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        <title>Alaska Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/</link>
        <description>This is the Alaska real estate blog for Ryan Tollefsen Real Estate Experts. All information is provided to our buyers, sellers and web site visitors as a courtesy.</description>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/number-one-in-the-market-for-january-2012.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/number-one-in-the-market-for-january-2012.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>Number One in the Market for January 2012!!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group congratulates the Alaska Real Estate Experts Team... Brianna Tollefsen, Ryan Tollefsen, Tara VanOrsdal, Brent Dewan, Debbie Mumma, Kristen Couture, Jason Trout, Jeff Davis, Karen Allam, Karen McMaster-Skogstad, and Felicity Williams.... closing out January at number one in the state, with $3,688,802 million in closed volume! Way to Do Work! ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:56:23 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/5-tips-to-buy-real-estate-right.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/5-tips-to-buy-real-estate-right.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>5 Tips to Buy Real Estate Right</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
5 Tips to Buy Real Estate Right


 


Buying a home can be a delicate process, but if done right it will be highly rewarding in the end. Purchasing a home will likely be the largest investment one will make in their lifetime, so here are some tips to make sure you get the best deal possible:


1.       Tidy up your Credit Score


Finding out your credit score before applying for a home loan will give you the chance to improve wherever needed, getting you a better interest rate and making sure you are even eligible for financing. There are numerous free sites online that you can get a report from, or pick out a good home loan company and lender and they will be able to pull your report for you, usually for free. A good lender will be able to walk through your report with you and point out what needs to be fixed; usually paying off old debt and paying down credit cards will improve your score fairly quickly. Taking care of these items ahead of time will make it easier and quicker to buy a home when you are ready.


2.       Purchase at a Realistic Price


This mistake is apparent currently with all the foreclosures and short sales going on in the United States; too many people in the early-to-mid 2000’s bought more home than they could really afford, and consequently are unable to keep up on their mortgage payments. When applying for financing, lenders will review a buyer’s debt to income ratio, and along with other eligibility requirements and will base their approval amount on how much they feel a consumer can afford, usually based solely on gross income and only rent and vehicle payments and credit cards. Items not taken into account are utilities, food and other day-to-day expenses, so generally an approval amount will be higher than a buyer may have originally thought they could afford. Carefully plan a realistic monthly budget and decide what you can really afford, and what you really need. There is no sense paying too much for a home that you don’t use every inch of; just because your lender approves you for a home purchase up to $400,000 doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be shopping for homes at the top of that price range. Keep your purchase price at a comfortable level so you don’t run into problems down the road; as a general rule of thumb, individuals and families are recommended to keep housing costs less than 30% of their take-home income each month.


3.       Don’t Pay Too Much


Many buyers are enjoying the current market with lower interest rates and lower home prices than we have seen in years, but some jump the gun and purchase a home for more than it is worth with the mentality that they need to snag that home before someone else gets to it. Working with an experienced real estate professional will be advantageous in this aspect, as they will be able to research comparable properties and give you a precise range of what a particular property is really worth, regardless of what the list price may be. Purchasing a home should not turn into an auction where the highest bidder takes home the prize. Let your Realtor do their research and keep in touch with them, and be patient. There is no sense in overpaying for a home, especially if you do not have plans to stay there for more than a few years. While trends can change, with current market statistics and trends the appreciation process will be fairly slow and just because you paid too much for a home when you bought it will not mean you can sell it down the road for more than it is worth.


4.       Get a Home Inspection &amp; Appraisal


Unless you are purchasing a home with cash, your purchase will require financing of some sort, and most loan programs will require an appraisal. This goes back to not paying too much; an appraisal will be a detailed report of comparable properties and features that have sold recently, and will reveal what a home’s true value is. An appraisal is important because it will be the golden number that you should not go above when purchasing that particular home, unless you are asking for repairs or closing costs or some other form of seller paid compensation, in which case the final sale price may be adjusted. A home inspection is vital especially for a resale property because it will point out any problems that the home may have that may not be obvious to the untrained eye. Having a home inspection performed can potentially save a buyer thousands of dollars in repairs and remodeling down the road, or can even give them the means to back out of a transaction if the damage is so extensive as to leave a home unsafe and otherwise uninhabitable.


