Yesterday I took a look at the average and median price for Matanuska-Valley homes over the last few years.  I updated that post so take a look at it again.  These are statistics from Jan1–Sep 26 for the years shown.

It basically showed that while the total volume of homes sold has dropped this year, the average price has not dropped significantly.

I wondered if we were missing some information.  I thought that while the average price of the homes actually sold had remain constant, perhaps people were getting more house for the same amount of money.

So today I took a look at the median price per square foot. I was surprised that it tracks right along with median house prices.  In other words. the median sales price is remaining essentially constant as is the price per square foot over the last three years.

Here it is, the price per square foot is the last column.

You can see the fairly rapid increase in prices from 2004–2006 when appreciation essentially stopped.  If we were to go back further, we would see a steady increase in prices all the way back to 1991.  The increase was generally about 3 percent or so per year, but in the early 2000s appreciation was more rapid. 

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I thought I would take a look at the health of our market so far this year.  We are almost 3/4ths through the year so this should give us some idea of where we are.

Below are the numbers for the year so far from Jan 1–Sep 26.  This is compared with the very same dates for the previous four years.

Note the median price…it has remained essentially the same for the last three years.  If you bought your house in 2006 it should be worth about the same now.  One thing that we should look at is the actual dollar per square foot over the same time period.  I think I’ll save that for tomorrow.

The total sales are down this year by 22% so far.  Last year only had a 9% reduction from the previous year.  If the volume of sales remains low, there will be downward pressure on prices.  But so far…prices are holding up.

Notice Days On Market, (DOM).  It has increase every year but still seems rather low.  The median DOM is for homes that have sold.  That is entirely different than the 94 DOM for 893 houses currently for sale.

While there are 893 homes currently for sale in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, there are only 1,114 in Anchorage, a city with about 5 times our population.  Many people have to settle for one of the 500 or so condos on the Anchorage market.

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The nicest lakefront property in the Matanuska Valley?  I’m not certain but its surely one of the the very best.  Wolverine Lake is full of wild rainbow trout and frequented by all kinds of wildlife.

It sits at the end of Wolverine Lake just outside of Palmer.  Even though it’s only a 20 minute drive to Palmer, this 4.5 acre lot is at the edge of the civilization.  Just across the lake are the Chugach Mountains which are pure wilderness. 

This property has a maintained year around road, electricity and phone.  There is a small one room cabin on the overlooking the lake and a log sauna.  All for only $250,000. Click on photos to enlarge.

Give me a call if you would like to know more about it.  My cell is 907 232–7900.

Take a look at this google map…you can see that Wolverine Lake is long enough for a float plane.

And here is the Mat-Su Borough map showing the shape of the parcel. Click on it to enlarge.

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Here are the real estate statistics for residential sales in Wasilla, Palmer, and the rest of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

We have gone below 900 in total inventory on our way down for the winter.  It is a common perception that winter is a poor time to sell.  While it is true that there are fewer buyers, the buyers are serious. They want to get out of the snow and cold.  And there is less competition.  A lot of the homes on the market are hold overs from the warmer season so a new listing in winter generally gets a lot of attention.

Notice the low median price for pending sales this week.  There were several cabins and mobile homes included in these numbers.  There were also several foreclosures in very poor condition that pended.

On the other hand, this past weekend was pretty busy for us and several other realtors that I talked to.  There are a lot of offers coming in on houses that have been on the market awhile.

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This home is located between the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountain Ranges in one of the most picturesque locations in Alaska.  Only 2 miles from the Matanuska Glacier Overlook, at the base of Pinochle Pass you have an almost endless supply of views, wilderness and trails. 

This is on a real nice piece of property.  There are two good wells in case you want to build another residence.  Heating is fuel oil or wood.  The owner will include one years supply of firewood with the deal.

This would be an ideal spot for a B&B or other recreational type of business. 

Click on the photos below to expand and check out the map at the bottom.

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This report includes Wasilla, Palmer, Talkeetna, Trapper Creek, Willow, Houston, Big Lake, Meadow Lakes,Knik, Skwentna, Sutton, Chickaloon, and all points in between.  Did I miss any communities?

Wow…the total closed sales for the week was only 18.  Those are mid-winter numbers.  Pending sales are about the same as last week.  The total inventory dropped a little and will probably continue to drop through December and maybe into January.

I’m not sure what effect the fall out of the big bank problems will have on the real estate industry.  It may make it more difficult to get a loan.  But one thing is different.  Rates are below 6%.  If you were going to lock in a loan…go ahead and do it now.

The Alaska market is still puttering along better than most places in the country.  Prices are NOT going up so don’t count on getting more for your house than you purchased it for in 2005.  They are holding about steady so far.

I have been receiving more inquiries about moving to Alaska that seem to be tied to Governor Sarah Palin.  Alaska is in the news.

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Apparently one of the reasons you need multiple smoke detectors in your home is to warn you if another one catches on fire.

I heard from another Realtor this week that a smoke detector in a newer house here in Wasilla malfunctioned, caught on fire and fell to the floor.  It burned the carpet on the floor but did not start the house on fire.

There was a warranty on the home from Home Security of America so of course the claim has gone in.  Last I heard they were trying to decide whether the home owners insurance or the Home Warranty company would be paying for damages.

This is not an excuse to keep from installing smoke detectors…in fact it is probably a reason to add some battery only smoke detectors to your hard wired ones in case of a malfunction.

