Last Saturday in Anchorage was the all day Alaska Renewable Energy Fair event.  From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. the Anchorage Park Strip downtown area was bustling with demonstrations, activities, and live music.  Featured demonstrations included solar and wind energy, and workshops on the Fire Island wind turbine project.  There were also activities for children, hybrid and electric vehicles, and informational booths.

Alaska homeowners were particularly interested in the “Make your home more Energy Efficient” presentation, obtaining some tips on how to save money and be environmentally friendly.  Some helpful tips included lowering the temperature of your water heater, weatherizing your home, and using compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent.  Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) also offers a residential Home Energy Rebate Program; learn more about this program and other energy efficient money-saving tips at alaskarenewableenergy.org.

For more on community events in Anchorage AK, visit ADN.com.

And keep the professionals of The Kristan Cole Team in mind when buying or selling property in Anchorage AK.

With years of experience in buying and selling real estate in Mat-Su Valley AK, Kristan Cole offers this advice for those thinking of selling their home in today’s market:

• If you do not need to sell, do not put your home on the market, which makes it more difficult for those that do need to sell.
• If it is necessary for you to sell, price your property ahead of the market (i.e. price it lower than the most recent sale).
• Be sure that your home is in as good condition as possible to entice a buyer.
• Be sure you have a real estate agent that has experience, a great marketing plan, and is an expert negotiator.
• Be sure to consider the first offer you receive seriously as the first offer is generally the best offer.

Successfully selling your home in Mat-Su Valley AK will take the collective experience of The Kristan Cole Team.  The Kristan Cole Team sold 134 properties in 2009, and will help you get on track to selling your home today.

Alaska’s real estate market did fairly well compared to the other states, though nationally last year was a difficult time for real estate.  In 2009, the Alaska Multiple Listing Service reported that 1145 homes were sold in the Palmer Wasilla area, only 4.06 percent less than the previous year.  As of January 7th 2009, there were 549 homes on the market which was nearly the same number that was recorded last year during the same month.  The average sales price for Palmer and Wasilla AK area homes was $216,615, with 93 days on the market.

Furthermore, by the definition from the National Association of Realtors, the current 6 month supply of homes make the Alaska real estate market ‘normal’ or stable.  For more information on current real estate reports for Palmer and Wasilla AK and for the help you need in selling or buying real estate contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

When deciding what time of year to list your home, most sellers make the mistake of thinking that they will get generally more money for their home if they wait and sell in the summer months.  According to Kristan Cole, this is not the way to go; because late winter and early spring usually have a lower housing inventory, sellers have a better chance of getting a higher price than by waiting for summer where the inventory expands and new homes are being built.  Kristan Cole’s advice to homesellers, after observing the consistent cycle of the Wasilla-Palmer AK area over 25 years of selling thousands of homes, is to start early in February.  In short, sellers will consistently get more for their homes when they sell during the months of February, March, and April.

For information on getting started selling your home in Wasilla and Palmer AK, contact the experienced Kristan Cole Team today.  Take advantage of the lower housing inventory and get the most for your home this year.

Many who are in danger of foreclosure may have the option to save their credit rating with a short sale.  Short sales can be the better way for those that have legitimate hardships and allows the homeowner to repay the mortgage at the price the home sells for minus closing costs.

View the video above for a more detailed look into short sales and what makes them a better alternative to foreclosure.

If you are dealing with a ‘legitimate hardship’ in paying your Mat-Su Valley AK home mortgage, contact the experienced Kristan Cole Team today for the help you need to see if a short sale is possible.

Take a look at the below chart for the latest information regarding real estate in Wasilla and Palmer AK for last month.  From the following absorption report, homes selling in the 150-175 range sold on average of 3.2 months on the market with 33 active and 123 sold for December 2009.  Homes in the 185-195 range averaged 2.9 months on the market with 57 sold and 14 active. If you are planning on selling your home in Wasilla or Palmer AK, contact The Kristan Cole Team today to get started.  The experienced Kristan Cole Team will give you the help you need to guide you through the process of selling and/or buying your home in Wasilla and Palmer AK, making it an exciting, hassle-free experience.

January 1, 2010 Residential Market

Price Range	Active	Sold	Months
150-175	33	123	3.2
175-185	21	55	4.6
185-195	14	57	2.9
195-205	24	73	3.9
205-215	17	63	3.2
215-225	25	65	4.6
225-235	18	43	5
235-245	24	45	6.4
245-255	18	41	5.3
255-265	12	33	4.4
265-275	14	25	6.7
275-285	15	27	6.7
285-295	12	22	6.5
295-305	15	22	8.2
305-315	8	10	9.6
315-325	10	16	7.5
325-335	14	7	24
335-345	3	7	5.1
345-355	7	5	16.8
355-365	8	6	16
365-375	10	7	17.1
375-385	5	10	6
385-395	5	6	10
395-405	6	9	9
405-415	1	4	3
415-425	8	4	24
425-435	2	2	12
435-445	0	2	0
445-475	7	6	14
475-500	8	7	13.7
500-550	8	4	24
550-600	5	4	15
600-700	7	3	28
700-800	1	2	6
800-900	2	0	0
900- up	5	0	0

