History of Alaskan Homesteading - Plus One Modern Alaskan Homestead for Sale

Homestead is defined as: noun; a home and surrounding land occupied by a family. Yet that one word has so very much to do with the character and history of Alaska that the two are irrevocably linked, and for Alaskans the word is infinitely more meaningful.

The true beginning of homesteading in Alaska began with the first tribes that occupied the land now known as The Last Frontier. The inception of American homesteading in Alaska began with the Homestead Act of 1862. The brainchild of Abraham Lincoln's administration, the Homestead Act was designed to encourage Americans to settle on the vast expanses of federal land and create new vibrant agricultural communities. The original act laid the groundwork for homesteading in The Last Frontier, and 1898 the Act was extended to include the territory of Alaska. By 1900 over 1.3 million homestead applications had been filed in the lower 48 under the tremendously popular program. Alaska, conversely, had seen only a measly 200 applications by 1914. Yet, Alaska would ultimately see a significant surge in applications following both the World Wars, and then again after Vietnam. Perhaps the residents of a no longer innocent America recaptured the concept of true pursuit of happiness being only to have a mule, 50 acres, and a dream alone to subsist on. Whatever the case may be, by the time Alaska achieved statehood in 1956 the number of active homesteads had surged to over 3,000.

Homesteaders in Alaska were of a uniquely tough ilk. Many of them walked or flew into some of the harshest geography on the planet and not only lived to tell their tale, but helped to make the image of a singular homesteader's log cabin alone in a sea of snow, northern lights over head, as representative of our great state as our very flag.

The last of the American homestead land was granted in the late eighties in Interior Alaska. Today there are not nearly as many homesteads left, and those that remain have changed a great deal. Many have private if crude airstrips, satellite television, and Internet access. Others have transformed into remote tourist destinations. But the impression of the homestead days remain fresh in Alaska's memory.

Once in a great while a property that recalls that simpler way of Alaskan life becomes available on the market. Even more uncommonly, a property that affords a homesteading lifestyle along with the conveniences of modern in-town living appears on the market. The family home and surrounding acreage of Nugget Farms in Fairbanks, Alaska is that rare kind of property.

Nugget Farm is situated on a Goldstream Valley hilltop, just minutes away from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the amenities of town, has an entire lifestyle to offer the right buyer. The home has 7.5 acres, a potato field, oat field, perennial plantings of artichoke, asparagus, onion, horseradish, serviceberries, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, maple, currants, ornamentals, a host of flowers, a HUGE garden, 4 greenhouses, 2 coldframes, well water to the garden and greenhouses, an enormous modern barn with cement floors, heat, drains, cottage-style chicken and turkey houses, a quaint felled birch hog pen, and charm that goes on for miles.

In addition to all of that, this is no tiny log homesteader's cabin! The property also has a beautiful five star energy rated fully modern home with three bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a five person jacuzzi, and a view that will floor you of the cozy valley below. The sellers will leave this turn-key for the right offer, including an old tractor, tools, materials, lots more, and even your own flock of chickens if you want them to stay! This is ANY modern homesteader's dream.

Call April Frick of Somers and Associates at (907) 456-7653 or (907) 460-2310 for a private showing today! Click HERE  to see the MLS listing under featured listings or search for other real estate.

Talk About A Buyer's Market Deal!

The beauty of a market where there is a lot of inventory is that sometimes a motivated seller presents a deal like this one! This home has nearly 1400 square feet, three large bedrooms including a master suite with a bath and large closet, fenced lawn area, huge street-to-street lot fronting popular Birch Lane and backing to a sleepy culdesac, one car attached garage, mature trees, mostly new windows, dual coal/wood burning stove, arctic entry, and more. The seller has priced this to move immediately, WAY below the competition at $179,000. It is easy to show, easy to see, and will be gone quick! Call April at 460-2310 to see it today!

Downtown Fairbanks

It's hard to imagine that nearly all of downtown Fairbanks was, in the not-too-distant past, an area of mostly open and agricultural land with miner shacks and only a few houses peppering the landscape.

I have heard it said that Fairbanks does not have a lot of history, and in some regards that is true. You certainly won't find any Victorian era homes lining our streets. In fact, you won't find many of the original townsite structures standing at all. As usual, Fairbanks residents did things our own way. The town was once burned down and rebuilt in only a year! We had brothels, prohibition, a constitution.....we really squeezed a lot of history and transformation into a relatively brief period of time. Fairbanks has always been a place of change, and these days sunny downtown is a center of culture and activity, a perfect place for a stroll near the river, a fabulous glass of wine, an afternoon in the park, and above all, a perfect place to live!

