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Posted: 9/13/2015 5:28:43 PM EDT
[#1]
I think you will have a very difficult time finding running water and no property tax
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Posted: 9/13/2015 6:12:51 PM EDT
[#2]
I thought that might be the case but never hurts to ask. I guess I might have confused myself here do you mean a city tax? I figured everyone had to pay a property tax. So do most people have wells then? take the city tax out where are some good places to look at? I figured the bigger cities Anchorage Fairbanks etc were a lot higher on their propert taxes and paying for city services...here I live within city limits and pay taxes for services I never use... I have property that is not in the city as well and I like that a lot better since cheaper on property tax and no city taxes addded on.
We have thought about going to Wasilla or Homer next summer for a few weeks and see what we think still compiling information though anywhere else that would be a good place to look add it the short list so far 
Thanks uafgrad for the reply |
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Posted: 9/13/2015 9:18:03 PM EDT
[#3]
It's complicated. If you live in an organized Borough such as the Municipality of Anchorage, Fairbanks-North Star Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Kenai Peninsula Board), you will pay property tax. Depending upon where you are you may have public water/sewer, community water system and on-lot septic, well and septic, or hauled water and outhouse. There may or may not be a HOA or covenants. For example, I have undeveloped property in the Mat-Su Borough that was subdivided years ago. I pay property taxes for little services. Gotta help pay for the schools you know. There is no HOA, but there are property covenants. You have to check property records. Here is a link where you can research the attributes of various communities: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/dcra/DCRAExternal/
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Posted: 9/13/2015 9:38:47 PM EDT
[#4]
Also I would live here a winter before moving, LOTS of people cant take the cold/dark.
Though IIRC ther eis a waiver of property taxes on the first 100k for old folks and military retirees. BUT a 100k house is basically a shack. |
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Posted: 9/13/2015 11:22:11 PM EDT
[#5]
That does get confusing I appreciate the link and it gives me something to do over the next few days
I sure appreciate it. How is wassail ak or Homer good idea to check out or skip? Thanks again Quote HistoryQuoted:
It's complicated. If you live in an organized Borough such as the Municipality of Anchorage, Fairbanks-North Star Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Kenai Peninsula Board), you will pay property tax. Depending upon where you are you may have public water/sewer, community water system and on-lot septic, well and septic, or hauled water and outhouse. There may or may not be a HOA or covenants. For example, I have undeveloped property in the Mat-Su Borough that was subdivided years ago. I pay property taxes for little services. Gotta help pay for the schools you know. There is no HOA, but there are property covenants. You have to check property records. Here is a link where you can research the attributes of various communities: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/dcra/DCRAExternal/ |
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Posted: 9/13/2015 11:26:06 PM EDT
[#6]
Good idea That would be a big check in the box for sure I suppose lots of cases up there of seasonal affective disorder from lack of vitamin D...
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Also I would live here a winter before moving, LOTS of people cant take the cold/dark. Though IIRC ther eis a waiver of property taxes on the first 100k for old folks and military retirees. BUT a 100k house is basically a shack. |
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Posted: 9/14/2015 11:49:39 AM EDT
[#7]
Don't forget cost of living is significantly more up here. If you are in the Fairbanks area, expect 600-1000 a month in utilities alone for your budget.
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Posted: 9/14/2015 1:39:51 PM EDT
[#8]
That seems like a high number is that only for certain months or all months year round? Not doubting you in any as you are there and I am not just asking why that is thanks again...
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Don't forget cost of living is significantly more up here. If you are in the Fairbanks area, expect 600-1000 a month in utilities alone for your budget. |
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Posted: 9/14/2015 1:53:15 PM EDT
[#9]
Archives. Use them.
