I swore I would never, ever make that trip again. The last time I did, it cost a pretty penny to charter a helicopter to fly me off the mountain. For some reason I have an aversion to looking out the window of a bus (driven by an undoubtedly high college kid who looks like he's one toke away from driving us all to a certain death) and seeing terra firma... 1,500 feet straight down. Nope. Sorry. Just not gonna do it.
This past weekend the boss and I took some much needed R&R time and headed south to Denali Park. I know, I know... some say all we do in the summer is take time off. It's amazing how much business you can conduct via a satellite connection. :) Where there's a will, there's a way, right?
While we were fortunate to have gorgeous sunny skies and temps in the 70's I was dreading the mere mention of 'the trip' up the mountain. God help me, I don't think there's enough Valium in the western hemisphere to get me back on that bus.
Fortunately for me the buses aren't in operation yet. But, the Park road (the only one in Denali National Park) is open to milepost 30 at the Teklanika River. We took a leisurely drive over the mountains and through the woods watching for critters large and small. There were tons of ptarmigans, a lynx who was too quick for me to catch on film, a small herd of caribou, several moose, a black bear and on our return trip a pack of wolves we had a short standoff with in the middle of the road.
If you're thinking of making a trip to Denali, this is a great time. The terrorists tourists are not out yet and with less traffic on the Park road the odds of seeing wildlife is much greater. Riley Creek Campground, the first campground in the Park, is the only one open and doesn't offer any hookups but camping is free until the 14th.
The photo's below are a few from the trip... I hope you enjoy them!
5:35AM. The view from the bedroom window was bleak. Is that snow? It was a morning that, if not for promises made, I would have succumbed to the urge to drift back to sleep. Not today. Today we were going arm in arm with our fellow citizens to make our collective voices heard.
"It's not a Republican thing... It's not a Democrat thing. It's an American thing." Partisan attacks were nowhere to be seen on this day. We gathered... young, old, black, white, business owners, retirees and the recently unemployed... out of a growing anger that our representatives seem to have forgotten this great nation belongs to us all.
By noon more than 400 patriots gathered, armed only with homemade cardboard signs and flags to protest wasteful spending, government bailouts, and special interests winning out over folks on Main Street.
A young mother holding a flag and pushing a stroller with her youngest tucked inside asks, "When money is tight, I have to watch my pennies. Why won't they?"
Perched on a busy intersection near downtown Fairbanks, we watched as car after car drove past with horns blaring and drivers waving in support. More than a few stopped to offer boxes of tea. One not-so-clued-in fellow stopped ten feet or so behind me, spooled the passenger window down and yelled out to anyone within earshot, "What hell are you people celebrating?"
American citizenship, my friend. The right to not only question our government, but to demand accountability from it.
A short walk later found us at the steps of the Federal Building. Flags were unfurled as Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA was heard for at least six city blocks amid chants of "Enough is enough" and "Stop spending my money."
Toward the end of the event a group of folks collected the tea bags and carried them to the office of US Senator Mark Begich. No violence, no arrests... just a group of citizens exercising our right to be heard.
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Fairbanks, Alaska Real Estate - Market Report
As much as it will surprise many buyers, and a few sellers, parts of the Fairbanks market are starting to strongly favor sellers. A limited inventory of homes for sale is causing buyers to scramble for, and in many cases, compete with other buyers for homes. I've talked to no less than 7 or 8 agents in the past couple of weeks who say their clients lost 'the house' because of multiple offers. It's true. Multiple offers are alive and well in Fairbanks.
North Pole, for example, has seen a marked decrease in the number of homes for sale. New(er) 3 and 4 bedroom homes under $250,000 in good condition are very much in demand. As of this writing, there are 13 homes for sale priced between $200,000 - $250,000 (the median market for North Pole). Of those, 11 have been on the market less than 60 days. 63% of the ($200-250K) homes sold in North Pole since March 1st spent less than 22 days on the market. The marketing time for Fairbanks homes trends somewhat higher, but is declining.
Overall, the trends for March are good news.
Average Sales Price - UP
Average Days on the Market - DOWN
Homes Sold - HOLDING STEADY
List to Sales Price Ratio - UP
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Is this a good time to buy Fairbanks real estate? Absolutely. Prices have come down, seller concessions are available and as of this morning a 30 year fixed rate loan will cost you 4.625%. Call or contact us online today to start the search for your piece of the Last Frontier.
It's time to send a message to our government... Stop Spending Our Money.
I have long been a small government fiscal conservative. The Federal Government was not designed to be nor did the Founding Fathers dream it would ever evolve into a bloated, inefficient, constituent ignoring, revenue inhaling entitlement distribution center.
