Homeowners

While you may be watching mortgage rates rise (the average 30-year fixed rate currently hovering around 7 percent) and the number of homes to choose from on the lower end, there is one important concept to consider— buying a home in Alaska is still a better investment than renting.

We know that buying a home can feel like a major obstacle for many first-timers in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond, but passing on the opportunity this year could create an even bigger hurdle later as rents will only continue to rise and the days of the 3 percent mortgage rate may be long behind us.

Below are three reasons why homeownership...

While the holidays may have just ended, the spring real estate market will be here before we know it in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and the surrounding areas. Soon a wave of potential buyers will take to searching for their perfect property as the weather starts to turn around. Not only do the warming temperatures play a role in getting buyers out and about to tour homes for sale, but lower inventory just may give sellers an edge.

However, that doesn't always mean your Alaskan home is ready for buyers to step inside and prepare their offers. You may need to do a bit of prep work before you're officially in the game! Below are four ways to get ahead of the spring real estate market this year and make your home stand out from the rest in ...

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 away...

When you decide to sell your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole, you begin to dream about how much profit you can make and moving to your next location. However, there is one figure you'll need to determine before you can make those dreams a reality— your home value.

It is not uncommon for homeowners to over-estimate how much their property might be worth, so as your local real estate experts, the Madden Real Estate team has put together a few tips that can help you determine just that.

Comparable properties
One of the first places to look to help find your home value is a list of comparable properties in the area. Look at homes that have a similar square footage to yours or those with the same types of features. Even if you think your home is better than the one down...

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 in the...

When the Alaska real estate market is hot, buyer demand is high, and sellers have the advantage, of course looking for the highest offer is a common strategy. However, there are a few other factors—besides money—that can contribute to a strong offer.

If you’re selling your Alaskan home this year, be sure to dive deeper when reviewing those offers and see if the following factors are included. Every seller would do well to consider all aspects, beyond the dollar amount, before settling on a buyer!

Financing Methods

As a home seller in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole, you likely have a dollar amount in mind that you would like buyers to meet or exceed. But just remember that...

When you think about the holiday hustle and bustle—shopping, events, decorating—it may seem like the last thing you should add to your plate is selling your home.

After all, aren't spring and summer the best times to list your home in Alaska? In the past, that may have been the case, but this year is shaping up to be different and the holidays could end up being the best time of year to sell your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond.

Why? A recent Foot Traffic report from the National Association of Realtors shows that there are more buyers out right now than there have been at any time in the last twelve months. This also means that there are more buyers currently looking for homes than there were during the busy spring ...

Fall is a great time to sell your home in Alaska— in fact, the market has been heating up for months! Motivated buyers are everpresent in today's real estate market, home prices are rising, and more importantly, properties are moving quicker than they have in the past. Listing your home now is an excellent idea as buyers may not have found "the one" on their search this summer and yours could be it!

So what comes next? Soon after listing your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, or the surrounding areas, you may find buyers scheduling showings to take a tour or have an open house planned and it's important to be prepared.

Follow these tips for securing your home for a showing or open house in Alaska:

Take your remotes
You may not think about it as...

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: Instead...

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 out...

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 of...

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,...

Every Alaskan home seller dreams of earning top dollar for their property. Once the For Sale sign is posted in the yard and buyers begin to arrive for showings, you'll start to wonder when the offers will land in your lap. But no matter how many offers you ultimately receive, remember that the best one may not be immediately clear to you and come packaged with a big, red bow. 

There are many factors that should be considered in your decision to accept—or reject—an offer on your home in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole. As your local experts in Alaska, we have listed four of the most important areas to research before you determine the best offer.

Contingencies
Even if you receive an offer over asking price, you'll want to make note if there are any contingencies. For instance, does the ...

When shopping for homes in Alaska, it is easy to get distracted by home features like the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen updates, backyard, and of course, the location. And while it is important to take note of these items on your buyer wish list, you will want to keep your eyes open for flaws or major problems that could be covered up by home staging.

Below are four signs a Fairbanks AK home seller could be trying to hide something with home staging:

Painted Floors
Even though you have pets of your own, that doensn't mean you want to pay for another homeowner's pet damage. If you happen to pull up carpeting in an Alaskan home and notice paint on the floor, the homeowner could be trying to cover up pet damage or water marks.

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 small amount of water...

Everyone loves a good deal— especially when it comes to real estate! However, in today's real estate market, actually purchasing a home for under asking price can be a rare occurrence. Real estate agents in Alaska—and all over the country, for that matter—typically advise against making lowball offers as you could risk offending the sellers and lose out on the home entirely.

But does that mean it can't be done? No! With the right expert on your side and under the right conditions, you can successfully make a lowball offer on a home in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole. Below are four scenarios that would call for making a low offer:

The home is outdated
Home sellers in Alaska can turn a blind eye to the outdated...

As a homeowner in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole, deciding to sell your home is major move that should not be taken lightly.  In fact, there are dozens of factors to consider— from the price at which you will list right down to the time that your Alaska home will hit the market. But before you start to worry that the best window of opportunity to sell your Alaska home has passed, you should note that now is that time! 

May has been recognized as the best month to sell your home as homeowners have been known to yield more of a financial gain from the sale as well as sell within a shorter time frame than any other time of the year!

Selling Faster
As I mentioned above,...

Many Alaskan homeowners tend to believe spring is the best time to list their property and prepare to move on to a better, more suitable home. And while they may not be wrong, it is important to note that selling is not always the best answer for every scenario. Depending on how long you've spent in the home and your location—among other factors—it may be ideal to consider staying put and simply making a few improvements. 

Below are five questions to ask yourself as you determine whether to sell or renovate your Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole home this spring:

How long have you been in the home?
If you have spent decades in ...

Temperatures may still be low here in Alaska, but that doesn't mean that the real estate market takes a dive along with them! The market is only beginning to heat up for the warmer months ahead and if you're planning to sell your home in Palmer, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Wasilla, North Pole, or Eagle River this spring, now is the time to work toward increasing your value!

Below are three ways you can increase your home value before spring:

Replace appliances
For buyers making their way from renting to homeownership, shiny, new appliances can be just the hook they need to move forward with an offer. Replacing one or all of your appliances with more energy-efficient models can also be a great buyer attraction...