UAFGrad, please please please create a Moving to Alaska tacked thread, and one for visiting. ETA: It is cold in Fairbanks. Energy is expensive in Fairbanks. $600 is not uncommon depending on the house and energy source. |
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Posted: 9/14/2015 2:39:52 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That does get confusing I appreciate the link and it gives me something to do over the next few days I sure appreciate it. How is wassail ak or Homer good idea to check out or skip? Thanks again Quote HistoryQuoted:
That does get confusing I appreciate the link and it gives me something to do over the next few days I sure appreciate it. How is wassail ak or Homer good idea to check out or skip? Thanks again Quoted:
It's complicated. If you live in an organized Borough such as the Municipality of Anchorage, Fairbanks-North Star Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Kenai Peninsula Board), you will pay property tax. Depending upon where you are you may have public water/sewer, community water system and on-lot septic, well and septic, or hauled water and outhouse. There may or may not be a HOA or covenants. For example, I have undeveloped property in the Mat-Su Borough that was subdivided years ago. I pay property taxes for little services. Gotta help pay for the schools you know. There is no HOA, but there are property covenants. You have to check property records. Here is a link where you can research the attributes of various communities: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/dcra/DCRAExternal/ I suggest keeping an open mind and evaluate options based upon visits. Spend some time before retirement checking areas out. It is a big move. Each area and community is different. As a caution, I have hired many folks who moved to Alaska and didn't last. It just didn't click. And these aren't necessarily people who came up from big cities. One woman quit her job, drove up from Montana, moved into a place and literally decided on the drive in for her first day of work, that she made a mistake. She went home, packed up and drove back to Montana the next day. |
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Posted: 9/14/2015 3:41:20 PM EDT
[#11]
I understand about not clicking butvthe nice thing is I dont have to worry about trying to find work my time would be my own and just left to our own devices its just me and the wife and the dogs. On the people that you have seen that bailed was there a common complaint? My wife wants to be in a area as remote as possible probably more so then I do lol. I think though we are going to start with wassail and homer and go from there appreciate the help thanks....
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I suggest keeping an open mind and evaluate options based upon visits. Spend some time before retirement checking areas out. It is a big move. Each area and community is different. As a caution, I have hired many folks who moved to Alaska and didn't last. It just didn't click. And these aren't necessarily people who came up from big cities. One woman quit her job, drove up from Montana, moved into a place and literally decided on the drive in for her first day of work, that she made a mistake. She went home, packed up and drove back to Montana the next day. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
That does get confusing I appreciate the link and it gives me something to do over the next few days I sure appreciate it. How is wassail ak or Homer good idea to check out or skip? Thanks again Quoted:
It's complicated. If you live in an organized Borough such as the Municipality of Anchorage, Fairbanks-North Star Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Kenai Peninsula Board), you will pay property tax. Depending upon where you are you may have public water/sewer, community water system and on-lot septic, well and septic, or hauled water and outhouse. There may or may not be a HOA or covenants. For example, I have undeveloped property in the Mat-Su Borough that was subdivided years ago. I pay property taxes for little services. Gotta help pay for the schools you know. There is no HOA, but there are property covenants. You have to check property records. Here is a link where you can research the attributes of various communities: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/dcra/DCRAExternal/ I suggest keeping an open mind and evaluate options based upon visits. Spend some time before retirement checking areas out. It is a big move. Each area and community is different. As a caution, I have hired many folks who moved to Alaska and didn't last. It just didn't click. And these aren't necessarily people who came up from big cities. One woman quit her job, drove up from Montana, moved into a place and literally decided on the drive in for her first day of work, that she made a mistake. She went home, packed up and drove back to Montana the next day. |
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Posted: 9/14/2015 3:51:59 PM EDT
[#12]
Yeah I can understand the high energy thing. I grew up with a wood stove and coal stove and would like to return to that so figured wood and pellet stoves would be pretty big up that way maybe not. I find with old info as found in the archives that its not always accurate as so much changes over the years it makes a good starting point and we have looked at a lot of info on the internet but just trying to get current information, well I wouldnt sweat 600 to much my AC bill the last few months has been higher then that. Our pups dont like to be hot lol.. Thanks again.
