Rates on 30-year loans fall below 5 percent - Real estate- msnbc.com Source: www.msnbc.msn.com Rates for 30-year home loans dipped below 5 percent this week after rising for three straight weeks. Anchorage Alaska Real Estate http://www.akhomesold.com     11/21/2009

Anchorage Alaska Real Estate News - Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group - Brink & Associates Anchora Source: www.akbrinkteam.com Anchorage Alaska Real Estate News from Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group - Brink & Associates Anchorage Real Estate. http://www.akbrinkteam.com/Morning-Coffee 11/21/2009

A public workshop discussing midtown Anchorage growth will be held in the conference room of the Loussac Public Library from 6-8:30pm on Thursday, November 19, 2009.  A special presentation is scheduled for 7pm, with a discussion following.  The Midtown District Plan has gone through several incarnations over the last couple of years.  The Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) wants to hear any public comments, criticisms or ideas.  They are happy to implement anything that makes the Midtown District Plan stronger.  The deadline for all Anchorage residents to make public comment on the Public Review Draft are due by December 15, 2009.  The final review will be submitted at that time.  You can download a copy of the Public Review Draft here.  All public comments can be made in person at the pu... 11/18/2009

If you are watching snow outside your window from your home or office right now, you need to give me a call. Consider spending your cold months in Benson Arizona.  If you love horses and horse property appeals to you, you need to treat yourself to your next property purchase here in Benson, Arizona. If you have had or still have a cowboy hat and cowboy boots and love to watch western movies, chances are, Benson Arizona will suit you just fine. With Historic Tombstone just 25 miles down the road a piece and vibrant Tucson, Arizona (Home of the Wildcats) less than 1 hour away you need to look into the affordability of real estate in Cochise County, in particular, Benson. Enough said, now let me sip my lemonade out on the porch in my bathing suit. 11/03/2009

The Anchorage swine flu vaccinations have been delayed due to a shortage of H1N1 vacine.  The Anchorage Department of Health and Human Services (ADDHS) will not be providing vaccinations at their clinic this week.  However, the Anchorage School District will be providing the H1N1 vaccine to elementary school children this week as previously scheduled.  The ADHHS does not have a new date scheduled yet to resume group shots for the public.  As soon as more shipments of vaccine come in, they will continue providing free vaccinations in their clinic.  The Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center will continue to provide free shots Monday through Friday. For the latest information on the availability of H1N1 vaccine through the Department of Health and Human Services, please visit the ADHHS webs... 11/03/2009

The H1N1 vaccine is now available for FREE to kids ages 2-18 in Anchorage.  While the vaccine to help prevent the "Swine Flu" is limited to children in this age bracket for now, it is expected to be available for everyone over the age of 6 months as soon as more shipments arrive, which should be very soon.  Right now, the Anchorage Department of Health wants to focus on the children that are at highest risk for hospitalization.  The vaccine will be available at the Neighborhood Health Center every Monday through Friday from 8-11am and 1-4pm.  The vaccine will be administered as long as it is available.  Regular shipments are expected to continue over the next several weeks. The Municipality of Anchorage Department of Health and Human Services is planning to make the H1N1 vaccine availab... 10/21/2009

Trick or Treat Town in Anchorage is an annual event that promotes Halloween fun in a safe environment.  Held October 23 and 24 at the ACS Warehouse (600 Telephone Ave, Anchorage), kids are allowed to dress up and come out to fill their bags with Halloween treats.  On Friday, October 23rd, kids can go trick or treating at 5:30pm or 7pm and on Saturday, October 24th, they can attend the 12pm, 2pm, 4 pm or 6pm sessions.  Tickets for the event are now on sale at www.anchoragemuseum.org.  This is the 18th year in a row that the museum has held this great family event.  Proceeds from the $7 tickets will go to benefit both the museum and the Imaginarium.  However, if you wait until the day of the event, it will cost you $10 to get in the door.  Get your tickets now!  With a turnout of 14,000 p... 10/06/2009

