Summer boating safety tips for Alaska

Summer in Alaska has much to offer, especially for boaters who are ready to explore our expansive waters, go fishing, have fun, and enjoy the majestic views. One thing we know living here in Alaska is that one thing you can count on is that weather can take a change quickly at any time, and dangers can sneak up on you if you’re not prepared. This is especially true for summer boating, which is why we’ve rounded up these essential safety tips for tourists and residents alike.

Alaska boating deaths have increased over the last several years based on statistics from the state Office of Boating Safety, with the primary cause attributed to cold-water immersion-related drownings or disappearances. By following a few simple guidelines and preparing for emergency situations every time you head out on a boat, though, you can make sure your trip is a delight, and not a nightmare.

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How to dress up your deck and turn your patio into a paradise

Now that summer’s here in Alaska, you’re probably spending as much time outdoors as you can. Winter and spring can be hard on patios, decks and outdoor spaces, so if you feel like yours could use some sprucing up, you’re not alone. We’ve gathered up a few tips for improving outdoor spaces that will boost your enjoyment, and possible even the value, of your home.

Reinvent your outdoor spaces

Reinvention sometimes starts by simply reorganizing. If your outdoor furniture, game areas, garden plots or other outdoor spaces have been in the same space for years, mix things up. Move furniture to difference areas and in new configurations. Garden plots benefit from moving to new soil every few years and will produce better for you anyway. Kids will love it if you move their play equipment to a new place for new adventures.

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Bear Safety Tips while Fishing in Alaska

Bear safety tips while fishing in Alaska

If you’re fishing for salmon in Alaska, then you need to know these bear safety tips. Our bear population loves to fish just as much as you do and can get pretty upset if you get in their way. Peak season for salmon fishing occurs from May through September, with the five major species spread across the season. King Salmon fishing begins in May, and you can continue fishing for Silver Salmon all the way through November.

Whether you’re salmon fishing, or just traveling the area and capturing our salmon and wildlife with your camera, here’s what you need to know so everyone has a good (and safe) time.

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Travel and staycation ideas for Anchorage and throughout Alaska

The weather is great, and summer is settling in soon, which means it’s that time of year when everyone is planning their next adventure. Luckily, we live in the best spot for travel and adventure – Alaska! Weekend getaways and staycations are all the thing now – and you can’t get much better than our great state for interesting places to go, fun things to do, and beautiful backdrops to make it memorable. We’ve rounded up a few ideas to help with planning your next getaway.

Lucky for us who live here in the Eagle River, Wasilla and Palmer area that Anchorage is so close. This city is a perfect springboard for just about any kind of adventure, getaway or retreat you might be in the mood for. Flightseeing over Denali, fishing for salmon, spotting eagles or visiting grizzly bears, we’ve got it all. You could also check out calving glaciers and majestic whales on a day cruise. And don’t forget hiking, biking, mountain climbing and other outdoor sports as well.

Here are a few resources you can use to plan and set out on your own adventure:

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Keep bears away by spring cleaning your yard

If you live here in Alaska, you know that all three species of North American bears flourish throughout our state, which means it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll never be very far away from a bear. Bears are amazing creatures – from a distance. That’s why it’s important to know all about bear safety, including how to avoid up-close-and-personal encounters.

A good way to keep bears from wandering too close to your home is to spring clean your yard and garden now to remove anything that might attract their interest when they happen to be nearby. We’ve put together an easy checklist for spring cleaning for bear safety to help you get started.

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Tips for Gardening in Alaska

Gardening in Alaska Tips: Get a jump start on spring

It’s April and we’re all more than ready to see some color outside. The best way to get a jumpstart on spring when gardening in Alaska is to start inside – with seeds. In Alaska, when we start seeing signs of spring after the long winter, it can be tempting to start putting plants in the ground. But the danger of frost is still there, and it’s really not safe for a few more weeks at the very least, so what to do? Well, here in Alaska, that means it’s time to plant something indoors. It’s easy, fun and much less expensive to indulge your green thumb by starting a few garden favorites from seed. Not to mention a great way to give bored kids something to do while sneaking in a bit of useful education.

