?

Wasilla Creek Commons is conveniently located just off the Trunk Road between the Parks Highway and the Palmer-Wasilla Highway and is an excellent commute location to Anchorage and JBER.  Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is close by as well as big box discount shopping areas, most chain fast food establishments, as well as the local movie theater within 15 minutes. In addition we have a wonderful collection of local favorite restaurants, including Locals, Turkey Red, Pioneer Pizza and the Noisy Goose.  Downtown Palmer offers a variety of gift and specialty stores and caters to the local market with the Mat-Su Farm Market year round.  Colony Days and Colony Christmas as well as Friday Flings in Palmer which is another Farmers Market style of event are all well attended events.  Find out about Meadow Brook and the surrounding area's community information including banks, schools, shopping and what the community statistics are at my web page.

What Schools are nearby?

If you buy a home for sale in the Wasilla Creek Commons Subdivision of Palmer AK, the local schools serving this area are Pioneer Peak Elementary Schools as well as Colony Middle and High School. To get local school scores and more information about these schools check out the Palmer school reports on my website.
Because the area is in a growth phase sometimes school boundaries change, so you will need to reconfirm this.

Now You Really Want to Find a Home Here, Right?

If you are interested in the current homes and lots for sale in Wasilla Creek Commons Subdivision of Palmer AK click on the link. Our 'for sale' property information is a direct feed from the Alaska MLS and is updated multiple times per day.

To Search for Homes in the Palmer, Wasilla, Houston and other areas please visit my site.

Homes for Sale in Equestrian Acres Palmer, Alaska

Homes for Sale in Equestrian Acres Palmer, Alaska

Looking for a home in Equestrian Acres Subdivision?

If you are interested in finding a home for sale in the Equestrian Acres Subdivision of Palmer, AK please click on the link for immediate information about homes for sale.  If you would like to know a bit more about the neighborhood I have included a few facts and links that may be helpful for you. 

Why Do People Live in Equestrian Acres?

Equestrian Acres is a nicely planned neighborhood of single family homes that are conveniently situated between the cities of Palmer, AK and Wasilla, AK on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway.  I personally love that the builder left many of the old growth trees. This lends an ambiance to the neighborhood that can be hard to find.

What's the Neighborhood Like?

The homes you would expect to find for sale in the Equestrian Acres Subdivision are generally going to range between 1100 and 3600 square feet. Most of the homes were originally built in the early 80's however there is still construction occurring.  The homes are 3-5 bedrooms and 1/3/4 to 4 baths. Most of the lots range from just under 1/2 acre to an acre.

What's Going on Nearby the Equestrian Acres Subdivision?

Equestrian Acres is conveniently located just off the Palmer-Wasilla Highway and is an excellent commute location to Anchorage and JBER.  Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is close by as well as big box discount shopping areas, most chain fast food establishments, as well as the local movie theater within 15 minutes. In addition we have a wonderful collection of local favorite restaurants, including Locals, Turkey Red, Pioneer Pizza and the Noisy Goose.  Downtown Palmer offers a variety of gift and specialty stores and caters to the local market with the Mat-Su Farm Market year round.  Colony Days and Colony Christmas as well as Friday Flings in Palmer which is another Farmers Market style of event are all well attended events.  Find out about Meadow Brook and the surrounding area's community information including banks, schools, shopping and what the community statistics are at my web page.

What Schools are nearby?

If you buy a home for sale in the Equestrian Acres Subdivision of Palmer AK, the local schools serving this area are Sherrod & Swanson Elementary Schools as well as Palmer Middle and High School. To get local school scores and more information about these schools check out the Palmer school reports on my website.
Because the area is in a growth phase sometimes school boundaries change, so you will need to reconfirm this.

Now You Really Want to Find a Home Here, Right?

If you are interested in the current homes for sale in Equestrian Acres Subdivision of Palmer AK click on the link. Our 'for sale' property information is a direct feed from the Alaska MLS and is updated multiple times per day.

To Search for Homes in the Palmer, Wasilla, Houston and other areas please visit my site.

Meadow Brook Subdivision Palmer Alaska

Meadow Brook Subdivision - Palmer, AK

Looking for a home in Meadow Brook Subdivision?

If you are interested in finding a home for sale in the Meadow Brook Subdivision of Palmer, AK please click on the link for immediate information about homes for sale.  If you would like to know a bit more about the neighborhood I have included a few facts and links that may be helpful for you. 

