homes in soldotna: 2014 Trends in Soldotna Real Estate Home Design Bring Fresh Notes - 03/26/14 08:37 AM
Keeping your Kenai Real Estate kitchen looking up-to-date doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Contemporary home design in Soldotna Real Estate is all about knowing what the latest trends are and which to choose when regular maintenance calls for a change in appliances or décor.
This year, eco-friendly appliances are definitely ‘in’—as are the pops of bright color meant to create a vivid and welcoming kitchen. And as convenience features continue to evolve, those are increasingly prominent factors influencing design choices. Especially if you are planning to sell your Real Estate Kenai home in the near future, there are a … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Soldotna Real Estate Listing Activity Gets a Weekend Dose of Good News - 03/17/14 06:09 AM
Real estate offices have been gearing up for the imminent spring selling season, the time when Soldotna Real Estate listings swell to meet the expected surge in buying activity. I sometimes put quotes around ‘selling season’ because so many factors go into home sales that it can be slightly misleading—we do sell homes all year long, after all!
But there is a lot of truth (and historical verification) to the idea that springtime brings a burst of new Alaska Real Estate listings and accompanying selling activity. There can be lots of reasons why that happens, but this past weekend, area homeowners … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Things Your Soldotna Real Estate Agent Thinks You Should Know - 03/14/14 05:50 AM
Real estate agents in Soldotna Real Estate are true veterans when it comes to every aspect of what needs to take place for a home to be sold. We know in advance what all the pieces of the puzzle are, and what needs to be done for them to fit together properly. We’ve also seen why some homes stay on the market for too long, while others get snatched up right away. And the best part is—we want our clients to know all those same things!
Every rule may be made to be broken, but here are three generalities that just … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Downsizing is Just One Soldotna Real Estate Empty Nesters’ Possibility - 03/13/14 08:29 AM
The children have grown; home feels…a little empty…
Many people assume that an empty nest means it’s downsizing time—time for a smaller house or condo. In truth, for many a homeowner in Soldotna Real Estate, downsizing is just one of a number of appealing directions.
It may sound obvious, but it’s your interests and plans that should guide your next step. After a lifetime of deferring to other people’s priorities, many of us are ill-prepared to think creatively about what it is we want. When we do, downsizing might not necessarily be the springboard to life’s next great adventure.
For instance: consider Upsizing. Moving … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: One Last ThingsYou Think About When Buying a Soldotna Real Estate Home - 03/12/14 07:04 AM
It can be perplexing—and not least because it’s one of the least-discussed details you run into when buying a home. The issue is flood insurance, and it’s sometimes first brought to the fore when you are buying a home in Alaska Real Estate that you would not have thought was on a “flood plain.” If it is, it’s going to require flood insurance before the bank will sign off on a loan.
As we only see from time to time, devastating floods can strike when and where least expected: sometimes, in areas where that ruinous flooding is unprecedented. In 2005, when … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Preparing for Multiple Offers on Soldotna Real Estate Properties - 03/11/14 09:25 AM
Part of the recovery in’s real estate scene is the increasing likelihood of multiple offers on a listed property. This is every seller’s dream— but if you are one of the bidders, it’s important that you don’t allow it to become your nightmare.
There is one way— the only sure way—to keep the specter of competing Soldotna Real Estate multiple offers from upsetting your home buying prospects. Summed up in one word, it’s “preparation.”
Preparation starts with assembling a strong financial package. If your target property attracts multiple offers, you want yours to stand out. By the time you learn that other … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Soldotna Real Estate Retirees Getting a Loan: the Big Picture - 03/07/14 08:16 AM
The ongoing housing recovery is being boosted by some older participants. Builders and developers in particular have found that catering to the 55+ segment of the market is good business.
Many retired buyers in Soldotna Real Estate looking to enter the resurgent market will be pleased to learn that getting a loan is still possible, even if their income isn’t all that it used to be. In addition to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, intended to keep lenders from discriminating on the basis of age, last Saturday the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a bulletin describing new tools which help … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Soldotna Real Estate Home Prices: Looking Back, Looking Forward - 03/06/14 09:31 AM
As reflected in the near-record national rise in home prices, Soldotna Real Estate homeowners as a whole had much to cheer about in 2013. According to the S&P Case-Shiller Index, home prices increased 13.6% from October 2012—and in fact, they’ve been improving at a faster annual rate in each month for almost two years! Every expert I researched agreed that this rate of increase won’t (and, for the health of the market, shouldn’t) continue at that gravity-defying pace in 2014. Most of them do predict higher interest rates with a slower (but steady) rise in home prices. Adding to the overall … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Luxury Soldotna Real Estate Home Market See Values Heating Up - 03/05/14 03:52 AM
If you own a luxury home in Soldotna Real Estate, this will be good to know: according to researchers at DataQuick, the number of homes sold at more than $1 million rose nationally by 37% in the first half of 2013. Last Friday, the Wall St. Journal headed its Mansion section with “the recovery in high-end real estate,” and Bloomberg reports that luxury home prices in the biggest four cities that had fallen nearly 46% during the downturn have now more than doubled.
If the formerly-missing luxury home buyers have been buoyed by record-breaking Wall St. returns, it’s not surprising that … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Relocating to Kenai Real Estate and a “Sight-Unseen” Home - 02/11/14 08:43 AM
One of the unusual situations that sometimes crops up in Kenai real estate is one where the buyer purchases a house without ever seeing it. This may sound nuts—but there are circumstances (more than you’d think) where it can be the only practical solution.