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Quiz: How to tell if you’ve outgrown your home

Spring is coming here in Alaska and the urge to get moving is kicking in. Sometimes that feeling can overflow to thoughts of moving to a new home. You love where you live, so is this feeling just cabin fever? Or is it really time to move on? Take a look at the questions below. If you answer yes to any of these, it might be time to give us a call.

YES or NO: You need more space

Ok, we know after the long winters here in Alaska that your home can start to feel like it’s shrinking. If you feel overwhelmed by all the “stuff” in your home (toys, pets, furniture, sports equipment, hobbies, etc.) take some time to declutter – maybe by cleaning out a lot of the old you’ll feel like you have room to breathe again.  After all, winter is the perfect time to declutter here in Alaska.

If you’re still feeling a bit crowded, wait until the weather breaks and you’re able to resume outdoor activities. If that cramped feeling wears off, you’re good to stay. If not, this may be a sign that you need to call us to help you look for your next home.

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Tips for Selling a Home in Alaska | Alaska Homes for Sale by Brooke Re Max

Our Best Tips for Selling a Home in Alaska

As winter winds down here in Alaska, the approach of Spring gets a lot of people thinking about real estate. We are always sharing our best tips and ideas with community members at coffee shops, in stores and here in our office – and we thought you might enjoy them here on the blog, too. So here are some our best tips to put you on the right path when it comes to selling a home in Alaska.

  1. If the outside doesn’t look good, you’ll have trouble getting people to look inside

If the outside doesn’t look so great, potential buyers will think the interior is probably the same and move on to the next home on their list. According to the National Association of Realtors, 88% of homebuyers begin their process of looking for a home online, and 63% of homeowners will be motivated to visit a home in person if they like what they see. If you’re selling your home, or just want to make a few improvements to how it looks, here’s a few ideas for easily sprucing up your home (and wowing potential buyers):  How to boost your home’s curb appeal.

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Do earthquakes affect real estate in Alaska | Alaska Homes by Brooke give the answer

How Earthquakes Affect Real Estate in Alaska

The aftershocks of last November’s earthquake aren’t the only thing still affecting us here in Alaska. Many people are dealing with not only emotional trauma and PTSD, but also the time-consuming and stressful tasks associated with inspecting and/or repairing homes that were damaged during the quake. As real estate professionals with almost 30 years of experience in the Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla and Mat-su Valley area, we’re often asked how earthquakes affect real estate, so we thought it would be useful to share it on the website here too.

November’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake did not take any lives, thankfully, but it did result in a large amount of structural damage to roads, homes and other buildings throughout the area. State officials estimated 3,000 to 5,000 homes were affected in the immediate area of the Mat-su Valley. Even though this was Alaska’s second-largest quake, the destruction level was actually much less than expected, mainly the result of our region’s preparations and resiliency when it comes to natural disasters.

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Alaska is for lovers

Yes, Valentine’s Day is here, and love is in the air. But you know what? Alaska is a great place for lovers all year round. In fact, when Mental Floss magazine did a fun study to rank states based on indicators of romance, Alaska shined in the #1 spot with top mentions for the most B&Bs, amazing starry skies (nothing beats our Northern Lights) and fans of swoony Marvin Gaye songs. Ok, those things are great, but here’s some other ideas perfect for romance and fun times in Alaska:

Alaskan adventures

Breathtaking scenery in every direction sets the scene for romance and awe with everything from stunning snowcapped mountains and verdant forests to soaring eagles and majestic moose just waiting for you to capture them on a romantic walk or a photo safari.

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Veterans Services and Support near Anchorage Alaska

With more than 68,000 military veterans living in Alaska, it’s important that everyone know of and understand the services available for veterans in need of physical or emotional support or even just life’s every day issues such as employment, home loans and healthcare.

