A work-mate of mine is working on approaching life with a positive attitude. Personally, I respect the effort; reading his list below, you’ll see he’s really stretching to find positive things to say. On his drive from Peters Creek, about 1/2 hour north of Anchorage, he wrote the following 35 reasons to be thankful for the rain and I want to share them

The wet ground is pushing up mushrooms!

with you.

35 things I’m grateful for on a rainy day – by Rob King

1. We have a great roof that doesn’t leak a drop
2. I don’t have to water the lawn
3. The air smells clean
4. Its not snowing
5. I look out my office window at lush green
6. Rain encourages me to go to the gym
7. We have reliable cars and don’t have to walk in the rain
8. My car has a front windshield (saw one yesterday that didn’t)
9. Good Windshield wiper blades
10. It discourages me from taking the day off – promotes responsible behavior
11. Our home lot drains well
12. Our trees are growing well
13. Fire danger low
14. No smoke in the air (last year we had forest fires)
15. I don’t have nearly as much wet grass to mow as my neighbor
16. A free fresh water rinse for the four wheelers and boats
17. Fall rainbow fishing
18. Bilge pumps
19. Weather complainers are easily identified
20. The sound of rain on the deck is soothing
21. It’s too muddy to work in the yard
22. Fishing spots are less crowded
23. Good summer tires
24.  Bugs are kept at bay
25. Indoor plumbing
26. Hiking in the rain is kinda cool
27. Less people on the trails
28. We own good rain gear
29. I love my Muck boots
30. Four wheeling in the mud is fun
31. Not suffering from the effects of global warming
32. Indoor sports
33. Don’t have to take the kids to football practice
34. Bad hair is acceptable
35. A warm dry, bed and someone to share it with

Rob King

Thanks Rob.  You rock.  Thank you for setting a practical example of seeing the positive side of a rainy gray day.

Dusky day in Anchorage

Anchorage economy.  Chief executive officer, Bill Popp says Anchorage is expected to have “steady, solid growth” and the forecast offers some “cautious optimism for the business community“. 

Click here to download the full report here.

The report provides  a “big picture” of the forces shaping Anchorage’s economy and where they most likely will take us over the next several years.  The road to recovery may be a bumpy one, but the economic climate is much less turbulent in mid-2010 than it was 12 months ago.

The report says Anchorage’s population reached 290,588 in 2009, an increase of 2.4 percent over 2008.  The 2009 population increase was about twice the average annual rate of growth for the decade.  AEDC says this strong growth was dues to a surge in net migration as the economy remained relatively healthy during the deep national recession and consequently an attractive place for job seekers.  Overall, fewer Anchorage residents left the city to seek greener pastures in 2009, green pastures were hard to come by, and more people from outside the city and state to moved to Anchorage.

An early morning view of Big Lake from the front

The location is always the first thing I consider, because other things can be changed if they are up to your personal taste.  This townhouse would be considered a second home, one because it’s on a recreational lake and the design of the home lends itself to a recreational use.  It is located on Big Lake, about 10 miles west of Wasilla.  The highway is paved right to the front door – nothing rustic here!  Check the lake view from the massive front windows!

The “specs” on the townhouse is 3,600 square feet, not including the garage.  The top floor is a wonderful Master suite including a vaulted ceiling,

Elegant Gourmet Kitchen

The livingroom with small view of the large windows

fireplace, and a walk out to a private deck, which would be perfect for your hot tub or completely private sun deck.

The main floor floor has massive “floor to ceiling” windows facing south and west for the best sun exposure.  You can see down the lake and to the east to Mt McKinley on the horizon!  The kitchen is amazing with custom made cherry cabinets with many custom features that you would expect in a high in gourmet kitchen.  The counter tops are slab granite. 

Nice Master Suite

The lower level is perfect for a recreational home!  There is a overhead door (like a garage door) which opens to the outside patio!  You can pull your lawn furniture and water toys out the door and be ready for fun!

There is a full kitchen on the lower level, in addition to the nice gourmet kitchen I mentioned previously on the main level.  On the rear side of the lower floor is  very nice theater room completely built out with theater seating, screen in place and ready for use!

If you want a second home to get away from it all, this townhome would meet all your criteria!