It's time for a modern Declaration of Independence from those who serve only to further their own power. We need to return this nation to her people.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. -Declaration of Independence
I have no desire to see my children and grandchildren saddled with the debt from this seemingly endless stream of federal handouts. $12.7 trillion?! Where does it end? If we leave it up to the politicians in Washington it won't.
Attention Patriots! It's time for a Tea Party. The last one sent a clear message that our current 'representatives' would do well to heed.
WHEN: April 15, 2009
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The premier real estate team in the Golden Heart City; we provide results oriented buyer and seller representation.
We are Jesse & Kathy Clifton, better known as simply The Spouses. As full-time professional REALTORS®, we are committed to providing our clients with the most knowledgeable, professional and experienced real estate service available.
The-Spouses.com is the creation of Jesse & Kathy Clifton, REALTORS®. Frustrated with the limitations on most websites available to our customers, we created the website in order to give not just our customers, but all of Interior Alaska, a great real estate experience.
The most differentiating aspect of The-Spouses.com is that we make it easy to find the properties and information that you want. Our goal is to provide the most real estate information to the Fairbanks community - even to those people who may never choose to use our services.
We don't believe that you should have to fill out long registration forms just to find out what is on the market. Nor do we believe that just because you want to know how much that house down the street is listed for, you should be harassed by some agent you've never met and don't want to talk to.
The-Spouses.com is built around a belief in good customer service and non-pushy sales. To that extent, we have created a company whose sole objective is to help serve clients who decide that they are ready to buy or sell their home.
Integrity, Honesty, and Great Customer service are the hallmarks of our practice.
In short, The-Spouses.com is about having a great real estate experience, whether you are buying and selling, or just browsing to see what's out there.
We specialize in residential real estate; new construction and existing single and multi family homes as well as undeveloped land in Fairbanks and the surrounding communities of North Pole, Salcha, Fox, Two Rivers, Ester, Ft. Wainwright Army Post and Eielson Air Force Base. As full-time professional REALTORS®, we are committed to providing our clients with the most knowledgeable, professional and experienced real estate service available. Any agent can open a door; we believe it's our responsibility to protect and promote your best interests throughout the transaction. Anything less is simply unacceptable.
Search the Fairbanks MLS - View Our Showcase Homes - Read Our Monthly Market Reports
Jesse & Kathy Clifton
Spouses Selling Houses
Jesse Clifton & Associates, REALTORS
250 N. Cushman Street, 4G
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
Direct: (907) 699-6024 Fax: (866) 421-4339
www.the-spouses.com - jesse@the-spouses.com
Follow us on Twitter: @thespouses
Fairbanks; The Golden Heart city of Alaska.
The city of Fairbanks is located in Interior Alaska near the confluence of the Chena and Tanana Rivers in the Tanana Valley. We are 360 miles north of Anchorage, 125 south of the Arctic Circle, 3,500 miles from Los Angeles and 4,200 miles from Washington, DC. Nicknamed "The Golden Heart City", Fairbanks is the largest city in the interior region and the second largest in Alaska.
Founded in 1901 by Captain E.T. Barnette as a trading post on the Chena River, the community grew and was eventually named after Senator Charles Fairbanks. The discovery of Gold in the hills just north of Fairbanks caused a mass influx of residents, bringing the population to almost 11,000 in 1910. Ladd Field, now Fort Wainwright, was built in 1938 followed by the Alcan Highway in 1940's and Eielson Air Force Base, formerly Satellite Field, in 1943, bringing the military population to almost isto be just shy of 19,921.
An Act of the Alaska Legislature created the Fairbanks North Star Borough in 1964; the year of the fateful Good Friday Earthquake that shook anchorage and three years before Fairbanks suffered a devastating flood at the hands of the Chena River. According to records the population of Fairbanks in 1880 was approximately 2,600 and has since swelled to almost 90,000 in the North Star Borough with projections for nearly 105,000 by the year 2018.
The Fairbanks economy is based on tourism, the state's oil revenue and federal government expenditures for the military, administration of federal agencies and research grants. As Alaska's second largest city, Fairbanks is an important trading, transportation and military center. Residents of nearby North Pole, Fort Wainwright Army Post, Eielson Air Force Base and surrounding areas come to Fairbanks for shopping, entertainment and employment.