I recently listed a home that sits right in the heart of Downtown Fairbanks. It is fully modern with new plumbing, electric, sheetrock, carpet, paint, roof, and much more. It also sits on the historic site of one of the longest held family homesteads around, which is part of the reason why it comes with three city lots and perennial plantings of cherry, lilac, lilies, raspberries, iris, delphinium, and one of the lushest lawns I have seen. It also features a beautiful cedar lines Asian inspired sunroom, a bright and sunny living room, a huge well laid-out kitchen, a full basement, alley access, garage, and more! The basement is 90% complete and could easily be made into a duplex, but at $216,000 your payments could be so affordable that you may not even want to collect rent!

Click HERE for more information and pictures, or call April Frick with Somers and Associates Realtors at 460-2310 or 456-SOLD.

Sign of the Times! 75 Million Dollar Mansion for Sale As-Is, Where-Is

These days, most Realtors are accustomed to a myriad of sales that used to be somewhat unusual. "Fixer-upper" seems to have slipped its way into the descriptions that used to read "like-new" or "totally renovated." We see a lot of foreclosures, unfinished homes, flooded homes, moldy homes, sinking homes, abandoned homes, and the like these days. But even after wading my way through a few years of listings in less-than-ideal condition, I was still impressed to learn that the largest home for sale in America has almost 100,000 square feet, a baseball field, 23 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 3 pools, 10 kitchens, a wine cellar, over a mile of pristine private shoreline, and the architecture was modeled after the grand 17th-Century residence of King Louis XIV. Oh - and it's unfinished. As-Is, Where-Is. A, ahem, fixer-upper.
         The home is the brainchild of a Florida based timeshare tycoon whose homes state, profession, and construction project were all hit particularly hard by the economic downturn. Timeshare sales fell sharply in 2008 and have yet to make much progress toward recovery. As a consequence, somewhere on a lake in Florida is an enormous abandoned mansion available at an incredible discount. And in my estimation, it is more than just a good deal. It is a perfect symbol for the current dark underbelly of our housing market, and  also says a lot about how we arrived at this crisis to begin with.
     America likes everything as big, shiny, and fast as it can be. Where else in the universe could you buy an inflatable barbecue, you know, so that you can grill while you swim. And hey, why not, right? I have to admit that I really don't have a fundamental problem with that. If you want to go to work, make some money, purchase an inflatable grill, and cook up a few t-bones while you perfect your breaststroke, have at it. This is, after all, the home of the free. But perhaps the time has come to exercise our freedom in a more reasonable way. The pursuit of happiness has become for many citizens the pursuit for things they do not need and cannot afford; a pursuit of luxury in a dangerous extreme. Maybe the average middle American family can't afford to own a little slice of heaven in the form of a timeshare. Maybe they can just call it good at the inflatable barbecue and try to find the vacation of their dreams in their own back yards. And maybe 90,000 square feet homes in the style of 17th century kings are only appropriate quarters for, well, 17th century kings.
     I believe that the economy will recover - that it is recovering as we speak. I think that the 75million dollar fixer-upper will sell and go on to be finished. But, I also think that it would do most folks a lot of good to take the lessons from this recession and hold on to them, and so will return to the premise of my blog with some buyer advice: Buy a home you can afford! Finance your dreams on hard work, not debt. Recognize that quality differs from quantity, and that there is a lot more time to enjoy life when you get to stop stressing out about how to pay the impossible bills.


If you would like to check out the listing for the mansion, be sure to visit the Realtor's website here.

If  you are interested in something a little more affordable than the unfinished mansion, check out some of our listings HERE
         

North Pole Starter Home!

This home is located in a peaceful, green, thoughtfully designed North Pole neighborhood right off of 5th Avenue. In this location you can enjoy the many benefits of a rural lifestyle while remaining only moments away from the heart of North Pole. The commute to Fairbanks is quick and easy.

In addition to an ideal location, this home has laminate hardwood floors, a bright and large sun room, large deck, a wood stove to offset heating costs, nearly 1200 square feet of living space, a TWO car garage (which can be SO hard to find in this price range), and significant updating throughout. Both of the home's bedrooms are generously sized, as is the full bathroom, making this a great choice for a family. The landscaping features mature trees and established lawn.

And, in tradition of saving the best for last, this lovely North Pole home is priced at only $189,000! Call for a private showing today!

Alaska is on Fire! Tips for coping with the smoke.....