A prototype of a real estate sign of the future!

Greg, my friend, said “wouldn’t it be cool to get a monitor on the curb so interested people could see a photo slide-show and even possibly virtual tours?”  I said, “yeah, that would be slick!” 

Greg brainstormed it a bit and came back to me with some drawings and a concept.  I agreed to fund the construction of a prototype. 

Greg built the sign in the photo and I have the sign planted at my listing on 4100 Caravelle Drive.  Not only is sign very attractive on the front of the house, it also has more benefits!

Look up at the top, see the angle piece?  It is a solar panel.  It charges a battery located in the base of the sign.  See the monitor?  Currently it is a slide-show of photographs from the backside of the home and interesting features inside the home. 

Right now Greg is monitoring the battery life to see if the solar panel produces enough energy to keep the battery charged, which keeps the 10 x 10 monitor working. 

Future plans include virtual tours on the screen.  The technology exists to link the sign to a lender or even to the realtor.  Stay tuned for future updates on the “high tech” real estate for sale sign!

The view from the kitchen towards Sand Lake

There are many lakes in Alaska, but not many in Anchorage.  One lake that is well known is called Campbell Lake.  Campbell Lake is a man-made lake where engineers restricted Campbell Creek and made a wide lake which is popular with owners of float plans.

Sand Lake is a natural lake, and most people agree has a different personality than Campbell Lake.

I just listed 4100 Campbell Lake.  The home is 4,300 square feet on three levels.  The lot is rectangular and fully usable.  The home boasts a “wall of windows” with a mesmerizing view south and west.  This home doesn’t look across the lake into other home looking back at it, like you see at Campbell Lake.  The north side of Sand Lake has a large marshy bank so it cannot be built upon.  This home look at trees and to the snow-capped mountains beyond!

The view of Sand Lake from the front deck

The home has a modern contemporary feel, too.  Many existing lake homes were built 30 years ago and now have very dated floor-plans and old styling, where this home is light, bright and updated!

Just sitting on the large deck is a very peaceful experiance.  You hear the loons calling out and see the ducks flying by!  Check out the virtual tours here.

Fishing from your own dock!

As you know, Wasilla is about 45 minutes from Anchorage and Big Lake is roughly an hour from Muldoon in east Anchorage.

You know how databases work, right?  MLS is a database, too.  I put in lakefront, under $400,000 and lots over 15,000 feet.  To my surprise, 37 properties popped up! 

The least expensive lake front home was only $129,000 and the next was $132,000.  After prices crept up all the way to the maximum price I set of $400,000.

You know, if you ever wanted a second home on a lake, or if you hope to slow down some day and have a fun place to live, it’s not a bad thought to buy when the prices are low and the interest rates are good!

Not a bad view from the front yard

I randomly read through some of the 37 active listings online.  One photo on Big Lake caught my eye so I read the listing comments ‘The classic ‘cabin in woods’ with all the conveniences. Hardwood floors, upgraded cabinets, flooring, lighting. Serene private setting, beautiful Diamond Lake frontage with canal access to lake. Lake is stocked and 10 horse power limit applies. Winter mountain views. Beautiful Custom Built Home.“  All that for $249,900!  Hmm, interesting

If you or someone you know are interested, email me, tell me what your thought is and I’ll email you a list of water front properties so you can see what I mean!

Large views and a massive "great room" feel

We recently listed a home that I am really proud of!  The home was built from huge Douglas Fir logs from  Homer Alaska. The logs are massive!   You can look at the main site to learn more about the company that provide and frames the homes.  The site is called www.AlaskaTimberFrame.com

I have to say, as I prepared for the appointment, I saw the “specs and vitals” on the home, such as “3,700 sq. ft. home, 3 acre home site, built in 2003″.  The home in located off Homestead Road in Peters Creek.  The thought ran through my mind that this will be an expensive house in a area where home sales have been slow and the market flat.

Check out the huge log steps!

When I arrived at the house, I quickly realized, I had stereotyped the house!  I was nothing like what I had in my mind!  This is log home structure with open beams, log stairs, very private and serene setting  and a nice view of Cook Inlet and Matanuska River!  Check out this virtual tour of the house!

