Anchorage Alaska Real Estate 907-720-4663

Get Pre-qualified for a Home Loan Before Searching for a Home

Anchorage Real Estate Blog

There are many good reasons as to why home buyers should get pre-qualified for a home loan before searching for a home.

Getting pre-qualified or pre-approved for a home loan before actually searching for a home can save you, the home buyer, a ton of time and energy.  Why? First of all, you don't know how much of a house you can really afford without getting pre-qualified. If you are talking to sellers or looking at homes with a Realtor that are $300,000+ and you can realistically afford a $200,000 home, you would be wasting a lot of energy and time.

Getting Pre-qualified puts you, the Home Buyer, in the Driver's Seat. How? Home Sellers will take you much more seriously if you can prove, in black and white, that you've seen a loan officer and you can actually afford to put an offer in on their home. Without a pre-qualification letter, home sellers don't want to expend their energy on negotiating an offer.

Getting Pre-qualified will better your chances of getting your Dream Home. Really? Yes, think about it this way. It's the weekend and you go out searching for a property with your Realtor. You find the home of your dreams, in a price range that you're comfortable with. You want to put in an offer on the property. You find out that the sellers are expecting another offer so you raise your purchase price above the asking price. Your Realtor submits your offer, but oooops, you forgot to get pre-qualified and you can't meet with any lenders since it's Saturday, after 7pm... The seller accepts the other offer, with a LOWER OFFER PRICE, because they have a pre-qualification letter. The seller says that he/she accepted the other offer because they feel more confident with the other offer since they know those buyers: 1) can afford the home, 2) are more likely to perform since they were more prepared, 3) will get things done that need to get done to close on the home!

*Getting Dressed for the Prom and Having Your Date Not Show Up is Much Like Searching for a Home Without Going Through the Pre-qualification Process. You might find the home of your dreams while searching, but end up losing it to another buyer if you're not prepared.

Anchorage Real Estate

Achorage Police Say Kids Are Being Targeted For Abduction Attempt

There is a young man in Anchorage who is trying to abduct shool age  children while they are making their way to school. So far, he has attempted three times to abduct girls between the ages of 10-11. According to ADN.com, he hit the girls, at different times and places, then offered them a ride to the hospital or home.

Fortunately, all three girls escaped and told an adult. The Anchorage Police Department (APD) is working hard to find this CREEP.  REad more at ADN.com

When I get home, I know what I'll be talking to my kids about.  Stranger=Danger, this sounds harsh but unfortunately, it's the reality that we have to live with today.

Suggestions for ensuring your kids get to school safely:

-If your child walks to school or the bus stop, Form a Walking Group with at least 5-10 kids. Teach the kids the dangers of talking or going w/ strangers and how to get scream for help if someone does approach them.

-Take turns walking the kids to and from school. Get a group of 5 parents together and form and take turns walking the kids to school.

-Make sure kids are wearing bright colored clothing and put a light reflector on their back packs/coats. It's still dark when the kids are making their way to school and this helps drivers keep clear of the children.

-Form a neighborhood watch group.

Any other suggestions?

Text 90999 to donate $10 to the Haiti Relief Effort

According to moconews.net, donations of just $10 has really added up... to the tune of $800,000.  MocoNews.net also pointed out that social networks have played a big role in getting the word out there. This goes to show that social media is alive and working. It's a social medium that is making huge strides by allowing the word to get out quickly and spread when needed most.

Anchorage Real Estate Statistics

week ending January 12, 2010

The Total Market Overviews, provided to Keller Williams Agents, show the number of active listings, number of pending homes, the pending ratio, months of inventory, closed listings in the last six months, average original list price of sold home, average final list price of sold homes, average sale price of sold homes, list to sales ratio, average days on market of sold homes, and average day on market of Active (unsold) homes.

The Total Market Overview, or what I call my Anchorage Real Estate Statistics, is a great tool for home sellers and buyers. As a home seller, if you know what price range you belong in, and you can find out by requesting a Free Home Evaluation, you can estimate your time on market based on what is going on in the Anchorage real estate market. The Total Market Overview can give sellers a sense of what to expect as far as the marketing time of the home and what price ranges are most popular for current homebuyers.

Alaska MLS is Utilizing Technology to Reach Out to its Members

Alaska MLS members received an e-mail today with the option to receive text messages with important news from the MLS. This is exciting as it's another way that technology may be making our lives easier. It's showing that the Alaska MLS is changing with the times and embracing technology, not ignoring it.

Important Phone Numbers for Home Buyers and Sellers:

Enstar Natural Gas Company: 907-277-5551

Chugach Electric: 907-563-7366

ML&P Electric: 907-279-7671

Anchorage Water and Waste Water Utility: 907-564-2700

Alaska Waste: 907-563-3717

GCI Cable, Internet, and Phone Services: 907-265-5400

"Taking Care of All your Home Buying and Selling Needs"

Anchorage Hillside

The Anchorage Hillside is a very desireable area in Anchorage as far as home sales go. Many of the homes on the hillside are upper end homes, in the higher price ranges.

The Anchorage Hillside is elevated so homes there, often have the best views. From many hillside homes, you can see the inlet, the sleeping lady mountain. With the mountains to the east and the ocean to the West, what more can a person ask for, right?

With all its beauty and prestige, living on the Anchorage Hillside is definitely not for everyone. Just like anywhere else, there are pros and cons to living on the hillside.

Pros:

• INCREDIBLE views particularly the winter sunrises and sunsets
• Abundant wildlife in your own yard. Moose, birds, eagles, squirrels, fox, etc....
  
• Privacy and usually larger lots.
  
• Close access to Chugach trailheads.
  
• During inversions in winter, can actually be warmer up on the hill than down in the bowl.

Cons:

• Often times, Higher prices.
• With the higher prices come higher property tax bills.
• Snow comes a couple weeks earlier and lasts a couple weeks longer.
• Studded tires a must. 

• Heavy winds, especially in the winter, can get up to 75mph or more.

Call Vanna for all your ANCHORAGE REAL ESTATE needs 907-720-HOME(4663)

Wildlife in Anchorage

Living in Anchorage has many perks. One of the best things about living in Anchorage is the wildlife that we live amongst.  =) Our moose friends tend to come down from their homes in the mountains in the winter when they can't find food in their natural habitat.

See our Christmas Moose!  He was munching on apples from our crabapple tree Christmas morning, walked around our house and then fell asleep on our lawn for most of the afternoon.