5.       Be Patient


This can’t be said enough. Too many buyers make the mistake of buying the first home they like, then come to find out after closing that 4 more just hit the market that are cheaper/larger/newer/____(you can probably fill in the blank on this one). If you find something you absolutely love, view it a couple times, make sure it fits your needs, and have your Realtor keep an eye on it. Depending on the pricing and amenities, chances are it will sit on the market for a bit. In the Anchorage, Alaska and surrounding areas, the average time a home spent on the active market in 2010 was 82 days, almost 3 entire months. So think things over before writing an offer, with the volume of homes available for purchase, chances are there will be a few during your searching time that will fit your needs just fine.
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            <pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:30:59 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/happy-new-year.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/happy-new-year.html</link>
            <author>tara@akhomeshow.com (Tara VanOrsdal)</author>
            <title>Happy New Year</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year.  


In 2011 the Alaska Real Estate Experts team finished number 8 in the State of Alaska for overall sales volume. In 2012 our team goal is to move up to the number one spot.  We would love to assist any of you with buying or selling real estate and if you have any questions we can help with please do not hesitate to ask.


Happy New Years!!
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            <pubDate>Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:24:02 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/list-your-home-to-get-it-sold.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/list-your-home-to-get-it-sold.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>List Your Home to Get it Sold!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Alright, so you have made the decision to sell your home. No matter your reasoning, there are some important steps to take to not only list your home for sale, but make sure it sells!


Aggressive Pricing: First and foremost, your home’s price will make or break a happy home sale. Make sure you are working with an experienced Realtor who knows the market and is able to not only research and present a competitive, comparative market analysis, but is also able to explain to you how your home’s price compares to other homes on the market and is in that perfect range where it will meet your needs as the seller, and is still aggressive enough to stand out among the rest as the hottest deal around.


Pack up, De-Clutter and CLEAN: It’s a fact, clean homes sell! Your home will be more attractive to potential buyers when it is sparkling and smelling fresh. Clean carpets, flooring, windows, walls, surfaces, every inch counts. Pack up your personal items, including photos, knickknacks, toys; less is better. You are preparing to show off your home and its features, not your personal stuff. When your home is clean and organized, it will be much easier for a buyer to imagine living in a relaxing and stress-free environment.


Appearance Matters: Curb appeal and quality are big deciding factors for many buyers in today’s market, and with longer on-market times and picky purchasers, you want to make sure your home shines among the competition. Give your exterior a face-lift; pull your weeds, trim grass and shrubs, remove dead flowers and leaves for a fresh and healthy quality, clean your drive and walkways, replace old light bulbs, repaint trim and doors if needed. Indoors, throw a fresh coat of paint on your walls. Light neutral colors are best and will help your rooms appear larger and brighter. Even small things like replacing dated knobs and handles on your cabinetry can make a difference! If you are feeling crafty, re-stain or antique your kitchen and bathroom cabinets to make your rooms feel fresh and updated.


Repairs: Complete that “Honey-Do” List! This is the time to make sure that little maintenance items are taken care of, so they don’t become flags in a buyer’s mind when previewing your home. Fix leaky plumbing fixtures, replace bulbs and faulty lighting fixtures, quiet squeaky door or cabinet hinges, patch dings and holes, etc.  These are little things that can be low cost fixes initially, and will make your home feel more updated and of higher quality, and can also save you a laundry-list of repair items down the road during a home inspection.


