Relocating from San Diego to Anchorage (Fairbanks, Haines: apartment, neighborhood, purchase)

[rachaelf]

Hello, all!

I have been offered a job from within my company and am relocating from San Diego to Anchorage in four weeks. I have never been to Anchorage and am seeking the most efficient and cheap ways to make the move.

I'm traveling with my husband, no children or pets, and we're willing to sell basically everything to relocate. We will probably also need to sell our Mazda2 as I've read it doesn't do well in extreme cold.

My job is near downtown and I'm planning on getting an apartment also in downtown.

Suggestions & tips for how to make the move?

Thank you!

[AKStafford]

Cheapest way is to drive it. I-5 north to Bellingham. Cut over to Sumas. Then to Prince George and onto Dawson Creek. North to Whitehorse, onto Haines Junction then to Beaver Creek and then Tok. Then south to Anchorage. You'll need passports and clean criminal records. I've always done it with two drivers switching out and stopping for only gas. Best time from Portland to Anchorage was 2 1/2 days. Worse time was 5 days. If you are stopping at night figure at least a week.
If you don't want to drive, you can have your stuff shipped up and you fly.

[Metlakatla]

She's going to sell her car, so she should just fly. Her company should pick up the flight tab. If not, OP, get your tickets as soon as your dates are solidified; they tend to go up the closer it gets to your travel date.

[riceme]

^I had assumed that the husband had a vehicle they were bringing. But you know what they say about making assumptions. ;-)

OP, do you have any sort of a relo package?

[Metlakatla]

You're probably right.

Idk, that drive is beautiful if you take the time, but driving straight through sounds hellish. I'd put the squeeze on the company for a decent moving allotment so they can enjoy the trip instead of nonstop driving, and if they can't cough up that, I'd put the husband on the road and get on a jet.

[Arktikos]

Most efficient and cheapest would probably mean selling car and flying up.

However, if you're up for a long road trip the Mazda would be OK if you put winter tires on for the cold season. Anchorage doesn't see much extreme cold, BTW, though it will probably seem like it coming from San Diego.

[riceme]

OP, I live outside of Fairbanks and I used to work with a guy whose only vehicle was a Mazda2. A vehicle like that would not work for me for a lot of reasons, but they certainly do for lots of other folks.

If you're going to have a front wheel drive car, I don't know why yours wouldn't work in Anchorage. If you think you'd be more comfortable with 4WD, then, yeah...

[rachaelf]

Thank you, all! This is really helpful information.

For clarification - my husband and I currently share one car, so our plan was to sell that. I have to fly up one month before he does (he needs to stay for work), so my plan was to purchase a car when I get there, and he would sell our Mazda2 before he flies up. If we had the time, I would love to make the drive! Because of the short timeframe, I don't think we will be able to.

Are you familiar with downtown Anchorage? Is downtown and around downtown an okay place to live, or do you have any suggestions/thoughts about that? My job is near Delaney Park Strip, and I'm hoping to get an apartment nearby.

[tundratess]

There is very little housing downtown and all of it is really expensive. The closest neighborhood is Fairview and you do not want to be there, avoid Mountain View and Government Hill as well. The people who want to be close to downtown live in Boot Leggers Cove, but it also a spendy area. Really nice trails and parks though.

[AlaskaErik]

You might consider keeping the Mazda. It will be fine in Anchorage. You'll probably find you'll need a second vehicle up here as public transportation is primitive compared to where you're at now. A pickup is the primary mode of transportation for a lot of people. That and a SUV/CUV are what most people have, but there are cars up here. But if both of you work, you'll find it hard to only have one vehicle.