Why Do People Live in Meadow Brook?

Meadow Brook is a beautiful neighborhood of single family homes that are conveniently situated between the cities of Palmer, AK and Wasilla, AK. It's not uncommon to see neighborhood kids playing in the streets during the summer and sledding down snow covered streets in the winter. The neighborhood is active year round with people walking their dogs or getting out for an evening run.

What's the Neighborhood Like?

The homes you would expect to find for sale in the Meadow Brook Subdivision are generally going to range between 1700 and 2700 square feet. Most of the homes were originally built by Jess Hall Homes back in the early 2000's.  The smallest homes in the neighborhood start with 2 bedrooms while the larger floor plans have a four bedroom layout and there is even one with seven bedrooms.  Most of the lots range from over 1/3 acre to 3/4 of an acre. When looking on a Google map or using an electronic devise this area is often referred to as Gateway.

What's Going on Nearby the Meadow Brook Subdivision?

Meadow Brook is conveniently located just off the Parks Highway and is an Excellent commute location to Anchorage and JBER.  Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is close by as well as big box discount shopping areas, most chain fast food establishments, as well as the local movie theater within 10 minutes. In addition we have a wonderful collection of local favorite restaurants, including Locals, Turkey Red, Pioneer Pizza and the Noisy Goose.  Downtown Palmer offers a variety of gift and specialty stores and caters to the local market with the Mat-Su Farm Market year round.  Colony Day's festival in the Summer and Colony Christmas as well as Friday Flings in Palmer which is another Farmers Market style of event are all well attended events.  Find out about Meadow Brook and the surrounding area's community information including banks, schools, shopping and what the community statistics are at my web page.

What Schools will the Kids Attend?

If you buy a home for sale in the Meadow Brook Subdivision of Palmer AK, the local schools serving this area are Pioneer Peak Elementary School & Fred and Sarah Machetanz Elementary, Colony Middle School, and Colony High School. To get local school scores and more information about these schools check out the Palmer school reports on my website.

Now You Really Want to Find a Home Here, Right?

If you are interested in the current homes for sale in Meadow Brook Subdivision of Palmer AK click on the link. Our 'for sale' property information is a direct feed from the Alaska MLS and is updated multiple times per day.

To Search for Homes in the Palmer, Wasilla, Houston and other areas please visit my site.

BEWARE OF BOGUS RENTAL SCAMS IF YOU'RE MOVING TO THE MAT-SU VALLEY IN ALASKA

Beware of bogus rental scams if you're moving to the Mat-Su Valley in Alaska. There's no way to know how often this occurs, but we're hearing about it WAY more often than you would think.  We at http://www.alaskahomesellers.com/ are aware of the problem and the only way that we can think to try to serve all of you is to try to bring it to your attention.  

If you are moving to the Matsu Valley of Alaska and plan to rent for a while before you buy a home or other Alaska real estate, always verify who you are dealing with before sharing any of your personal information.  When the time comes to buy a home, you can shop on our website to see what is available for sale here.     

What the 'scammers' are doing is extracting information from the internet of listings that are 'active' on the market.  They can steal photos, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, the comments on the listing describing the highlights of the home, etc. etc. and generate bogus scam ads portraying themselves as the owner of the property and their wish to rent it. 

Unfortunately, the bogus rental scam ads often will contain information describing the owner suddenly moving from the area for an extended period for a supposed "mission" trip.  Clearly these ploys continue to work as this has been occurring for years in one form or another.  

I recently talked with a client that asked if I was aware of any bogus rental scams, and when I described how often they contain the "mission" term, their eyes grew wide and they realized how close they had came to losing deposit monies, personal identities, and more.  

Take a look at the following ad from "Craigslist" and determine for yourself if it is legit or a bogus ad.     

This is actually a home for sale in Wasilla, AK and contains all the data that is easily obtained by searching the internet for homes for sale in Wasilla, AK.  

They even had a copy of the correspondence that was emailed to them from the 'owner' describing in detail, their dissatisfaction with their 'realtor' and how the 'realtor' tried to "rip them off".  Here is a copy of the emailed response from the bogus 'owner'!  The story is quite plausible as well, and if you weren't aware of the scammers, it's easy to understand how this could happen.

