This past week the Fed raised interest rates a quarter of a percent. A current 30 year fixed rate mortgage rate is now between 4.25% and 4.375%, depending upon where you shop and your credit score. The VA rate is 4% and six months ago was as low as 3.125%. So I can say with Continue Reading

It’s cold and windy and although spring is just around the corner, it doesn’t really feel like it so let’s take a break from our local housing market and head down south to see how the rest of the country is fairing when it comes to home values and appreciation. It’s hard Continue Reading

Alaska requires homebuilders to have a general contractor’s license plus a residential endorsement. They are also required to be licensed, bonded and insured. However, a new home buyer isn’t likely to find one of them wearing a carpenter’s belt and working on the job site. Continue Reading

According to an article in last week’s online Builder Magazine, Zillow has reported that nearly 42% of all home buyers are millennials, defined as people between the ages of 18 to 34. These first time home buyers still believe in the American Dream of home ownership and Continue Reading

In Anchorage, we’re hearing more and more about the opportunities for mixed-use developments but what exactly does it mean for consumers and tax payers? According to a recent report published by the Building Owners Managers Association (BOMA), mixed use is defined as ‘a real Continue Reading

If you talk to an accountant, they’ll tell you numbers don’t lie. They’ll also tell you that numbers can be manipulated to present differing points of view, depending on the presenter or goal. So, here are some numbers that tell quite a different story than all the negative Continue Reading

Over the past few weekends at open houses, I’ve visited with several ‘boomers’ who are considering downsizing to a ranch style home. They’ve told me stories of friends falling on stairs and breaking bones and are concerned it might happen to them. However, boomers with Continue Reading

According to the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation report, Anchorage lost an estimated 2,700 jobs. People are motivated to buy and sell homes primarily as a result of marriage, birth, death, divorce and job change. You would think that the reported 2,700 job loss Continue Reading

Every year on January 15th, the Municipality of Anchorage is required to mail assessment notices to property owners for all taxable property. That date begins a 30-day appeal period. Feb. 29th is the last day to submit evidence for appeals and during Mid-March to June, the Continue Reading

There’s a lot of discussion about the down turn in the Anchorage housing market but how much of it is based on facts? Here are twelve facts that will let you be the judge of our local market. The average sales price of a single family home that sold in December 2016 was Continue Reading