The Interior and Fairbanks in particular are known to have some of the most extreme weather conditions in the country due to significant changes in solar heat throughout the year. The winters are long, usually lasting from late September to mid-April. From November to March, daylight ranges from ten to less than four hours daily and temperatures can drop to 50 degrees below zero. The summers are very warm, often reaching 80 degrees Fahrenheit and sometimes reaching the 90's. The sun is above the horizon eighteen to twenty-one hours per day. August and September tend to be the rainier months and snow tends to fall the last week of September leading back into the winter season.
Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks; the flagship campus of the University of Alaska system. Originally founded as the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines in 1917 it became the University of Alaska in 1935. UAF remains the only campus in the University of Alaska system that awards doctoral degrees and holds the distinction of being one of only thirteen Land, Sea and Space Grant Universities in the country.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks encompasses eight campuses, plus the Center for Distance Education, offering 163 degrees and 25 certificates in 115 disciplines. 9,681 students are currently enrolled at the various campuses in the UAF system with 88% pursuing an undergraduate degree. 833 certificate, associate or baccalaureate degrees and 204 master's and doctoral degrees were conferred in the spring of 2007.
Located on the main campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, The Rasmuson Library is the largest library in the State of Alaska with 1.1 million volumes and electronic access to more than 20 million titles worldwide. The UAF campus is also home to the Museum of the North which boasts a rare and unique collection of more than 1 million objects.
University athletics are a vital part of the community. Dubbed the Nanooks; UAF athletics are composed of Division I hockey team, a Division II basketball team, mens and women's cross country skiing, rifle, women's swimming and volleyball.
Alaska is an outdoors paradise. We are blessed to have incredible hunting and fishing opportunities within an hours drive of Fairbanks. No matter what outdoor activity you're into, you can find it in Fairbanks. Summer or winter, there are plenty of sports to keep you breathing fresh Alaskan air.
Having called Alaska home for almost 30 years, we can't imagine living anywhere else. Considering a move to Fairbanks? Call at 907-699-6024 or contact us online; we would love to hear from you.
We love our clients; most have become close friends who continually refer other friends and family members to us because they know we have their best interest at heart. Our greatest achievement is in knowing we've made a difference; professionally as well as personally.
Kathy & Jesse! What a pair of "Spouses Selling Houses"!! Truly two wonderful helpful people that anyone wanting to buy or sell a house would want to know! When we were in the market to buy and sell, they never pressured, they were on top of every stop that needed to be taken. They provided answers to every inexperienced question we asked. They took car of unseen details and went to bat when there were snags. Truly a couple we feel are friends. Our home is our haven, thanks to these two hard working "Spouses". Recommend them... You had better believe it! ~ Mr. & Mrs. Mobley, Fairbanks
Jesse and Kathy are absolutely the best! They both gave me very good advice and I was happy to have folks who would give me honest advice. It was the first time I had looked into buying a house and lots of friends told me to avoid going through a REALTOR, that I would find better deals if I didn't have to deal with the REALTOR's "take." My friends were so wrong, Jesse and Kathy know the housing market, understand the intricacies of housing loans, and have a complete grasp on all the legalities of buying and selling. They definitely went to bat for me and protected me from my own naivety. I was and am very grateful that Jesse and Kathy were there helping me through every step of a confusing and some times frustrating process. ~ Ms. G. Russell, Fairbanks
Jesse assisted me with the process of finding and financing my home in Fairbanks in record time. I came into town on a mission with time constraints and high expectations that it could happen, and thanks to Jesse, it did! When the time came to make a decision, he gave me sound and honest advice... Jesse has the instincts, patience, and knowledge to match home to owner. And after the deal is struck, he is still there to guide you through the process of ownership. You know he is a phone call away and never too busy to take your call. Both he and his wife, Kathy, have a genuine interest in their clients. I don't believe we are seen as just customers, but as new members of the community to be supported and welcomed as neighbors and friends. They both continue to make me feel that way. ~ Ms. Salisbury, Fairbanks
We had our home listed with another agent for more than 8 months before listing it with Jesse & Kathy. The friend that referred them to us said they were the best agents in town. We agree! They gave us the honest advice we needed to hear about our asking price and the repairs we needed to make. Our home sold in a month and we are now in our new highly recomment them to everyone we know. ~ Mr. & Mrs. L. Trumball, Fairbanks
We love Jesse & Kathy. They are not just our Realtors. They are our friends. We were a wreck trying to coordinate selling our current home and closing on the new one. Despite probably driving them crazy with phone calls and questions, they were always available. We can't imagine buying or selling a home without their help. ~ Mr. & Mrs. T. Roberts
Dear Jesse & Kathy, Thank you so much for all your help. Not having ever bought a house before I had no idea what I was getting into. You guys are the best! ~ S. Miller, North Pole
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