A Chinese Restaurant in Anchorage, Alaska, called Mandarin Kitchen just opened their doors yesterday. I had lunch there and I had the Seafood Noodle Soup and fried wontons. It was so delicous. My son had the house fried rice and he finished most of his meal, which is a lot for a three year old boy. If anyone is looking for good Chinese food in Anchorage, Alaska, I suggest trying Mandarin Kitchen. Mandarin Kitchen will also serve fresh dim-sum starting October 16th. Dim sum is not something that can be found in Anchorage right now.  Once October 16th rolls around, I know where I'll be dining.  Mandarin Kitchen is a family owned and operated restaurant. The owner and chef, Achi, also known as Zong Qi, used to be the head chef at Peking Palace. He was very when he cooked there and he was g... 10/03/2009

America's top 10 tax-friendly cities By Kiplinger's It's not what you earn, it's what you keep that often dictates your standard of living. With that in mind, take this quick tour of the ten cities in the nation that have the lowest overall tax burden. These cities came out on top (er, at the bottom, really) of the 2007-2008 District of Columbia Tax Rates and Tax Burdens Survey for the largest city in each state, plus D.C. 1. Anchorage, Alaska Income tax: $0Property tax: $2,572Sales tax: $0Auto tax: $165 Click Below For Article http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=18956823#1   09/15/2009

Fully Accredited Alaska Real Estate School Captain Wayne Rowlett welcomes you to the finest in educational services. Please take a few moments to explore our site http://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/ak-alaska.htm where you will find detailed information on our full service online courses. The Rowlett Career School is one of the leading educational services in Alaska. We provide state approved online courses for pre, post and Continuing Education (CEU) for the Real Estate industry and many other professional state licensed occupations. Please feel free and safe in navigating around this site and our links. You will find that this site and our links are of no-nonsense with no pop-ups or gimmicks of any kind. I think this site will be of great value to you and please add us to your favorite... 09/12/2009

The Alaska State Fair was named one of the best events (Top 100) in North America (U.S. and Canada) by the American Bus Assoication in 2008.  The Anchorage Daily News has published some special interest stories about the Alaska State Fair.  So, I thought I would give you a little history about its orgins and growth. The Alaska State Fair traces its roots to 1936, when the farming colonists in the Matanuska Valley decided to celebrate their accomplishments in establishing a successful community in the valley.  The fair has been an annual tradition, except for the years 1942-1946 due to World War II.  The Matanuska Valley Fair Association was formed in July of 1936.  As it happened, the Knik River Bridge, which linked the valley to Anchorage, opened about the same time.  The opening of t... 09/01/2009

Veterans or active duty military personnel can move to Alaska and immediately qualify for in-state tuition assistance.  The tuition assistance program is being offered to military dependents as well.  The previous requirement of two-year residency for tuition assistance has been eliminated for any active duty personnel, veteran or their family members for all university campuses in Alaska. The in-state tuition assistance can be combined with the new Post-911 GI Bill (effective August 1). Veterans who take advantage of the offer from Alaska University and qualify for the new Post-911 GI Bill will find that their education is practically free.  Funds can be applied to tuition, books and housing costs. Any veteran, veteran's dependent (spouse or child) or active duty personnel may take adv... 08/18/2009

Our new Mayor, Daniel Sullivan, is asking you to participate in a survey on how to best balance the Anchorage budget.  Mayor Sullivan is taking the time to step back to look at the city services for cost-effectiveness before making decisions on how to spend your tax dollar. I know that we all have opinions about making Anchorage a better place to live, how the municipality can serve us better and how money should be spent.  Many states and cities have found themselves out of money because they have tried to spend their way to prosperity.  The only way to prosperity is through common sense budgeting and spending within that budget.  Living through overspending and borrowing is an inevitable road to disaster. Each and every one of us must prioritize the way we spend money, especially if y... 08/04/2009

Realtors who do not Act Ethically cast a bad light on the rest of us. Okay, my title might be a bit misleading. Most Realtors do act ethically, at least 99%, and this post does not apply to them. However, I've had two bad experiences with other Realtors, trying to persuade my clients to "ditch" their buyers agent (ME) and save money by purchasing the house directly from the Listing Agent (this is actually not advantageous to most buyers, would you go to court if your lawyer was also defending the other party?).This has happened to a couple of the other Realtors in my office also. Both times, my clients were extremely turned off by this behavior. So get a clue, okay? Most people can see right through your sleazy salesman or saleswoman talk ( I won't mention any names here, but you know w... 07/30/2009

