Brandy's Blog

Stimulus Plans what it means to Alaskan residents

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:53:49 -0600

Well the stimulus plan is in and it's better than the one before. here are some tips to the First Time home buyers out there.

1. A first time home buyer is someone who has not bought or sold a home in at least three years but, that includes your spouse if your married.

2. If you qualify you get an $8,000 tax credit, or 10% of the purchase price which ever is lower. That's money in your pocket, you don't have to repay this if you follow the rules below.

3. You have to buy that home between January1, 2009 and November 30, 2009. ot all taxpayers are elligible and you have to live in the house and not sell for at least 3 years.

4. The tax credit phases out after an individual makes $75,000 or more or $150,000 for a couple for the year.

So What does that mean for Alaskan Residents? more ways to buy a home. We already have some of the finest loan programs in the US and we are not having as much of a problem with our housing market as some other states. Now we have even more reasons to buy a home in Alaska.

Happy New Year to everyone and may the New Year bring Joy

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:04:20 -0600

This year, While most have finalized and are successfully implementing their resolutions and goals for 2009, I am committing to a "to don't" list - old habits I am quitting or replacing with better ones in the New Year. To that end, in 2009:

1. I will try to focus on family and friends and Not lose sight of the fact that I can replace my business but not my family and friends. To this end I started on December 16, with a new grandson to ring in the new goals of focus on family more.

2. I will NOT set unrealistic goals or expectations for myself or others, this is a good one for many of us who have such high expectations of ourselves and others.

3. I will NOT count on anything before it's closed.

4. I will NOT fail to give credit where credit is due.

5. I will NOT take my clients for granted, I will try harder to stay in contact.

6. I will NOT forget that this real estate market some say recession, will pass - and so will the next good one.

7. I will not stress and neglect my body and health because of important matters regardless of how pressing.

8. I will remember my ethics regardless of the market conditions.

9. I will remember to laugh more, do more, live life more than last year.

10. I will remember that I have a life rich and full with many friends and family members, love and excitment.

And, there is no time more appropriate for me to THANK ALL OF YOU for your business and referrals, your friendships and your blogs that help to ease troubled times and to express to you and yours best wishes for a health, happiness and abundance throughout the New Year.

All my best,

Brandy Washburn

Remodel sticker shock and new foundation advantages.

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:48:28 -0500

Well folks this summer my husband and I moved out of our house and moved into our 21 ft. motor home next door to ourYhome while the contractors lifted our house and put a new foundation in. You can see by the picture below, it was quite an undertaking. Much better to have it done the right foundation in the beginning and never re model. But, we like our land and the area we live in so there it was. Any way, although the contractors did a wonderful job and we are very pleased with the new foundation and all their work, What got to me was a thing called sticker shock! thats the difference between the Estimate and the end cost! read the fine print, because of te costs of gas and deisel this last summer everything went up and contractors were having a hard time keeping up with the price increases so, some contractors got smart and wrote on their contracts, this is just an estimate the actual job will be cost plus 10% or 15% or what ever to cover the contractors through this high price problem so they wouldn't under estimate a job and have a loss. So, I did have a little sticker shock but look at the difference. During construction and I will send the pictures for after construction later. It's a big job and it's not over.

Ups and downs of the housing market got you down?

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:04:18 -0500

The housing market has gone up and down like a roller coaster ride, I get dizzy just watching the news but, somehow that may not be as bad as we think. What if we take the housing market in another state and compare it to our own state? the market may not look so bad now!

All though I've lost a few sales from this housing crises and the stock market problems, there are local banks out there giving loans and helping the economy so, maybe it's not as fast or as open an area for those that probably should look towards a bit more economy in their purchases, it's out there for the buyers, at a good interest rate and this is the time to buy. Buying increases the economy both locally and nationally and re-distributes the wealth! isn't that what one of our Presidential candidates is advocating? So look locally for bank loans and start there, that really does increase the stability of the economy locally as well as globally.

I thought I had the longest waite for a loan in history, I was wrong.

