jesse kathy clifton: The Good 'Ol Days - 12/30/07 01:03 PM
Remember them? When all you had to do to sell your home was to put a sign in the front yard and within a matter of days multiple buyers were standing on your front porch vying for the chance to outbid each other? Well, that was yesterday. Welcome to today. I sat down this afternoon to look through the MLS for a client with relatively specific needs. As I clicked past listing after listing, I couldn't help but wonder what these folks are thinking. The YTD average marketing time for Fairbanks Alaska real estate is less than 60 days. Only 7.7% … (1 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Local Icon Is Retiring... - 12/15/07 07:35 PM
Dorothy Purdue of Purdue's Jewelers announced plans to sell her store to embrace retirement with a bang. With her late husband Ralph, Dorothy founded Purdue's Jewelers in 1962. Purdue's is a local favorite; an icon of Fairbanks. The store often looks more like a museum than a jewelry store. After relocating to the Shoppers Forum on Airport Way in 1978, Purdue's has survived the boom and bust economy that was the Fairbanks way of life. After 45 years Dorothy says she is ready to try something new. If you haven't ever been in Purdue's, stop by and see check out their … (0 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Fairbanks Alaska Real Estate Update - November 2007 - 12/12/07 07:33 PM
It looks like the Fairbanks real estate market is still adjusting downward. Our total sales volume is down 17.9% compared to November 2006 and 13% from October. The total number of homes sold dropped 23.7% compared to November 2006 and 4.4% from October. At $204,550, the average sales price is down 7.1% compared to November 2006 and 1.7% from October. The Average days on the market, however, is up 38.3% compared to November 2006 but down 4.5% from October. The list to sales price ratio, or the percentage of the asking price the average seller received is, at 94.4%, the lowest … (2 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Gadget of the moment - 12/10/07 05:39 PM
Ok, so maybe I'm a little on the slow side. No comment, thank you very much. I've been handwriting letters to my mother for years, once a week like clockwork. Who doesn't love getting mail? As long as it's not a bill, I would think most of us. I came across the next greatest thing on Amazon.com this afternoon. How many of us have parents or grandparents that don't use a computer? My mother has one but she swears it's possessed by the devil. I just realized this might be against the AR rules somehow as advertising. If so, someone call … (11 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Buying A Home: Step 4 - House Shopping - 12/06/07 06:51 PM
You’ve done your homework. You know what your future home should look like in terms of what you need and want in a future home. You’ve hired a buyer’s agent to represent you in the purchase. You’re financing is in place so you know what you can afford and what type of mortgage you feel comfortable paying. Now comes the fun part; house shopping. Your Realtor will be an invaluable asset when it comes time to start touring potential homes. We tell clients to bring a notepad and their digital camera so they can make note of the features of each … (2 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Use Caution: Local Wildlife Is Feeling Frisky - 12/04/07 05:35 PM
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska State Troopers are warning residents to be alert and take precautions again the pack of wolves that are currently roaming around the area.
Residents of 14-30 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road have reported several sightings including some very close encounters. Two dogs have reportedly been killed by very aggressive wolves. A third dog was almost killed but was saved by its owner by chasing the wolves in his vehicle. Other reports put the wolf pack around the Chena Lakes Recreation Area of North Pole.
We're very close to Chena Lakes and … (8 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Fairbanks Alaska New Construction Homes - A Few Questions - 12/03/07 09:24 PM
Fairbanks Alaska New Construction Homes - A few questions to as your builder or representative.
For some it’s the crisp white walls or new carpet while for others it’s that theirs is the first family to call a particular property “home.” I started building homes in 2003, acting more as the bank than general contractor, because buyer clients were finding it difficult to accept some of our more retro properties as the palate for which they were going pain the picture of their new lives.
In the past several years the sale of new construction homes has skyrocketed. Seeing a demand … (2 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Earnest Money: What is it? - 12/02/07 05:47 PM
Earnest Money - What is it? Sometimes referred to as a "good faith deposit", earnest money, or consideration, is a necessary component of a valid real estate contract. In the Fairbanks area, an earnest money deposit of 2% of the purchase price is normal and customary. The funds are deposited into the selling brokers trust account and are considered partial payment for the subject property. As with most everything, the amount of earnest money is negotiable. I have written offers with as little as $10 as earnest money and have requested desposits of $25,000 or more for a custom new construction … (0 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Pricing Your Home; A Strategy For Success - 12/01/07 06:49 PM
The single most important decision you will make concerning the sale of your home is establishing the asking price. Set the price too high and your home will languish on the market with little to no attention from buyers; price it below market value and you will leave equity on the table at closing. Some have referred to pricing homes as equal parts science and art. I tend to disagree. Unless your home is extraordinarily unique there's very little art to it whatsoever. Establishing market value is achieved by comparing homes of similar design, location, amenities, age, size and condition to … (2 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Fairbanks Alaska Real Estate Market Update - November 29, 2007 - 11/30/07 08:40 PM
There are a lot of interesting happenings in the Fairbanks Real Estate market this week. With few exceptions the average sales price and number of homes sold is dropping while the average days on the market is on a steady skyward hike. This week saw three properties close escrow that have been seriously languishing on the market, thus the spike in days on the market this week. Overall market inventory is still relatively high. Current housing inventory, including Delta Junction is 540, which strangely enough was our market inventory last week. The absorption rate (time it takes all active listings to … (0 comments)

jesse kathy clifton: Housing issues will slow but not derail economy - 11/27/07 02:51 PM
A new report out today by the US Council of Mayors paints a less than glowing picture of the housing market in the coming year. An estimated 1.4 millions homes, representing an equity loss of $519 billion, will go into foreclosure in 2008 pushing the total loss of equity at a staggering $1.2 trillion. Home prices are projected to decline by as much as 7% nationally while home sales are expected to decline by 10%. This would mean the average sales price in Fairbanks would be back to levels not seen since early 2006 and homes sales would decline to 2004 … (2 comments)