This home really is a lifestyle.  This is for folks who don’t want to be in the hustle-bustle of town and want the privacy and quiet that a three acre home site will offer.  This is what some people expected to find when they moved north to Alaska!

Just sitting in the huge living-room, over looking the view, and tucking your legs under you as you open your favorite book is like a vacation.  This home could be good for your soul!

Dramatic Entry Way

Does Anchorage Alaska have quality custom homes?

When people are moving to Alaska for the first time, and they think of Alaska homes, what thought comes to mind?  Do they think of a log homes on remote sites in the woods?  When they think of high quality “dream homes“, do they envision even bigger log homes on even more remote home sites?

Of course there are individuals in Alaska with discriminating tastes and those at the place in their lives that they can afford their idea of a

Unrestricted views!

dream home.

Homes come in all prices in Anchorage, just like they do anywhere.  There are always exceptions to any rule, but basically the “upper-end” of Anchorage market is $1,000,000. 

In 2009 – 2010, there was about 1 sale each month on the average of homes exceeding a million dollars. 

A home exceeding a million dollars will be high quality and may be unique, reflecting the personality of the builder, architect and home owner.  These homes would typically have very high quality finishes.  They would be a minimum of $5,000 square feet. 

High ceilings & superb quality of finishes

Views would be important, as would the location.  If the property was down-town Anchorage, the views would be unrestricted Cook Inlet views;  If the home was on the hillside area in Southeast Anchorage overlooking the city, the views would be “loud and proud” and without restriction.

In any market and in any location there are always people who want a home with disctinct features and high quality finishes. 

The Dan Wolf Team was proud to have sold three of the 12 homes that sold over a million dollars in Anchorage in the past year!

If you want to see what homes are for sale in any price bracket, search here.

Anchorage Real Estate Market Showing Signs of Stability

I checked in this morning with the Statistics Department at Alaska Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to see how the overall market was fairing, from the distinct advantage MLS has of seeing everyone’s transactions.

A check of year to date residential numbers ending April 30^th show a pretty nice improvement over last year (Jan 1 – April 30).

The numbers of sold properties are up 5% this year over last year.  The average sales price is up 3% in a year over year comparison for the same time last year; You do have to be pretty cautious how much you read into the stats though.  – 2009 was down pretty far from our normal a few years prior.

Condominium numbers are also up in number but down a bit in average sale price.  The number sold is up 36% over the same time last year, but sales price down 5%.

When you look at “homes sold” and look at both condo and residential together , the number sold is up 15% and average sales price down 1% year over year Jan 1 – April 30.

I have no crystal ball, but it stands to reason that May and June should be pretty strong as the last contracts written to take advantage of the tax credit work their way to closed.  The tax credit program ended April 30, but we have until June 30 to close out those transactions.

You know I’m watching for positive signs that the market is improving.  My best guess is that it won’t happen overnight, but that things will cautiously improve.

A rest after a good gym workout

I started going to the gym years ago.  I was going through a particular stressful period in my life and a friend suggested I start working out as a way to relieve some tension. You know, it worked, and became a life-long habit! 

I have many friends and acquaintances that I see frequently at the gym.  Early on I found a work out partner.  This individual seemed to come every day.  We started talking and become partners and friends.  I supposed you could say the gym is at least two things to me, a health club and a social club!

At one point, my wife and I purchased Powerhouse Gym.  We owned it for 7 years before selling it.  I personally still work out there.

A trainer can keep you punctual and insure you meet your work out goals

In years past I did change gyms some for various reasons.  I was a member of Alaska’s largest work out chain “The Alaska Club”.  The Alaska Club has 13 locations in town.  Different locations offer different types of workout’s such as pools, racket ball, tennis or your basic free weight work out.

Some of the other gyms in Anchorage include World Gym, Planet Fitness, Pete’s City Gym and Polaris Gym.  If you visit these gyms, you’ll find each facility has a little different personality.  This depends some on the ownership and some on the clientele. Once you find a “gym-home”, you take some ownership and it feels like home once you get to know the people and equipment.

If you aren’t a gym member.  I would recommend you become one and work it into your schedule, both for your health and for the freinds you will make!