According to survey information gathered in the last few years and shared by Veterans Data Central, more than 12% of Alaska’s population are veterans, with a large number living near the Anchorage area. Sadly, nearly 25% of those veterans have service-connected disabilities, 4.7% are living in poverty, and 124 are homeless.

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The aftereffects of Alaska’s 7.0 earthquake

The rest of the world watched their TVs, social media, and online as Alaska was struck not long ago with one of the biggest earthquakes in our area’s history. Those people have moved on to watch other natural disasters or big news stories, but for those of us who live here in the Anchorage area, however, the reality of what we experienced continues to affect our daily lives in so many ways.

As we live and deal with the aftereffects of November 30’s 7.0-magnitude quake, the frightening tsunami warnings, and what seems like never-ending aftershocks, many of us are struggling with emotional, psychological and even physical trauma that can often be categorized as PTSD. According to the Alaska Earthquake Center website, we’ve experienced 6,000 aftershocks since the main earthquake, with some of the biggest ones at the 5.0 magnitude range. It’s little wonder that our communities are dealing with the equivalent of PTSD, with everyone from young children to senior citizens feeling unsure and anxious in their daily lives.

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keeping pets warm and safe during winter

Keeping Pets Warm During Alaska Winter

Alaska is an extreme place to live, especially for pets. Winter’s freezing temperatures, long nights and large amounts of ice and snow can be harsh, if not deadly, and it’s important to take the right precautions in keeping pets warm, safe and healthy this season.

Safety starts with keeping track of your animals. No matter how well trained they are, local regulations require all domestic animals be restrained to their own property. This goes for cats, dogs, chickens, rabbits and so on. This protects animals from getting lost, injured, frostbite, falling through ice or freezing to death when they can’t be found.

Even though dogs get pretty excited when they see the first snow, a good question to ask is…

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Emergency and Disaster Preparation Tips for Alaska Homes

Emergency and Disaster Preparation Tips for Alaska Homes

Turn on the TV and you’ll see how important it is to be ready for emergency situations. Whether it’s a wildfire, earthquake, tsunami or even something like a nuclear threat, being prepared is critical – especially here in Alaska.

Disasters happen quickly and without warning. You may be asked to evacuate, or you might be required to stay in your home for an extended period of time. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead so you can be ready if and when something happens. Here are a few ways homeowners in Alaska can start now with emergency and disaster preparation.

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Home staging tips and home decor tricks to freshen up your home

Home Staging Tricks to Freshen up your Decor

Home Staging Tips and Home Decor Tricks

Here’s a fun idea to keep life interesting during winter’s long months ahead – transform your home so it feels like new! When it comes to taking home interiors from blah to brilliant, home stagers have a lot of tricks up their sleeve. If your home décor is feeling a bit tired, we thought it would be fun to share a few easy home staging tips inspired by local home stagers for freshening up your home and giving you something fun to look forward to this winter.

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The secret to a happy holiday season

While the holidays should be all about family, friends, faith and fun, sometimes the stresses of the season can bring a person down. It can be tough to get through this time of year, but we’ve got a secret for keeping the holidays truly happy – and it all starts with gratitude. 

Did you know that science has proven that people who practice gratitude daily sleep longer, deeper and better, have lower stress levels, and stronger immune systems? If you’re going to commit to just one new thing this holiday season, practicing gratitude both mindfully and actively during the holidays is the way to go.

We know this can sound a little woo-woo, but really, it’s quite practical. That’s why we’ve rounded up some easy ways to get started:

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Five mistakes to avoid when selling your house in Alaska

When you put your house on the market it’s easy to find lots of advice for all the things you need to sell a home. But just as important, and often overlooked, are some very important “don’ts” that can harm your chances for a quick and lucrative sale.

With more than 30 years of helping people buy and sell homes in the Eagle River, Wasilla, and Mat-su Valley region of Alaska area we’ve seen just about everything. That’s why we decided to share the following missteps to avoid when you put your house on the market.

