Fairbanks

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...

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...

For homebuyers in Alaska this summer, saving for the down payment is one of the biggest hurdles in front of the finish line. In the past, we've shared how to start saving for the down payment, but you might be wondering where to keep the money.

Below are four options for risk-free accounts in which you can keep your down payment. You may sacrifice return, but you can be assured the money will be there when you need it to purchase your home in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or the surrounding areas!

Online savings account
Compare online rates to determine which online savings account is best, but this may be the easiest option for moving around funds. You can track the money easily via online banking and set up transfers in a snap. You also don't need to worry about the bank not being open when you need to pull your down...

The question on many Alaskan homeowner minds right now is whether or not to sell yet this winter or wait for better weather in the spring. It may be tempting to want to wait until the warmer months to list, after all more buyers will be out and about in the spring, right? Not so fast! That is not always the case!

There are many perks to selling your Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole area home this winter, without waiting until spring, and as your local experts, Madden Real Estate has listed a few of them below.

There will be more competition in spring
By listing your Alaskan home now,  you avoid the wave of homeowners that...

After months of the snow and cold, it's finally time to welcome the warm weather, green grass, and sunshine back to Alaska! But even though we'll all be headed outdoors this summer, there are still a few projects to check off of your homeowner to-do list to ensure your property is ready to handle the season.

Powerwash your home's exterior
From the driveway to the siding, the winter dirt and grime can take a toll on your Alaskan home's exterior. Consider renting a powerwasher—or purchasing one if you'll get more use out of it—to get your home looking clean and fresh for the new season.

Seal your deck
If you haven't properly sealed your deck, months of moisture have likely been seaping into the wood which can pave the way to rot and a less-than-ideal appearance. Test a patch by pouring a...

Searching for your dream home in Fairbanks AK or the surrounding areas is an exciting journey and one you may have been thinking about for quite some time. You'll tour dozens of homes before you find the best fit, carefully considering the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and of course, location. However, you may also discover that a property doesn't check all of the boxes on your priority list. So, when should you compromise?

As your local real estate experts in Fairbanks, Anchorage, North Pole, Wasilla, Eagle River, Palmer and Chugiak, we have included below a few compromises that are worth making when house hunting in Alaska:

The size of the yard
...

September is here! Temperatures have started to cool down here in Alaska and it's time to begin thinking about all that fall and the coming months will have in store. And while changing colors and pumpkins are just two aspects to look forward to, wet weather and falling leaves are also major players, so you will want to make sure your Fairbanks AK home is prepared!

Set aside a weekend or two to complete the following five tasks around your Alaskan home this month:

Clean the gutters
When the leaves start to fall and the rainy days become more frequent, it's always helpful to have your gutters in clean, working order. If there aren't there yet, grab your ladder and head up to the roof to give them a thorough cleaning. Gutters should be free of all debris and clogs before...

While inventory may be lower than it has been in past months, there is no shortage of homebuyers in the Fairbanks Alaska area! Buyer traffic has continued to rise and with May having just begun, it's safe to say we are in for a busy summer in the local real estate market!

If you have just started your home search in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer or North Pole, now is the perfect time to prepare to make your home purchase a reality. Below are five ways Alaskan buyers can prepare to purchase a home this year:

Research your creditYour credit score will be an important piece of the puzzle when meeting with a lender. They will comb through your credit, pulling your scores from the three major reporting...

While winter has been named one of the best times to buy a home in Alaska, homebuyers may find themselves wishing they had moved before the holiday season rolls around. Schedules will soon grow busier, travel accommodations will be made and planning for the new year will begin, so if you're on the fence about buying a home in Fairbanks, North Pole, Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer or Anchorage, consider the following reasons to buy now instead of waiting.

Prices are rising
Homebuyers in Alaska will find that prices continue to rise as we head toward the end of the year— and will continue to do so well into 2016. According to a new survey report from over 100 economists and real estate market analysts, price appreciation over the next five years is expected to be between...

The end of September is here! Summer is officially over and the warmer temperatures are behind us— now is the time to start preparing your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, North Pole, Palmer and Wasilla for the snow and cold that have seemingly already set in! So whether you've just purchased a new property in Alaska or you've happily settled into your dream home, consider the following tips for protecting it against the fall and winter elements.

Start outside
Before the temperatures drop even further, start outside your home by disconnecting any hoses from spigots, clearing gutters and outside drains so rain and snow can properly travel and freeing walkways of any leaves, tree branches or overgrown landscaping. Cleaning your...

"Should I wait to buy a home in Alaska until I have a larger downpayment?" It's a common question on many Alaskan homebuyer minds as of late and yet, the answer may not be what you expect!

The downpayment is an important part of the homebuying process as it will ultimately lower your monthly mortgage payment and if you have saved up the 20 percent, can help you avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI). And while there are mortgage types that allow you to put down as little as 3 percent, many homebuyers are pondering the idea of waiting to buy until they have a larger downpayment.

The main reason for Alaskan homebuyers...

With the smoke, heat and burn bans across the State of Alaska this summer, you probably haven't thought much about a fire pit.  However, a fire pit can be an excellent addition to your outside living area.  And, what better way to enjoy those beautiful cool Alaskan fall evenings than sitting around a fire?  Building a fire pit is actually fairly simple, and we've put together this handy infographic to point you in the right direction!

Fourth of July in Alaska is just two days away! It's time for parades, games and entertainment in the park, socializing with family and friends and celebrating America. Lucky for us, the communities of Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla and more have dozens of fun activities and events planned to kick off the holiday. 

And with this year's holiday falling on a Saturday, why not start the weekend and celebrate a day early? The Eagle River Fireworks are just the place to begin the festivities! On Friday, July 3, 2015, Lions Community Park in Eagle River will host their community-wide celebration starting at 6:30 PM with entertainment and games. The event will end with fireworks at midnight, sponsored by the Lions Club. With 19 hours of sunlight, the fireworks will go up just as the sun goes down!

In Fairbanks...

Now that it's June and Memorial Day is behind us, we can welcome the "unofficial" start of summer to Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla and North Pole Alaska! The warmer weather has arrived and this month, there are many fun events planned to kick off the new season. As your local Alaskan real estate experts, we've rounded up events to add to your calendar and opportunities to get out and explore— take advantage of everything that our area has to offer!

Skinny Raven Twilight 12K & Skinny Mini 6K
When: June 5, 2015, 7 PM
Where: Anchorage, AK

This fun, evening race event returns for its 9th year this month! Hit the streets of Anchorage and follow this event's interesting road course (one of Alaska's most unique!). It's the race of the summer and this year, you can join in on the Skinny Mini 6K if the full 12K just isn't...