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:45:44 -0500

I was feeling pretty rightous and feeling strongly put upon that my loan took so long to close, almost two months. I have no reason to complain!!

a client has broke the record with a whopping three months and not closed yet because of distances, and the banks demands for more and more information, before they get a loan, some clients would rather go to the dentist and I can't blame them.

I'm a little city person and the big city people are asking some very unframiliar things for land in this small city, now I'm learning the ropes all over again.

In some ways this is good in others, it causes a long term hold up in the selling process which if you don't know what the banks are asking for ahead of time becomes very confusing when your client is already confused and trying to tell you what they need done but, the banks and mortgage companies can't talk to you about any of this so it becomes a mess that goes back and forthuntill you think the loan won't go through then it does or they ask for more information!! Is that fair??

no!!! Pulling my hair out here, it's a good thing I have so much or I might go bald.

loans, not as easy as they used to be! from sympathy to empathy.

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:45:32 -0500

Well! My husband and I started in kenai, from Fairbanks, We built out of pocket and never got a loan. 11 years later we want to do some changes so we are getting a loan, and I now have intimate knowledge of the loan process and the complicated system of the banks & the construction field! ouch!! paper,paper,and more paper, we killed a couple of trees with this transaction and a few brain cells at least for me. Needless to say it's going through but, I was so busy running around getting things done for this personal loan I didn't have much time for anything else. Now it's catch up time until construction, then I'll be living in our 21" motor home for two months and watching out the window and trying not to wince. So when a client tells me they are having a problem getting the loan, I will be more than sympathetic, I will be empathetic!

Happy 2008 I started the new year right, I gave a face lift to my grandchildren's rooms.

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:08:13 -0600

This year for Christmas I gave a face lift to my Grandchildren's rooms. I have four and they had moved into the house in August yet, for some reason the twin 4 year old's were still sleeping with mom and dad, and the 9 year old and the 11 year old would play in other rooms of the house?? when I went there this Christmas I discovered why, the rooms were scary! the walls were off, the drywall and texture was uneven giving the effect of vertigo for the older boys and scary shadows for the younger boys. I guess it's hard to find big houses in Fairbanks!! So here I thought I was only going to paint and decorate then I found I had to add drywalling, mudding, and texturing to my long list. Took me 5 days longer then planed, 1 sick 4 year old in the hospital and out, and lots of hard work, but, twins are sleeping in their own Lightning McQueen theme bedroom, mom & dad are so happy and the big boys have the solar system glow in the dark with flying cars and motorcycles! everyones happy, I even bring home the flue my youngest grandchild had!!

Happy Holiday's, Seasons Greetings and a Merry Christmas the last no one say's anymore.

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:04:31 -0600

Christmas is nearly here and everyone is full of cheer and good wishes, one and all say Happy Holliday's, Season's Greetings on the lips of checkers in grocery stores and even people passing you on the sidewalk.

Where has the tradition of Merry Christmas gone? Yes everyone has to be more politically correct than ever before, new laws and regulations provide for the non-discrimination of all. What worries me is we are regulating everything in our lives to such an extent that no one feels comfortable saying those last two words, Merry Christmas! Heureu Noel! Feliz Navida, Conten Natale, Froehl Weihna! It's not an insult! I'm not trying to be politically in-correct, you can say Happy Hanuka to me too! Just a statement of fact, I wish you all joy this Christmas.

Brandy Washburn

No winter in Kenai and thanks to lower interest rates more business.

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:08:37 -0600

If winter is here in Kenai, I sure can't tell it! my goodness where is the snow? One good thing though is that people are able to see land still and because of the lower interest rates business is doing better for everyone I hope. I've found more people on the net than in our communities looking for land now than the last three months. Hope that's a trend for everyone.

Brandy

Happy Turkey Day to one and all

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:55:25 -0600

Thanksgiving is coming soon and I want to let ever-one know how thankfull I am for all that this means, the freedom of religion, speech & the liberty that these give us are important to me because so many throughout our history fought for that freedom. The friends and family I celebrate this Holiday with should know that I'm thankful for them and that I care about them but, also that we wouldn't have these rights to a celebration if not for the friendship that emerged between the Pilgrims and the Indians and the respect for each others religions and cultures. So bring on the Turkey but, remember our troops in Baghdad are fighting for them to have the same rights that we take for granted.