I suspect that there is a lot of that going on here due to our sheer distance from the lower 48, and because the potential tenant isn't here, find it far too easy to fall prey to their fraudulent trap! There is an old saying that goes something like, "if something seems to be good to be true, it probably is".  Such is often the case when it comes to these scammers.  The ads are never on for very long, and "Craigslist" isn't the only offender.  Many of the national real estate websites contain these bogus ads as well.

We also have 3 professional property managers in our office that can share with you their available inventory.  To get their contact information you can contact us via our website, or call us at (907)352-1828.  

Please be careful out there!

Greg Shepard

Associate Broker, REALTOR, GRI, SFR, RFC

Jack White Real Estate 

Wasilla, AK 99654

IS BUYING A HOME IN ALASKA LESS EXPENSIVE THAN RENTING?

Is buying a home in Alaska less expensive than renting?  Buying Alaska Real Estate can often be approximately 50% cheaper than renting when the added advantages of appreciation and income tax savings are factored in.  If you wish to find out what's best for you, feel free to contact us on our website at Alaska Home Sellers.  You can also look at Mat-Su homes for sale here to see what your money will buy in the Wasilla Real Estate market.

A couple of months ago we blogged about the concept of the Boomerang Buyers that are coming into the Alaska Real Estate market, and how I feel they are going to further drive inventories lower and therefore resulting in higher prices in the months to come.  And when combined with our blog on Interest Rates and what is happening with the Anchorage Housing Shortage you can begin to gain some insight as to how these pieces of the Alaska Real Estate puzzle all start to fit together.   

According to Trulia's Winter 2014 "Rent vs Buy Report", it is 38% less expensive to buy than rent in 100 of the nation's largest metro areas.  Here is a link to the full story Trulia's Rent vs Buy Report Winter 2014.
  
There is even a very cool calculator on there that allows you to input your specific area and to use the sliding scales to find out more for your unique situation.  The link to the calculator can be found here Rent vs Buy Calculator.   As the article points out, the financial advantage to buying vs renting will lessen with an increase in home prices when also combined with higher interest rates.  We are already seeing an increase in both home prices and interest rates for home buyers in Alaska.  There is never a "one size fits all" answer to questions like this and it is only after counselling sessions with a competent real estate professional and an accountant that the answer will become more clear for your particular situation.  As Residential Finance Consultants, we employ even more empowering calculators to design a customized analysis tailored specifically for you.  

If you are a current homeowner and are contemplating a move you can visit our website and fill out this Short Form to obtain a quick estimate on your Alaska Home's Value.  We can prepare an analysis for you illustrating what the financial aspects of making a move now look like compared to waiting.

We can also be reached at (907)352-1828 to privately discuss your Alaska Real Estate goals.

Greg Shepard
Associate Broker GRI, SFR, RFC
Jack White Real Estate Mat-Su

What's Better on St. Patrick's Day Than Corned Beef and Cabbage?

What's Better on St. Patrick's Day Than Corned Beef and Cabbage?  Corned Moose and Cabbage!

With today being St. Patrick's Day, we thought we would share the recipe that we use to make corned venison, moose, bear, etc.  It is truly one of the highlights of St. Patrick's Day every year for our family.

Here is the recipe for making corned venison. If you don't have venison, any "lean" cut of beef will also work. BTW Moose and bear is fantastic!!  If you like Reuben Sandwiches...it makes the best you'll have ever had.  We have friends that don't eat wild game, but can't stay out of this when we make it.

If your cut is thicker than 1 inch, use an injector to get the brine into it, or simply cut it down so that it will completely penetrate the cut. When I do mine, I have done upwards of 12 pounds with this much brine. But rather than placing it a bowl, I place it in a 2 gallon Ziploc freezer bag, and then squeeze the air out of it to completely submerge the meat. Every couple of days, open the bag, move the pieces around and then squeeze the air out of it again and put it back in the refrigerator.