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Archives. Use them. UAFGrad, please please please create a Moving to Alaska tacked thread, and one for visiting. ETA: It is cold in Fairbanks. Energy is expensive in Fairbanks. $600 is not uncommon depending on the house and energy source. |
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Posted: 9/14/2015 5:13:19 PM EDT
[#13]
One common theme is distance from immediate or extended family. Another is short winter days for someone prone to SAD or the cold, which to me isn't that bad if you are in south-central Alaska near the coast. Another complaint used to be lack of services and shopping, but I do not think that is an issue anymore. My only complaint is the cost of shipping goods up here from the lower 48. And ammo 
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Posted: 9/14/2015 5:37:11 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Don't forget cost of living is significantly more up here. If you are in the Fairbanks area, expect 600-1000 a month in utilities alone for your budget. Wasnt that long ago oil alone was pushing the upper number for me |
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Posted: 9/14/2015 8:04:05 PM EDT
[#15]
Alaska always seems great from the outside looking in, people dont realize all of the little nuances that come from living up here year round. Come and spend some time here (especially winter time and break up) before you commit to moving up here.
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Posted: 9/14/2015 8:34:46 PM EDT
[#16]
The reality is that we are about to become a poor state in the next few years
Our elected officials have not figured out how to control spending and at the current rate of spending we will have exhausted multi billion dollar savings accounts in 3 to 5 years They are gambling that oil is going to come back up, thats a big gamble |
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Posted: 9/14/2015 8:53:41 PM EDT
[#17]
I'm in a similar boat. I've got two years before I can retire (in the military) but I plan on coming back up here. I have no idea what type work I will get into, but I'll have three girls to get through school and then into college....so both I and my wife will have to work to make ends meet. But I've spent three years up here and have loved it. I could not imagine living anywhere else. My idea of heaven would be living somewhere between Central, AK and Circle, AK but I can only push my wife's limits so far. We will probably wind up settling in Fairbanks.
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Posted: 9/15/2015 5:18:05 AM EDT
[#18]
OP, you might try looking around valdez as well..they do at least have a doctor and clinic, its small, on the water, but tons of things to do..as for getting thru winter..you must have something to do..snowmachining, skiing, trapping..some kind of winter activity..once you have that, the rest will work itself out...as for utilities..I live in eagle river(suburb of anchorage basically) my utilities run about 3 hundred a month.... any where away from the city is going to go up due to burning either propane to fuel oil for heat... most also have a wood burner to help lower the heat bill..but its still a lot of work to haul/split wood.... also might consider Soldotna/kenai area as well...bigger then valdez smaller then anchorage or fairbanks....
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Posted: 9/15/2015 12:48:40 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
OP, you might try looking around valdez as well..they do at least have a doctor and clinic, its small, on the water, but tons of things to do..as for getting thru winter..you must have something to do..snowmachining, skiing, trapping..some kind of winter activity..once you have that, the rest will work itself out...as for utilities..I live in eagle river(suburb of anchorage basically) my utilities run about 3 hundred a month.... any where away from the city is going to go up due to burning either propane to fuel oil for heat... most also have a wood burner to help lower the heat bill..but its still a lot of work to haul/split wood.... also might consider Soldotna/kenai area as well...bigger then valdez smaller then anchorage or fairbanks.... My electric bill is $300/mo in Fairbanks and that is not expensive Many people exceed $500 We have some of if not the most expensive electric in the nation. You don't notice it at first because the kwh charge isn't that outrageous. Then you get hit with the fuel surcharge and it takes it to like $0.21/kwh . Much cheaper in the cook inlet as they burn natural gas for electric |
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Posted: 9/17/2015 3:07:29 AM EDT
[#20]
I was born and raised in Alaska but when its time to retire in 4 to 9 years (still haven't decided) I am leaving. Its just too expensive to live here and the shooting season is too short.
