Last weekend a friend and I went car shopping. Having been in sales for over thirty years and where my favorite place to meet buyers is at an open house, I was curious to compare selling techniques. We visited three dealerships and had three very different experiences. My Continue Reading
New Mortgage Opportunities
The Alaska Housing Financing Corporation (AHFC) has a little known new grant program for single family home buyers called the ‘Closing Cost Assistance Program’. Available only through First National Bank of Alaska and Mt. McKinley Bank in Fairbanks, it offers up to a 4% Continue Reading
Borrowing for a Home Mortgage Just Got Easier
Last week, two major lending changes suddenly made it easier to get a mortgage. And here in Alaska, the Alaska Housing Financing Corporation has jumped into the mortgage market with a new grant program. First, changes to that dreaded credit score that everyone worries about. Continue Reading
The Right and Limitation to Homeownership in Alaska
This Fourth of July weekend seems like the perfect time to reflect on our right to own property. The Declaration of Independence specifically recognized the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. However, as originally drafted by Thomas Jefferson, Continue Reading
Alaska Rental Vacancies Hit Five-Year High
According to the annual Alaska Rental Market Survey, vacancy rates crept up in 2017 to 5.08% in Anchorage which is almost identical to the national average. Fairbanks, Kenai Peninsula Borough and Wrangell-Petersburg all have vacancy rates double Anchorage’s and have for the Continue Reading
What Are Home Buyers Looking For?
The National Association of Home Builders recently published a book on Home Buyer Preferences based upon age, income and other factors. So whether you’re thinking about buying a new home or remodeling, here’s a quiz to keep you up to date on what buyers are looking Continue Reading
The Evolution of the Laundry Room
When I built my home on Campbell Lake, the architect and I forgot the laundry room. It eventually ended up in a tall crawl space—on a wooden platform surrounded by bare studs and insulation. When I downsized and moved to South Addition, the laundry room became a closet for a Continue Reading
Home Buying Preferences Based on Age, Income and Other Factors
If home builders are wondering what type of housing they should build in 2017 and beyond, all they have to do is read the recently published book by the National Association of Home Builders. The 124 pages with 156 pages of addendums is a blue print of home buyers’ wants and Continue Reading
Test Your Market Knowledge
1. How would you describe the Anchorage housing market? A. Declining B. Steady C. Increasing 2. Interest rates hover at Historic Lows A. True B. False 3. What is the average monthly rental rate in Alaska? A. $1,238 + utilities B. $1,338 + utilities C. Continue Reading
Stability Factors in our Housing Market
Anchorage isn’t the only city that’s suffering from a lack of housing. According to the Department of Labor’s ‘Market Trends’ report published in May, the 2,100 new housing units built stateside represented a 12.5% decline from the year before. Anchorage’s new units Continue Reading
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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.