There is always a back story of how, where and when buyers and sellers enter the market. Nowhere or no time has this been more true than in 2020. Historic low mortgage rates brought a trove of first time buyers into the home buying market as well as move-up Continue Reading
Archives for 2020
A New Home or a Home Remodel in 2021
Your new or home remodel in 2021 may not have a tub in the owner’s bath but rather a large walk-in shower without a ‘curb’ on the shower pan. In fact, it may even be a walk-through shower with 12 x 24 smooth flat tiles without a pattern accent. That’s the latest buzz Continue Reading
An Important Apology from the President of the National Association of Realtors
In 1979 I received my Alaska real estate license. I was unaware that only 11 years before the National Association of Realtors had opposed the passage of the Federal Fair Housing Act. And at one time allowed members to be excluded based on race or gender. Thus, Continue Reading
Over $1 Billion in Closed Residential Sales
For the first ten months of 2020 in the Municipality of Anchorage. It’s an incredible number in light of COVID-19, high unemployment in hospitality and tourism and 3,000 fewer employees in the oil industry. October’s average sales price of $406,974 is the highest Continue Reading
VA Financing Helps Promote Home Ownership
At ten percent, Alaska has the highest per capita share of veterans than any other state. And according to the 2016 Housing Assistance Council, Alaskan veterans have a home ownership rate of 69.5% which is higher than the homeownership rate for Continue Reading
Not All Condos Are Residential
When I say condos, I’m always talking about bedrooms, bathrooms and garages but when Lottie Michael talks condos, it’s all about ceilings heights, plumbing and medical complexes. Lottie Michael, CCIM, heads up Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Alaska Realty’s Commercial Continue Reading
Differing Opinions Emerging on the Market
A longtime friend, client and real estate investor wrote me this week expressing his concern about the future of the south central residential real estate market. His take is there has been a slight slowdown in the market (true) and the emerging combination of Continue Reading
A Guide to Understanding Your Appraisal
Yesterday, Paige Hodson, a local appraiser with over 38 years of experience, was the guest speaker at our sales meeting. So if you are wondering how your home is valued when it comes time for a sale, here are some helpful hints. Not all appraisers are part of the Continue Reading
A Divided Housing Market
It’s hard to remember what real estate sales and the market was like before Covid-19. Booties, masks, gloves and health questionnaires are now standard protocol for open houses. Yesterday, we had a buyer meeting for a potential new home in Sandhill Reserve with the buyer’s Continue Reading
Test Your Knowledge on Alaska’s Taxes
In Alaska, there are 15 boroughs and municipalities which have been given the right to tax properties by Alaska’s Constitution. And every year the Municipality of Anchorage publishes an Appraisal Valuation Report to inform its residents how properties are taxed in the MOA. Continue Reading
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Connie Yoshimura, Owner/Broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alaska Realty, has over 30 years of residential real estate experience. She was the number one individual realtor, according to Multiple Listing Service, in 2015,2016, 2017.