Corned Venison

2 to 3-pound brisket, flank, or shoulder roast up to 1 inch thick
2 quarts spring water or distilled water
1/2 cup canning/pickling salt
1/2 cup tenderizing salt (e.g. Morton's Tenderquick®)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons mixed pickling spice
2 bay leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

Place cuts in a large glass or pottery mixing bowl (I use the 2 gallon Ziploc bags). In a stainless kettle, glass or enamel saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Heat just to boiling. Remove from heat, cover and allow to cool. Pour cooled brine over meat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; or if using Ziploc bags, squeeze to remove air, then seal. Refrigerate 7 to 10 days, (the last batch I did was almost 14 days) turning meat occasionally. Drain. Rinse meat thoroughly with cold water. If you are not going to eat it all at once, take a normal portion size that you would cook and place that in a quart size or gallon size Ziploc. Add some of the brine, squeeze the air out and then place it in the freezer. That way you have more ready to go for next time. The brine makes enough meat for several meals, but believe me you will go through it faster than you think. The recipe that we first found called for preparing it the following way. To prepare corned meat, place in Dutch oven. Cover with cold water. Heat to boiling, then drain. Cover with cold water again. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. We have found that just putting it in a Crockpot with beef broth for about 8 hours is the best! And the easiest..... Enjoy!

Will The Housing Shortage in Anchorage Affect the Mat-Su Valley Real Estate Market?

Will The Housing Shortage in Anchorage Affect the Mat-Su Valley Real Estate Market?

The question can be answered in just 3 words.  It absolutely will!

In case you missed the Sunday (3-9-2014) edition of the Anchorage Daily News, there was a very telling article on what is occurring with their real estate market.  Here is a link to their story Anchorage Housing Shortage.

With 25% fewer homes for sale, and with 3 times the population in the Municipality of Anchorage than we have in the Mat-Su Valley, it appears that the Anchorage real estate market is headed for a year with substantial increases in value.

What does that mean to us here in the Mat-Su and the Wasilla Real Estate Market?  It reaffirms the thought that we will definitely see an increase in the number of buyers coming out to the valley this year because they are finding they can get more for their money out here, placing even greater pressure on an already low inventory of homes for sale.

As a seller, it can result in shorter days on market, increased prices, or both in many cases!  As a buyer, you may have already noticed that some of the homes you've been monitoring are suddenly turning up missing from your searches or in your saved favorites.  That means they have most likely received an offer and have been taken off the MLS.  And with the predicted rise in interest rates this year, it's truly like having a candle burning at both ends.
  
We're sharing this to help educate you to the realities of the current Alaska Real Estate market.  Much of the information that you receive regarding the housing market comes from a national perspective, but it is completely different here.

If you are thinking of buying you can shop on our website here.  If you are thinking of selling and want to receive an estimate on what your home may be worth in today's market, fill out this short form.
  
If you have any questions on these developments and how they could affect your decisions in 2014, feel free to call my office at (907)352-1828 or visit our website at www.AlaskaHomeSellers.com.


Greg Shepard
Associate Broker, REALTOR, GRI, SFR, RFC
Jack White Real Estate Mat-Su

5 TIPS FOR COLD WEATHER SAFETY

With a few more months of winter remaining, here are 5 tips for cold weather safety.  As a volunteer instructor for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Hunter Information and Training (HIT) program, these are some of the concepts that we present to our students.  You can learn more about the different courses at the following link Alaska Fish and Game Hunter Information and Training. 

One of the benefits to volunteering as an instructor for Alaska's HIT program, is receiving training concepts and materials that our national organization will occasionally send out that we can utilize during our course training sessions.  This is a very good article about cold weather preparation while hunting, but as I was reading it, felt that it would be a good resource for anyone that spends time outdoors.  Here is a link to the story 5 Tips for Cold Water Hunter Safety.  While we are rapidly approaching spring, it is often during times like this that we are least prepared...running out the door without a jacket because it's a beautiful day, going for a hike without bringing a pack with a few essentials in the event that the weather changes, etc. etc.  Often during the middle of winter we are prepared for an emergency.  Extra gear in the back of the car/truck, coffee can with candles and various food items, shovels, etc. etc.  But what I refer to as the "fringe seasons", spring and fall, are the ones that most people run into trouble because they don't anticipate anything going wrong.

While our blog is primarily about Alaska Real Estate, it is Alaska after all, and it seemed like these were tips that everyone could stand to be reminded of.  Maybe the proper cleaning of your firearm and firearm safety doesn't necessarily apply to everyone, the rest of it certainly does.

And if it is too nasty to do anything outside, feel free to take a look at the homes that are for sale in Alaska on our website at Alaska Home Sellers.

Stay safe out there!