The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide &

7687 Wolf Creek Dr., Palmer, AK

4 Bedroom Ranch Home

Coming July 13! Spacious 2099 SqFt home, newly built in 2016 with 4 Bedrooms & 2 Baths. Open kitchen, dining & living rooms, and upgrades throughout. Granite, Stainless Steel, High/Coffered Ceilings, Pantry, Fireplace, & Owner’s Suite on opposite end of house from the other three. This home has it all! Fantastic commute location off Seldon near Trunk Rd. Schedule a private viewing today! $529,000 your local have lived in Alaska for over 30 years, and are both married with grown children. They also each have backgrounds as real estate investors and property managers. Karen also has experience as a real property appraiser.

“Quality, Not Quantity!”

Hey Cora, I am having a hard time getting started buying a home because choosing one just seems so overwhelming. Is there anything you can do to help? Signed, Indy Sisive

Dear Indy: Sure, I can help. I get this all the time, it’s just too much sometimes. When you are a couple, it’s even harder because 2 of you have to decide together. Well, you can go to my website and download this www.CoraCarleson.com click on Buyers, step 4, click on new home checklist. But here it is for you, in all its wonderful glory!

Yes|No - Can you imagine yourself being happy driving through this neighborhood daily?

Yes|No - Is the appearance of surrounding homes pleasing or at least acceptable to you?

Yes|No - Are you comfortable with the nature and appearance of nearby commercial development if there is any.

Yes|No - Is there a grocery store within an acceptable drive?

Yes|No - If you have children, are you comfortable with the quality of the public or private schools serving the area?

Yes|No - Do you like the atmosphere of the neighborhood? Spend time in the neighborhood early in the morning, midday and evenings – weekends too. See what noises there are and people/animals about.

Yes|No-Would you feel safe taking an early morning or dusk walk or run in this neighborhood. I don’t just mean crime in the area, I mean “wild things” too!

Yes|No - What about homeowner’s associations? They are a double-edged sword. Love them or hate them, make sure you are comfortable with or without them.

Yes|No - In the event you choose to expand or remodel, are you familiar with the zoning in the area and are there restrictions?

Yes|No - Have you researched crime rates and checked the sex offender registry? How do you feel about those numbers?

Yes|No - Do pets seem to be contained and properly cared for throughout the neighborhood?

Yes|No - Do the neighbors surrounding this property seem to be long-established and happy?

Yes|No - Does the home have good curb appeal, not just for yourself and welcoming friends, but resale value later?

Yes|No - How is the yard size, landscaping and its maintenance? Are there large trees that you can manage physically and in your budget? A big yard is great, can you take care of it?

Yes|No - Do you like the paint color inside and out? Or will it have to be changed? Can you afford to change it?

Yes|No - What about flooring? Style, materials, SMELL?

Yes|No - Has the home interior been renovated in the past 10 to 15 years? Do Bathrooms and kitchen need an overhaul, or can you live with it?

Yes|No - Would it be relatively easy to do a few improvement projects to make the home more livable for you or to increase resale value later? (watch this one, it can get out of control)

Yes|No - Can you imagine your existing furniture fitting into the rooms of the house?

Yes|No - Is there enough storage for your needs?

Yes|No - Are you satisfied with the water pressure and speed of getting hot water from the tap? Yes, you can test this when you look at a house!

Yes|No - Has the water heater been replaced in the last 7 to 10 years?

Yes|No - Has major work, including bath/ kitchen updates, plumbing, electrical, heating systems on the home in the past 10 years?

Yes|No - If there is a fireplace, is it functioning? Do the current owners use it?

Yes|No - Are there working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors installed AND WORKING?

This is quite a list and certainly not everything will apply, but this should help you be confident in making a decision. Now, if you want to get started looking at homes, call me. I would love to go house shopping with you and help you through this process, remember Experience Matters!