Ninilchik (Kenai, Palmer, Soldotna: for sale, house, to buy)

[Need2Leave]

I see relatively cheap lots for sale a couple miles East of Ninilchik. Is that area particularly windswept? It doesn't look swampy on google earth. Is the town no good? It seems quite do-able... seems to me a man with a clam shovel and fishing pole will never starve. Am I missing anything?

[Rance]

My Mom lived on Oilwell Road for years. She loved the place. And yes...you can eat fairly well on the fish and clams. Might even get lucky enough to bag a moose to supplement the seafood. Gardens do good in the area. You won't find much for highpaying jobs...but there is a small fish processing place, and many charter fishing outfits during summer months. A couple restraunts and a bar with one heck of a view of the inlet and volcanoes might have emplyment opportunities. They are doing more drilling down that way for oil now so things may shape up in the future.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Need2Leave

I see relatively cheap lots for sale a couple miles East of Ninilchik. Is that area particularly windswept? It doesn't look swampy on google earth. Is the town no good? It seems quite do-able... seems to me a man with a clam shovel and fishing pole will never starve. Am I missing anything?

Great area to live in!

The cheap land is probably a bit wet though and may have drainage problems, that is why it is cheap. Don't buy anything until you have walked on it first.

Good fishing and claming.

[Rance]

And don't forget it's a snowmachiner's paradise!

[Grannysroost]

Make sure the road it's on is maintained, as a few that aren't in the winter... We were looking there originally before settling on closer to Kenai - Soldotna due to time of drive and gas...Also check on availability of utilities if that's important..could be spendy bringing them in if nothing close... We launched our boat from down there this past summer, fishing is great, so is the clamming

[Need2Leave]

Thank's for the great input all. Sounds like the area makes the short list for sure.

[RayinAK]

I would not buy without looking first, because land in that area (the whole Kenai peninsula) is not cheap at all. If it's cheap, it means that there must be some problem with it.

[rotorhead]

it pays to drive around yourself in areas that you might be interested in, as there are usually quite a few FSBO properties out there. Vacant, unimproved land typically incurs a ten percent commission from realtors, so there's significant incentive to sell it without their help.

Also keep in mind that the Kenai Peninsula Borough has an excellent GIS site where all kinds of useful information on land parcels can be gained. They have recent satellite/aerial shots, road names, wetland designations, ownership and plat/boundary, and tax info all online.

Absolutely, positive, DO NOT buy a house or land down there without driving to and walking on it yourself. Check past threads for some horror stories about land shopping down thereabouts.

[Need2Leave]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

I would not buy without looking first, because land in that area (the whole Kenai peninsula) is not cheap at all. If it's cheap, it means that there must be some problem with it.

No wories... I won't give up a penny till I have walked a piece of dirt, and dug a hole or two.

Perhaps my use of the word "cheap" may be throwing people off. In case those of you in the "far northwest" havent noticed, the "other" northwest has been over-run with californians that have driven up land prices prety much anywhere that is suitable to live. To buy a piece of dirt that can be built on down here that isn't desert it takes minimum 20k. That will get you a subdivision lot (.15 acre or so). Then instead of the relatively shallow wells you dig up there, a water well is a deep, spendy venture here. That and the more relaxed building standards make Alaska MUCH more economical than many of you may realize. Anywhere decent in Wa, Or, Id, Mt, or Wy. is spendy. Between land purchase, closing costs, permits, inspections, site prep, foundation construction, electricity, well and septic I could easily spend 40-50k for an acre that is ready for lumber. Up there I could own dirt, house, water, and electricity service for less.

My Mothers cousins started N. of Palmer with a root cellar under an 8x10 shack their first year. After adding on 4 or 5 times they have a comfortable home... not much to look at from what I hear, but they own every stick... I bet that feels pretty good.