The Glenda Feeken Team

Opportunity Knocks on the Kenai Peninsula

Have you checked online or looked at the real estate magazines? There are some really great listings priced right on the Kenai. Properties in Anchorage, the Valley and Fairbanks are still thousands of dollars higher than like property on the Central Peninsula.

The Kenai Peninsula is a wonderful place to call home. Where else can you get off work and within a limited amount of time be on the the Kenai river fishing for salmon? Don't miss the dip netting season if you do nothing more than go down to the beach and watch everyone trying to learn to use their four wheel drive in the sand. Then the best fishing is in fall when everyone has gone home and it is just you and salmon out enjoying the river, along with the bears and moose.

The Peninsula has so much more than fishing to offer. There are bike trails, hiking trails, nordic ski trails, wild life viewing opportunities where ever you go.

Remember the Kenai is a great place for a family. The schools provide the children with a good education, and a host of extra curricular activities. The Boys&Girls Club offers many other opportunities such as soccer, basketball, etc. Then there is Pop Warner football, baseball and softball.

So don't miss your chance to make the most of the opportunity the Kenai offers.

PLAY ALASKA

   

 

 

 

 

What a great house, love to fish and hunt make this your base camp. Just minutes to Salmon fishing on the Kasilof River, just down the road to halibut fishing. For the hunter think moose. The large spacious rooms make entertaining family and friends easy. Large country kitchen lots of built-ins make for easy buffets, great views from most rooms, love the decks, 1,300 sq. ft garage, covered boat or RV parking. Don't over look the country quite of this 2.50 ace. P.S. seller just went clam digging at Clam Gulch.

CENTRAL KENAI PENINSULA MAY RESIDENTIAL SALES

AREA	2007 SOLD	2008 SALES	2007 AVERAGE SALES PRICE	2008 AVERAGE SALES PRICE
N. KENAI	5	1	192,424	60,000
KENAI	10	12	156,720	207,025
K-BEACH	9	9	193,285	244,611
S OF SOLDOTNA	2	1	404,700	139,000
KASILOF	1	3	172,000	31,667
RIDGEWAY	5	4	247,280	198,125
STERLING	5	9	144,800	218,056
SOLDOTNA	7	4	152,034	185,125
FUNNY RIVER	1	4	185,000	144,112

As always remember the small numbers make the price really exaggerated from one year to the next.

The housing market is doing great on the Kenai, don't let all the lower 48 talk cloud your view of buying or selling.

SEASONAL SELLING: Summer is a wonderful time to sell, but there are more properties competing for the buyer's dollar. Property sales are not seasonal, property sells year round.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:  You only get one chance for a first impression. The buyer wants to walk into an uncluttered, good smelling, sparkly clean home. Don't forget about drive up appeal, mow the lawn, pick up the toys, paint the front door.

PROVIDE EASY SHOWING ACCESS: Work with your licensee to make the home easy to show. The more accessible the home is to show the better the odds of finding your buyer.

DON'T TEST THE MARKET: If you're not ready to sell don't put your house on the market. If you're not ready when presented with a buyer and you are having second thoughts, you will blow the sale.

CHOICES YOU ARE NOT POWERLESS: Remember the difference between a great experience and a miserable experience is often a fine line. Employ the right licensee, it comes down to the experience and subtle know-how of your professional.

HOME WARRANTY YES? NO?

I personally think a home warranty is great. In the competitive world of home selling, it gives a nice edge to a property. In previous markets, curb appeal and some fresh interior paint were enough to attract offers on a home. Today it takes an extra edge.

For the nervous first time buyer it gives them less to worry about having a warranty to pay for repair or replacement on covered systems or appliance failure. For the seasoned buyer  it offers extra assurance of a problem free transaction.

For the seller it provides peace of mind for the unwanted call about an unexpected problem after closing. A home inspection avoids most unhappy surprises, but there can always  be the unexpected problem.

