June 2024 Mat Su Great Lander with Real Estate

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Ask Cora

Hey Cora: I have noticed that homes are just not affordable anymore. I mean, with higher interest rates AND higher prices, it’s almost impossible to find an affordable home. What is a person to do? Signed, Family Needs a Home.

Dear Family, I understand completely. I have been getting this question a lot: How can the typical American family afford a house in today’s market? It seems impossible to find a home for under $300,000. As a realtor, I understand the challenges that many families face when it comes to homeownership and managing other financial responsibilities. Let’s see if we can find some creative ideas on how you can make your dreams of owning a home a reality, while also balancing the other components of life, kids, spouses, money, in-laws, the dog!

1. Budgeting and Savings: The first step towards affording a house is to create a budget and prioritize savings. Analyze your monthly income and expenses and identify areas where you can cut back. I know you think you have done this already, but here are some ideas: morning coffee at the coffee stand? Make it at home. Cable? Netflix is cheaper. Simple things like this can put money in your savings account. Unwanted subscriptions, look it up on your phone and get rid of them. Set aside a portion of your income specifically for saving towards a down payment. Every little bit adds up, so even small adjustments can make a big difference.

2. Explore Affordable Housing Programs: Many communities offer affordable housing programs that provide assistance to low-to-moderate-income families. These programs may include down payment assistance, reduced interest rates, or special financing options. We have those programs right here in our Mat Su Valley. There is the HOP program, which is an acronym for Home Opportunity Program, (you didn’t think it had anything to do with bunnies did you?) There is help out there for people that work hard, but don’t make a ton of

money at their jobs. USDA has a really good loan program without a large down payment. These programs have specific requirements for the buyer and the house – BUT, let’s look into that.

3. Collaborate with Family or Friends: Pooling resources with family members or close friends can be a creative way to afford a house. Consider exploring the option of co-buying a property, where multiple parties contribute towards the purchase and share ownership. This can help even out financial burden and make homeownership more accessible. Now, yes, on the surface, this sounds a little scary, but let’s say that you and your brother, buy a fourplex together. He is going to live in one unit, you in another. You will both share the expenses equally AND share the collected rents equally too! It may be a win-win for both of you.

4. Increase Your Income: Finding ways to increase your income can significantly impact your ability to afford a house. Consider taking on a parttime job or exploring opportunities for career advancement. This might sound dumb, but just take a look at this for a minute. Some employers offer training for better paying jobs. Some offer college assistance. Sometimes, you just need a little more in your paycheck, how about Uber driving, or even door dashing a few nights a week. An extra $500 in your monthly budget could make all the difference.

5. Prioritize Debt Management: That’s so easy to say but does take discipline to do. Managing debt is crucial when working towards homeownership. Prioritize paying off debts that have a low balance.

Just keep knocking those off the list. By reducing your overall debt burden, you will improve your financial standing and increase your eligibility for favorable mortgage terms, which is fancy speak for you’ll get a better interest rate! Mortgage companies can see how you manage or DON’T manage debt. This could invite you in or kick you out of the market for home buying. There are people that can help you with this – call me and I’ll get you in touch.

6. Explore Housing Markets Outside of the Main Core Areas: Core areas are the most desirable so they come with higher price tags, exploring housing markets in more rural areas may offer more affordable options. Expand your search to surrounding neighborhoods or towns that offer lower housing costs. Now, I understand that it’s no fun driving in the snow to work in the dark both ways, but it may just get you into a home now and you can upgrade later.

Remember, homeownership is a journey that requires patience, dedication, and careful financial planning. It also requires sacrifice and none of us seem to want to do that – however, you will be grateful that you did because it can put you on a path to wealth. I am not kidding.

Here are your list of words that I want you to put on post-it notes on your bathroom mirror so you will be forced to look at them every day:

1) I make great coffee from home

2) I can paint my own nails

3) I can do better at my job and potentially get a better job

4) I love Nexflix

5) I love fishing, but a new boat can wait

6) I am excited to work extra hours if it helps me meet my goals

All of the 6 things above are temporary and in the grand scheme of things, when you are in your new home, you probably won’t even remember that you sacrificed all these things to get where you are! Good luck future homeowners, you can do this!

