Tick, Tock. Hear that? It’s the sound of time running out to get your Christmas shopping done. If you’re like most people I know there are still a few names left unchecked on your Christmas list. Christmas comes at the same time every year and yet it seems I’m always rushing to get that one last gift.

Shopping in Locally Owned Fairbanks Stores. I’m very happy to have the choices the national chain stores have brought to Fairbanks. As a Fairbanks real estate broker, I understand how important they are to the community and our economy, but I also like to support our local business owners where I can. I encourage you to do the same!

Something Special has been one of my favorite stores for more than two decades. They have a fantastic selection of crystal, china, polish pottery, Alaskan gifts, chimes, music boxes, candles and Christmas items. Shopping in Fairbanks: Go Local!Really, it’s just a wonderful store and the owners Myrna, Kim and Stacia are fantastic folks.

If Only is a treasure tucked away in a wonderful space on Cushman next door to Arctic Travelers between Second and Third Avenue. Founded by five friends in 1998, the store carries handcrafted jewelry, fine writing implements, personal journals, sketchbooks, stationary, extraordinary gift wrap for that extra special gifts, Hansa animals for the little ones and Vera Bradley bags and luggage for mom.

Arctic Travelers Gift Shop has been a Fairbanks landmark for decades. They carry a wonderful selection of Yupik Baskets, Inupiat Carvings, Athabaskan Beadwork, Scrimshaw knives, carved antlers, Quivit, beaded jewelery and a great selection of ivory. They staff is always friendly and they’ll even gift wrap your purchases!

The Fudge Pot. Do I really need to say anything here? Their fudge is fantastic, mouth watering and addictive. Stop by and try a sample… They also make a pretty mean espresso and their sandwiches are delicious. If you can tear yourself away from the fudge counter they also have some cute Alaskan gifts.

Big Rays has been outfitting Alaskans since 1947… and for a reason. They carry an incredible selection of cold weather gear; parkas, hats, gloves, thermals, boots, socks and work wear for every member of the family. The store is nothing if not packed, but it’s worth squeezing your way through. Don’t miss the fly-shop downstairs!

Prospector Outfitters. Although not the same Prospector Outfitters long time Fairbanksans are used to, the store does carry a huge selection of cold weather gear and some great Pendleton, Woolrich, Helly Hansen and other quality name clothing. Prospector is a great place to outfit the entire family!

Gold Rush Fine Jewelery on Second Avenue has perfected the art of creating one of a kind gold, gold nugget and diamond jewelery. If you can dream it, the folks at Gold Rush can make it. They have a large selection fo unique gold nugget rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces and pendants you won’t find anywhere else and that are sure to make that someone special in your life feel pretty special on Christmas morning.

Apocalpyse Design has a great selection of very high quality handmade outdoor clothing and gear for those folks who put their gear to the ultimate test. They design and create outerwear for you and your four legged friends as well as luggage and compute bags, mushing and ski-joring gear.

Fairbanks Fast Foto Your source for digital cameras, lenses, flashes, camera bags, tripods and monopods, memory cards and quality photo processing. The staff is incredibly helpful and if they don’t have what you’re looking for, then can get it. I’ve purchased several “L” series lenses for my Canon and they have always been willing to negotiate their prices to make them competitive to any online shop (even B&H).

Beaver Sports. Do you know someone on your list ski, snowshoe, hike, bike, kayak or canoe? Wait, this is Alaska, of course you do. Well, this is your store. The friendly and very knowledgeable staff has everything needed to get out and enjoying the great outdoors. As outdoor enthusiasts themselves, they know what works and doesn’t and will use that experience to properly outfit those outdoor junkies on your list.

Play It Again Sports carries a great selection of new and used exercise gear for those planning to have a New Years resolution involving getting in shape. Basketball, baseball, hockey, football, skiing or snowboarding. Whatever sport you’re into… they have the gear you’ll need.

Great Alaska Bowl Company is a must stop if you’re looking for something uniquely Alaskan. One of on a few mills that create hand carved wooden bowls using technology over 100 years old. Carved from birch logs, their bowls come in several sizes and can be used for almost anything. Make a gift bowl out of Alaskan candies, syrups and chocolates in the store or bring in your own gift and have it shrink wrapped inside the bowl for a truly personalized gift.

Gullivers Books. I love Gullivers! What they lack in size, they make up for with a great selection and an outstanding staff. Find everything from the latest Grisham, Koontz or Cromwell novel to the classics. Hoping to get your hands on the latest political memoir? Looking for Alaskana? You can find it all right here… and what you can’t find Dave and the staff can order for you. Don’t miss the Second Story Cafe and the great selection of used books upstairs.

