AK Gal's Web Musings

Anchors Aweigh Boat Show in Anchorage

Beginning this Thursday, February 9th and continuing on through the weekend until Sunday, February 12th, 2012, the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center will be hosting the Anchors Aweigh Boat Show in Anchorage. The Alaska Marine Dealers Association and the Coast Guard are just a few of the organizations that will be on hand offering safety and education classes throughout the event. Several financial institutions will also be available to discuss payment options for buying your very own boat through one of the many specials going on at the boat show.

I know how long the winters here in Anchorage can be. So, it's nice to be able to stretch your legs somewhere other than inside your house. Head to the civic center this weekend to get the latest and greatest information on the boating industry so you're ready to head out on the water come summertime. Lead times vary from vendor to vendor and stock can be limited. So you need to start planning for summer now. Park at the Anchorage Athletic Club (9th & Gambell parking lot) to take advantage of one of the free shuttles to the show. Admission for adults (ages 12+) is just $8 per day or $10 for a multi-day pass. Kids admission is free (ages 11 and under). Families of five or more can get in for $20 total.

The Anchors Aweigh Boat Show in Anchorage is open from 10am to 8pm Thursday through Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sunday. Seminars will be offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The schedule of classes are as follows:

FRIDAY
12pm - Boating in Salt Water
2pm - Sailing
4pm - Boating in Fresh Water

SATURDAY
11am - Cedar Strip Canoe Building
12:30pm - Boating in Salt Water
2pm - Inflatable Repair
3:30pm - Boating in Fresh Water
5pm - Coast Guard Auxiliary

SUNDAY
11am - Sailing
12:30pm - Jet Coat Repair
2pm - Boating in Fresh Water
3:30pm - Boating in Salt Water

Get out of the house, learn a few things about boat safety and maybe even get a deal on your very own boat for summertime fun by attending the Anchors Aweigh Boat Show in Anchorage this weekend (February 9-12, 2012). Boating is one way to soak up some of the natural Alaskan beauty we sometimes take for granted.

Pauline Hofseth, your Anchorage real estate specialist

Originally posted on my Anchorage real estate blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2812810/anchors-aweigh-boat-show-in-anchorage.

Anchorage Folk Festival

If you love folk music, you're going to love the Anchorage Folk Festival. Beginning Thursday, January 19, 2012 and continuing through Sunday, January 29, 2012, musicians from around the world as well as our own state will be performing for the public all around the City of Anchorage. There will also be workshops given throughout the free 10 day event.

Several different acts will be performing on various days at the main stage (Wendy Williamson Auditorium, UAA campus, Lake Otis & 36th Ave, Anchorage). Performances will be held from 7pm to 9:30pm on January 19th and 20th, 12:30pm to 6pm and 7pm to 10:15pm on January 21st, 1pm to 5pm and 7pm to 10:30pm on January 22nd, 7pm to 10pm on January 27th, 12:45pm to 6pm and 7pm to 10:15pm on January 28th and 1pm to 5pm and 7pm to 10:30pm on January 29th. There will be a special Folk Night for all UAA students held on Thursday, January 26th from 9:15pm to 11pm. For a complete list of who will be performing and when, please visit the AFF website's mainstage page.

Everyone of all ages is welcome to attend any of the workshops that will be held during the Anchorage Folk Festival. Even kids under 8 years old are welcome as long as they have an accompanying supervising adult with them. Some of the workshops available include Music Theory: A Zen Approach, Improve Your Singing Voice, Fingerstyle Guitar, Swing Dance Lessons, Native American Flute, Fun With Ukeleles and even a Banjo Workshop. There is no need to call ahead to make a reservation or pay anything out of pocket. Simply show up and you'll be able to join in on the fun. You might even learn something. For a complete list of the Anchorage Folk Festival Workshops, please visit the AFF website's workshop schedule page.

