20 yrs. in Fairbanks, job opening in Delta. Want the real story. (Anchorage: relocate, real estate)

[arcticracer]

Let me start by saying I have been to and through Delta countless times, and have been to Ft. Greely just as many in my old job. Now my new job has an opening in Delta. I would be travelling a couple hundred miles down the Alcan and toward Valdez working, based in Delta.

I have always liked the town a lot, I am 51, my wife and I have always lived "out of town" 20 minutes of so and have recently lamented how Fairbanks has gotten too big for us. The traffic has gotten worse, the drivers more rude, the crime rate is high, but we still love Fairbanks. We are not pleased with the way the town has been developing, starting to look and feel more like Anchorage.

What is the real estate market currently like in Delta? I know it was a little overheated the last couple years due to Ft. Greely, how is it doing now with the economy in a bind? I have a feeling that when we get a new President, probably a Democrat, that Ft. Greely will get scaled back and the boom times will slow somewhat. Not to the Post-Brac levels, but things will change I think.

I have heard some negative stories about the relations with the Russian immigrant community there, what are things really like? Want to hear more about Delta, warts and all. Good and bad.

Don't need to hear anything about weather, I know all about that. What I do know:

2 hours closer to Gulkana fishing!
2 hours closer to Valdez fishing!

Feel free to post or PM me. I do have a few business contacts in Delta that I will be talking to, and I could end up commuting for awhile, checking things out.

[Arcticthaw]

One thing I have noticed in the last several months are people looking to relocate there due to jobs. So the housing market may still be a bit heated as those from outside unknowingly pay high prices for what homes are available.

[User 2]

Originally Posted by Arcticthaw

One thing I have noticed in the last several months are people looking to relocate there due to jobs.

There's some defense contracts for Ft Greely, not enough money has been wasted on missile defense yet. Bush's budget is calling for another 9 billion dollars be bestowed upon the weapons manufacturers.

Lockheed Martin was dumped as the booster builder and the new kid on the block, Orbital Science was tapped to receive the contract to build some boosters. David Thompson, Orbital's CEO, used to be with NASA, but the money is better in weapons sales.

He got a medal from George's pop when they worked on the Pegasus system.

Boeing is looking to complete some work by Sept 08, but all they are offering in the way of housing is a tip that there is some on base housing available.

The current Defense Budget Authorization requires a certification from the Secretary of Defense mandating that a Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system is operational in the hopes that they can deploy 40 more of Ronnie Raygun's Star Wars missile system rockets at Ft Greely.

40 more Star Wars missiles and 9 billion is driving the Ft Greely interest.

Whether another administration will continue to pour billions into Star Wars is anyone's guess....

....whether it's a good idea, is another thing.

With the history of all the faked tests, and the need to abdicate from various treaties, there's some considerations on many aspects if Ronnie's Star Wars vision can live up to the amount of money that's been poured into various weapons manufacturers pockets.

There's 13 or 14 missiles in the ground at Ft Greely now and they expect to have 30 by years end, with the rest of the currently proposed missiles being planted soon after.

You can bet the weapons manufacturers hope we keep planting missiles as long as we can keep giving them the money for them............

My guess is most folks don't know Bush has seven separate missile defense projects now. Ah, but what's a few trillion dollars more, eh?

It makes you feel 'safer', ....doesn't it?

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[siamiam]

i know a few people who live out in delta and work on FT Greely. they are doing pretty well off for now . ill have to ask them about the housing situation.

there is a pretty good size Russian population and from what my friends say they arent too bad , most just do their own things . some of their vehicle reconstructs aernt too good though

[siamiam]

lol im just keeping it simple. keep on trying

a lot of the russian folks and the other locals are pretty nice most of which are the older crowd, and of course there are those who prefer to keep to them selves but we have folks like that in sqarebanks also.

a lot of the younger crowd can tend to get in to some trouble but its delta there really isnt much to do out there. ive been out there too many times . a lot of the younger crowd try to make it out to Fairbanks when ever they can when they can start driving

[cblackwell]

my husband and i just recently moved to ft greely, so i dont have a ton of experience with delta. but my experiences so far with the russian community- like siamiam said, they seem to keep to themselves, quiet. dont want to bother or be bothered. and for the housing market, my husband and i were actually looking at a real estate pamphlet the other day. i could scan and email you a copy of it you want just to get glimpse. email me if you want me to... cconner87@gmail.com

[150/70]

Do the frontier thing, buy a lot (land), build a house and drive on living. That has always been my dream. Unfortunately, the wife wants to stay close to modern conveniences.

These are few of the ads from the Delta news (deltanewsweb.com):
New starter home with lots of room to expand. 2 bedroom, one bath, open vaulted kitchen-living room, stainless appliances, 2.5 acres on Remington Road. $159,900. Call 895-4998. February 19, 2007

For Sale: Triplex Apartment Building in town, has 3Bdrm 2ba/ 2bdrm,1ba/ and 1 bdrm w/den,1ba. Excellent rental history and great income potential. Live free in one and produce income from the others. Asking 170K OBO. Serious inquiries only please! 895-4493. March 13, 2008

Price reduced!!!!!! Newly built (2006) 3 bedroom/2 and a half baths on 1 acre lot in Brewis subdivision (2452 Loni Lane) for sale or rent. 2200 square feet. Energy efficient rating. Big deck off of Living room, Jacuzzi tub in Master bathroom. Radiant floor heat. Heated oversize garage. Currently has Satellite dishes and wireless internet access, Lease with option to buy a possibility. Purchase price of $260,000. Please call my cell at 719-651-7117. March 12, 2008

I still dream about those agricultural lots in the area, the good fishing holes close by and all that. They are still a bargain. The wife wants to move to Eagle River, what is she thinking? Like I have a choice. When she is happy, I am happy, I guess.

[arcticracer]

I have found most of the real estate listings in Delta, despite the stories of how high home prices had gotten in Delta, it looks like the "missile boom" phenomena has mostly passed. Sure, Greely is still busy but I am being told things are not what they were a couple years ago in housing. Prices don't look that bad. I am not going to buy right away anyway, I am firmly convinced that a new president is not going to be as enthusiastic about the project as dubya. In fact it could get scaled back dramatically, and Delta will likely become an easier place to buy a home.

if I do go work there, I might commute to Fairbanks on weekends for awhile too.

Somebody mentioned the Russians and the reconstruct business some of them get into, I have personally been involved with 2 of them, trying to sell a totalled car in Fairbanks that has been readied for resale, they were less than forthcoming with details about the vehicles. Scams abound, and they are often our friends from Delta.