Steak Pack

Jumbo Freezer Filler

TAKE A TRIP WORD SEARCH

Find the hidden words in the puzzle

Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwards HIGHWAY HOLIDAY HOTEL INTERNATIONAL ITINERARY LANDING LUGGAGE MEMORIES PACKING POSTCARD RELAXATION RESORT

AIRPORT

ALL-INCLUSIVE CRUISE

DEPARTURE

DESTINATION EMBARK

ROAD TRIP ROOM SIGHTS TAKE-OFF TRAIN VACATION

SUDOKU

(Level - Easy)

The objective is to fill a 9×9 grid so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 boxes (also called blocks or regions) contains the digits from 1 to 9 only one time each.

CROSSWORD

WORD SEARCH ANSWER

SUDOKU ANSWER

ACROSS

1. Native American people

5. Very long periods of time (Brit.)

10. Schoolboard accessory

12. Rods

14. One who renews

16. Sculpted body part

18. Chatter incessantly

19. __ King Cole, musician

20. Plates on a turtle’s shell

22. University of Utah athlete

23. The world of the dead

25. Singer Redding

26. Former Yankee great Mattingly

27. Prefix indicating wrongly

28. Unhappy

30. Anger

31. Dark brown or black

33. Restaurants have a lot of them

35. Made a mistake

37. Damp

CROSSWORD ANSWER

38. Type of gasoline

40. Actor LeBlanc

41. Perform in a play

42. One’s mother

44. Prohibit

45. Swiss river

48. Part of a banana

50. Indian hand clash cymbals

52. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.)

53. Agave

55. Noted journalist Tarbell

56. Computer firm

57. Type of record

58. Bacterium that can cause infection

63. Sheaths enclosing the spinal cord

65. A narrow opening (as in a rock wall)

66. Pattern

67. Very eager to see something

DOWN

Witch 2. Utilize 3. Writing utensil 4. Places to perform 5. Subsides

Consume

Athleisure clothing brand

8. California town 9. Atomic #50

10. The Muse of lyric and love poetry

11. Creates anew

13. Humorous commentaries

15. Cool!

17. Most ignoble

18. Soggy dirt

21. Designed to be useful

23. Hebrew unit of liquid capacity

24. High schoolers’ test

27. One-time internet accessory

29. City in India

32. Furniture

34. You have likely chatted with one

35. Pass or go by

36. Proof of purchase

39. A digital tape recording of sound

40. More (Spanish)

43. Disfigured

44. White (Spanish)

46. Building occupied by monks

47. Georgia rock band

49. Device that generates intense beam of light

51. State of agitation

54. Make by braiding

59. Local area network

60. Unit of work or energy

61. Indigenous person of Thailand

62. Liquefied natural gas

64. Distance to top

R ecycling

Valley Charities Housing Assistance Program helps in hard times

By Randi Perlman

The twists and turns of everyday life can sometimes take a toll on families and individuals residing in the Mat-Su Valley, unexpectedly and through no fault of their own. Just paying the bills to keep utilities on and prevent eviction can become a serious challenge at times. Are you aware of a program right here in the Valley that can provide financial housing assistance during those low times?

Since 2012, the primary purpose of Valley Charities, Inc. (VCI’s) Housing Assistance Program (HAP) has been to help folks remain in housing, in other words, to prevent homelessness. That led to an awareness of grants that would help people re-enter from situations such as incarceration, as well as grants to help families transition slowly into sustainable, independent housing arrangements.

