As many of you know, I began my real estate career with the goal of making enough money so that I could quit work and write poetry. Poets are inevitably poor and I grew up in a midwestern factory town which manufactured Maytag parts and where my Caucasian grandfather Continue Reading
Archives for 2020
A Surprising Spring Market
When I read that statewide unemployment benefit payments in March increased by 1,024% compared to a year ago and that the price of oil went negative, I worried about our local housing market. When I walked downtown this past Sunday afternoon and saw all the shuttered Continue Reading
My Crystal Ball is Missing
For several years, I have taught new realtors not to discuss politics, religion or sex when working with buyers and sellers. Everyone is entitled to their political opinions; preferences for personal relationships and their religious Continue Reading
How Real Estate Is Changing
Driving down C street on my way to work, I can’t help but reflect how in just a few short weeks the real estate industry has changed. I now carry in my tote a face mask and rubber gloves. My iPhone has the zoom app and virtual tours are taking the place of most open Continue Reading
Home Sweet Home
Now more than ever, your home is a safe haven. Whether it’s an apartment, a trailer, a single family home or your first condo, we are grateful to have a place in which to ‘hunker down’. A special thank you to Robin Ward, head of Real Estate Services for the MOA, who Continue Reading
Thoughts on Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
So here I am writing this column from my home office after being encouraged by caring staff to follow the CDC instructions for social distancing and self-quarantine after having traveled last week in the lower ’49 and, even though I hate to admit it, Continue Reading
How an Unexpected Fed Cut Will Stimulate Our Housing Market
If you believe that homeownership is the single best way to build individual wealth, now is the time for you to buy a home. Due to the concern over the economic impact of the coronavirus, this week the Fed cut their rate by half a percent, making long term mortgage Continue Reading
How Alaska’s Changing Demographics May Affect our Housing Trends
Alaska’s population fell in 2019 to 731,007 which is 8,600 below the peak of 739,649 people in 2016, according to the Alaska Economic Trends February 2020 report. The major factors affecting this decline is the number of people moving out of Alaska and fewer Continue Reading
How to File an Appeal on Your Property Assessment
Today is the deadline to file an appeal on your real property assessment. Approximately 100,000 ‘green cards’ were simultaneously sent out on January 12 which started the clock ticking on the 30 day right to appeal your tax assessed valuation. Go to www.muni.org/pa to Continue Reading
What’s Happening in the Market?
It is hard to believe but January sales in Anchorage increased by 37% when compared to January 2019. That increase was despite all concerns over the state’s economy, including job losses in the oil patch and Anchorage’s reported population loss. But, here Continue Reading
Connie Yoshimura, Owner/Broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alaska Realty.