Natural wonders of the Kenai Peninsula

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:18:29 -0600

For those of you that don't know, The Kenai Peninsula is still close to 90% wilderness and here are some of the really great wonders in our communities.

There are four (4) active Volcanoes from South to North viewed from the western side of Cook Inlet to the Alaska Peninsula there is St. Augustine, Mt. Illiamna, Mt. Redoubt, and Mt. Spurr.

World renowned fishing, including four salmon species spawning up the rivers, lakes and streams almost any time in the summer. Then you have halibut, trout, Dolly Varden and Arctic Grayling.

Harding Icefield spans the Kenai's four major protected areas; Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Kechemak State Park, Kenai Fjords, and Chugach National Forest. The Ice field is a half mile deep and can be reached by trails.

The Kenai Fjords National Park are submerged glacier valleys with stunning views and surprises at turn you can see Maritime wildlife thoughout a trip on the water and the glaciers are calving large chunks of ice that make their way down the ice fields for you to see.

I don't have all the details but I know that most of the rivers and lakes have this beautiful turquoise blue color that simply makes everything scenic. You can raft, canoe, fish, hunt, boat, even scuba dive if you use the right gear and an experienced guide. That's a wonder I never get tired of! and there are over 150 miles of canoe trails,

Scattered along the way, all the way from Anchorage through Girdwood & Coopers Landing, through Sterling and Soldotna, up Funny River or down North road down to Seward or at the end of the Homer spit you can find wild life. Just keep your eyes open and you'll see dall Sheep, Moose, Birds of many varieties, Snow Geese, Caribou, these are things you see regularly, plus many times you see Humpback and Baluga whale, or a bear or two but keep your head and stay away!

Birthday's are special to us but, why? Expireation dates I understand.

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:04:04 -0600

Hi everyone, I had a Birthday recently and thought "How special" but, really, is feeling special on your birthday supposed to be that way? why don't we give the present to the mother for going through the labor and discomfort of pregnancy? or to both the mother and father for raising the child and listening and caring after they become an adult? or for doing a good job of raising the child! of course if we gave a present for giving a child the good moral upbringing and doing a good job, how many of us mothers & fathers for that matter would feel that we didn't do that good a job after all and how many of us would say what it really boils down to, "we did the best we could" not everyone is the same, they don't come with instruction books like a new appliance and there is no insurance to fall back on when something goes wrong. I guess what I'm getting at is, I was happy to be alive, for all the trouble I caused my mother it's amazing she didn't drown me when I was a teenager. And the most important thing I'm getting at, My mother should get the Birthday gift every year. Yet I do feel I deserve a pat on the back when a property expires and I re-list it and it finally sells! that means I took a while but, I did my job! not "the best I could."

Brandy Washburn

When is someone going to give classes in Kenai Alaska for Meth Houses?

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:43:01 -0500

Ok, I'm having problems here trying to figure out what is and is not a met house or was one, how can I sell a house without checking? how do I check? what are the signs? is there a website I can go to to find this valuable information? I know I am not the only one here that would like to know.

Please give some answers to some or one of my questions.

Brandy Washburn

Thank you for your comments and information of the website I can go to.

Haunted Halloween Real Estate Story ?

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:29:07 -0500

I don't know of anyone with a haunted Real Estate story, if true would they post it? if not why would they? funny, we all love a good haunted story but, do we really want to know if there is a haunted place out there that's real? I can't say I would want to list one so probably no one else would either. If there are any stories out there I'd be interested to hear them get lot's of pictures please of all those TRICK OR TREATER'S Have a great and Spooky night. AND oh, ThaTs funny SoMEtHINGs haPPenIng to My.

BRanDY, HEy! WHO CHANGED THE FONT??

Train The Trainer Classes gone New Age?