The extended tax credit is just one reason to become a homeowner in Mat-Su Valley AK.  If you are confused as to what qualifies you for the home buyer tax credit, take a look at the list below for general information you should know about it:

• The tax credit is for new buyers (i.e. first time home buyers) and principal residences.
• A first time home buyer is someone who has not owned a principal residence for three years time before buying a home.
• The tax credit is only available to 2009 buyers who purchase a home on or after January 1st and before December 1, 2009.
• The tax credit is subject to income limitations and single buyers will need a modified adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less to qualify.  reduced credits may also be available for those in higher income brackets.
• This tax credit will be refunded to a buyer if his/her yearend tax liability is less than the credit.
• Home buyers must own the home for at least three years in order to capitalize on the credit, otherwise they will have to return the credit to the government.  some exceptions apply, however, including such cases as death or divorce.

View the video provided for a more intensive look at the Extended Tax Credit.

For more information on becoming a homeowner in Mat-Su Valley AK including Wasilla, Palmer, and Anchorage Alaska, contact The Kristan Cole Team today.

Relocating to Wasilla AK can be made easier by getting rid of items you will no longer need that you accumulated in your old home.  Here are some tips on how to hold an effective Garage Sale.

Take an inventory and plan a specific date to hold the sale.  In preparation to have your sale you will need to take a stroll through your house and decide what items have never been used, aren’t the right color, or in other ways simply do not fit the décor you want for your new home.  You will also need to set a specific date to hold your sale and advertise in local newspapers.

Price and clean your items. You want your items to be presentable, so clean any dishware or clothing items before putting them up for sale.  Place small pieces, like games, jewelry, or other easily misplaced bits into plastic bags to keep them together.  Also be sure to price your items to give buyers a starting point, rather than leaving them unmarked.

Location. Location isn’t just important in real estate sales, it’s also essential to have an easily accessible location for your garage sale.  Place sale items in convenient displays for browsing.

Be lively. Talk to buyers about the quality or significance of each item they may be interested in, and be an enthusiastic salesperson.

When your sale is complete, any items you don’t sell can be easily donated to local charities.

Follow these helpful tips and you’ll be well on your way to relocating to your dream home in Wasilla AK without the clutter, ready to start clean in your new home.

For information on available homes in Wasilla AK contact the friendly Kristan Cole Team today.

If you are trying to sell a Wasilla AK home in today’s market there are a few things to keep in mind that will help your home stand apart from the pack.  Prioritize and analyze what will fit in your budget and take the steps necessary to make your home show well and appeal to prospective buyers.

• Fresh & Clean: Inspect your Wasilla AK home inside and out. Does it need a coat of paint? A fresh coat of paint will always be recouped in the sale of a home and is well worth the cost.  Does it look clean and tight?  Pack up the mess, the more clutter free a home the better it will show.  Likewise an empty house shows better.

• Curb appeal: Pay attention to your Wasilla AK home as if you were a potential buyer.  Is it inviting?  Clean?  Shore up your landscaping, make sure that your lawn is green and well-kept, that your flower beds are weeded and mulched, and that the exterior of your house is clean and respectable.

• Inspection: There will be a home inspection completed by the Wasilla buyer be prudent and do one yourself.  Attend to items that could possibly hold up the sales process.

• Best areas of a home to update and remodel? The Master Bathroom and the Kitchen.  Don’t spend the money to gut and redo your entire home but remodeling the master bath and kitchen areas of your home will make your home more appealing and grab a buyer’s eye.

• Evaluate: Are the remodel/updates going to net you more than you are putting into them?  It is very important in the net to pay attention to your local market and make the improvements that will help you not hurt you.  If you are not going to get the money back that you are intending to put into your home don’t do the changes.  Do the low-cost improvements and make do by making your home clean in its appearance.

Check out YahooRealEstate.com for more information and ways to sell your home.

And for Mat Su Valley AK Homes including featured property in Palmer, Wasilla and Anchorage AK, please think of the Kristan Cole Team today!

What is REO property?  REO (real estate owned) is property which has been taken back  by the lender.  REO properties typically sell for less than comparable real estate listings as the lender usually wants to recoup the value of the loan which is traditionally less than the value of the property.  The differences between REO property and foreclosure or short sale property are:

• REO has already been acquired by the lender typically after a failed foreclosure sale or foreclosure auction.
• The REO is owned by the bank (or lending institution) and is listed as an asset on their balance sheet.
• The original home owner is no longer in the picture and the property is for sale.

The downside of REO property is that an REO property is typically not well-maintained by the financial institution that owns it.  The positive side of an REO is that a real estate investor or buyer can often purchase the property at a distinctively lower price.

For more information on REO property click here.

If you have any questions about Wasilla AK REO property or other Wasilla AK real estate questions don’t forget to think of The Kristan Cole Team.