Material Girls. Do you know someone who likes to quilt or embroidery… or wants to? Material Girls has a great selection of material and offers classes to get them started.

UAF Museum of the North Store carres a great selection of baleen and grass baskets, ivory, jade and silver jewelry and carvings, handmade Native masks, toys, arts and crafts, quiviut scarves and books for all ages.

Spaulding Interiors. Designer Tamara Spauling has been creating beautiful homes in Fairbanks for three decades. She carries a fabulous selection of fine heirloom furnishings and decor items you absolutely won’t find anywhere else in Fairbanks… and possibly the state.

Santa Claus House. What shopping list would be complete without a stop at Santa’s House? A wonderful toy shop, Christmas ornaments of every kind and stripe, pottery, Dickens Village (Kathy says I can’t go in this section again until I biuld a room to house our collection), ivory, dolls and more. Don’t miss the Alaskan t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and gifts and the mini-museum of Alaskan memorabilia. If you’re lucky Saint Nick might even let you sit on his lap.

Do you have a favorite locally-owned store that’s not listed? Please leave the name and what makes them special in the comments section and I’ll update the list.

Happy Shopping… and Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and God bless…

As a Fairbanks real estate broker, I see a lot of houses in the course of working with our clients. Amazing, I know. Most of the time I enjoy it (I love what I do) but sometimes it leaves me speechless.

Several years ago a client called a few days before Christmas and told me they had found a house that looked perfect and asked to see the interior. The call came as the last of a house full of out of town guests were arriving and frankly the last thing I wanted to do was show a house. But, we had been looking for a place for these young kids to call home for a while and their enthusiasm was contagious. So, I scheduled a showing and agreed to meet them the next evening.

The house was a tiny little duplex was so small I wasn’t sure we were all going to be able to fit into it at the same time. The buyers, however, loved it and while they were discussing furniture placement I walked next door to let the tenant know we were there and give them a moment to prepare for us to do our walk through. What I wasn’t prepared for was what was waiting inside. A mother and three adorable little girls who (we found out later) had left an abusive home with nothing more than what they had on them at the time.

There on a old TV stand stood the scrawniest little black spruce Christmas tree God ever put on the face of the earth. Poor ‘ol Charlie Brown would have been hard pressed to find a sadder looking tree. A twin bed, a couple of straight back chairs and a few books was all we saw. It was a stark reminder that a lot of needs were going unfulfilled in the world… and more than a few in my own backyard.

It’s easy to help. Money, food, clothes, toys, your time; the smallest gesture would mean the world to someone who is struggling this season. Below are a few Fairbanks charitable organizations and groups that could use your help.

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. ~ Mark Twain

Fairbanks Rescue Mission

Salvation Army

Fairbanks Community Food Bank

Meals on Wheels

If you have time to donate as well, these organizations would love to hear from you. Don’t forget the folks at Denali Center & The Hospice of The Tanana Valley.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. ~ Winston Churchill Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas & God Bless…

It’s no secret that with the dramatically changed lending landscape, existing home buyers are facing a more thorough examination of their income and credit profiles. Home builders, especially small builders have found the lending environment for speculative building projects has all but dried up. In an era where multiple buyers were on every corner, lenders fears about a builder defaulting was at a minimum. Fast forward to today and we face an uphill battle to convince lenders speculative building is worthwhile, and on the right scale, relatively low risk.

As you can see from the above chart, Fairbanks new construction starts have dropped to their lowest level since 1999. Today there are less than 30 new construction homes on the market. When we started building in 2002 it was because clients were telling us daily that the glut of existing homes were too dated, unmaintained or the homes simply didn’t fit their lifestyle. Today, we’re hearing the same cry from buyers who have their sights set on a brand new Fairbanks home.

If you’re one of those buyers for whom only a new home will do, take heart as there are options. Realize that the spec homes currently for sale (and priced correctly) are in demand; be prepared to make an aggressive offer if the situation warrants. An increasingly popular option is to contract with a builder to build a home from his (or her) existing plan library. Many builders have a library of homes they’ve already built and in some cases, land upon which to build it. Although many lenders have curbed speculative construction lending, most will extend credit to a builder with a contract in hand from an approved buyer. Granted, the latter can take some time but you could end up with a brand new home for about the same price you would otherwise pay.

Have questions? Ready to start the search for your piece of the Last Frontier? Call us at 907.699.6024 or contact us online.

