Who says the internet is for the young generation.  Sure, my teenagers seem to find their way around the web like it’s their back yard, but we more mature folk can use it as well.

My Dad, Gale Van Diest, seems to take to it naturally.  He introduced my to Skype, and talks with his grandkids on Instant Messenger.  Can you believe it…he’s even on Facebook!

Now he has a blog…check it out at Gale’s Blog .

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I have had quite a few questions about what happened to www.matsumls.com.  If you click on it, it will go to an error page.  That is because it was bought out by AlaskaMLS inc.  MatSuMLS was owned by the Valley Board of Realtors who ran the Valley MLS system.  Most Mat-Su valley real estate companies belonged to both MLS systems.  Now there is only one MLS system for Valley Realtors, and that is the Alaska Statewide MLS system.

Alaska MLS inc. is a  broker owned, not Realtor owned, MLS system that has all of the Anchorage, Kenai, Kachemak, and now the Mat-Su Valley listings.  There are additional listings from many other areas of Alaska on the Alaska MLS system. 

The new place to search is the public website for the Alaska MLS.  That site is www.alaskarealestate.com .  Don’t go to MatSuMLS.com any more, it doesn’t work.

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It’s been awhile coming, but now you can search all the listings in the Wasilla, Palmer and Anchorage just by clicking the Search Everyone’s Listings link to the upper-right.

I’m still tweaking this so check it out and send me an email if you would like to see something different.  The goal is to have it simple, fast, and easy.

Please note…I don’t ask you to sign in.  Just search all you want.  I believe it’s faster and easier than the search engine on alaskarealestate.com.  If you would like to see some different choices please let me know.

Remember, I can show you any of the houses that you find on your search.   Just give me a call on my cell phone 907 232–7900.  Or send me an email.at marty@valleymarket.com .

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On August 2nd  my uncle Bill Noren and my cousin Julie with her husband John and their three children arrived from Arkansas.  Over the next week the rest of the family trickled in.  At the height of our family reunion there were 36 of us traipsing around the Mat-Su Valley.

My sister Jeannette and her husband Paco showed up from Spain with her three children and my other sister Joanne with her husband Kevin and their five children came from Washington. My Dad and Mom, Gale and Jean Van Diest also came up from Washington. 

They joined my brothers Mark and his wife Lorri, Jay and his wife Susan, along with Grace and I.  All of us Alaskans have three children each at home.  My daughter Teressa was the only one who couldn’t make it because she was working for the National Park Service in Virginia. 

We  went to Hatcher Pass, floated the Knik River with an armada of 5 canoes and 3 small boats, picked blue berries up by Gunsight Mountain, caught silver salmon in Jim Creek, went to Whittier, Valdez, and Seward, camped out in wall tents, went on a  Kenai Fjords tour, and ate…a LOT.

We told a lot of stories, and generally let all the cousins get to know each other again. 

We had a birthday party at the Matanuska River Park for my Mom and her brother Bill who were born on the same day but four years apart and heard more stories about the old days. 

Tim Berberich took family photos in Jay’s back yard.  He is a real professional who did a great job with this bunch. I would recommend him to anyone looking for a professional photographer. It’s a good thing we didn’t depend on me and my camera…I had the wrong settings for most of the reunion. 

I do like this one however.

All the while I tried to keep up with my real estate responsibilities.  Please forgive me if I have been hard to reach.  The last family just left this morning. 

Give me a call Monday, I promise I’ll be a good Realtor.

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The Wasilla Real Estate News is written by me, Marty Van Diest of RE/MAX of Wasilla, for people interested in purchasing or selling real estate in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.  This includes Wasilla, and Palmer, the two largest cities but does not stop there. 

Geographically, the Mat-Su Borough runs from  North of Talkeetna all the way to Lake Louise, so anything within that area is free game for discussion. The Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Center has a good map of the Borough  Most of the real estate action, is in the “core area” around Wasilla and Palmer.  Therefore, most of the topics will discuss that area. 

I work with my brother Jay Van Diest, also a licensed Realtor, to help people meet their real estate needs in this area.  I have been a licensed Realtor in this area since 1991, and I think Jay got his license in 1996.  He has been working with me now for more than 10 years.

Jay and I work as a team.  Generally he manages the transactions by lining up engineers, title companies, paperwork and closings.  I work directly with buyers and sellers.  But our roles overlap and you can call either one of us to get answers to your questions.

Rochelle Peterson also helps us by scanning all our files and inputting them to our transaction management system, making brochures, checking on signs, and researching DEC documents. 

Speaking of transaction management systems, we use an online system.  Any of our clients, cooperating agents, loan officers, and title companies can log on to see their file documents and communicate with us or each other.  The url is http://alaska.gurunet.net , you need a login code and password.  That will alllow you to see all your files but no one elses.  To check it out use “gguest” and “eagle” for a password.  Then click on my folders to get just a little glimpse.    

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