A good home warranty is a win-win for both the buyer and seller at a minimal cost.

ALASKA LAKE FRONT

 This incredible home allows you a breathtaking view of Browns Lake and the Kenai Mountains. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is across the lake. Enjoy wild Alaska with soaring hawks and eagles, many other varieties of birds, bears, wolves, coyotes, etc.There is a 10 X 33 dock just right for your boat or float plane. Enjoy the 16X16 gazebo, or the 120 feet of outside deck that overlooks   the lake. 3,354 sq. ft. of living space will make family and friends comfortable and welcome. There are 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, large living room, plus a lower and upper level family room and a large country kitchen with its warm hickory cabinets. The large dining space has 20 ft floor to ceiling bookshelves, room for easy chairs, (the possibilities are endless). Come enjoy your Alaska experience today!  www.glendafeeken.com  MLS# 08-6366 

THE LOWER 48

W0W! There are a lot of people in this world. Living in Kenai, Alaska where 3 cars at a stoplight is a traffic jam gives us an unreal view of the world. It is always eye opening to go back to Denver where we left to move to Alaska 24 years ago. The rate of growth has been amazing. Subdivisions, malls, toll roads, rail transportation, restaurants. The options are almost endless of things to buy and places to go. I must say Alaska has cured my shopping habit.

Kenai, Alaska is a world of different opportunities. Volcano's (a view of three from my living room window), the chance to see moose, caribou, coyotes and occasional wolf or bear, lots of eagles, hawks, maybe a Beluga whale, leaping salmon and otters. But my small part of the world is changing, currently under construction is a new Lowe's, and a Walmart. So I guess we are so different and so much the same.  

APRIL RESIDENTIAL SALES CENTRAL KENAI PENINSULA

Well it look's like people are thinking about buying homes the sales numbers have picked up! Remember interest rates are LOW! Lenders are still making loans. Don't listen to the news media, the gloom and doom apply to only a few outside markets.

AREA	2007 # SOLD	2008 # SOLD	AVERAGE SALES PRICE 07	AVERAGE SALES PRICE 08
N. KENAI	4	3	$195,750	$181,300
KENAI	7	12	$164,429	$157,807
K-BEACH	6	6	$211,817	$183,439
S OF SOLDOTNA	1	0	$180,000
KASILOF	1	3	$80,000	$239,300
SOLDOTNA	4	4	$201,919	$220,250
RIDGEWAY	3	4	$161,853	$205,00
STERLING	4	5	$111,375	$199,700

Come on it is time to BUY and SELL.  What are you waiting on?

IS IT REALLY SPRING ON THE KENAI

I believe we have had this discussion before. Is it spring on the Kenai? Every time we think it is here we have another snow. This time I think so, it feels like spring. My yard says it is spring. Most of the snow is gone and it is time for me to clean up the yard. Chester, the dog's greatest joy in life is to steal the dog food can off the counter or out of the trash and take it to the back yard. I can see five cans that need to be picked up, so it was a great winter for him.

I'm really looking forward to leaves, green grass and flowers. Breakup is a very ugly time of year. So sellers remember it is time to do a spring cleaning on the outside of your home. See my post of 3/28/2008 - the first time I thought spring had sprung, on the Kenai!

I will be posting April statistics on Thursday morning May 1st.

KENAI CENTRAL PENINSULA IS NOT THE LOWER 48 MARKET!

We are a lively active market. There are homes to sell and buyers preapproved to buy. So why are so many sellers and buyers bogged down with the gloom and doom of the media about the lower 48 market. It doesn't apply here!

Look at the interest rates for April 22,2008

Conventional, FHA, VA 6%

Alaska Housing Rural 5.65%

These are really great rates. I think most agents and lenders at the beginning of the year thought interest rates  would be at least 6.5% or 7% by now. As you can see, this is not the case.

Housing prices are not falling, they are gradually moving upward.  So let's refuse to participate in the media's gloom and doom and move forward.