Matanuska Electric Association Election April 7th, 2011
Bill Folsom for MEA
We are all members of the Cooperative if we buy electricity from MEA and so we all get to vote for the seats on the board of directors.
Bill Folsom was the one candidate who impressed me. He was a director from 1994-2004. He said that MEA needs to be run like a business and not a monopoly. Some examples of operating like a monopoly are hiring three people to fill the job of one person, buying three trucks when one truck will do and increasing employees wages while everyone elses wages are dropping. He gave specific examples of how MEA has been doing just these types of things in the last couple years.
In fact, most of the costs of running MEA have been increasing. The Administration and General Expense part of the budget has gone up an average of 38% in the last three years according to Folsom.
The reason our electric bills did not increase is because the cost of buying our electricity from Chugach Electric has decreased. MEA produces very little of its own power and has to purchase the power from other utilities.
So while there are two seats open this year, I hope you will join me and only vote for only one…Bill Folsom. Voting only for him will increase his chances of getting him on the board.
We need him.
You should have already received your ballot in the mail. Don’t throw it away, fill it out and send it in.
Talkeetna Is Unique April 2nd, 2011
Fairview Inn, Talkeetna
I took a quick trip to Talkeetna today to look at a cabin that a client may want me to market for him.
I hadn’t been there in awhile so I went right downtown to look around a little. Visiting Talkeetna is a little like being in the middle of a TV show. I kept looking over my shoulder for the cameras. It is certainly unique in a likable alaskan way.
Our family has gone there a few times for the moose dropping festival and that is a lot of fun.
I took a picture of a few signs to give a feel for the town. Snow is still waist deep on April 2nd. The tourists aren’t there yet so the people you see are Talkeetna people. They are friendly, but obviously steeling themselves for the summer tourist season.
People come to Talkeetna from all over the world primarily because it’s the jumping off point for mountain climbing. What mountain? Mt Mckinley of course, the tallest mountain in North America.
I don’t think the sign to the left was serious because Talkeetna certainly has more than it’s share of young men with beards and long hair. On the other hand, many of them are famous mountain climbers. Since I was actually in California in the 60’s I think I can say with authority that there aren’t many real hippies in Talkeetna.
Three Seconds...that's it!
I did enjoy my little trip to Talkeetna. If you like the town check out the log cabin at the bottom of this post. Six acres on Little Montana Lake. Fish, relax, even park your floatplane right at your own dock. This is a fantastic property for only $309,000.Here are a couple photos to whet your appetite. If you want more info…go here.
Winter Sales Trends in Palmer and Wasilla April 1st, 2011
I thought I’d take a look at residential real estate statistics for Palmer and Wasilla. I wanted to just look at the winter sales since we just finished it…I hope.
All the statistics are for Palmer and Wasilla residential real estate from the months of October through March 2005-2011.
You can see from the chart below that sales volume has changed dramatically over that time.
In the winter of 2005-2006 we sold a high of 613 homes but it fell to a low of 367 in the winter of 2008-2009. Sales are not much higher this winter. We are still at a fairly low volume of sales compared to the heyday of 2005.
It’s interesting to note that the median price of homes hit a low for this time period last winter of $204,600 and a high this winter of $219,900. It’s hard to argue that prices have fallen over this time. I’d like some comments from other local Realtors if they have actual statistics that differ with this. Are prices going up this year?
New construction remains about 25% of the market this winter. It came down from a high of 47% of the market in 2005 and dropped quickly to 24% in 2007 and has remained at that level since. The fact that new construction is still 25% of the market shows that although prices are not where sellers might want them to be, they haven’t crashed because builders can still make a profit.
Click here for more info on the house at the top of this page. It will sell soon, believe me.
Community Service Marketing March 25th, 2011
We believe in community service marketing. We like our community, the one we have lived in for more than 40 years, and we want to give something back to it.
We want to help your business grow. We will promote your business on one or both of our websites free of charge. The following website both have a lot of readers:
www.valleymarket.com and www.palmeralaska.net
These websites are linked to two facebook pages with more than 7,000 combined fans. These are people who also like the valley.
facebook.com/palmeralaska and facebook.com/matsuvalley
Let us know if you would like to be featured as a local business or event here in the valley.
We will set up the interview, take the photos, and write the article…or you can send us your own photos and article for posting on the site. No charge, it’s a free community service.
We would be honored if you would consider us for your real estate needs, but you are under no obligation to do so.
Recent businesses promoted, Hot Hot Chocolate Shoppe, Arctic Chiropractic, Thrifters Rock, and more than 20 more.
Call or email today.
7408 N Unga, Wasilla SOLD March 25th, 2011
This is a beautiful new home just off of Wasilla Fishhook Road! This quality Pacific North Construction home should be finished by the end of April. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and 1250 sqft plus a 2 car garage! Features include a 5 Star Energy Rating and custom lighting. Check back for more updates and photos as the house is completed! To view a similar home by Pacific North Construction, click here. Click on the photos to enlarge them.
3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
$189,900
Marty Van Diest, Tele 907.232.7900 / marty[at]valleymarket[dot]com
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