Considering property (Fairbanks, Nenana, Tanana: rental, broker, home)

[Glitch]

You should consider coming up to Alaska during the summer and look around in an area you would like to live. There are lots of various charters that will help you get to remote properties by either boat or plane. This is the kind of investment you really need to check out in person. At the very least you will be able to get a much better idea of the lay of the land in the areas you like before you put any money down.

[Vancefish]

I agree, But I'm afraid if I come up I won't leave.

I've spent a lot of years in construction until the mexicans took the jobs I didn't want. Then after years of temp jobs, I ended up in electronics. There are no jobs in electronics manufacturing that I can find up there. So, How much do framers or drywall hangers or finishers make up there? Here it's about $10.00hr now and you must be fluent in Spanish, Not very good if you have to pay rent. I currently do better sitting on my....lol.

[earls]

Below I have listed some phone numbers for the land offices. Call them and they can tell you about property access or ginve you a phone number. Remember the price is cheap for a reason!!

There are a lot more remote properties available with road access.


LAND:

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Northern Region
3700 Airport Way
Fairbanks, AK 99709-4699
Land: (907) 451-2740 / Fax: (907) 451-2751

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Southeast Region Office
400 Willoughby Suite 400
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 465-3400 / Fax: (907) 586-2954


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Realty Services Section
550 W. 7th Ave.,
Suite 1050A
Anchorage, AK 99501-3579
(907) 269-8578 / Fax: (907) 269-8935

[silversalmon]

I think all you are wanting to do is fairly exciting, and I really do hope that you make it.
If I could suggest one thing though, come and look at exactly what you will be getting into and make a few contacts with some of the locals. Seems like what you want to do is going to be a challenge and may be exactly what you need, but you will enjoy yourself and be more successful if you can afford to go camping in the area before you buy the land.

[Vancefish]

Thanks earls, I've thought about the south east a little to. I really like snow. So, That film on twin lakes (I don't know the name) the guy moved there to see if he could take a year living on the land. Filmed a lot early on (1950s). The building of the cabin, doors and hand carved hinges. He loved living there so much he stayed something like thirty years. He, had the snow I really like. Six to eight feet easy. He'd shovel down to the lake every storm and chip through the ice when needed. He'd only hunt when needed and found fresh wolf kills, quite often frozen solid in the snow, while filming wildlife. He also raised orphaned wolf pups, his hybrid wolf would teach them to hunt. Then he'd release them. Which brings up, What area gets that kind of snow? So much you need to shovel the roof?

Also, I do want to come and camp on the land. I couldn't think of a better vacation. How much is a fishing license up there? Explore and fish? You don't need to convince me.

[English_Nurse]

I've also been looking at property on Deadman lake.
Did you know you can bypass the ebay seller completely and buy the land directly from the Alaskan Department of Land, Mine and Water?

Here's a link to their website, specifically to the page selling lots on Deadman Lake.

I had been looking at property on the sout east side of the lake, but when I read that the land slopes south east I had second thoughts. Especially after reading all your entries about the land on the North being better.

I live in Oregon right now. I'm from England originally and married an American. I'm also looking for somewhere I can live year-round. I was going to 'build the log cabin' route though. At least initially. I was planning on buying the land from my tax refund at the end of the month and then heading up there with a chainsaw and some hand tools and building a small log cabin then taking it from there.

It may turn out that we are neighbors....

There are still alot of lots left on the Northern end of the lake if you look at the link.

I was planning on getting a Travel Nursing job in Fairbanks and making trips out to the lake from there. I know it's a trek, so I was thinking I could work for a 6 week contract in Fairbanks, then spend a few weeks on the land, then back to Fairbanks.

Like you, I've not seen the land in person, so if you have any more details let me know (paulkirby1973@hotmail.com).

Thanks!

[English_Nurse]

I forgot to paste the link to the Alaskan land sale website... Here it is:

Northern Region Subdivision(s)

[English_Nurse]

Here's an aerial photo of the lake. As you can see, the land all around the lake is very slightly elevated. Considering that the 5 acre parcels for sale are pretty close to the lakefront itself, I think wherever you buy the land it will have a view of the lake (kind of, not factoring tree lines into the equation).
My thinking was that the eastern side of the lake will have better sunsets. But the best eastern parcels available are on the south end of the lake.
Maybe you can 'over think' this. I don't know...
The whole area looks beautiful. I'm of the mindset to just go with my gut on this one.
If I don't buy the land soon, I'll just procrastinate and never get round to it. Whereas if I buy the land then I'm committed to following through. I really just want to get the ball rolling.

[Arcticthaw]

Please keep in mind access to this property won't be easy. If access was easy the price would be higher. I posted a Topo Map from the DNR website earlier showing terrain and known access routes.

Good luck with your purchase, but also understand this is LOTS of Hard work too. Mainly transportation could be expensive in my opinion, unless you already have a river boat and love to hike in mosquito infested woods.

[English_Nurse]

Looks pretty nice to me.
There's a free campground on the lakefront with a boat ramp, so even if you don't have 'lakefront' property, you can still get to the lake on the State owned campground. So there's basically public boating access. No property taxes.
I pay $1670 a month for my mortgage right now. Which is insanely depressing. To think I could buy 5 acres of land somewhere as beautiful as this for the price of two mortgage payments isn't something I feel I can pass up lightly.
Plan: Buy the land. Build the cabin. Sell the house (with the expensive mortgage payments...). Move their for good. Work in Fairbanks doing travel nurse contracts every once in a while to get some cash.