Archive for the 'Wasilla Real Estate News' Category
Sing Me Back Home, Again January 27th, 2013
Paul Holmberg
Paul Holmberg is an authentic Alaskan of Aleut and Swedish descent born in a Widgeon amphibious airplane 35 miles southeast of Chignik Alaska 2000 feet in the air. He has been a commercial fisherman all of his life, turning to the guitar and country music to relax from the high stress of skippering a limit seiner off the capes of the Shumagin Islands.
Holmberg’s new CD, Sing Me Back Home, Again, is a mixture of traditional country and gospel music. It is heavily influence by the old country records he grew up listening to in the fishing villages of Sanak and Sand Point. Artists like Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Rodriquez had a huge influence on his musical style.
Paul met Rueben Hillborn, “The Singing Fisherman”, early in his life. Rueben’s “Missionary Pilot”, is included in this CD, a tribute to the mentoring role he played in Paul’s formative years. Missionary Pilot is one of my favorites because of my childhood memories flying with Ken Hughes Sr. and Jr.
As a fan of traditional country music myself I really enjoyed, “Back Home Again”, and “Sowin Love”. This is a happy soothing album. The kind of music that relaxes me and puts me in a good mood. Much of the new so called “country” tends to have the opposite effect.
I listened to this with a good set of headphones allowing me to enjoy the quality of the musicians in the background. These pickers have played for some of the best and their skill is obvious. The picking of Harold Kennedy and Ronnie Stewart lend a finishing depth to the whole album.
Very nice album. I’ll be looking for the next one.
You can order music directly from his website at Paulholmberg.com
Wasilla and Palmer Real Estate Statistics For October 8-15, 2012 October 15th, 2012
These are the numbers for the second full week of October. Thirty new listings this week is still a healthy amount of new inventory.
Four of these are foreclosures. If you would like to see all the latest foreclosures please just click the foreclosure link at the top of this page. Three are new construction, which is just about the ratio that we have seen all year. New construction and foreclosures have about equal shares of the market.
If you are looking for the best deal on a new construction right now, check this one out on Grey Wolf Drive.
Please note that the total inventory has decreased compared to the statistics from a couple weeks ago.
The market is still showing pretty normal numbers for this time of year.
Average Price
Median Price
DOM
New
30
$207,900
$194,000
.
Total Active
831
$257,058
$224,900
147
Pending
22
$212,428
$227,475
95
Closed
28
$225,522
$217,500
94
This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by, and to, the subscribers of Alaska Multiple Listing Service, Inc. (AK MLS, Inc.). AK MLS, Inc. does not guarantee nor is it in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by AK MLS, Inc. is for its own use and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.
Matanuska River Floods Houses and Roads September 21st, 2012
The Matanuska River has been damaging this summer. It has washed several homes down the river along with septic systems and fuel tanks. There’s a foul smell in the air today along the Old Glenn Highway. Just this morning there was a steady stream of flotsom running down the middle of the river including building materials with nails sticking out and wires hanging off.
It didn’t have to happen this way. At one time, local contractors mined the river for gravel. They were able to take gravel out of the river in the winter and sell it the next summer. This could easily be done again and would serve to guide the river away from the populated banks.
Instead, “the powers that be,” will not give a permit to touch the riverbed. I’m really not sure who is responsible for holding back the permits but I’m sure the land owners would love to receive some ability to protect their property. I don’t believe it is the government’s job to protect these properties, but they should not prevent the homeowners from doing what they can to save their homes.
Engstrom Road Area – Wasilla January 31st, 2012
The Bogard-Engstrom Road area is one of Wasilla’s hidden gems. With the icy roads and constant stop-and-go of the Palmer-Wasilla Hwy, lately I have found myself trying to avoid it as much as possible and take routes with less stop lights. Bogard road has really grown on me in these last few months! The speed limit is usually around 50, with minimal slowdowns depending on the cars in front of you. There are really only three stop lights on the entire stretch.
Engstrom Road is only about 2 miles from the Palmer-Wasilla and Trunk Road intersection. You can also eventually connect with Wasilla-Fishhook Road with a few turns.
Subdivisions include: Shorewood, Hart Lake Estates, Horizon Estates, Wolf Lake, Aspen Ridge Estates, Harmony Acres and Rover Ridge. There are no less than 5 lakes in the area, and “one of the premier private airports in Alaska:” Wolf Lake Airport.
Map of the Area. Click for a bigger view.
This area offers beautiful mountain views and quiet privacy, with quick commutes to Palmer, Wasilla and even Anchorage. The following photos were taken off Engstrom Road and its connecting streets. Click on any photo to see a larger version.
 Moose off Engstrom |
 Off Settlement Avenue |
 Off Hart Lake Loop |
 Off Rutan Avenue |
 Off Engstrom in the Fall |
Click HERE for more information on a home under construction in this area right now!
Click here or see below for listings currently available in the Engstrom-Hart Lake Loop area, from Bogard to Pamela Drive.
Mystrom Discusses Rail Extension At Palmer Chamber March 17th, 2010
Alaska Rail Road Routes
This extension of the railroad would cost about $200 million dollars. This would be funded by the state of Alaska, since it owns the railroad. Mystrom is asking local businesses to contact their legislators about providing this infrastructure.
It would provide a more economical means to ship minerals from the interior. Mystrom said it would reduce the cost of shipping coal by $3 a ton. That for a product that retails for only $20 a ton, so its a significant savings. It would also allow the economical development of a large limestone deposit by Livengood which has enough limestone for 15% of the US cement needs.
I note that the borough had a press release yesterday about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the rail extension.
Mystrom contends that Port Mackenzie does not compete with Anchorage because it can handle much larger ships that would ship interior resources to the market in a more economical fashion. The port of Anchorage is mainly centered on container ships while the Port Mac will specialize in more bulky products like coal, limestone, or wood chips.
Seward, another deep water port on the rail system, was also mentioned in Mystrom’s presentation. Of course it is a couple hundred miles further from the interior and is accessed through some steep mountain passes which are never good for heavily loaded trains.
After sitting through the session I couldn’t help but think that there is another project that we all need to get behind first…the gas line. It appears that the All-Alaska line may be gaining momentum. If we had the All-Alaska line to Valdez with a spur to Kenai, and LNG up and down the Yukon by barge to the villages we would be in better shape to fund something like this railroad extension.
Marty Van Diest, Tele 907.232.7900 / marty[at]valleymarket[dot]com
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