Anchorage Alaska Real Estate 907-720-4663: Alaska: Anchorage

Tips for House Hunting

As a real estate professional, we understand that when it comes to deciding on the right home, it can get a bit frustrating. We can provide you with all the resources and knowledge but deciding on which house you will decide to call your home lies on your hands. Here are some tips to help you make every minute worth it when you are house hunting.

1. Location counts. Location is crucial. How far are you really willing to commute to your place of employment? How good are the local schools, shopping centers, public transportation, seniors’ services and other public amenities? Will your new home be next to a vacant lot or a commercial property?

2. Make a list. Do you know what you need and want in your home? You'll save yourself many hours of shopping if you make a list ahead of time. Zero in on the features you must have, would like to have, definitely don't want and would prefer not to have. Your goal is to find the right home for your family without falling in love with one that doesn't suit your needs. Tip: Start compiling your wish list by thinking about what you like and dislike about your current home.

3. Do your homework. Today, a lot of information is available on the web such as home sales prices, market trends, homes on the market, neighborhood statistics and the home-buying process. Go surfing. Get educated. Become empowered. Having a real estate professional can also lessen this research.

4. Get preapproved for a mortgage. Rather than guessing or estimating how much you can afford to spend, ask a lender or mortgage broker to give you a full assessment and a letter stating how much you're qualified to borrow. The true amount may be much more or much less than you think.

5. Use a checklist. Touring multiple homes is a confusing experience for most people. After hours, days and weeks of looking at numerous homes, your mind will start to confuse one home for the other. Rather than relying on memory, make notes about the homes you visit. Turn your priorities into a personalized home-shopping checklist and use it track the features of each home.

6. Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes. House-hunting can be tiring, especially if you're relocating to a distant community and want to see a dozen homes in one day. You don’t want to be uncomfortable to the point that it will lessen your desire to enjoy this experience.

7. Be prepared to make an offer. House-hunting can also be frustrating, especially if you know in your heart you're not really emotionally or financially ready to buy a home. If you're not ready, don't put yourself through the exercise. If you are ready, go through a blank purchase contract ahead of time so you'll know what decisions you'll face when you make an offer.

8. Relax. Granted, buying a home is a major life-altering event. But it's not worth making yourself insanely crazy or super-duper stressed. Save time at the end of your house-hunting expedition to unwind, calm your thoughts and emotions and keep the whole experience in perspective.

Vanna S.

Keller Williams Realty

www.HomesByVanna.com

A Summer Stroll-Downtown Anchorage

Alaska, known for the cold, dark winters is worth the while when summer arrives.

When the days are bright and sunny there are various activities located in downtown Anchorage that will be sure to entertain adults, children and will sure impress the tourists. From live bands that brings rhythm to adults and children by offering free music in the park, food, that will be sure to keep everyone full as they explore.  

On the weekends, during the summer, there is a local flea market that will offer a variety of Alaskan culture. There are fresh produce, different types of food and of course a taste of Alaskan Native wardrobe.

Alaska never forgets about the visitors. There are plenty of convenient souvenir shops, restaurants and shops as you enjoy the beautiful scenery either by foot or by a horse carriage.  

If you seek the night life, there are many venues that will offer dance music, drinks and plenty of memories. Well known clubs of Anchorage are located only blocks from each other downtown, making it a wonderful excuse to park your car and enjoy the walk from one venue to another.

You may dread the winter season because it’s cold and dark but the anticipation of the end will leave you with a bonus with what is to come during the summer.

If you are considering a move to Alaska please visit my website:

Vanna S.

Keller Williams

www.HomesByVanna.com

(907) 720-4663

10 Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Professional

With so much information readily available online, it almost seems quite simple to buy or sell a home on your own without representation. Some do OK, many don't. So if you've wondered the same thing, here are 10 reasons why you might want to consider hiring a professional real estate professional.

1. Education & Experience

Hiring a real estate professional will lessen the stress to need to know everything about buying and selling real estate. For the most part, they all cost about the same and finding the right person for you is usually the trick.

2. Agents are Servers

Agents will make arrangements for property showings and visits without the stress for you need to be there. If you're a buyer of new homes, your agent will help you with information you need and want to know and also it is also very helpful to have an agent to help understand real estate lingo when speaking to seller’s agents. If you're a seller, your agent will help attract buyers by holding open houses, using online resources and help try to induce serious buyers to immediately write an offer.

3. Neighborhood Knowledge

Agents either possess intimate knowledge or they know where to find information about your neighborhood, such as, pointing you in the direction where you can find more data on schools, crime or demographics.

4. Price Guidance

With buyers and sellers, agents will help you understand the sale amount of a home. Buyer’s agents will help consumers understand why a home in one side of town that looks very similar to a home on the opposite end of town has a drastic price difference. Seller’s agents will help guide through the deciding factor of how much to list a home for. Selling agents will ask buyers to weigh all the data supplied to them and to choose a price. They can identify comparable sales based on market supply, demand and the conditions, the agent will devise a negotiation strategy.

