Your Home in Alaska

It may be difficult to begin thinking spring when the weather is still quite cold here in Alaska, but inside your home, there are a number of projects you can take on! It’s never too early to tackle spring cleaning and if you’re planning to sell your home in the Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole area this year, buyers will certainly notice and appreciate your efforts!

Below are the most effective spring cleaning projects you can cross off of your list now in your Alaska home:

Clean the windows
Winter brings those long, dark days, but you would be amazed at how much of a difference a simple window washing can do for the light in your home. Clean every window inside and out—if possible—and while you’re...

As they say, the kitchen is the heart of the home— but it's also the place that can become the messiest! With the new year just days away, Alaska residents are preparing for a fresh start and what better spot than in this busy area of your home?

Follow these easy tips for creating a clean slate in your Alaskan home kitchen just in time for 2023:

Clean out the cabinets
First, start by removing any odds and ends that belong in other places of your Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole home— mail, books, electronics. Next, empty every cabinet, drawer and shelf, clearing out any broken or rarely used pieces to make more room for the others. Tackle the pantry and toss out any expired items or anything you're trying to...

We all know schedules can get a bit hectic during the holiday season and before you know it, your guests have arrived at the door! There is no better time than now to get your Alaskan home in order for hosting holiday gatherings this year, no matter how many you plan to have in attendance. The best way to avoid any last minute headaches? Take it one room at a time and the earlier you can begin, the better!

Consider these following five tasks your go-to list for holiday home prep and enjoy the season without any Alaska homeowner hassles!

Clean out the closets
Give your guests more room to hang their coats and store their belongings by purging your closets. In doing so, you can also make space for any gifts you receive or need to store before your holiday events. Start with coat closets and move on to your bedrooms as the...

Whether we like it or not, the winter weather has already descended upon Alaska. Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, and North Pole area homeowners would be wise to take precautions now to ensure they are not caught off guard by a faulty heating system, water leaks in the basement or high energy bills due to drafty windows and doors.

Madden Real Estate is happy to share the following five tips for preparing your home for winter and help you enjoy the season, without any home-related hassles.

Clean the gutters
Once all the leaves have fallen, it's time to clean out your gutters, unless of course, they are already overflowing. Gutters are the cause of many basement water problems due to water draining improperly.

On the same note, make sure your downspouts are pointing away from your house, away from sills and driveways. You always want to route water...

October is nearly here! That means fall is officially underway which brings about its own share of tasks for Alaskan homeowners— raking leaves, cleaning out the fireplace, updating decor and now, preparing for Halloween. You might not have anticipated getting ready for trick or treaters, but there are a few ways you can make sure the path to your door is as safe as possible.

Clear the way

Just as you would do to prepare for potential Alaska homebuyers, you need to ensure the pathways are unobstructed. While it's still daylight, inspect your lawn, driveway and other pathways for anything that could prove an obstacle. That means tree roots, fallen branches, or even cracks in the pavement. Make updates and repairs where you can or at the very least, block off these areas.

It's also important to make sure your Halloween decor is not...

As you think about selling your home in Alaska, one of the first questions to cross your mind is likely, "How much is my home worth?" Your home value will play a major role in the success of your sale, but there are many aspects of finding this number that Alaskan homeowners simply do not understand.

We've included a few key ideas to consider as you research your home value and prepare to sell your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and the surrounding areas this year:

Listen to your real estate agent
Determining your home value is a task best left to the experts, so do not be afraid to consult your real estate agent. Your agent can run what's called a "comparative market...

Fall is nearly here! But before the leaves begin to drop from the trees and we finally turn down the AC, there are a few tasks to tackle around your Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, and North Pole area homes. From cleaning the gutters to turning off the water to the garden hose, Madden Real Estate has compiled a list of fall home maintenance tasks to add to your to-do list.

Clean out the gutters
To make room for the leaves and debris that will fall into your Alaskan yard this fall, it's important to clean out your gutters now. While you're on the roof, you can also check for any damaged shingles that may have occurred over the summer and take the necessary steps to repair them.

Turn off outdoor water
You probably have your garden hose hooked up and have used it all summer, but...

March has arrived and before we know it, the birds will be singing, the weather will start to warm up, and spring will be in full bloom. But before we can get there, there are a few tasks you will want to cross off of your Alaskan homeowner to-do list— cleaning your gutters, for instance.

Below are four tasks to add to your homeowner to-do list this month and you will be ready to enjoy the spring season ahead!

Clean your gutters
Debris has likely built up in your gutters over the past few months and if not tended to, it can cause a variety of problems both inside and outside of your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond. Take a weekend to clean out the gutters and flush water through to ensure the spouts are in proper working order....

As a home seller, it’s important to note that hiding flaws from buyers is simply not an option. If your Alaskan home is in need of repair, it’s better to remedy the problem entirely than to hatch a plan for a quick fix that could send buyers running for the door.

Fairbanks and Anchorage area home sellers will find their transaction runs much more smoothly if they fix the problem versus finding a way to cover it up for the time being.

If you’re planning to sell your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or the surrounding communities this year, you’ll want to take a look at the following five problems that can arise for homeowners and how to fix them.

Problem: Stained Ceiling
How to Fix...

Now that we're all spending more time at home, there have been plenty of hours to watch home improvement TV and real estate reality shows, contemplating how you can put your DIY skills to work.

But before you grab a paintbrush or do anything drastic, you'll want to know there are several DIY projects you can do to your Alaskan home that will actually pay off at resale. 