The Anchorage Folk Festival is a great place to listen to true artists from all around the world perform amazing folk music. You can even learn a new skill at one of the workshops. The best part of all this is that it is absolutely FREE! You don't pay a dime for this great time! That's quite a bargain. So, bring the family and enjoy some great music.

Pauline Hofseth, your Anchorage real estate specialist

Originally posted in my Anchorage real estate blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2728425/anchorage-folk-festival.

Anchorage Museum's First Friday

On the first friday of every month, the Anchorage Museum presents its First Friday event from 6pm to 9pm. Visitors get to enjoy the regular museum gallery exhibits as well as live music and a guided planetarium show. For the first First Friday event of 2012 (January 6th), kids of all ages can enjoy live jazz music by Melissa Bledsoe Fischer as well as a fun, updated version of live elevator music by the Carhartt Brothers. All of this is absolutely free. Local artist Michael Conti will be discussing his photographic work and how he uses pictures to tell the story of life in Alaska.

For an additional fee, enjoy the Dark Side of the Moon. Set to Pink Floyd's classic rock music, this light show takes you places you are sure to have never been before. There is some adult subject matter involved, so you may want to keep the kids away. Another exhibit offered for an additional fee is the Led Zeppelin Cosmic Light Show, which also carries an adult subject matter audience advisory. The planetarium's screen brings 3D imagery to life set to some of Led Zeppelin's classic rock music. Finally, take a tour of the stars with the Guided Star Show, also available for an additional fee but suitable for all ages. Click here to purchase your tickets to any of these special shows.

While the music and showcased artist may change every month, Anchorage Museum's First Fridays remain an interesting way for you to spend a Friday evening in Alaska. General admission is free as is the music and artist presentation. Additional fees are required to attend the Guided Star Show, Led Zeppelin Cosmic Light Show and Dark Side of the Moon spectacular. There's always something interesting to do here in Anchorage.

Pauline Hofseth, Your Anchorage Real Estate Specialist

Originally posted on my Anchorage real estate blog here: http://www.realtown.com/anchoragerealestate/blog/first-fridays-in-anchorage/.

Anchorage Named Top 10 Best City in America

Anchorage was recently named as the 10th Best City in America to live according to online magazine Businessweek.com. Ranked #10 on the list of America's Best Places, Anchorage was recognized for its quality of life, educational access and low crime rates amongst other factors. This is the first time Businessweek.com has compiled its list of 50 Best Cities.

In its report, Businessweek.com specifically cited Anchorage for its amount of park acres per person as well as the best air quality of any other city on the list. At 6.4%, our unemployment rate is well below the 8.6% national average reported as of last month. Our low foreclosure rate (0.0053) has kept many Anchorage homeowners out of the mess the rest of the country has experienced in the real estate market over the last few years.

Businessweek.com took 50 of the largest cities in the United States and ranked them according to the following criteria (amongst others):

Amount of restaurants, bars and museums per capita
Number of colleges/universities, libraries and sports teams
Median income
Unemployment rate
Crime rate
Foreclosure rate
Performance of public school students
Percentage of population with at least a bachelor's degree
Park acres per 1000 residents
Air quality

The most weight for ranking was placed on air quality, school performance, level of education of citizens and the amount of restaurants, bar, parks and museums available to residents. This study just puts in writing what most Anchorage citizens are already well aware of: Anchorage is one of the best cities in America to live. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing your own Anchorage home so you can enjoy all the benefits Anchorage has to offer for yourself.

Pauline Hofseth, your Anchorage real estate specialist

Originally posted on my Anchorage real estate blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2635440/anchorage-named-top-10-best-city-in-america.

Tips for Selling Your Anchorage Home

Even in a slow real estate market, people are still buying homes. There are a few things you can do to help your home stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips for selling your Anchorage home:

Furniture Placement - Contrary to popular belief, the way to make a room appear larger is not by placing all the furniture against the walls. In actuality, placing it away from the walls can give your room depth. Of course, this isn't true of all rooms. It is dependent upon the room's size and shape. A home stager or your real estate agent can help you determine the best placement for your furniture.

