Starter Home Near Airport, Earthquake Park, desirable location for First Time Homebuyers

From my previous blog, I detailed four things why every Millennial should consider buying a home right now. If you are a Millenial who decided to do so here in Alaska, I am glad you did – it’s for the best! Aside from these 4 tips in buying a home and improving you credit score to help you in your home buying, below are some extra tips support a Millenial like you into entering the housing market. Study the Market To get a solid idea on how much you can expect to pay a home with each similar specifications, make sure to know exactly what other homes are listed and selling for in around the area. Make yourself informed in all the process. Your agent may come in handy with this and will also help you work through the terms of the contract. Do not rely on real estate photos It's 2018 and everything is available online. Everyone takes photos of everything so it is in the real estate. Photos can be tricky!!! So just like how it is when you're checking pho...

We've all heard everyone saying that it is harder for millenials than it was for the previous generation to buy a house. Yes, it might be true given that there are much more things to spend your hard earned money right now like  gadgets, fancy food everywhere, student loans, inflation and many other things millenials has to pay compared to the previous ones. Not to mention that property prices are not getting cheaper and job market is not in such a good shape too. So, the question is…Are you a millenial and does not own a home yet? Would you like to own one? It may seem impossible, but by prioritizing it you can and it will benefit you greatly in the long run. Our next blog will be about the things millenials should know when buying a home but before that, here's 4 reasons to convince you to get one. Rent vs. Mortgage Payments Making your mortgage payment is essentially the same as paying your rent except you are putting that money into owning the property inste...

Are you planning to create a spectacular outdoor scene to your home this Halloween, Thanksgiving or even this Christmas? It's a great potential to give extra cheer to your family, neighbor and friends especially on how exciting things get on holidays here in Alaska . Lots of people are getting ready to decorate homes for the holiday but not everyone may be a fan. For those with strict HOAs, they may get some restrictions on the way you do your home decorations. Homes with HOA Is it legal for an HOA to limit your home decoration? The answer is yes, they may regulate activities that may affect the neighborhood and they may also limit your choices for holiday decorations. Although rules may vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, so consider speaking to your HOA to see if there's any. If you own a property that's a part of an HOA, it means you've agreed to abide by the rules established by the board. It is important to do your homework before even orde...

Are you looking for a house for sale in Anchorage? Look no more!!! Homes by Vanna is proud to introduce our newest home for sale in Kempton Hills, situated in Anchorage near to shopping areas, Huffman Elementary, Goldeview Middle and South Anchorage High schools for your convenience.  This home is perfect for the family  with its four bedrooms, two and a half baths, and 2,536 sq ft living area listed for only $499,000. This home was built in 1984 and was completely remodeled with over $100,000 spent for upgrades. It has a breakfast nook, eat-in bar and separate formal dining suited for you and your family. Kitchen's updated with granite counters, has a pantry, brand new Bosch stainless steel appliances, cherry wood flooring updated master bath with oversized granite counter and custom walk-in shower, new Cedar fence and deck.  See Virtual Tour Here 4* plus energy rating. Upgrades include:  -Remodel Kitchen/move ducts w/ p...

Here's Alaska real estate market update as of October 13th to October 19th, 2018. Still, on the top of our list is the  Anchorage market . During the week of 09/29/2018 to 10/05/2018, 651 are currently active listings where 40 of which are new listings. 43 listings were pended and 53 are sold. Next is  Wasilla market , 441 are active where 28 are of which are new, 29 pended and 25 were sold. Compared to the  previous market update , you can see that there are less active and more sold listings in Anchorage for the week. While in Wasilla, more listings were sold and all others are almost the same. See full report: If you want to know more on the latest real estate market update and is interested in buying or selling, give me a call (907) 570-6757 or 907-720-4663.

Are you a pet mom/dad here in Alaska? If so, we all know how precious it is for you to keep you fur babies’ needs in mind when getting a home. I had a friend who had to send his fur baby for adoption just because the house they rented does not allow pets. That kind of scenario is heart breaking so we know decisions to purchasing a home too can be greatly influenced by them. They are family members so the desire to have a better space that you daydream about for them is a must. Here are five things you need to consider to ensure you find the perfect home for the both of you. Local pet laws and requirements Check the local pet laws and pet owner restrictions. Familiarize yourself with breed-specific legislation within your state and city. Check if there are limits on the number of animals allowed in home. Some HOAs can also set ordinances with pets in communities for health and safety reasons. If you have a breed that tends to make noises of bark a lot, find out your HOA...

