Need as much info on Alaska as you guys can give me .Please help. (Anchorage: real estate, rentals)

[Irishguy21]

Hello,

I really want to move to Alaska. I'm trying convince my wife to move there. I was looking at Anchorage but I think its alittle to busy for us. We love that small town feel but like having major things within a 20 min drive. I would also like to move some where that has a college within driving distance. We don't mind the cold the cold but I think Fairbanks is out of the question. So we would be moving some where south of Fairbanks. Someone told me to look at Homer. We love the outdoors. If I can get her to move we would be renting so does anyone know real estate agents who we can contact. I would also like to know where are the bad areas to live?(Like where wouldn't you live and why)We currently live in Rhode Island we hate it here. I have been out of work sence Aug. and I can't find a job. The unemployment rate is at 10% here. I hope to hear back from you guys. Thank you for the help.

So what I am looking for
-a nice/safe smaller town
- stores/jobs/college within 20-30 min drive
- need plenty of outdoor activities
- would like to know bad areas/high crime rate

[Rance]

Well...you could kick this area around. And they do have a community college.

City of Soldotna Online

Or 11 miles up the road is:

Kenai Alaska City Government Home Page

Local newspaper that covers these two areas and may have rental realty info:

www.peninsulaclarion.com

[blueflames50]

Hey Irishguy21....hubby and I just bought land on Georgine Lake in Nikiski on the Kenai...we're in Mass right now. Time to exit the east coast!!! We also have friends who will be moving up with us as they are now looking at houses up there. feel free to email me directly and I will share website that we have looked at. We have knocked this move around since 1982!! duhhhaaa...we doing it! best of luck in convincing your wife!

[Chilkoot]

Yep, the Kenai Peninsula is a great place to live. You've almost described the Kenai and Soldonta areas in your post and both meet your initial requirements. It's one of the best places to live in the state. You might want to find a job before moving as the unemployment rate on the peninsula is about 10% too. Plus the cost of living will most likely be more than what you're experiencing now.

[AKNana]

In addition to the Kenai Peninsula, you might want to consider the Mat-Su valley, Palmer has a small town feel to it, with Wasilla right next door. Also Eagle River or Girdwood come to mind.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Irishguy21

Hello,

I really want to move to Alaska. I'm trying convince my wife to move there. I was looking at Anchorage but I think its alittle to busy for us. We love that small town feel but like having major things within a 20 min drive. I would also like to move some where that has a college within driving distance. We don't mind the cold the cold but I think Fairbanks is out of the question. So we would be moving some where south of Fairbanks. Someone told me to look at Homer. We love the outdoors. If I can get her to move we would be renting so does anyone know real estate agents who we can contact. I would also like to know where are the bad areas to live?(Like where wouldn't you live and why)We currently live in Rhode Island we hate it here. I have been out of work sence Aug. and I can't find a job. The unemployment rate is at 10% here. I hope to hear back from you guys. Thank you for the help.

So what I am looking for
-a nice/safe smaller town
- stores/jobs/college within 20-30 min drive
- need plenty of outdoor activities
- would like to know bad areas/high crime rate

Your driving time is the limiting factor. Peters Creek, Eklutna, Chugiak, and Eagle River are the only communities within 20 to 30 minutes driving time of any major city (Anchorage), excluding Fairbanks of course. Wasilla/Palmer are a minimum of an hour drive, under perfect conditions, to Anchorage.

If you want "safe", stay in the lower-48. Alaska is an adventure, and adventures are not "safe."

[Jonotastic]

I don't think the job market will be any better here, especially if you won't be living in Anchorage, it could very well be a lot worse depending on your career. For example, in Wasilla about 30% of residents commute daily to Anchorage for work. Statewide, Alaska has a 7.1% unemployment rate. There are many areas of Alaska that have unemployment rates above 10%. What exactly do you enjoy doing outdoors, hiking, ocean fishing, river fishing, hunting, snow mobiling, atving etc? Also, what do you mean by shops...grocery store/basic needs or shopping malls? I think too many people move to Alaska thinking it's some exotic mystical place and don't realize it's still America.

[AKNana]

Military by owner and craigs list are good sources of rentals, also check out adn.com, the local newspaper for Anchorage. There are a few realtors who do property management for rentals, but you might want to narrow it down to one area before you go that route. And I guess you need to explain what you define as "major" city things to be within 20 minutes of. If you mean symphony, museums, wide variety of restaurants, you are only going to find all that in Anchorage, and as another poster said, the only towns that fit that bill outside of Anchorage itself are Eagle River, Chugiak, Peter's Creek and Eklutna. Of those, only Eagle River has its own amenities such as banks, supermarkets, post office, etc. There are areas in South Anchorage that sort of have a small town feel to them, are very safe and have great schools, so don't rule them out just because they have an Anchorage mailing address. The other towns mentioned above share the same government and school system.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Wasilla/Palmer are a minimum of an hour drive, under perfect conditions, to Anchorage.

Um... Glitch I was able to make it from Wasilla to Anchorage in 40 minutes. I was only going 10 over the speed limit too.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

Um... Glitch I was able to make it from Wasilla to Anchorage in 40 minutes. I was only going 10 over the speed limit too.

That is why you made into Anchorage in 40 minutes. I'll be willing to bet that you did not make that drive during the winter. If you tried that today, you would never make it to Anchorage.