Historic low mortgage rates are not just for the single family/condo home buyer. Mortgage rates are also a major factor in profitability for the small investor who chooses to begin with an owner-occupied property. According to Madona Rhine-Stack at Alaska Continue Reading
Alaska’s Ever Changing Real Estate Market
More people are leaving Alaska than moving in. According to the Department of Labor, Alaska has lost more movers than it’s gained every year since 2013. As of July 2020, the population had fallen to 728,903 from 740,637 in 2016. Like many economic factors, the 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
How Real Estate Is Changing
Driving down C street on my way to work, I can’t help but reflect how in just a few short weeks the real estate industry has changed. I now carry in my tote a face mask and rubber gloves. My iPhone has the zoom app and virtual tours are taking the place of most open Continue Reading
How to File an Appeal on Your Property Assessment
Today is the deadline to file an appeal on your real property assessment. Approximately 100,000 ‘green cards’ were simultaneously sent out on January 12 which started the clock ticking on the 30 day right to appeal your tax assessed valuation. Go to www.muni.org/pa to Continue Reading
2019 Real Estate Market Report & 2020 Predictions
There’s been little change in the Anchorage real estate market over the past five years. The average price of a single family home has remained stable, varying up and down by only a few thousand dollars from $364,919 to $375,000. Residential inventory has had a slow decline Continue Reading
Supporting Veterans in Alaska
I’d like to take a moment to thank Alaska’s veterans for their contribution to our country and state. Alaska has 68,145 veterans and they play an important role in our state’s housing market. According to the Housing Assistance Council, approximately 39,915 or 16.0 Continue Reading
Use Your PFD to Grab a Low Mortgage Rate and Buy a Home
I know it’s tempting to use that PFD to vacation in Hawaii, buy a new TV with all the latest technology or even pay off that F-150 truck with the extended cab but there is no better use for your PFD than to make a real estate investment whether you’re a first time homebuyer Continue Reading
A Stable Market Heading into the Fourth Quarter
Despite all the concerns over potential job losses as a result of the state budget cuts and the recent announcement of BP’s sale to Hilcorp, the Anchorage and Eagle River residential markets have yet to demonstrate any negative affect. Pending sales for the Continue Reading
New Mortgage Opportunities for Alaskans
First time home buyers account for 31% of all home sales, according to Lawrence Yum, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. This percentage is down from around 40% of the market from years past. One reason for this downturn is because student Continue Reading
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.