Anchorage is Alaska’s economic center. Nearly one- third of the state’s population and about half of all the jobs are located in the 100 square mile area. The high concentration of people causes problems in Alaska’s housing market. The average cost of housing, according the Alaska MLS in July 2018, is $364,144. In comparison, the average cost of a new construction home in the Anchorage area is $547,498. So, why is new construction so much more expensive? There are many reason

Vehicles, cellphones and computers - consumers are not afraid to invest in brand-new merchandise. And in most of these cases, you get what you pay for. But when it comes to purchasing a house, homebuyers don’t always understand the benefits of buying new construction. In the age of Pinterest boards, HGTV and #MakeoverMonday, renovating is trendier than ever. But unfortunately, home renovations can be quite costly and time consuming, and go from social media worthy to cringe-w

Smartphones, smart cars and smart homes, everything is trending toward smart. Bigger cities in the Lower 48 have hopped on the smart home trend and now they are slowly making their way into the Alaska housing market. Here are some of the most popular smart home trends: Audio/Visual Systems Elaborate home video/audio systems started the smart home trend. Homeowners wanted surround sound systems throughout their homes so music could follow them from room to room with the simple

Construction sites have long been stereotyped as a man’s area but a group of Anchorage women are proving women are involved in every area of the homebuilding industry. From architects to interior designers to mortgage lenders and electricians, women do it all. But despite their talents and involvement, many women say they still feel alone in the industry. A new Anchorage organization aims to change that. Construction is still very much a man’s world, said Karen Kassik-Michels