From the time a land developer purchases a tract of land until he/she is able to sell lots in a fully approved and platted subdivision, there are multiple steps and obstacles to overcome. That approval and construction process may take anywhere from six months (if you are Continue Reading
Why HOAs Are So Important
Aside from being the Broker/Owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, I am also a residential land developer. I began my development career almost forty years ago and specialize in single family new home communities, including Kempton Park, Turnagain View Estates, more Continue Reading
Have Interest Rates Had a Negative Impact on the Residential Real Estate Market
Sometimes I forget that the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) is more than the Anchorage Bowl. Its 1,947 square miles stretching all the way to Portage and north to Eklutna. We all tend to be a bit myopic and get comfortable with our favorite Costco or coffee Continue Reading
If You Build It, Will It Sell?
And the answer is YES, despite the fact national homebuilder confidence has fallen for the 8th straight month. According to a recently published report by NAHB, 69% of builders reported higher interest rates as the reason behind falling housing demand, the top impact Continue Reading
Alaska’s Housing Shortage Continues
The good news is that single family permits have increased from last year. Through April 2022 single family permits rose to 73 compared to 62 in 2021. That’s not much of an increase but it’s a good start with the expectation that lower framing prices will encourage Continue Reading
Can Anchorage Build Its Way Out of the Housing Shortage?
Not if the April 2022’s most recent building safety activity report is any indication. Single family building permits are up from 62 to 73 but duplex permits are down from 24 units in 2021 to 8 this year. That’s a breakeven number for the two most desirable housing Continue Reading
Hello Mat-Su!
I’m sure this headline comes as a surprise to many of you who have known me for over forty years as an ‘Anchorage’ realtor and residential land developer. However, I can no longer ignore our great neighbor to the north. Forbes Magazine recently rated the Gateway Continue Reading
Unprecedented Market Conditions
Never in my forty years of real estate have I seen a market quite like this one. The bidding war for homes in excellent condition, regardless of their age, is even more competitive in 2022, than last year’s frenzy of multiple offers and escalator clauses. The Continue Reading
Anchorage Struggles to Compete with the Mat-Su Borough
According to the 2020 U.S. census, Anchorage lost 579 citizens during the last decade. However, not all of them left for warmer weather as the Mat-Su gained a whopping 18,096. The Mat-Su also gained almost 10,000 housing units to accommodate their surge in Continue Reading
Anchorage’s Lack of New Housing Continues
Anchorage’s slow slide down into fewer and fewer new housing permits continues. So far this year there have been only 239 new housing units permitted, including single family, duplex and multi-family compared to 378 in 2020. No matter all the talk about the Continue Reading
Connie Yoshimura is the Owner and Broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alaska Realty. With over 40 years of residential real estate experience, she continues to be a leader in Alaska’s housing market. Most recently, she sold the highest-priced home ever recorded in the Alaska MLS.