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:39:14 -0500

That's right, I'm in Anchorage taking Train The Trainer classes and I found it so interesting that more than 80 people were in the class with me, from mortgage Brokers to Licensees and we all came out of an 8 hour class feeling like we not only gained something but, learned some new tricks from others in the groups! Amazing, usually I leave a long class like that, burnt out and bored to death! not this time, the teacher had us form groups several times and come up with several ideas to teach varied classes. So fun, meeting all these different needs in a highly inventive way. Now I just need to come up with my own class curricular! I use to be a teacher, that shouldn't feel so daunting, but it is, I'm not sure I can come up with any thing as well presented as the teacher that presented this class.

Brandy Washburn

Does Global warming have an effect on the real estate market? I need a home for a village of elders and maybe a few Polar Bear

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:58:49 -0500

I hear it on the news and on many peoples lips, global warming caused!!! how can this be? we did things right didn't we? reduced carbon emissions, IM tested, sought to save the trees, save the whales, save the oceans, but, here we are with the direct effects of Global Warming staring us in the face telling us what a poor job we did! I have a client looking to replace the home of many of the elders in a fishing community in which this "Global Warming" in particular, erosion, has taken their home and sent them to the mainland. Most areas have covenants that restrict the use of land from things like using the beach to dry fish in the custom of the native lifestyle, so where can they go? they need a road, they need an area which has services so that if an elder gets' hurt they can get help, but I understand their needs to be able to live as they lived on their own native soil. No answer yet to the dilemma of global warming and the effects on many native landins in Alaska. If I can't find a home for Native Alaskan Elders to live, how will the Polar Bear find a new home? Note: I'm not exactly a Green Peace type person and I'm not trying to talk "Save the World" I'm serious, I do have a cclient who is looking for Beach front easy access land on the Kenai, Alaska Peninsula where several elders can go build small cabins and fish and dry their fish living the way they did in their village which, was distroyed by erosion!

Anyone out there that can suggest a new home for a village of elders and maybe a few Polar Bear, please let me know. In the Kenai, Alaska Area Please.

Brandy Washburn

Here is a laugh for all real estate licensees!

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:24:44 -0500

I'm listing this property, the owner said " It has a view from a two story home" so, I go 33 miles out North Kenai Spur Hwy Nikiski Alaska to get to this place, but the two story home is not there, just a big tree, so I park my truck next to the big tree climb on top of the truck and proceed to climb this big tree with a large telephoto camera. Now, that's dedication! I did get a great shot of the Inlet from the tree but, haven't sold the property yet! I wonder why? I did post that the picture was from a very large tree and taken with a telephoto lens, do you suppose no-one wanted to climb a tree? I want to assure everyone that I posted the picture but, that I also said that the picture was from a very large tree taken with a telephoto lense, the picture is there, and so is the picture of the tree!

Questions but, no answers when it comes to real estate market?

Brandy Culp-Washburn (Alaskan Homes & Properties Realty) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:07:12 -0500

We all have questions but, no real answers when it comes to the real estate market, will it stabilize? will it go up? can it possibly go any lower? how did this happen? Did I as a real estate professional help the growing trend of over priced houses and land and how can we fix it? These are just some of the questions I've asked myself and others' on a daily basis. The answers?? some say that the current market was high in values and needed to adjust and level out, some, that the market was just right and the price for their home or land is not to high. The answers are so varied that everyone I talk to has a different concept.

My answers; there is a direct cause and effect of the market, if to many people sale their home or land over the market price in that area, that whole area goes up in price. When you have buyers that buy at an inflated price of course your not going to argue right? wrong, when you represent a buyer you must work for the best price realistically you can get. Doesn't that cause a reduction in property values? that can happen too! confused? so are many! why not let the market stabilize then buy? because that market may not move without the public buying some of the property, without the market movement needed to keep growth occurring there is a stagnation and possible recession! What can I do about it? just keep advertising in many different level, reduce properties but, don't ask clients do reduce so low that it brings the market everywhere down. So, if I ask my clients who are selling to hang in there and to reduce just a little then what happens if in a month, or two they still haven't sold? will they ask to cancel their listing and move on to another office with the understanding that selling this property is priority and the price is going to kill the neighborhood values because it's so low, or because it's so high it stays on the market forever without a look from anyone and the listing finally expires?

My suggestions; be as honest as you can be, show your best efforts to market the places and then be innovative, creative, and patient, then PRAY!