VCI provides financial/rent assistance to individuals and families that meet the required grant criteria. Details on eligibility can be found on the VCI website (www.valleycharities.org ) or by calling 907-354-4660. A short voice message from the caller briefly explaining their basic need, for example eviction prevention, behind on utility bills or rent payments, or something else, is then screened by VCI’s case worker. Most grants funnel in from the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), so income requirements are part of the screening process. Applicants at 30% of the median household income (which is considered below the poverty level), depending on

how many people are in the family, may then be eligible for assistance with their utility bills, first month’s rent getting into a new home, etc.

HAP does NOT provide housing. The program DOES provide financial assistance to help folks get over the immediate ‘bump in the road’ and get back on a sustainable path on their own.

The HAP case manager is a strong information resource and referral advocate for all sorts of helpful governmental programs and partnerships and can point folks in the right direction for help with a wide range of needs.

VCI has established a great relationship with AHFC over time by demonstrating its ability to provide funding responsibly, which has put VCI in a position to take on additional grants and projects, even assisting people statewide. As another offshoot of the program, VCI began helping with prisoner re-entry. The history and importance of VCI’s Re-Entry Assistance Program is closely tied to HAP and will be the topic of a future article in this publication.

Adam Pollock is VCI’s case manager for HAP. He has been on board for many years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience to help answer any questions applicants may have. Pollock has worked hard over the years to streamline the process of applying for assistance with three main concepts:

- Partnering with six other nonprofit agencies in the Mat-Su, each with different specialties, services, and expertise, and in different locations, in order to cover residents across

the entire Valley, from Chickaloon and Sutton on one end through Trapper Creek on the other. These partner agencies are Family Promise Mat-Su, Blood & Fire Ministries, Daybreak, Inc., Salvation Army, Alaska Family Services, and MY House.

- Initial screenings to determine eligibility are done over the phone, avoiding the necessity of an extra trip to complete preliminary paperwork. When eligibility has been confirmed via phone, an in-person appointment can be made with full knowledge of additional documents needed. This procedure achieves greater convenience and efficiency for all involved.

- Application completion is done in-person at the office of the participating agency, where experienced case workers provide individualized help with appropriate terminology on the required forms.

Over the years, Dave Rose (former Mat-Su Coalition on Housing and Homelessness Coordinator) and Adam Pollock (an army Veteran) have established an excellent relationship with local property managers and landlords, a critical piece of the puzzle in the success of this program. It brings forth an element of trust, cooperation and communication needed to work through the details of each individual circumstance and situation.

If the applicant does not qualify for the program, the folks at HAP do all they can to assist in problem-solving or identifying other agencies

and resources that may be beneficial to the client’s specific needs, and which they may not even be aware of. In addition to the six specific agencies HAP formally partners with mentioned above, other informal program partners include Veterans programs, public assistance, senior programs, churches, and many others. This enables what is known as a ‘warm handoff’, where one agency can see a need they may not be able to fill but can refer a client to a partner agency that can do so.

HAP’s approach has been to disburse the funding in a manner that allows them to help as many people as possible. The program is always aware of how much is available to make it through the next grant cycle, and VCI meets with its six partner agencies on a monthly basis to compare notes on how the program is going. The amount of financial assistance provided is regularly assessed and adjusted to ensure adequate funds are on hand.

Valley Charities, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing life-changing programs and opportunities to Valley residents. VCI has been quietly serving the Mat-Su Borough for over 60 years. Through their Housing Assistance Program, Mat-Su Reentry Program, Medical Equipment Lending Program, and turn-A-leaf Thrift Store, alongside many strong community partnerships, VCI serves the needs of Valley residents and helps them thrive. These compassionate programs encompass and fulfill VCI’s vision to make the Mat-Su Valley a healthier and happier place to reside for everyone. For more information, visit www.valleycharities.org or call 907-376-5740.