It seems Mother Nature has taken to turning on the sprinklers mid November. Yep, that’s right. It’s raining in November in Fairbanks and it has done what few other winter storms have ever managed to do; Icepocalypse has shut down Fairbanks… and North Pole, Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla and Palmer.

At last report, the storm warning was in effect until 6PM Tuesday night. The Fairbanks North Star Borough has announced that area schools will be closed, all North Star Borough facilities and offices will be closed Tuesday. No Borough bus service or VanTran will be operating. The University of Fairbanks has announced there will be no classes tomorrow and University employees were encouraged to stay home.

Click photo to enlarge. Although DOT is working to sand/gravel local roads it is (as of last report) still raining in Fairbanks and North Pole and it’s expected to continue through Wednesday. If you don’t need to be on the road, stay home.

I mentioned to a friend earlier on Twitter to prepare for a power outage when the freezing rain starts to weigh power lines down. This is a great time to stock up on water; fill a five gallon container if you have one, or pitchers if you don’t. Do you have a camp stove? Dig it and the fuel canisters out. Think about what you can cook if the power does happen to go out… now might even be a good time to cook a pot of spaghetti in case it does go out. Gather you candles. Find you flashlights. Charge your cell phones. If you have elderly neighbors, please check in on them and make sure they’re ok and help them prepare.

Weather like this tests the resolve and grit of Alaskans. We’ve been through nasty winter storms before. By being prepared Alaskans will weather this one as well.

The photos used above were sent to me from a friend and were not taken by me.

The average price dropped 4.6% to an average of just $209,844, the number of homes sold dropped 11% to 89 and the average days on the market climbed almost 9% to 61. The one bright spot is the discount from list ratio or the amount the average seller reduced his/her price to effect a sale. In October the discount from list price dropped almost 21.7% to 1.8%.

There’s good news and bad news in those numbers. Obviously homes are still selling. Even from across the continent our phone is ringing with calls from buyers looking to jump into the market. The bad news, for lazy homeowners at least, is that those same buyers are evaluating homes much closer than any buyer has probably done in years. That means you’re not only going to have to have your Fairbanks home in top condition, you’re going to have to be ready to negotiate hard when and if they come to the negotiating table.

We’ve helped buyers and sellers navigate the Fairbanks real estate market for more than a decade. Have questions? Feel free to contact us online or call 907-699-6024 anytime.

Are you using your BAH benefits to your best advantage? If you’re in base housing or renting off base, you should consider using your BAH to build equity while you’re stationed in Alaska.

The average price of a new/newer single family home in  North Pole  is $214,366. Factoring in local property taxes and hazard insurance would bring your mortgage payment to $1,460+/-. Why not let Uncle Sam make your mortgage payment for you?

There’s always a risk that the home you buy may not be quick sale when you PCS to your next duty station, but with incredible rates and seller incentives, this could be a great time to get into the Fairbanks real estate market.  Have questions?  Call or email us anytime.

We’ve had a great summer and fall and although it’s not here yet, the start of winter in Fairbanks is just around the corner.  With the great weather we’ve been having, I’m a little behind in my fall to-do checklist.  With NOAA calling for frost in the valley and lows down to 25, it’s time for me to get in gear.  This isn’t an all inclusive list, but it’s my standard fall here-comes-winter checklist.

Have a licensed technician clean and service your boiler or furnace. This should be done once a year and now is a great time as the tech will need to take the system offline for a couple of hours.  Doing it mid winter can leave you with a cold house.  Annual tuneups and cleanings will keep your boiler or furnace running at peak efficiency.  You’ll also prolong the life of your heating system and save money on big unexpected repairs.  That’s always a good thing.

Hire a chimney sweep (or buy a brush) and clean your boiler/wood-stove/fireplace chimney. I have our boiler stack cleaned once a year when the boiler is done.  If you’re burning wood as a source of heat, make sure to only burn seasoned wood to reduce the amount of creosote building in the stack.  No one wants a chimney fire in the winter… or ever for that matter.  Cleaning is a great way to reduce the chance of a chimney fire!

Change your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector batteries. Most newer Fairbanks homes have hardwired systems, but they will also have a battery backup.  This is a great time to vacuum each detector to eliminate any dust bunnies or dirt that might interfere with the operation.  And, while you’re at it, review (or create) an emergency escape system.

Clean out your septic tank. Ok, I’ll admit, this is one job I leave to the professionals.  I have ours pumped every year and even though we could probably get by with doing it every other year.  Regular cleaning will prolong the life of your system.