5. Market Conditions Information

Real estate professionals have the accessibility to find information such as market conditions, average per square foot cost, median and average sales prices, average days the home as been on the market and ratios of list-to-sold prices which will be provided to you to help make your decision.

6. Professional Networking

Real estate professionals network with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you will need to buy or sell. Agents may provide you with a list of references with whom they have worked with in the past and allow you to compare competitive pricing, efficiency to help give you the best for your buck.

7. Negotiation Skills & Confidentiality

In order to present their client’s case in the best light, agents are able to remove themselves from the emotional aspects of the transaction. As part of their job description, they agree to hold client information confidential from competing interests and use their skills to obtain the biggest gain.

8. Handling Volumes of Paperwork

Today's purchase agreement run 10 pages or more. Most real estate files average thicknesses from one to three inches of paper. One tiny mistake or omission could land you in court or cost you thousands. It’s definitely a bonus if you have a professional on your team to help make sure all required documents are signed and disclosed, someone who can also help you understand what it is that you may be signing.

9. Answer Questions After Closing

With the excitement of closing sometimes even the smoothest transactions that close without complications can come back to haunt. A good agent will stand by ready to assist you with their knowledgeable resources. In most cases, an agent will not turn you away just because the transaction has closed.

10. Develop Relationships for Future Business

The basis for an agent's success and continued career in real estate is referrals, which gives agents strong incentives to make certain clients are happy and satisfied. It also means that an agent who stays in the business will be there for you when you need to hire an agent again.

Vanna S.

Keller Williams Realty

www.HomesByVanna.com

The Advantages of Owning a Home

            Did you know that owning a home can be as affordable as renting? It is more affordable than we set ourselves to believe. The advantages of owning a home are evident for many reasons, you can pay the same, or even less. Also, there are great incentives that really help define owning a home instead renting.  You are investing in a home that is yours, to do as you please and the monthly mortgage payment you make monthly will in return benefit you and your family instead your landlords.

Here are some factors to consider when deciding to purchase a home.

• Build equity — your wealth will increase as you gain more home equity
• Gain tax advantages — mortgage interest is tax deductible as per IRS code
• Stabilize your payments — monthly payments are relatively steady if your loan has a fixed interest rate, while your landlord can increase the rent
• Have a secure place for your family to live — a home provides a permanent place where your family can live and grow, and you can decorate or expand a house the way you like to create your dream home
• Gain a sense of community — homeowners often are more involved in the well-being of their communities; many homeowners work together for better schools and less crime

            Though home owning may not be for everyone, it can be a very wise investment for families who want a long term residence, that encourages stability, a home to raise a family and financial gain. All seekers who are interested in purchasing a home should of course review all pros and cons as all life situations differ. According to the New York Times, based on a 6 year analysis, if you stay in your home for 6 years, buying a home is better. It will cost you $10,460 less than renting, an average savings of $1,743 each year.

Vanna S.

Search for Homes Today  www.HomesByVanna.com

***If you or anyone you know is having trouble paying your mortgage, there are other options!***

Shortsales are a Great Opportunity for Investors or Homebuyers looking for a Deal. Shortsales are usually approved for much lower than what the home is worth, making it a very lucrative buy for home buyers and investors.

Take for example this new listing. These townhomes go for, typically, $160,000+.  This townhome, in great condition, was just listed for only $139,000. That may not seem like a huge difference in price but it's instant equity in the buyers' pockets if the short sale gets approved.

Check out this new listing

5751 E. 6th AVE Unit B
Anchorage, AK 99504

Anchorage, Alaska Event

Are you looking for something to do in Anchorage, Alaska? Don't miss Thursdays at the Anchorage Museum. After 3pm, admission is free. Free after Three Thursdays offers free general admission from 3p.m. to 9p.m.  Don't miss this fun family event. For more information, visit the Anchorage Museum Website.

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Alaska Dividends Hit Bank Accounts $1281.00

Alaskans are $1281.00 richer as of 12:00 a.m. this morning. That's when dividend checks started rolling into bank accounts. The dividends, which are known as Permanent Fund Dividends, are paid out once a year to qualifying Alaskan residents. In order to qualify for a dividend, you must live in Alaska for one full calendar year, preceding the year of the payout and you must intend to live in Alaska indefinitely at the time of applying.

Establishing Residency can be done through a number of ways: 1) school records, 2)employment records, 3) proof of HOME OWNERSHIP, 4) motor registration, 5) voter registration and/or voting records, 6) court or other governmental agency records.....

It'll be interesting to see what Alaskan Residents decide to do with their dividends, whether it's buying a car, buying house hold goods, buying a new T.V., paying down old debt, giving to charity, putting it in a savings account, or investing in a HOME, just remember that even though we didn't have to earn this money that wise spending can yield great returns.

“Don't tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I'll tell you what they are.” James W. Frick quotes