Soothe the Senses: Ultimately, a home that is comfortable and inviting is most appealing. When your home is being shown, make sure your heat is at a comfy temperature; no one likes a freezing cold or hot muggy home. Purchase reed diffusers or wickless candles; homes that smell good are definitely more appealing than those that don’t, and it has even been rumored that homes with a “foody” smell are even more appealing, subliminally, than other generic scents (think fresh baked bread, cookies, pumpkin or apple pie; food equals comfort in most minds). Turn on lights, open your curtains and blinds to let the sun in! Make sure your home is well lit, natural sunlight triggers happy endorphins in the brain, and you definitely want happy buyers in your home!
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            <pubDate>Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:24:02 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/free-photos-with-santa-saturday-december-3rd.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/free-photos-with-santa-saturday-december-3rd.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>Free Photos With Santa Saturday, December 3rd!!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Hello Everyone,


I just wanted to let you all know that the Alaska Real Estate Experts team and John Hagmeier Homes will be hosting an event Saturday December 3rd, 2011 with Santa Clause.  During our event you can tour new Hagmeier Homes, enjoy free coffee, lattes, mochas or hot chocolate and get your child's photo taken with Santa just in time for the Holidays!! 





Photos will be offerred from 1-4pm and the directions are as follows:


5619 Kenai Fjords Loop - Directions: W on Raspberry, S on Sand Lake Rd, W on Kincaid, S on West Park Dr, to Kenai Fjords Loop, watch for sign.


Hope To See You There!!


 
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            <pubDate>Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:34:48 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/anchorage-economic-forecast-for-2011-real-estate-industry.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/anchorage-economic-forecast-for-2011-real-estate-industry.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>Anchorage Economic Forecast for 2011 &amp; Real Estate Industry</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
This information comes from the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, or AEDC, and it's my pleasure to share it with you. Anchorage Likely To See 1,100 New JobsAEDC released its 2011 Anchorage Economic Forecast on January 26 to a large crowd at the 2011 Anchorage Economic Forecast Luncheon.  AEDC forecasts employment in Anchorage will increase to approximately 1,000 new jobs. "The main upside risk to the forecast is that the recovery will accelerate and pent-up demand in everything from Alaska travel to local housing will produce stronger than fore-casted growth…”  


Key Economic Forecasts:




Anchorage’s population level will surpass 300,000 in 2011.


Health care, retail, construction and transportation will continue to grow.


When asked about their business performance in 2011, 60 percent expect some increase in profits.


A third of businesses anticipate hiring more workers in 2011.


Compared to 2010, nearly half of the people responding to the AEDC survey (47%) believe that the Alaska economy will do better in 2011. Also 48% of the respondents believe the Municipality of Anchorage’s economy will fare better in 2011.




Anchorage Real Estate Forecasts:




Existing home sales will remain steady, with approximately 2100-2200 closed transactions.


New construction sales will increases slightly up 3.5%.


The number of homes for sale will increase 5% in 2011 with approximately 6850 active listings. 


Existing home average prices increase will increase slightly, up 1.5%.


Average existing home sales price will be approximately $326,450. 


New construction average sales prices will increase slightly, up 2%. 


Average new construction sale price will be approximately $441,089.




If you are a Buyer -- it is a GREAT time to be in the real estate market.  There will be plenty of homes for you to select from, prices will remain stable, and interest rates are still at historic lows.  

If you are a Seller – it is a GREAT time to be in the real estate market.  There will be more Buyers in the market, looking for your home, with the ability to purchase homes utilizing historically low interest rates. ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:22:38 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/moose-video-from-a-back-yard-during-a-property-showing-in-anchorage-alaska.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/moose-video-from-a-back-yard-during-a-property-showing-in-anchorage-alaska.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>Moose Video from a Back Yard During a Property Showing in Anchorage, Alaska!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Anchorage Real Estate Property Showing! 


Jeff Davis of the Ryan Tollefsen Real Estate Experts Team recently went out on a property showing. When he arrived this is what he found in the back yard of a residential home in the heart of Anchorage, Alaska. It was quite a spectacle and worth sharing. Luckily, he had his video camera available. You never know what you will find when looking in the Anchorage real estate market.



 



 


I hope you enjoy this video as much as we did here in our office. 