As I write this, there are more than 80 wildfires burning in the state of Alaska. On the NASA image to the left, the red dots represent current fires. All the science in a nutshell: no matter which way the wind blows, it brings with it smoke to the greater Fairbanks area. 

Although the majority of the blazes are located in the Interior region, the Eklutna Lake fire has swollen to a respectable 1300 acres and is visible from some parts of Anchorage.

The blessings of living in The Last Frontier are many, but there is no question that when we opt to live close to nature, sometimes nature comes too close for comfort. Here are a few tips for staying healthy while the smoke keeps rolling in:


     * Become familiar with the "visibility guides" for gauging air quality. Alaska has air quality widely available, but its nice to be able to make an educated guess on your own.

     * Stay inside when smoke is severe.

     * To keep that last tip helpful, do what you can to have the cleanest possible indoor air. Home air cleaners/filters can be helpful. You can also take advantage of the brief breaks between smoke-laden winds, and air out the house when the outdoor air is clean.

     * Talk to your doctor if you are elderly, have young children, lung or heart conditions, or any other special circumstances that  make you more sensitive to poor air quality.

     * Pray for rain! (Okay, that won't help you breathe easy, but we could REALLY use some rain)

Some signs smoke is affecting your health include eye irritation, scratchy throat, and cough. More severe symptoms include worsening of existing conditions, severe cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain. As in any other circumstance, contact your physician or seek medical attention if poor air quality is affecting your health!

Alaska Horse Property!

I just listed a BEAUTIFUL horse property in the Goldstream Valley for all of you out there wanting to jump on the Alaskan hobby farm band wagon! The listing is so new that I don't even ahve pictures uploaded or a MLS listing available yet, so I will update tomorrow. But for anyone who wants a sneak peek, this posting is your chance. The home is very large, well laid out, and was purchased by the current owners in 1974 right after it was built. They have done a tremendous job taking care of the home, and have lovingly maintained the full five acres of land. They have a functional and attractive barn, horse fencing, and a lovely pasture. One of the things I have always loved the most about farm houses is how the kitchen window is often situated so that it overlooks the pastures. I imagine this began as a practical layout element - it makes sense to have a view of your animals from your most used living space. But this is a wonderful example of form and function working beautifully together - nothing is better than that first cup of coffee in the morning gazing out at a green field. Or a snowy one for that matter. And beyond the pasture at this property is a striking view of the surrounding hills.
     I love it when I list properties I am excited about, and this is definitely one of them. Experienced Alaskans recognize the value of many of this home's features: established pasture and plantings, a good well, a well maintained home, Vermont Castings woodstove, and a perfect location!

Home in the Hills for $148, 900

We have a fabulous listing in our office that is not likely to last long! It is a three level, 720 square foot home in the hills with a winter view, a well and a beautiful birch filled lot.

I cannot even recount the number of times that I have sat with a hopeful buyer that wanted a well, to be above the ice fog, near the Eastern town center, have a large lot, solid ground.....and maybe even a view, all for under $150,000. What I tell those buyers is that those opportunities are out there - they are just few and far between. The moral of the story is that when you find a house like this one, you should move fast!

Call (907) 460-2310 if you have questions about this home or would like to set up a time to see it!

Housing Survey Provides Mixed Indicators

Fannie Mae recently published a large survey of the general population, and asked them about a wide variety of housing-related issues.

The negative, though not necessarily unexpected news from they survey is that a majority of Americans are unhappy with the economy as a whole. This can be bad news for housing markets in all regions and of all sizes because we know that people who are hesitant about the nation's economy are also hesitant to make large investments - like homes. That said, there was a time not long ago where the public outlook on the housing market specifically was quite bleak, and that time appears to be coming to an end.

The positive news from the housing survey is that Americans still believe in home ownership. A whopping eighty percent of respondents feel that home ownership is important to the economy. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they would rather own than rent, and seventy per cent said they consider the purchase of a home a safe and good investment. These elements of the survey really point to an important and potentially tide-changing regrouping of the housing sector. The survey indicates that Americans once again feel that home ownership is desirable, safe, and a wise investment, which is a strong indication that our housing market is back on track!

The survey can be viewed by clicking here for those of you interested in reading it in its entirety!

Featured Listing

The featured listing for this Memorial Day weekend is a steal of a deal! One lovely and entirely remodeled home with 700 square feet of living space, PLUS an adorable rental cottage that currently brings in $600.00 of monthly rental income. This home could provide a very high quality of life, all the benefits of home ownership, conveniences of in-town living, AND a very low cost of ownership both through the very low purchase price and with the low monthly payments, further offset by the rental income. CLICK HERE for pictures and more information, then call for a showing!!