Alaska RealEstateRama

MILWAUKEE, March 17, 2008 – Metavante (NYSE:MV), a leading provider of banking and payments technology, today announced that Alaska USA Federal Credit Union (FCU) is in production with Metavante’s Loan Origination System (LOS) point-of-sale solution for its mortgage operations. Alaska USA FCU, headquartered in Anchorage, is one of the top 10 credit unions in the U.S. and the largest financial institution in Alaska with $2.8 billion in assets.

(JUNEAU, Alaska) — Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) officials today announced the availability of more than $1 million in grants for Alaska communities under the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program.

(JUNEAU, Alaska) — As part of the ongoing Engineer’s Week through Feb. 23, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT & PF) is sponsoring a free children’s bridge building event at the Mendenhall Mall Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff announced that on January 31, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will no longer accept oral declarations as proof of citizenship to gain entry into the United States by land or sea. Border crossings will require possession of a passport, other approved single documents, or a combination of two documents such as a driver’s licenses and birth certificate.

A deal between the Municipality of Anchorage, the Alaska Club and Hickel Investments to purchase Valley River Center Building A received the thumbs up from both the Anchorage Assembly and the municipal attorney Nov. 6.In the joint private-public deal, the Alaska Club and the municipality offered to purchase the building for $3 million Oct. 10.

Commercial real estate in Juneau appears to be gaining momentum as the tourism industry keeps retail property sales busy downtown and an influx of big box retailers has piqued the interest of smaller national chains, brokers report.

Mayor Mark Begich revealed his latest private-public business partnership last week, when he announced plans for the Municipality of Anchorage to purchase Valley River Center Building A along with Andrew Eker, the president of the Alaska Club, from Hickel Investment Co.

In the wake of voters’ rejection of a sales tax, a pair of borough officials pledged Tuesday to propose a statewide initiative aimed at changing state law to increase the allowable residential property tax exemption from $20,000 per home to $100,000.

DUBLIN, Ohio, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Epcon Communities, a leading homebuilding developer and franchise operator based in Dublin, Ohio, has announced the plans for its first-ever residents' cruise, an Alaskan cruise scheduled to depart July 19th through July 26th 2008.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- It's estimated nearly 900 homes in Alaska currently face foreclosure, but a new program aims to reduce that number

Fairbanks-area voters will address two tax proposals in Tuesday’s municipal election. People outside the Fairbanks city limits will have a single sales tax question on the ballot, and it should be voted down. Vote “no” on the borough-wide sales tax Tuesday.

Foreclosure. That word alone can send shivers down any homeowner's back. Besides the embarrassment and disruption to the family, a foreclosure creates more problems than it fixes

Mayor Mark Begich and Anchorage Assembly chairman Dan Coffey are dangling the prospect of a significant drop in property taxes in front of Anchorage voters and taxpayers.

WASILLA -- Observers in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and in Anchorage report scores of home foreclosures that began late last year and aren't expected to taper off soon.

The health of the Anchorage real estate market is on the mind of many, with some feeling it is a buyer's market. This opinion seems heavily influenced by national news, which overshadows our local perspective. Is Anchorage following the national trend, or do local issues create a different outlook for our real estate market? Here are some positives and negatives to consider.