If so equipped, check and clean the filter on your Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) unit. Don’t forget to check the exhaust and intake vents to make sure no little critters have moved in.

Turn off all exterior spigots, blow (or drain) the lines and cover them with a frost proof cover. Roll up your garden hoses and store them with your sprinklers and nozzles.

Cover and store patio furniture, grill and outdoor accessories. Unless, of course, you plan to have a cook out at -20… and yes, it does ocassionally happen.

Pick up, clean, sharpen and store your garden and other tools. I’m kind of an ‘a place for everything and everythng in its place’ kind of guy, but this will also keep you from tripping over the rake that got left out or running over an extension cord with the snowblower.  Trust me, that just makes a mess.  I usually sharpen the blades on the Deere as well as give it a wash and wax before putting it up for the winter.  Don’t forget to put some fuel stabilizer in it as well.

Prepare for snow removal. Fire up the snowblower and make sure its running properly and the blades engage.  Don’t forget to put your snow shovel(s) and ice spade where you can easily find them.

Weatherproof your home. Now is the time to seal up those areas around the entry and garage doors and windows, add insulation in your attic and crawlspace.  Homes with less efficient windows would benefit from a window film application.

If you park your vehicles outside, consider investing in a timer for your car(s). According to Golden Valley Electric, it costs between $30 & $75 per car to leave it plugged in overnight.  A well maintained car should only need 2-3 hours of heating to start (more for diesels).  Over a 6-7 month winter the savings could easily be in the hundreds of dollars.  If it’s not already, don’t forget to winterize your vehicle as well.

That’s pretty much it. Preparing your Fairbanks home for the rigors of old man winter will help ensure you have a comfortable, hopefully trouble-free winter.   Feel free to call or email us if you need a referral for a heating tech, septic company or if you just have questions.  We’re always happy to help.

Admittedly, I’m not much of a runner.  Never have been.  Even when I was young and not shaped so much like a beach ball.  These days the only running I do is through the Sea-Tac Airport in hopes of not missing a connecting flight.

But, for the 2010 Visitor Industry Walk for Charity, I’ll strap on my sole pair of blindingly white Nike tennis shoes and numbered bib and with Orange Powerade in hand, cheerfully join the crowd for the not-so arduous journey from the historic Immaculate Conception Church on Cushman Street to the new Morris Thompson Cultural Center across the river on Wendell Street.

Billed as the only walk in Fairbanks where you may actually gain weight.  Local businesses will have booths set up along the route and will donate goodies for walkers to graze on.  With sponsors like Alpine Lodge & Finish Line Restaurant, Bobby’s Downtown, Cookie Jar, Fudge Pot, River City Cafe & Espresso & others, it’s sure to be a fun evening.

People are welcome to participate as individuals, families or teams.  Entrance fees for those registered by May 10th are a minimum of $25 for adults and $15 for children 6-12years old.  Late registration is available from May 11th – May 13th and is $30 for adults and $20 for children.  Registration is also available the day of the walk for an additional $5. Online registration is available or you can download a .pdf and drop it in the mail.

According to the Chamber of Commerce, more than $14,000 was raised during the 209 Walk for Charity.  Remember, 100% of the money raised goes to the local registered nonprofit of your choosing.   Have questions? Contact Karen Lane at 459.3758 or klane@explorefairbanks.com for more information. Come join us Friday May 14th from 6:00 – 8:00PM as we take a stroll through downtown Fairbanks.

A vital part of any community is its medical and health care care centers. Fairbanks Memorial Hospital is the flagship of medical community in Fairbanks.  A non-profit community hospital, Fairbanks Memorial is owned by the Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation with Banner Health Systems managing the day to day operations. While Banner Healthy Systems is paid an annual administrative fee, all other net operational revenues remain in Fairbanks and are reinvested in the hospital campus as well as used to provide community services for the citizens of Fairbanks and Interior Alaska.

Services provided by Fairbanks Memorial include:

* Banner Alzheimer’s Institute
* Cancer Care Services
* Emergency Services
* Heart Care Services
* Obstetrics/Maternity Services
* Pediatrics
* Medical Imaging/Radiology
* Neurosciences
* Orthopedic Services
* Rehabilitation Services
* Women’s Health Services
* Surgical Care
* Home Health Care

* Denali Center is a 92 bed care facility on the Fairbanks Memorial Campus. Privately operated Carriage North was acquired by the FMH Foundation in 1982 and reborn as Denali Center. Aspen Way is a short term care inpatient care program (less than 90 days) providing medical and rehabilitation services and the coordination of Home Health Care services. Willow Run provides a safe, secure facility for the care of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

* Fairbanks Imaging Center offers a complete spectrum of diagnostic services including Alaska’s first 64-slice CT scanner, two sate-of-the-art MRI’s, two Nuclear Medicine cameras, digital mammography, ultrasound services, bone densitometry, stress tests and general radiology services.

