Archives for 2013

     The latest MLS statistics reveal that homes listed for sale sell for 99% of the list price. Only two of the 13 MLS districts report list to sale prices of less than 99% and those are the outlying areas of Chugiak and Girdwood where the average list to sale price is more Continue Reading

     Last weekend the Anchorage Home Builders sponsored their annual Parade of Homes, showcasing Anchorage and Eagle River builders' new homes. Out of the fifteen entries (one of the lowest on record for the event), some definite residential trends have emerged. First, there Continue Reading

     The big news in the housing market came from Washington, D.C. this week. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, interest rates jumped up almost half a percentage point from approximately 3.5 to 4.0 percent for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, creating a scramble Continue Reading

     If you're not opening up a cabin or camping somewhere in Alaska this Memorial Day weekend, you're most likely spending the weekend working in your yard or whatever is left of it after our record breaking long winter. Homeowners know all too well that materials and Continue Reading

     You are negotiating for a new home to be built. The builder seems unreasonable. You can't understand why he won't pay for the Kohler Bowl you've picked out for the powder room. It's only $350 above your plumbing allowance and is miniscule in comparison to the $400,000 Continue Reading

     The Anchorage real estate market turned on a spring day last May and has been growing stronger every month as a result of pent-up demand from the prior four years of recession.  And with this turn-around the Anchorage condo market has sprung to life once again.  For the Continue Reading

     The Dow Jones Home Construction Index, which tracks seven publicly traded builders, is up 178% since it hit a two-year low in August 2011.  Alaska doesn't have any publicly traded builders but our local building permit activity indicates similar gains in new home Continue Reading

     The International Builder's Show in Las Vegas was brimming full of ideas for new designs and amenities. How much of that can be incorporated into Alaska home building is an open question, but there are some trends that just won't go away that local builders should pay Continue Reading

     Welcome to my "insider" column on real estate where I'm going to share my thoughts and ideas with you in hopefully what will be an informative and frank discussion about real estate in Alaska. So how come it is that two homes with the same floor plan and square footage Continue Reading