Below are five home improvement projects Alaskan homeowners can do to improve their property's overall appeal to future homebuyers in Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond:

Makeover your cabinets
There is no doubt that kitchens and bathrooms often sell homes. One easy project you can do to makeover your kitchen is to refresh your cabinets. As long as the cabinets are in good shape, you...

When you first move into a home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla or North Pole, you might be overwhelmed with home project ideas. From painting the house to renovating the kitchen, it's hard to prioritize what needs to be done and how to stay on budget.

If you've just moved into your Alaskan home or are in the process of house hunting and deciding which home to buy, below are a few tips to help you stay on task.

Take notes around the home
Any time you decide to take on a home project, you should plan out the process and assess the conditions of the space. For instance, what needs to be done versus what you'd like to get done first. Is the flooring damaged? Are the appliances not running their best? These may be prioritized ahead of simply changing...

We're headed into the thick of summer and now is the time to ensure your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole or the surrounding areas has had a proper check-up.

Due to rising temperatures during these warmer months, you'll want to make sure your cooling system is in working order in addition to conducting an energy audit. Once these tasks have been completed at your Alaskan home, you can enjoy the rest of the summer with few problems in sight!

Start an Energy Audit
Not as difficult as it sounds! Simply pick up a notepad and walk around your home looking for places energy might be able to escape. It has been said that an Alaskan homeowner can save approximately 20% on heating and cooling bills just by plugging leaks, so take note...

The official start of summer is here in Alaska! And while we're all certainly looking forward to warmer temperatures, the summer heat can bring about a rise in utility bills for Alaskan homeowners.

There are dozens of ways to keep mounting utility costs at bay this year and as your real estate experts in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond, we are happy to share a few with you below!

Clean your air filters
It's important to clean your air filters to keep your heating and cooling bills down this summer. When filters are dirty, these systems have to work much harder and use much more energy to function properly. With clean filters, your home can run as it is meant to and help bring down your utility bills.

Install a new thermostat
If you haven't already, consider installing a new thermostat in ...

Maybe you own an Alaskan home that's on the smaller side or you are getting a jump on your spring cleaning and organizing everything in sight, maybe you simply desire more storage options to hide your belongings— regardless of the reason, every homeowner could use a little more storage to keep things feeling neat and tidy.

With spring just around the corner and a little more time at home in our future, we've rounded up the following easy tips to add storage to your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and the surrounding areas. These are the perfect way to spring forward into the new season ahead and feel like you have a fresh start!

Storage Bed
The bedroom is the place where most homeowners desire storage. A place to hide closet overflow,...

Spring is nearly here and what better time to "green" your Alaskan home than now? It's actually easier than you think to turn your home into an eco paradise and you probably have all you need already on hand!

Make it a weekend project or go room by room this week to spring clean and spring green the property. What's more, when you're ready to sell, homebuyers in Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond will notice that your home is already up to "green" standards or on it's way!

Detox the Bedroom
An easy way to "green" your bedroom is to detox all of the linens and especially the curtains. You may wash your sheets and bed linens often, but how about your pillows? Cleaning your pillows will help keep toxins and dust mites at bay. You can also keep mold away in the bedroom by opening your curtains and shades and letting the sun take...

The idea of cutting your monthly mortgage payment down by refinancing your loan may sound intriguing to you as an Alaskan homeowner, but there is much more to consider before diving in. In fact, there are cases in which refinancing does not truly pay off for the homeowner. But don't worry! As your local real estate experts, you can count on Madden Real Estate to help you make the best decision for your situation.

Below are four factors to consider before making the decision to refinance your mortgage:

Refinancing is not free
Just as you likely paid some closing costs when you purchased your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and the surrounding areas, you will be required to again with refinancing....

Since it's winter in Alaska, we're all staying indoors a little more and perhaps you're even watching a few real estate reality TV shows— we've all seen a few by now! As these shows grow in popularity, it's important to keep in mind that not everything you see on your screen is actually reality.

Much of what takes place is staged and filmed in a much shorter timeline and as your local real estate experts in Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond, we've included a much needed reality check for you below!

Myth: Buyers only choose from 3 homes
In nearly every reality TV show based on homebuyers, there are typically three homes toured before the buyer makes a decision and chooses one. While there may be a small percentage of buyers that truly buy one of the first few homes they see in Alaska, remember that the average homebuyers tours at least 10 homes...

There's no doubt, the weather is frightful out there with temperatures steadily dropping. If you're stuck at home or freezing as you head outside each morning, you may be wondering if there are steps you can take to protect your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole and the surrounding areas this winter, especially from the harsh cold temperatures.

And of course, there are! Whether you've just purchased this home as a first-time homebuyer or you're a long-time homeowner in Alaska, the following steps can help you protect your home before the winter taks a toll on the property.

Keep Your Pipes Warm
Winter weather can cause homes in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole and the surrounding...

There's no doubt about it, winter has arrived here in Alaska! But if you have your sights set on a new home in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer, or North Pole for the new year, don't let that stop you from listing your property now! There are plenty of ways to pique buyer interests during these colder months and with Madden Real Estate on your side, you can count on us to help you make it happen!

Home staging is one smart way to grab a buyer's attention and below are five ways to stage your Alaskan home successfully during the winter:

Boost winter curb appeal
Adding winter decor to the exterior of your Anchorage or Fairbanks home can boost your property's curb appeal, but it should lean on the simple side. Try a holiday wreath or fresh greenery outdoors, make sure all pathways are clear of snow for buyers, and consider adding classic white lights. To go one step further,...