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1. Your idea of a traffic jam is 10 cars waiting to pass a motor home on the highway.
2. “Vacation” means going to Anchorage for the weekend.
3. You measure distance in hours.
4. You know several people who have hit moose more than once.
5. You often switch from “heat” to “A/C” in the same day.
6. You use a down comforter in the summer.
7. Your grandparents drive at 65 mph through 13 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.
8. You see people wearing hunting clothes at social events.
9. You install security lights on your house and garage, and leave both unlocked.
10. You think of the major food groups as: meat, fish, and berries.
11. You carry jumper cables in your car, and your girlfriend knows how to use them.
12. There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at the grocery store at any given time.
13. You know what Bunny Boots are.
14. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
15. You think sexy lingerie is tube socks and flannel pajamas.
16. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and construction.
17. It takes you 3 hours to go to the store for one item, even when you’re in a rush, because you have to stop and talk to everyone in town.
18. You didn’t know what the word “county” meant, and we were never taught about “area codes”… 907 is all you had to know
19. You think bald eagles aren’t that great
20. You know to go to Best Buy a month after a CD release because that’s when it will FINALLY arrive in Alaska
21. You wish seagulls came with a mute button
22. You can go to McDonalds and order off the $1.50 menu which they feel is equivalent to the $0.99 menu
23. You were appalled by the “Carrs-Safeway” merge a few years ago
24. You have to have a raven cage around your trash to keep them out
25. You go to school, work, or both in the dark and come home in the dark
26. 30 degrees is shorts weather
27. -10 is a bit nippy
28. Buses leaving school are delayed because a bear is in the parking lot
29. You tell people you live in an igloo for kicks
30. You don’t swim in natural bodies of water for fear of swimmers itch or beaver fever…or leeches
31. Having a moose in your front yard is a legitimate excuse for being late to school
32. There is nothing like Matanuska Maid…who cares about Meadowgold, Dairyland and Viva!!
33. You only go to the fair for turkey legs and a husky burger
34. You refer to the continental US as the “lower 48″
35. You get an attitude when you have to pay tax in the lower 48
36. There is 4 feet of snow the night before school and you STILL have to go.
37. If you don’t like the weather wait for 5 minutes and then go back out outside.
38. You sleep through an earthquake like nothing ever happened; the only way you know is because the clock fell off the wall
39. Salmon isn’t a delicacy, it’s a staple
40. Halibut is beer battered rather than cooked some fancy way
41. 70 degrees is equivalent to 90 degrees in the lower 48
42. You know who “Sleeping Lady” is
43. During the winter you rarely use your freezer
44. You think $4 for a loaf of bread is cheap
45. A “cookout” is not all the time outside because it’s entirely too cold for all of that
46. You don’t sleep in the summer because it’s too short to miss a minute of it
47. Half your friends own a sled (snow machine) and you think people that call them snow mobiles are idiots
48. You have been chased or know someone who has been chased by a moose at least once.
49. You’ve seen the northern lights, and you know why they are such a “big deal”
50. You know its all about the snow, DUH.
51. You know that Cattle Company has the best potato soup there is.
52. Your bedroom windows are covered in aluminum foil or black blankets.
53. You know the two speed limits in Alaska: the ‘get outta my way limit’ and ‘taking cover limit’
54. You only watch the news when they announce the amount of the year’s dividend
55. Your school classes were never canceled because of ice
56. You have to start your car at least an hour before you leave so most of the ice and snow will melt off by the time you leave
57. You wear flips flops all year without getting sick
58. You’ve never seen cotton or tobacco growing, but your neighbor has a 30 acre potato field
59. You literally can’t leave the house without seeing some one you know.
60. You know the term “studs” isn’t referring to hot guys.
61. You have to ski in gym class
62. You know who “Binki” was, made fun of that stupid Australian tourist, and was so sad when he died.
63. You expect to see a moose crossing Tudor every time you drive down.
64. You give up and tell people in the lower 48 that you DO live in an igloo and you DO have a pet polar bear named Mishka when they refuse to believe otherwise.
65. You call someone without a crack in their windshield a tourist
66. You attend a formal event in your best clothes, your finest jewels and your Sorrels.
67. When you go to the lower 48 you wonder where everybody’s block heater cable is
68. You’ve been to the Peanut Farm but refuse to tell anyone…ever
69. Combat fishing isn’t a joke, it’s a religion.
70. You’ve seen a 2-month old moose get hit by a full-size van at 65 MPH, then get up and run off
71. Two words “Korn Fritters”
72. Your parents taking you trick-or-treating involves riding door-to-door in the car
73. You design your kid’s Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

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Looking for quality with all the trimmings.  Here is a 4 bedroom home with extra large kitchen.  All the bedrooms are on the top floor.  They are all generously sized as are the living room and family room.  The family room has a vaulted ceiling with a nice fireplace. 

This home has a huge front and back yard for children to play on.  Raspberry bushes, shrubs and a nice retaining wall complete the front yard.

Only 3 miles from downtown Wasilla and within walking distance to Cottonwood Creek.  Check out all the photos and the map at the bottom.  The photos can be expanded.

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This 1478 square foot two story house is on almost one acre.  Birch trees surround a quiet back yard that is ideal for a BBQ or badminton net.

There is a bike trail out front and lots of southern exposure to capture as much of that winter sun as possible.

Three bedrooms two baths.  The master bath is about 50% finished.  The rest of the house is all finished nicely and ready for occupancy. 

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