Foreclosure Listings in Anchorage, Alaska      People are hearing that now is a good time to buy a house, while prices are still low and interest rates are at historic lows. One of the questions that I've heard more frequently in the last couple of months is, "Are there any good Foreclosure Deals in Anchorage right now?"  People are looking for a GREAT DEAL, so I compiled a List of Foreclosed Properties in Anchorage, Alaska for the people who are curious to know what is out there in the market right now. I will be updating this Anchorage, AK Foreclosure List each week, so if you're in the market for a foreclosure, be sure to check back periodically. In the Single Family Sector, there are currently 23 Foreclosures in Anchorage, Alaska with prices ranging from $125,000 to $751,900. There ... 07/29/2009

Today, I thought I would update sellers on the Anchorage market conditions and share a few tips for sellers and for those thinking of placing their home on the market. Market Conditions * There are fewer homes on the market this year compared to 2008 (about 4.8%).* Competition is still stiff with over 1,200 single-family homes (new construction and resale) and over 500 townhomes/condos for sale.* Best selling price range is between $225,000 and $350,000 for single-family homes.* Best selling price range is between $100,000 and $130,000 for townhomes/condos.* Average days on market vary according to sales price. Single-Family Residences:           o Under $180,000 - 120 days          o $180,000 - $200,000 - over 90 days but less than 120 days          o $200,000 to $225,000  - about 25 d... 07/14/2009

Amid the gloom and doom of the real estate market of this day, with the average home price in America down by 32%, according to Luke Mullins, Moody's economy.com found the top ten housing markets for the next ten years. According to Mullins, although there are booms and busts in the housing market, the housing outlook for the next ten years will show appreciation. If looked at in a long term perspective, housing will appreciate, although some places more than others. This is probably not good news for the house flippers out there, although I'm sure there are good steals to be had with the foreclosure situation that much of the United States is experiencing right now. Sidenote: Fortunately, Anchorage, Alaska's foreclosures accounts for less then 1% of the inventory. Contact a realtor to ... 06/16/2009

In an attempt to jump start the economy, the Unitd States Congress passed a bill that was signed into law on February 17, 2009. The bill grants up to $8000 to qualifying first time home buyers. The bill does not supercede the $7,500 tax credit that was available in 2008. Anyone who bought a home in 2008 is eligible for the $7500 tax credit, which still has to be repaid in small increments.   The provision, which was intially introduced by Senator Johnny Isakson, a Republican from Georgia, started at a whopping $15,000. Woah, right?  However, the initial provision was modified and that's what became the $8000 tax credit. I've gotten calls from people who bought a house last year asking if they would qualify for this new tax credit.  The answer is no, the tax credit was effective the day... 06/12/2009

The economy in Alaska is based upon many things. But let's not be foolish, we all know the main source of jobs in the great state of Alaska is oil based. We know that oil production and oil availability has declined by 50%. I am wondering what we as Alaskans are going to do to keep up w/ job losses when the oil industry goes away.....    If oil jobs dissapear, will alot of our population leave the state? This just made me think... what can we do in Alaska to make our state sustainable??? Let's sustain our future and jobs so that people can still make a living here. Let's sustain our economy!   This blog is open to comments by all. 06/06/2009

The Alaskan portion of the Purple Heart Trail will be dedicated in a ceremony this Saturday (June 6, 2009) at 11 a.m.  A ceremony will be held dedicating the portion of the Alaska Highway between Fairbanks and Delta Junction honoring those who have served their country and were awarded the Purple Heart Medal for their sacrifice.  The ceremony will be held at the Delta Junction Visitor's Center. Senator Johnny Ellis of Anchorage sponsored a bill to dedicate a portion of the Alaska Highway to the Alaska Legistature.  The bill received a unanimous "yes"vote.  As is fitting, Senator Ellis will be the keynote speaker at the dedication. The date chosen for the dedication is quite significant, as it marks the 65th anniversary of D-Day.  D-Day, the invasion of France on the Normandy Beach, was ... 06/02/2009