Commuting from Wasilla, Should I?
"Can you believe that they drive from the Valley everyday?"
"Wow, you drive that far EVERYDAY!" I hear this all the time from people. A reality in most people everyday life is that they have to commute. East Coast, West Coast, and in the Midwest, people drive to work. Some may take mass transit, which does lessen the toll on you, maybe. I still think the daily grind of getting to and from work is pretty consistent for everyone. Well not everyone, some lucky people walk to work or ride their bikes. This blog is not for you!
Its for the rest of us that spend 30-60 minutes on our way to work.
In a Alaska the commute can be quick and other days it can be horrible. The weather dictates this as well as the moron that just cut off the guy in from of me sending him into the ditch, creating a huge snarl of traffic on the only road linking the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage. This is a reality that effects at least 30,000 people a dozen times a year. Yes, just a dozen times a year. So its not really that bad, well when it happens it's that bad.
I think if you commute from anywhere it will take you time. commute from South Anchorage and it will take you longer to get to downtown than if you live in Eagle River. The commute from Eagle river is the same as from Wasilla to Eagle River. I just wish more businesses would relocate their corporate headquarters to Eagle River (BTW, Corporate guru's, we have land and would love to have you). So if the difference is just an additional 30 minutes is it worth it.
Some say the cost is huge, but I would argue its not. For example 30 minutes at 65 mph in a truck that get 16 mpg ( I hope your car does better) uses 2..03 gallons and costs $7.03 ($3.46 per gallon) each way, $70.28 per week for the additional miles driven each way. I think most people get better gas mileage than this. This adds $302 to the monthly commute bill.
If a home in the Mat-Su Valley is $90,000 less does the difference save you any money at the end of each month? Is the extra space that you get, as most homes are on larger lots (Half acres+ compared to a 1/4 acre or less in Anchorage), worth the difference? there are more newer homes in the Mat-Su Valley, so the energy costs of these new more modern homes possibly offset the cost of the commute? Easier access to the trails and rivers of the Mat-Su valley, that can save on your weekend gas bill, so there is a minor trade off, unless you go to Kenai or Seward every weekend than there is an increase.
Current interest rates are 5.125% today, and that additional $90,000 will cost you $490 per month on a 30 year conventional loan. That is a saving of $182 per month that could go towards a more fuel efficient vehicle, or maybe a new boat?
BTW, this is what I was thinking about on my way in from Wasilla today.
In the Mat-Su Valley homes can be more affordable with a majority of the homes in the $150,000 to $350,000. The Mat-Su Valley offers larger lots and access to recreational properties that Eagle River and Anchorage do not. You can click anyone of the links below to see the current homes for sale.