Mix It Up - That bedroom set you bought 10 years ago may look better broken up and moved into different areas of the home. The dresser can stay, but try placing the high boy or tall chest of drawers in an entryway as an interesting focal point. Maybe the armoir would look better in the formal living room. You can also move your artwork around once you set up your furniture to see what pieces compliment the rooms best. Breaking up furniture "sets" can also help make rooms appear larger.

Lights - Dark rooms can quickly turn an Anchorage buyer away. Brighter is better. Make sure there is plenty of lighting for every room. This includes the ambient (overhead), accent (tables and walls) and task (reading, under cabinet or pendant) lighting. The right light can really help sell a home.

Neutralize - That red accent wall may have been just what you think the room needed, but a potential buyer may disagree. Repaint the walls in a nice neutral tone (tans, honey-beige, etc). Keep the bold "pops" of color to accent throws, artwork or a few colorful tchochkes.

Bathrooms and Kitchens - These areas are still a make ro break deal for buyers. Give your bathrooms a spa makeover. Add lightly scented candles, some beautiful flowers and roll your towels, placing them in a basket instead of just hanging them up. Change out old hardware and update flooring (if it's in your budget) in the kitchen. Clear the clutter from the counter tops. Above all, make sure these two rooms are especially tidy.

These are just a few simple tips for selling your Anchorage home. Staging your home properly can make the difference between a successful sale and a home that simply languishes on the market for months. Your Anchorage real estate agent can help you with further staging tips or recommend a professional home stager who may be able to do the job for you.

Pauline Hofseth, your Anchorage real estate specialist

Originally posted on my Anchorage real estate blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2605161/tips-for-selling-your-anchorage-home.

Government Refinance Program is Revised

In order to try to stem the tide of foreclosures, the Obama administration put a program together called the Homes Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) in 2009. The goal was to help Anchorage homeowners and others who were underwater on their home loans (ie, owed more than what their home was worth) and struggling to make their monthly mortgage payments due to a current financial hardship get through this rough time without losing their home in the process. Unfortunately, with the restrictions that were in place with the original HARP guidelines, not as many homeowners were helped as was hoped for. The administration recently announced that they have made some revisions to this government refinance program in an effort to help more homeowners.

In the original program, Anchorage homeowners couldn't owe more than 125% of the value of their homes. This eliminated many people who bought their homes during the boom of a few years ago, when prices were rising at an alarming rate and before they began plummeting. Only properties that were the primary residence of the homeowners were allowed to try to refinance under HARP, which meant no investment properties were allowed. Also, homeowners were subject to certain fees when they converted their original 30 year mortgage loan into a shorter term (15 or 20 years mortgages). Homeowners had to pay for an appraisal when they wanted to refinance as well. The original program was set to end in June 2012.

With the new proposed plan, these restrictions are no longer in place. In order to qualify for the Homes Affordable Refinance Program under the current guidelines, Anchorage homeowners must:

Have purchased their home through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac before May 31, 2009.
Be up-to-date on their mortgage payments, with no more than one late payment in the last 12 months and no late payments in the last six months.
Have originally purchased the Anchorage home they wish to refinance as their primary residence, even if it is not currently the home they live in full-time.
Never have used the HARP program previously to refinance their home (ie, you can't get refinancing under HARP more than once).
Have a loan-to-value ratio of more than 80%.

If you are an Anchorage homeowner who is struggling to keep up with your monthly mortgage payment, you're not alone. HARP may be just what you need to help you get through this rough patch. And now, with the revisions this government refinance program has received, you may qualify for HARP.

Pauline Hofseth, your Anchorage real estate specialist

Originally posted on my Anchorage real estate blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2584485/government-refinance-program-is-revised.