Palmer Real Estate

Located in Matanuska Valley about 40 miles northeast of Anchorage, Palmer is most known as the host of the annual Alaska State Fair. A booming town of 5,937 people, Palmer’s population has grown nearly 49% in the past 12 years thanks to its small-town charm, peaceful living, and convenient access to Anchorage, and the Air Force and Army Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

Shopping and Dining

Palmer’s pedestrian-friendly downtown is home to several local shops, including a bookstore, an arts and crafts store, antique stores, and three quilt shops. Alaska Chicks on S Colony Way sells kids’ gear, jackets, hats, gloves, and various accessories. Locally fashioned jewelry, soaps, cards, handbags, and gifts fill the rooms at Sidekicks on S Alaska St. Local produce can be purchased from area grocery stores like Fred Meyer and Safeway and from local farms, such as VanderWeele Farms. Palmer also is home to a Target and a Walmart Supercenter.

Turkey Red is widely considered one of the best sit-down restaurants in town. Known for making everything from scratch, the restaurant features fresh, local ingredients and traditionally prepared Alaskan bread. The Noisy Goose Café is famous for its halibut sandwiches and breakfast entrees. Humdinger’s Gourmet Pizza Co. serves up wood-fired gourmet pizza in a warm, inviting atmosphere. Other popular restaurants include Pizzaria Delphi, Inn Café, Slack’s Sugar Shack Bakery, R W’s Hamburger House, Eagle Hotel Restaurant, Pioneer Pizza, and the In & Out Grocery and Deli.

Parks and Recreation

Parmer real estate is flanked by mountains – the Talkeetna Mountains to the north and the Chugach Mountains to the south and east. Several notable peaks, including Matanuska Peak and Pioneer Peak, offer great hiking, biking, horseback riding, white-water rafting, and sight-seeing opportunities. They also make gorgeous backdrops for pictures. Scenic Hatcher Pass, located twelve miles north of town, is an ideal place for picnicking, exploring the Independence Mine, and picking blueberries. The Matanuska Glacier lies about 60 miles east of Palmer.

In town, residents can enjoy some of the best scenery in the Valley while playing 18 holes at the Palmer Golf Course. Residents and visitors also enjoy walking through the Visitor Information Center’s two acres of well-maintained public gardens, viewing historical artifacts at The Palmer Museum of History and Art, and watching the Mat-Su Miners play at Hermon Brothers Field. Palmer also is home to an expansive children’s playground, a skateboard park, a gazebo, tennis courts, soccer fields, and several softball and baseball fields.

Living

Palmer real estate is renowned across the state for its ideal farming conditions. In fact, the city is recognized as the state’s main agricultural center. As such, there are still fertile farms and parcels of land for sale in the area, though many have been subdivided into smaller residential lots for the town’s growing population. Median house cost in 2012 was $280,100.

Schools, Health, and Transportation

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District operates four public schools in Palmer: Swanson Elementary, Sherrod Elementary, Palmer Junior Middle School, and Palmer High School. Adult students can attend the Alaska Bible College or the University of Alaska affiliated Matanuska-Susitna College.

MAT-SU Regional Medical Center is located just outside Palmer, halfway to Wasilla. An award-winning hospital, its services include cardiac care, surgery, pediatrics, women’s health, neurology, infusions, diagnostics, urgent care, and emergency. Residents also have access to Providence Alaska Medical Center, the state’s largest hospital, which is located in nearby Anchorage.

Drivers can take the new Glenn Highway to Wasilla and Anchorage. Commuters also have the option of hopping on one of the Valley Mover buses, which run between Palmer, Wasilla, and Anchorage. Mat-Su Community Transit also services Palmer.

If you are thinking about buying or selling a home, give us a call at 907-360-7471 or send us an email to explore your options and to find out when is the best time for you to make a move.