Real Estate Information

Where should I invest?  Should I buy stocks, should I buy mutual funds, these are great questions and I ask them myself.  I hear people asking whether they should buy a home or rent, and the answer is simple:

If you are a responsible person, and will be staying stable for the next 7-10 years then Buy!

If you are a responsible person, and would like to be able to move when you want to then Rent!

A lot of home were bought and sold in the last couple of months, we have many new homeowners that took advantage of the First time Home buyers tax credit.  this was a great deal and it help most real estate markets across the country.  There were many sales because of these first timers, resulting in additional sales for move up buyers, that were able to sell their existing home.  We saw many people selling and making the switch to renting, it just made sense for them.

Whether you should buy or not has nothing to do with the strength or weakness of a market.  You do not buy stocks only when their low, No, you buy a little here a little there.  You hold for the long term and sell when it makes sense.

Buying a home is the same way.  look at you present situation and ask your self this.."Do I want to be in this home in five years?".  If the answer is anything other than a big "Yes", then you should take a hard look at renting.  It is cheaper in the short term and allows you flexibility in moving. 

Purchasing a home takes a commitment that we used to say everyone should take.  Maybe not owning a home does not make you more responsible, or more successful.  However for many people this is a wise investment.  If you are stable in your life an career then home ownership is probably the wise choice.

If you would like to receive home updates by e-mail visit www.Eagleriverhomesforsale.com to sign up.

Hello to all interested in the Beach Lake Regional Park Master Plan Update:

 On March 29^th the Eagle River/Chugiak Parks Board of Supervisors held a work session on the draft Beach Lake Regional Park Master Plan Update to thoroughly review the document and recommend any edits or changes.  The Planning Team has made the changes recommended by Board of Supervisors.   The project website has been updated with the full DRAFT Beach Lake Regional Park Master Plan Update.  It is available for download. 

Go to: http://www.muni.org/Departments/ERparks/Pages/BeachLakeMP.aspx. This plan will be considered for final approval at the Parks Board of Supervisors April 12^th regular meeting (public testimony is welcome).

 Mark your Calendar!

Monday, April 12, 2010 @ 7P.M. in the Eagle River Town Center Community Room (12001 Business Blvd.):

ER/C PARK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MONTHLY MEETING

The Beach Lake Park Regional Master Plan Update will be on the Agenda for approval of the Board. The public is welcome to attend and testify.

 I found this article online in several places, so I cannot take credit for writing it and I do not know who the original author is.  I would like to give them credit because this is a very good blog.

  A One-Weekend Garage Makeover

   Garages are the most hardworking spaces in your home. Investing a few hundred dollars in garage organization tools during one weekend will pay off in savings of both time and money.

 A clean and organized garage saves you time by keeping essentials in clear view, so you can find what you need without tripping over items or causing an avalanche whenever you pull something from the bottom of a pile.

 You'll also save money because your sporting goods and tools will last longer when they’re stored safe from moisture, heavy weights and dust. Even your car will be protected from falling skis.

 Step 1: Aim for spotless clean and clutter free
Start by cleaning out the junk. Release the clutter of your garage by selling or throwing away the things you never use. Getting rid of unneeded possessions makes more space for the ones you do need and use. Once that clutter is dwindled down to the necessities, organize it by category: athletic supplies, lawn and garden tools, carpentry tools, etc.

 Step 2: Use suitable storage units
Take a look at what’s left and decide what storage elements would work best for you.

 The essentials include:

• Closed storage: Make sure to include at least one closed-door, lockable unit. It's essential for keeping poisons like antifreeze, plant food or pest control products and sharp tools behind a locked door.
• Open shelving: Shelves are best for frequently used items which you need readily available and within reach. Vented metal styles, wood slats, or vented plastic minimize the volume of dust that can collect.
•  Hooks, clamps, and holders: These allow you to make use of vertical space, getting big items like bikes, trikes and paddles, rakes and brooms off the ground and out of your way. • Bags: Most wall-mounted garage organization systems include clamp-on mesh bags that make it easy to store soccer balls, basketballs, tennis balls, etc.
• Boxes and bins: Group irregular items and place them in big bins so you can put them under a shelving unit or work table. Group them accordingly so items are easy to find: bags of soil, grass seeds, etc. Boxes and baskets can also hold smaller items neatly on shelves.