* Fairbanks Clinic is also located on the FMH Campus and provides family and occupational health services, pediatric services, obstetrics and gynecology as well as OB/GYN ultrasound services.

Eye Clinic of Fairbanks maintains two locations in Fairbanks; 1919 Lathrop (FHM Campus) and at the Tanana Valley Clinic. Both locations provide comprehensive eye care, emergency and trauma care, medical/surgical treatments, cataract surgery, refractive surgery, oculoplastic lid surgery, strabismus surgery, corneal transplant surgery, diabetic eye disease care and laser surgery for medical care.

Quest Diagnostics provides routine lab tests, blood alcohol testing, pediatric testing, glucose tolerance testing as well as DOT collections.

Sportsmedicine Fairbanks Orthopaedic Center is the group to see for orthopaedic medical treatment. Services include treatment of fractures, dislocations and sprains, arthritis, tendonitis, sports injuries, arthoscopic surgery, endoscopic surgery, carpal tunnel surgery, hand and upper extremity surgery as well as foot and ankle surgery and X-ray diagnostics. Dr. Keller and his team are easily among the best in Fairbanks.

Tanana Valley Clinic, located in downtown Fairbanks, provides a full array of medical services including family practice, internal medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, orthopedics, pediatrics, podiatry, radiology, and surgical services.

Located next door to the Tanana Valley Clinic is TVC 1st Care Clinic, which provides immediate no-appointment-required non-emergency medical care to patients on a first come, first serve basis from 8AM – 8PM daily.

Fairbanks Urgent Care Center, (907-452-2178) located on Airport Way also provides immediate no-appointment-required medical care to patients 7 days a week including minor medical emergencies, treatment of acute illness, sports/school physicals, ICC/DOT physicals, drug & alcohol screening as well as treatment of work related injury and illness.

Fairbanks is also fortunate to have Basset Army Hospital which serves as the VA Community Outpatient Clinic taking care of our men and women in uniform on Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base and our local retired service members.

In addition to traditional medical service, Fairbanks is home to the Holistic Medical Clinic, which provides naturopathy, acupuncture services, body work, homeopathics, craniosacral, herbal medicine, nutrition, detoxification therapy, NAET treatments, colon hydrotheraphy, flower remedies, ADD treatment, hydrotherapy, hypnosis psychotherapy, infertility treatment, lifestyle enhancement, nutritional therapies and an array of women’s health services.

Another alternative to traditional medical care is the Alaska Center for Natural Medicine where practitioners utilize nutrition, herbs, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, counseling, allergy desensitization and other modalities to solve health problems.

For our furry, four legged, winged, slithering or scaly friends, Fairbanks offers some of the best veterinary care in Alaska.

* Mt. McKinley Animal Hospital has been a fixture in Fairbanks since 1971. Although Dr. Sachtjen has retired, Mt. McKinley is staffed with caring, attentive veterinarians who truly do care for your pet as if it were their own.

* Animal House Veterinary Hospital provides full veterinary care as well as emergency veterinary services.

* Aurora Animal Clinic – 1651 College Road – 907-452-5055

* Ballaine Veterinary Clinic – 898 Ballaine Road – 907-479-3641

* Golden Heart Veterinary Services – 615 University Avenue – 907-479-4791

* North Pole Veterinary Hospital – 2942 Hurts road – 907-488-2335

* After Hours Veterinary Emergency Clinic – 1343 Great View Lane – 907-479-2700

Next Stop: Fairbanks Schools K-12 (Links coming soon)

Mark your calendars…. May 16, 2009

In honor of Arbor Day – celebrated on May 18th, 2009 in Alaska, Golden Valley Electric Association will again give away trees to local residents. Golden Valley has 3,000 lilac saplings to give away in Fairbanks, Delta Junction and Nenana.  In previous years Golden Valley has given away Choke Cherry, Amur Maple, Crabapple, Rose Tree of China, Silverberry and Siberian and Red Osier Dogwood trees.

Be sure to show up early as the allotted trees usually go quickly!  Have questions?  Contact GVEA at info@gvea.com or call 907-452-1151.

Each generation takes the earth as trustees.
- J. Sterlng Morton

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