 
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            <pubDate>Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:47:56 -0800</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/take-your-search-mobile-with-the-new-alaska-real-estate-finder-iphone-app.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/take-your-search-mobile-with-the-new-alaska-real-estate-finder-iphone-app.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>New iPhone App - Take Your Search Mobile with the Alaska Real Estate Finder!!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
I just wanted to let everyone know about an exciting new iPhone App we have just created to help you search for homes in Alaska.&nbsp; It uses Google mapping and the GPS in your iPhone.&nbsp; It can map all of the active properties for you and you can see where you are at in relation to them when driving around.&nbsp; We are very excited about this and would like to share it with all of our past web site visitors.&nbsp; To view and or download this app please visit the link below.

DOWNLOAD THE APP:http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alaska-real-estate-finder/id355211210?mt=8

Thank you again and we hope you find this to be a helpful tool when searching for your housing needs.

Screen Shots:



Looking To Take Your Search Mobile - Check out our new GPS Mapping iPhone App!Here is the link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alaska-real-estate-finder/id355211210?mt=8

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            <pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:48:51 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/8000-tax-credit-extended-plus-6500-for-existing-homeowners.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/8000-tax-credit-extended-plus-6500-for-existing-homeowners.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>$8,000 Tax Credit Extended Plus $6,500 For Existing Homeowners</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
I'm pleased to share the following excellent news with you regarding the extension of the Home Buyer Tax Credit:

Both Houses OK Tax Credit Extension, Expansion The House today and the Senate yesterday passed legislation to extend the $8,000 home buyer tax credit to May 1, 2010, for first-time buyers and add a $6,500 tax credit for repeat buyers if they've lived in their home for five of the past eight years. Home prices are capped at $800,000. 

The legislation in both houses was included in a bill to extend unemployment benefits and is expected to be signed by President Obama shortly. 

&ldquo;REALTORS appreciate the swift action by Congress to extend the home buyer tax credit and expand it to some current homeowners,&rdquo; says NAR President Charles McMillan. &ldquo;As the leading advocate of housing and real estate issues, we urge President Obama to sign this legislation into law quickly to keep the momentum going in the fragile recovery of the nations housing market.&rdquo;

Under the bill, income limits are expanded to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for joint filers. Individuals with incomes up to $145,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $245,000 qualify for reduced credits.

Households who have binding contracts in place by April 30 will be allowed an additional 60 days to complete their transaction. The deadline for members of the military serving out the U.S. for at least 90 days between Jan. 1, 2009, and May 1, 2010, has been extended one year.

Taxpayers can claim the credit on their federal income tax returns. If the credit exceeds their tax bill, the government will issue a check. Taxpayers will be able to claim the credit on their 2009 income tax return for purchases made in 2010.

Source: The Associated Press (11/5/2009)


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            <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:49:46 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/new-larger-photos-for-all-listings.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/new-larger-photos-for-all-listings.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>New Larger Photos For All Listings!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
New Larger Photos Now Available

Hi,&nbsp;we&nbsp;just wanted to take a moment to inform all of are valued visitors that we have just implemented a new feature here at www.AKHomeShow.com.&nbsp; Now when you view the detailed page for a listing you can click on any photo and have it automatically enlarge.&nbsp; For convenience, you can also scroll through all the larger photos in the same new window that opens.

Through our partnership with the Alaska MLS we are proud to be the first Alaska Real Estate web site to offer these larger photos to our visitors.&nbsp; Originally the largest photos made available to the public were 320x240 pixels.&nbsp; Now we are able to display photos that are 640x480 pixels, that is double the size!&nbsp; 

Give It A Try&nbsp;

Please click on the link below to see an example of the new photo sizes:

http://www.akhomeshow.com/idx/akmls/9005283/details.html

I really hope you all enjoy this new feature and it can be a helpful tool in the search for your perfect home.

Original Photo Size - 320x240

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New Photo Size - 640x480

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            <pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2009 11:28:20 -0800</pubDate>
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