Every industry has its own jargons and real estate is no exception. Real Estate Professionals are used to using these terms that sometimes, they forget that common consumers know nothing about. So, if you are dealing or planning to deal some transactions in real estate, it is better to have some understanding on the most common terms used. In line with that, here are the most common terms you’ll encounter when buying or selling a property in Alaska. Addendum - a form used to make changes to the purchase agreement after it's been accepted by both the buyer and the seller.  Appraisal - a report of the estimated value of the property from a qualified 3rd party to ensure it is worth its price. Closing - the official recording by the County's Recorder's Office of the property's transfer to the new owner. Counteroffer - a response submitted when the seller doesnt agree with the terms of the purchase agreement. Disclosures - forms used to tell anyt...

Here's Alaska real estate market update as October 6th to October 12th, 2018. Still, on the top of our list is the Anchorage market . During the week of 09/29/2018 to 10/05/2018, 736 are currently active listings where 32 of which are new listings. 44 listings were pended and 30 are sold. Next is Wasilla market , 450 are active where 30 are of which are new, 26 pended and 12 were sold. Compared to the previous market update , you can see that there are more active and less sold listings in Anchorage for the week. While in Wasilla, fewer listings were sold and all others are almost the same. See full report: If you want to know more on the latest real estate market update and is interested in buying or selling, give me a call (907) 570-6757 or 907-720-4663.

Congratulations on your new home! Your home is one of your biggest investments so maintaining it is a must! Home maintenance can feel stressful especially if you are a new homeowner. It is quite different to a rental because you will be responsible for everything. But worry not, this blog is your ultimate guide to maintaining your home so read on. Understanding a few basic things will help you stress-free. Roof inspection Roofs have long life span so you may not need to fix or replace them for a while especially if they are not that old. However, this doesn't mean getting an annual roofing inspection won’t' be useful because they will help you find problems in advance when it’s too small you don't need much effort to fix it. This can save you from stress and trouble. Systems check up Getting a biannual checkup and servicing for your HVAC system is healthy. Cleaning to avoid damage or fixing any signs of damage right away will be much cheaper than...

Here's Alaska real estate market update as of September 29th to October 5th 2018. Still, on the top of our list is the Anchorage market. During the week of 09/29/2018 to 10/05/2018, 705 are currently active listings where 48 of which are new listings. 43 listings were pended and 44 are sold. Next is Wasilla market, 457 are active where 31 are of which are new, 24 pended and 20 were sold. Compared to the previous market update , you can see that there are more pended for this week and less new listings in Anchorage for the week. While in Wasilla, new active listings are almost doubled and less was sold. See full report: If you want to know more on the latest real estate market update and is interested in buying or selling, give me a call (907) 570-6757 or 907-720-4663.

Winter is almost here! To make sure that you have a healthy lawn bursting with color when spring comes, now is the time to prepare and get your yard ready for winter! Grass First off, know that grass will continue to grow slowly while the weather turns chilly- it’ll grow until the ground freezes. Continue to mow it to keep it at a minimum height. This will reduce the fungus damage until it stops growing. Plus, it is nice on the eyes and will make raking easier too! Perennial plants and weeds Pull out perennial plants and weeds including its roots and all. Weeds take all the sunlight, water and nutrients to help them survive during the winter, which is not good on your plants. Debris As the season gets cooler, perennial plants die out and leaves will continually drop off of trees. Rake and mulch them. Don't let them come in contact with your lawn because it smothers it. This is the most time consuming task for every homeowner but it is worth it and your e...

On the top of our list is the market in  Anchorage . During the week of 09/22/2018 to 09/28/2018, 708 are currently active listings where 56 of which are new listings. 32 listings were pended and 53 are sold. While in  Wasilla , 476 are active where 15 are of which are new, 22 pended and 34 were sold. Compared to my last posted market update, you can see that there are more sold properties for this week. You can see from the list below to see the full report.  If you want to know more on the latest real estate market update and is interested in buying or selling, give me a call (907) 570-6757 or 907-720-4663.