Somewhere, hidden in this publication is a picture of a $100 bill. All you need to do is find the picture of the $100 Dollar Bill and tell us the ad and page number you found it on, along with your name, address and phone number. (If you don’t give us your address and phone number we can’t send you the money!) We will then have a random drawing from your submissions on June 25, 2024 to pick ONE WINNER Mail or bring all submissions to: GreatLander Publications 3110 Spenard Road Anchorage, AK 99503

– Please include your email address –

H ome & G arden

Nature provides

Julie Cascio, Mat-Su District, UAF Cooperative Extension Service

From a chilly spring, June begins. Soil is gradually warming up. Plants begin to grow, some providing food this early in Alaska. Rhubarb is growing, fireweed is beginning to come up, and roses are beginning to flower as I write this article.

When choosing wild edible plants, recognize the plant accurately. Use a reliable book with picture and sketch of the plant to recognize the plant correctly. Know the area the plant grows is free of exhaust, pesticides and animal urination if planning on eating them. Harvest only some of the plant so it continues to grow in the future.

spring nettles for enjoying later in the year.

Fiddlehead Ferns grow in moist areas. Collect the tightly coiled spring clusters of lady (Athyrium filix-femina), ostrich (Matteuccia struthiopteris) and shield fern (Dryopteris dilatata) when about 5 to 6 inches high. Discard the brown, flaky coatings before cooking. Boil or steam and serve like asparagus. Add to omelets, casseroles, even spaghetti sauce. Or make cream of fiddlehead soup. Always serve cooked to destroy an enzyme in it. Note, do not consume bracken fern.

Nettles (Urtica gracillis, U. lyallii) burst with flavor and nutrition. If touched by bare skin, however, a burning sensation occurs. Do wear gloves! Harvest early spring leaves when plants are under a foot tall. Heat the leaves to lose their stinging properties. Lightly steam, boil, or stir-fry nettles to enjoy. Save the cooking water for tea or soup stock. Freeze or dry

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) grows tall with purplish-rose showy flowers. Collect the young shoots; they are edible steamed, stir-fried, simmered in stew or made as you would asparagus. Or rinse well, peel and eat raw. As the plant matures the stem may be split in half and the pith eaten by drawing it through the teeth. Young fireweed leaves may be picked and added to salad. Or, use for tea. Place a generous handful of leaves in a warmed teapot and

pour boiling water over them, filling the teapot. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes. The resulting tea is a light green color with a sweet taste. Fireweed tea blends well with other wild teas.

Leaves become tough and a little bitter when older.

Lambsquarter’s (Chenopodium album L.) fresh leaves, eaten quickly after gathering, supply significant amounts of vitamin C and A and other nutrients. Toss well rinsed leaves in salads or steam for a dinner green. Or cook in a small amount of boiling water. Lambsquarter leaves are best when young, under a foot tall. Tender new growth can be gathered from older plants.

Dandelions (Taraxacum species) leaves and roots provide food.

Pick the dandelion leaves early, before the flowers show, for salads, steam to eat by itself, or simmer in stews or stir-fries. The greens are

high in Vitamins A, B, C and minerals copper, phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium. As it grows older the leaves become more bitter in flavor.

Roasting dry dandelion roots, then ground, makes an aromatic hot liquid shares Janice J. Schofield in “Alaska’s Wild Plants.” Caution: Do not eat greens or roots from lawns sprayed with chemical weed-killers.

Dandelion’s yellow blossoms are rich in vitamin D reports Beverley Gray in “The Boreal Herbal.” The flowers can be eaten raw or added to salads for a splash of color. Fry the blossom in a bit of butter and garlic. Another option is to dip in a savory batter and bake or fry.

Explore our area of Alaska to find and enjoy the edibles it provides.

gloves and boots. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, call 1-800-446-9227. ATV Riders: ATV model shown is recommended for use by riders age 16 and older. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always avoid paved surfaces. Never ride on public roads. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing; never carry passengers; never engage in stunt riding; riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix, avoid excessive speed; and be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Yamah a recommends an approved training course. See your dealer or call 1-800-887-2887. Side-by-Side Riders: Always wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Yamaha recommends that all Side-by-Side riders take an approved training course. For training information, see your dealer or call the ROHVA at 1-866-267-2751. ©2024 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaMotorsports.com