Wholesalers and house-flippers, for instance, sometimes simply haven’t time to visit every property they suspect is a great buy. Other times, buyers might be relocating to Real Estate Kenai from out of state (or even out of the country) under a timetable that doesn’t allow them an extra visit—or even a first visit! According to the latest full-year data … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: How a Soldotna Real Estate Vacation Home Makes Financial Sense, Too - 02/06/14 03:53 AM
For many Soldotna Real Estate homeowners, it sounds more like a pipe dream than a carefully thought-out investment: getting your own vacation home—a refuge where you can put your feet up, relax, and tune out the stress of daily life.
True, if you look only at the cost of a second home, it sounds like a pretty costly indulgence. But in many cases, stepping back to take in the bigger financial picture, it could wind up being one of the shrewdest financial decisions you can make!
Consider:
1. Vacation savings. Using your Soldotna Real Estate vacation home more than once or twice … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Looking For Soldotna Real Estate After Moving - 02/04/14 06:34 AM
Any time you move it can be stressful even if you are familiar with the area.  If you are moving to Alaska and have never been or are moving from another area of Alaska a great place to start is to look at Alaska Real Estate in the area that you are moving to.  Moving to areas like Soldotna or Kenai Alaska means that you should focus your house searches on Soldotna Real Estate and Kenai Real Estate.  By doing research on the areas that you want to move to you will find that it is helpful so that you know … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Will Home Values Fall if Soldotna Real Estate Mortgage Rates Rise Further? - 02/04/14 06:32 AM
Right now, mortgage rates in Soldotna Real Estate (as in the rest of the nation) are higher than they’ve been for 15 months—a trend that’s likely to continue. We have to wonder about the impact higher Soldotna Real Estate mortgage rates will have on Real Estate Kenai home sales in the coming year.
First, some perspective. If mortgage rates do increase in 2014, it’s no ‘done deal’ that home buyers will be put off—nor that a wave of foreclosures will follow. The reason? By past standards, interest rates will still be low, even at the 5½% predicted by the N.A.R. Any … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Secret Tips For Buyers on the Soldotna Real Estate Market - 01/23/14 07:47 AM
The best way to overcome your fears is to become more informed and take control of the home buying process. The Soldotna real estate market is filled with great homes that are prices fairly, but you have to find the option that fits your needs perfectly. There are some secrets that can help you find exactly what you are looking for on the Soldotna real estate market. Just be patient and trust your instinct to guide you.
Opt for an Appraisal
When you find a Alaska real estate property that really intrigues you, never hesitate to call on an appraiser. An … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: 3 Questions A Property Owner Should Ask A Soldotna Real Estate Agent - 01/23/14 07:41 AM
A property owner shouldn’t randomly hire just about any Alaska real estate agent or agency to sell his or her property. There are many factors based on which you should hire a Soldotna real estate agent and these three questions should be included in the screening process of potential candidates. If you do not get the desired answers to these questions then you should entrust your Soldotna homes for sale on the abilities of such an agent or agency. How Would You Market My Property? This is a very important question. Regardless of what type of Soldotna homes for sale is … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Toward an On-Target Soldotna Real Estate Listing Price - 01/14/14 07:12 AM
There is less guesswork than you might think about establishing an on-target Soldotna real estate listing price. There is really very little mystery:
Comps and CMAs
When you hear your REALTOR™ refer to ‘the comps,’ you probably think of them as the printouts of the Soldotna real estate listings which are comparable to your own property. More comprehensively, a CMA, or Comparative Market Analysis, also includes a broad look at pending and completed sales, as well as withdrawn listings. That analysis will also include and account for differentiating factors, such as upgrades you have made to the home, location, and other … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Soldotna Real Estate Property Owners Welcome National Trend - 01/13/14 06:05 AM
Soldotna Real Estate property owners, whether they are single homeowners or large institutions holding multiple rental properties, are members of the same club—at least by one definition. They are all real estate investors, even though not all of them are the kind of Soldotna property owners who keep an eagle eye trained on the value of their real estate investment portfolio (most of us think of it more as just “home”). Unless they plan to sell sometime soon, today’s asset value, book value, or whatever financial term you are looking at, is pretty much an abstract notion. It only becomes significant … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Soldotna Real Estate New Construction Home Buyers Get Answers - 01/09/14 09:27 AM
For most of us, the appeal of new construction—a brand new home which your family is first to own—is undeniable. The idea of being able to select your own floor plan with a layout you like and upgrades built to order is hard to beat.
But home shoppers looking for new construction in Soldotna Real Estate should be particular. If their future home is to meet expectations, some sophisticated questions should be asked and answered before any agreements are reached.
Home models are usually decked out with the best and most expensive furnishings and finishes, unlike more modest packages, where the … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: First-Time Soldotna Real Estate Buyers Should Check Credit Scores - 01/08/14 09:26 AM
It can take years for Soldotna Real Estate first-time buyers to save up for their first home’s down payment, but even after that hurdle has been cleared, it can take even more time to secure a mortgage — if they have neglected the other part of the equation. Their credit rating. Before first-time buyers in Soldotna Real Estate will be able to move forward with that initial home purchase, they need to ensure that their credit score does not raise the kind of questions that sometimes derails an otherwise well-qualified home loan applicant. This has always been true, but may become … (0 comments)

homes in soldotna: Selling a Soldotna Real Estate Home this Winter From the Strongest Position - 01/07/14 07:07 AM
The signs are positive for those who will be putting their home on the Soldotna Real Estate market this winter. Demand is there, mortgage rates are still low, and across the nation, prices are pointing higher. If you will be selling a home in town anytime soon, there are some extra steps you can take to strengthen your position.
Clarify Your Finances
Getting a home loan will be the concern of the buyer, not you. She or he will have to fill out the forms, go through the credit checks, etc. More subtle is the impact your own financial picture can … (0 comments)