Step 3: Paint and stain.

 The floor can be transformed with acid stain for concrete or a heavy-duty floor paint. If you plan to park your car on your newly painted floor, lay a sheet of cardboard down to catch drips of oil. The garage walls can be painted as well, especially if they still look like they're part of a construction site. Don't feel like you have to limit yourself to the traditional white walls. Get creative!  

 Step 4: Make it your second home

  Another major decision to be made prior to purchase is what kind of work areas you will need, and what kind of counter tops are appropriate for those areas. For instance, if you want to use garage space as a hobby area, you might want a sink area or solid surface counters. If you enjoy woodworking, you might need a wooden counter top. Figure out where these areas will be located and roughly sketch out how the area should look. Imagine yourself standing at the work area and think about placement of things you will use. Thinking through this process will certainly make the space more user-friendly.

 Ready to get your garage in order? Following those tips will help you find a place for everything and allow you to transform that dusty garage into something spotless in a short time.

We are excited to offer the 13^th annual Prudential sponsored Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute for students grades 8-12. The institute will be held March 8^th-12^th over Spring Break. This program is a 40 hour community leadership training program for teens who, want to learn leadership skills and improve themselves, their schools and make the community a better place to live.

 If you or someone you know, know a student who would be interested in applying, please contact Sabra at ext. 7295 for an application or click on the attached information packet & application. The deadline is February 26^th. Or for more information on PYLI visit www.spirit.prudential.com

Enjoy the ride. There is no return ticket.


George Carlin on aging!

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life! You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30.  Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50, and your dreams are gone...

But! wait!! ! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50, and make it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that, it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's, and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.'

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!'
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay them.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3.Keep learning.  Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever, even ham radio. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's family name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
AND, ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
And, if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares? But do share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each day!! 
 
Life's journey is not to
arrive at the grave safely
in a well preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways,
totally used up and worn out, shouting
'...man, what a ride!'

FHA Relaxes Anti-Flipping Rule

Beginning Feb. 1, the Federal Housing Administration will provide mortgage insurance for some purchases in which the seller bought the property and held it for fewer than 90 days.

The agency is changing what is known as the “anti-flipping rule” to speed up sales of renovated homes in communities with too many bank-owned and foreclosed homes, says FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens.

Waiving the 90-day rule will encourage private investors to buy vacant properties, fix them up, and quickly sell them to buyers who will be eligible to buy them using FHA financing.

FHA's change "is going to be absolutely terrific" for first-time home buyers hoping to take advantage of the tax credit, says Bobby Taylor, an associate with Coldwell Banker Mountain West Real Estate in Salem, Ore.

Source: Washington Post (01/30/2010)

Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce Lunch Forum

WEDNESDAY February 3,  2010

Downtown Eagle River Circulation Study

Are you frustrated by traffic congestion, access onto main collectors in the Eagle River business district?  The MOA has begun our downtown circulation study to identify problems and recommend solutions.  This is your chance to have input!!!  Doors open at 11:30am.

Menu:

Roast Chicken Burritto with carmelized onions, cilantro, refried beans, cheese, lettuce.  Topped with roast chicken tomatillo sauce & sour cream.

Salsa & chips

February Forums sponsored by 

Alaska Small Business Development Corporation

LOCATION: EAGLE RIVER ELKS LODGE Banquet Room

Doors open at 11:30 - luncheon begins promptly at noon.

17111 N Eagle River Loop Rd

(Banquet room doors are on the west end of the building)

Cost:  $14 members/$16 non-members.  Coffee tea only $3.00

You can reserve and pay online!

Go to http://www.cer.org/estore.html