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Posted: 9/17/2015 10:43:41 AM EDT
[#21]
You may want to check out Glennallen and the surrounding area. Still on the highway system. 90 minutes from Valdez, 2.5 hrs from the Palmer/Wasilla area, 3.5 to Anchorage. Kinda spendy as there is only 1 grocery store, and power utility is not cheap, but there is always wood to heat the home. No sales or property tax.
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Posted: 9/17/2015 2:51:56 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm in a similar boat. I've got two years before I can retire (in the military) but I plan on coming back up here. I have no idea what type work I will get into, but I'll have three girls to get through school and then into college....so both I and my wife will have to work to make ends meet. But I've spent three years up here and have loved it. I could not imagine living anywhere else. My idea of heaven would be living somewhere between Central, AK and Circle, AK but I can only push my wife's limits so far. We will probably wind up settling in Fairbanks. If you are a AK resident UAF is an amazing deal for college, I got through in 2000-2005 for under 11k a year, room and board , books, the whole thing. And I was able to work 2 jobs in the summer to keep from taking loans. throw in ROTC and tuition waivers and I graduated with a slightly used truck, a small gun collection, a 401k and a couple European vacations in there. |
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Posted: 9/17/2015 11:59:31 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
If you are a AK resident UAF is an amazing deal for college, I got through in 2000-2005 for under 11k a year, room and board , books, the whole thing. And I was able to work 2 jobs in the summer to keep from taking loans. throw in ROTC and tuition waivers and I graduated with a slightly used truck, a small gun collection, a 401k and a couple European vacations in there. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I'm in a similar boat. I've got two years before I can retire (in the military) but I plan on coming back up here. I have no idea what type work I will get into, but I'll have three girls to get through school and then into college....so both I and my wife will have to work to make ends meet. But I've spent three years up here and have loved it. I could not imagine living anywhere else. My idea of heaven would be living somewhere between Central, AK and Circle, AK but I can only push my wife's limits so far. We will probably wind up settling in Fairbanks. If you are a AK resident UAF is an amazing deal for college, I got through in 2000-2005 for under 11k a year, room and board , books, the whole thing. And I was able to work 2 jobs in the summer to keep from taking loans. throw in ROTC and tuition waivers and I graduated with a slightly used truck, a small gun collection, a 401k and a couple European vacations in there. I've got three daughters to push through there! I'm hoping they all get scholarships :) |
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Posted: 9/19/2015 3:36:35 PM EDT
[#24]
Hey guys I appreciate the help been working so couldnt log in but was checking in reading everything and researching away I love a good project. I have gotten some good advice from here and in im's I appreciate it. The wife and I are narrowing it down and hope to make our pilgrimage this spring or summer, is there a perfect month to go up for a 1st time experience? thanks again though and appreciate any and all advice.
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Posted: 9/19/2015 6:45:27 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Hey guys I appreciate the help been working so couldnt log in but was checking in reading everything and researching away I love a good project. I have gotten some good advice from here and in im's I appreciate it. The wife and I are narrowing it down and hope to make our pilgrimage this spring or summer, is there a perfect month to go up for a 1st time experience? thanks again though and appreciate any and all advice. There is no perfect month up here, it's good when it's good or just crappy. |
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Posted: 9/20/2015 12:59:19 AM EDT
[#26]
No perfect time at all. It rains or it rains hard. Put your gear on and have a good time. If you want nice weather and Mexican food, go to Arizona. If you want to be a big boy, come to Alaska.
That wasn't nice at all. It was funny though. |
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Posted: 9/20/2015 6:52:13 AM EDT
[#27]
 that was pretty good nothing wrong with some rain not a big mexican fan now thai though Quote HistoryQuoted:
No perfect time at all. It rains or it rains hard. Put your gear on and have a good time. If you want nice weather and Mexican food, go to Arizona. If you want to be a big boy, come to Alaska.
