Oh my, you got your oders and you are coming to Alaska. Could you at least crack a smile? Yes we have winter for about 6 months straight, it often gets to less than 10 degrees in the middle of winter but when that's all over we have nearly 24 hours of daylight through out the summer, we are within an hour of great fishing, camping, rafting, and hiking and nothing can beat that! So relax, Alaska is an adventure and your family will love it!
Remember your house in Texas, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, etc.? It had those 3 acres out in the country with your 1600 square foot ranch style house that cost just a tad more than a Hummer H2? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's going to cost an awful lot of money to buy that same house in Alaska. Probably so much, that you aren't going to buy that same kind of house. Let me introduce you to the townhouse, site condo, and single family homes on a lot just big enough that if you stretch your arms way out wide, you can touch your neighbors house. Let me just take a wild guess but you probably will look at some listings on the internet and you immediately declare to your spouse, "We are moving ON BASE!" So you give up your housing allowance each month, chuckle when someone says they are buying a home in Anchorage, and in 3-4 years the movers come and pack your family's belongings and it's back to the "lower 48" for you!
Let's rethink your Alaska action plan for a second. Maybe a few facts can help you make a BETTER decision for you and your family. As a homeowner, you are able to write off your mortgage interest, taxes and private mortgage insurance. Talk to a tax advisor and they will tell you that's a BIG DEAL. Did I mention the appreciation in Anchorage homes during this time when "the housing market bubble was bursting?" We saw 12% appreciation in 2005 and 8% in 2006. That means your home's value went up over 20% in just 2 years. This time when you PCS, you sell your house, pay your closing costs and Realtor fees and you walk away with a chunk of change that is Texas sized! Last but not least, we all know that base housing can be a real pain when they come in with the black light to find the stains on the carpet that aren't visible to the human eye and then they hand you a $4000 bill for new carpet.
Finally, let me just be honest and say for the average soldier, I cannot sell you the same home you had in Texas. But if your family values focus on spending time with your family and providing them financial stability and success, then boy do I have some houses to show you!
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