Eagle River (Anchorage, College, Kenai: house, buying, schools)

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

I know this is an old thread but...

I have been doing some research on this exact subject lately. I'm going to write about it soon in my blog. One of the big reasons people move to the valley is the huge difference in housing costs.

Last year 497 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage single family homes, (we just say 3,2 and 2), sold in Anchorage for a median price of $392,000. In the Wasilla/Palmer areas there were 458 sales for an median price of $249,000. That's almost a $150,000 difference. Also, the houses in Wasilla/Palmer tended to be newer and have more land.

If you are going to commute to Anchorage every day you will need to keep that in mind. Many people in the valley have different types of jobs that do not require a daily commute.

Yep, the price difference and the difference in the amount of land were the primary considerations for me when I finally decided to buy in the valley. It wasn't an easy choice.

Property taxes were also a consideration for me at the time, but that has since changed. When I purchased my property in the valley in 2003, my Mill Rate was 12.89, which was lower than Anchorage. Now my Mill Rate is 15.01, which is higher than Anchorage.

There was less of a difference between the average median home in Anchorage and one in the valley in 2003, but it was still a significant difference. Enough to buy at least two, possibly even three, brand new vehicles.

It isn't just the aggravation of the commute that is a consideration, but also the extra amount of time one spends driving to and from the valley. If you live in Anchorage, then you can pretty much get anywhere within the city within 15 minutes (except during rush hour). Living in the valley, at least for me, the commute into Anchorage and back every day consumes two hours. That adds up.

I really like the fact that everyone in my sub-division in the valley is on no less than an acre of land, rather than your typical quarter-acre Anchorage lot. There is more room between homes and more privacy, which results in happier neighbors.

One piece of advice for people looking to buy in the valley: Be certain to carefully read the covenants of the sub-division where you want to buy, before you buy. You may not like the constraints the covenant places on you and your property.

[browncoatflan]

We're looking around Eagle River-Chugiak-Peters RIver-Eklutna for a place because we DO have to commute (him to Elmendorf, me to UAA), but we don't know if we should consider Palmer-Wasilla.

A realtor that we contacted told us that the commute from Palmer-Wasilla is about 45 minutes to Elmendorf most of the year, which is about 20 minutes longer than my husband's current commute.

Along the Knik-side of the Glenn Hwy, is it very windy from the water?

We really need space in and around a house, and that seems just as difficult to find up there as a pet-friendly rental.


Shan

[Marty Van Diest]

Originally Posted by browncoatflan

We're looking around Eagle River-Chugiak-Peters RIver-Eklutna for a place because we DO have to commute (him to Elmendorf, me to UAA), but we don't know if we should consider Palmer-Wasilla.

A realtor that we contacted told us that the commute from Palmer-Wasilla is about 45 minutes to Elmendorf most of the year, which is about 20 minutes longer than my husband's current commute.

Along the Knik-side of the Glenn Hwy, is it very windy from the water?

Yes it can get windy.

We really need space in and around a house, and that seems just as difficult to find up there as a pet-friendly rental.


Shan

If a 45 minute commute is too much you better look seriously at those Eagle River homes.

I just finished my blog post about the difference between home in Anchorage and the Valley. Eagle River is part of Anchorage. I talk about the problem finding homes in Anchorage with space.

My previous post about $150,000 difference between Anchorage and the Valley homes was somewhat inaccurate. It should have said that $150K difference was for homes that were at least 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage. If you only compare 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage homes in both places the difference is only $56,000.

I'm going to see if I can edit that previous post.

[browncoatflan]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

If a 45 minute commute is too much you better look seriously at those Eagle River homes.

45 minutes isn't too much for us, but we haven't actually driven it yet to see what it's like. Nor have we got our work and school schedules yet, to know if 45 minutes to over an hour is going to be acceptable- ie: if husband and I are in Anchorage and the weather starts to really suck, what are we going to do if we have to pick up our son at school, whose school would be near the house?



Shan

[Marty Van Diest]

Originally Posted by browncoatflan

45 minutes isn't too much for us, but we haven't actually driven it yet to see what it's like. Nor have we got our work and school schedules yet, to know if 45 minutes to over an hour is going to be acceptable- ie: if husband and I are in Anchorage and the weather starts to really suck, what are we going to do if we have to pick up our son at school, whose school would be near the house?



Shan

Those are very good questions to consider. If you have children and you are both commuting that makes it a lot more complicated.

There will be a few days each year when you are in Anchorage while the weather deteriorates and adds an hour or two to your commute home. It doesn't happen that often, but it does happen.

It sounds to me like you would want to stay closer to work. You will likely have to settle for a house on a small lot.

Do you have to go to UAA? Can you take some of the classes long distance? Or can you take some at the Mat-Su College?

[AKNana]

I agree that Wasilla and Palmer are too far to commute, especially if you have kids in school that you may need to get back to. Face it, winter conditions exist most of the year here, so that 45 minute commute is going to be longer, sometimes much longer, frequently.
This may be a longshot, but worth trying. Look at homes currently on the market for sale. If there is something that meets your needs, have your Realtor contact the sellers and see if they are willing to rent instead.

[blueflames50]

Originally Posted by AKNana

I agree that Wasilla and Palmer are too far to commute, especially if you have kids in school that you may need to get back to. Face it, winter conditions exist most of the year here, so that 45 minute commute is going to be longer, sometimes much longer, frequently.
This may be a longshot, but worth trying. Look at homes currently on the market for sale. If there is something that meets your needs, have your Realtor contact the sellers and see if they are willing to rent instead.

Rep'd ya on this piece of advise...great suggestion about having Realtor see if seller will rent!!!

[AKNana]

Thanks blueflames! After thinking about the suggestion a bit more, I realize there may be some rules about this kind of thing, or they may be unwilling to risk someone else's sale. But who says you can't find a place you like, write a nice letter telling them how wonderful you are, add your contact info,and leave it where the home seller will find it?

[Marty Van Diest]

Originally Posted by AKNana

Thanks blueflames! After thinking about the suggestion a bit more, I realize there may be some rules about this kind of thing, or they may be unwilling to risk someone else's sale. But who says you can't find a place you like, write a nice letter telling them how wonderful you are, add your contact info,and leave it where the home seller will find it?

AKNana...I don't think there is anything wrong with your suggestion. I do have people occasionally contact me about renting a vacant house. I do contact the sellers because it is my responsibility to let them know and once in a while they are open to renting.

They are always more open to a lease-purchase, especially if the renter puts some non-refundable money up.

Depending on the sellers situation there may be a good possibility that the seller will rent.

So...It was a good suggestion. I also agree with you about having both parents commute when there is a small child going to school. Unless you have friends or family to take care of the child when you can't get home on time, it just doesn't seem like a good situation.

[rotorhead]

I lived in Eagle River for about 2 1/2 years, and while it lacked some amenities (like a variety of good restaurants) it's a much more viable commute into Anchorage than Palmer or Wasilla. That 45 minute figure is for ideal conditions, and as others have pointed out that's assuming too much even for urban S. Central Alaska. This also applies to the Eagle River bridge as well, and it's much taller than you'd expect just from driving over it.

Lets not forget that all the bridges along that route are single failure-path nodes as well. If any of them should drop an inch too far in a quake some day, there is NO alternate path between Anchorage and the valley. It could be months before a "normal" commute is back on line, and the disruptions would be epic. If one of them ever had a major failure requiring total replacement it would be an economic disaster for S. Central.

I'd suggest that if you work in Anchorage, you should live there. If Elmendorf is your duty station, I'd say no further than Eagle River.