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Getting your home ready for winter

Fall is in full swing here in Alaska and it’s the perfect time to get your home ready for winter. Plus, if your home is on the market, seasonal maintenance is a great way to keep your home looking good and showing great when potential buyers visit. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and not sure what to do first, we’ve created this handy checklist to get you started.    

Before the first snows start falling it’s good to get a jump start on these outdoor maintenance tasks:

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How to find the best real estate agent for you

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the future, then finding the best Realtor near you is a great way to get started. If you live in our area, we’ve got you covered. If you’re not, though, and want to find the best options, here are a few tips.

When people want to find an experienced local Realtor located nearby they often sit down at the computer and type in the search “Realtor near me” or “real estate agent near me.” That’s a good place to start and likely to get you a list of professionals in your area. But narrowing it down even more is essential.

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What documents do I need to sell my home in Alaska?

If you’re getting ready to sell your home in Alaska, or any other state, it’s a good idea to prepare by gathering documents you might need when you list your home. Organizing your files will streamline the process for you, your Realtor, and everyone involved in the process, eliminating the stress of frantic last-minute searches for critical documents that are needed throughout the process.

Here’s a handy checklist we share with clients for home sales here in the Anchorage, Eagle River and Wasilla area that work as a great starter. However, be sure to check with your local Realtor, as exact files you need can vary by state and local real estate practices.

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Creating modern homework spaces that kids will thrive in

In today’s high-tech world, helping kids find a productive space to do homework has definitely changed. While kitchen tables are still popular, the need for easy access to computers and smart devices for even the youngest of children have parents looking for new ideas to create tech-friendly, creativity-boosting spaces that kids can thrive in. Check out Pinterest and you’ll see thousands of ideas for creating modern homework spaces for kids.

If you’re thinking of creating a new space for your kids (or maybe even something that the parents can use too), here are a few ideas that might inspire you:

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How to use apps to find a home for sale

Looking for a home to buy the old-fashioned way — cruising around looking for “For Sale” signs and checking local classifieds – can get pretty stressful. But it doesn’t have to be. Thanks to apps such as Zillow and Redfin, you can use your smart phone or computer to find homes that fit what you’re looking for faster and easier. Better yet? The ones we mention here are all free.

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What do I need to set up a home office

If you have the ability to work from home, and want the best results for your efforts, it’s important to set up your office for maximum productivity from the start. A home office has many benefits, most popular being the freedom to design a workspace that works best for you. We’ve helped clients here in the Anchorage and Eagle River, Alaska area find homes that fit both their personal lives – and their businesses – and know there are a few essentials you’ve got to plan for if you want to work from home.  

Connectivity: In today’s working world, no matter what you do, high-speed internet is absolutely essential. Make sure that your new home will have access to an internet service provider that offers secure, reliable, and high-speed internet. A good internet connection means you can perform actions like uploading videos, participating in conference calls, leading a webinar and starring in a Facebook Live video. 

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What do I need to help my pet when we move

When it’s time to move to a new home, the change of scenery can be stressful for everyone – including pets. Even though more than half of all households in America own a pet, many people forget to plan for how the move will affect this important member of the family. Take a pet from its normal surroundings, then surprise them with a new home, yard and neighborhood with strange animals, smells and sounds, and it’s no wonder they get stressed out. Or even worse, run away.

There are ways to help smooth the transition however, and just like helping children prepare for a move, you can set the stage for a smooth move for your pet. Here’s a checklist to give you a few ideas:

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Common real estate myths

Urban myths are nothing new. Wait one hour after you eat before swimming. Elvis is still alive. And don’t lick a flagpole in the winter. (Actually, don’t try that one!). These are fun to share, and some are good for getting kids to behave, but they aren’t true to life. What we’ve noticed is that the same goes for real estate. There are a lot of urban real estate myths out there. Most of which are false, but there are a few that have some truth to them too. So we gathered up a few to share for fun, and shared what you can ignore and what should be taken into account the next time you buy or sell a home.

Myth: Curb appeal can make or break a sale

Answer: True

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