That wasn't nice at all. It was funny though. |
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Posted: 9/20/2015 8:21:57 AM EDT
[#28]
Lots of Thai in Fairbanks
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Posted: 9/20/2015 11:44:22 AM EDT
[#29]
Really thats amazing I dont know why that should surprise me I live in east Tn and we have several thai places too, I was telling the wife that would be the one thing I would miss the most but good to know
 Quote HistoryQuoted:
Lots of Thai in Fairbanks |
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Posted: 9/20/2015 3:49:20 PM EDT
[#30]
The place next to the blue (burned) marlin is actually pretty good, my buddy who is half Thai went there and asked for "thai hot" pad thai. They gave him a look and he explained in thai that he was from there and it was ok. He loved it. I had American style.
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Posted: 9/20/2015 7:02:13 PM EDT
[#31]
If you are thinking on retiring here be realistic , if you are 55-65 or older the idea of splitting and stacking wood for primary heat source sucks after a while.
Homes are expensive as are utilities. And the economy is in flux , state and local governments are about to take the axe to alot of stuff. I have no idea on fairbanks. situation. Another issue in Mat Su at least, is volunteer fire and rescue so you will pay more for insurance , some companies like USAA and State Farm won't insure houses on volunteer FD . Chugiak is also mostly Volunteer FD and they aren't very good, i saw then put a fire hose together wrong on a house fire, and they couldn't use a defibrillator right and my coworker got to watch his wife die in his kitchen. Everyone wants to come to Alaska and be "free" but you don't get free living and have decent hospitals, fire , ambulance and state of the art things. The Mat Su is flooded with meth and hooligans and ruining it for alot of us that moved here to get away from Anchorage living. Alaska has every problem the rest of the world has . |
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Posted: 9/21/2015 1:54:19 AM EDT
[#32]
Like said before... Think twice BEFORE moving up to Alaska... Especially if you're in your late 50s and over. Also, BEFORE moving/selling all your stuff, spend a month or more up here between January/February to see if you can really deal with the extreme northern climate.
I spent a total of 15 years up in Alaska (Anchorage) and love the place, but after retiring last December (2014) and being in my early 50s, I moved back to the lower 48 last month for numerous reasons, mainly the cost of living and the possible collapse of the local economy if current spending within Alaska isn't put into check... I was up in Alaska back in the mid 80s when thing were really bad after the oil boom imploded... Families simply packed up what they could and left the rest, as they surrendered their house keys to the banks since they could no longer afford to pay the mortgage due to the all the good jobs fading away. Granted that I lived in Anchorage and not "off the grid," but I think too many people watch too many of those reality shows and think "Its not that bad" or "I can do that." Trust me, its not that easy. Plus, if you screw up or get hurt, its now a life or death situation since it doesn't take long to freeze to death. Regardless, I truly wish you luck in whatever you end up doing!! |
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Posted: 9/22/2015 10:50:48 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I've got three daughters to push through there! I'm hoping they all get scholarships :) Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm in a similar boat. I've got two years before I can retire (in the military) but I plan on coming back up here. I have no idea what type work I will get into, but I'll have three girls to get through school and then into college....so both I and my wife will have to work to make ends meet. But I've spent three years up here and have loved it. I could not imagine living anywhere else. My idea of heaven would be living somewhere between Central, AK and Circle, AK but I can only push my wife's limits so far. We will probably wind up settling in Fairbanks. If you are a AK resident UAF is an amazing deal for college, I got through in 2000-2005 for under 11k a year, room and board , books, the whole thing. And I was able to work 2 jobs in the summer to keep from taking loans. throw in ROTC and tuition waivers and I graduated with a slightly used truck, a small gun collection, a 401k and a couple European vacations in there. I've got three daughters to push through there! I'm hoping they all get scholarships :) Alaska University system used to have a system where valedictorians, salutatorians and the top 10% of the graduating HS classes got free tuition(just tuition, not room and board). Sadly it is abused, my college roommate was top of his class, with a GPA of 2.1. He was the only senior that year. But middle class non minority folks... yeah we get scholarships... 
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