• Discover Your Dream Home in Alaska: A Luxurious Oasis with Modern Upgrades,Amy Neuharth

    Discover Your Dream Home in Alaska: A Luxurious Oasis with Modern Upgrades

    Discover Your Dream Home in Alaska: A Luxurious Oasis with Modern Upgrades Explore the exquisite features and upgrades of Alaska Dream Home's latest masterpiece. This 3-bedroom, 2-bath residence boasts 1,900 square feet of living space, high-end appliances, luxurious amenities, and a spacious 4-car garage.  Welcome to Alaska Dream Home's exceptional property, where cookie-cutter designs are a thing of the past. Step into a world of luxury and comfort with this spacious 1,900 square foot residence, featuring an array of impressive upgrades and modern finishes. From the moment you enter, you'll be captivated by the 10-foot ceilings, 8-foot doors, and a sense of grandeur that permeates throughout. Luxurious Upgrades and Features: This remarkable home is designed to exceed your expectations. The kitchen is a chef's delight, equipped with top-of-the-line Cafe appliances, including a wall oven, a 36" cooktop with a convenient pot filler, a dishwasher, and a refrigerator, all in sleek Platinum glass. The pantry, discreetly hidden behind elegant cabinet doors, offers floating shelves, a wine beverage/cooler, and ample space for all your appliances and shopping hauls. The great room is adorned with a contemporary 60" electric fireplace and modern LED lighting. With triple-pane windows and oversized dimensions, the home invites abundant natural light, allowing you to bask in the sunny Alaskan days. For added security and convenience, the house comes with Ring motion lights, a doorbell security camera, and Nest thermostats, ensuring accessibility even when you're away from home. A Serene Primary Ensuite: Retreat to your private oasis in the primary ensuite. Located on the opposite side of the home from the other two bedrooms, this sanctuary boasts a stunning concrete-like freestanding tub, in-floor heating, floating toilets, and a cutting-edge Moen smart shower system that can be controlled right from your phone. Complete with modern lighting, light-up mirrors, and a serene ambiance, this ensuite promises relaxation and indulgence. The Ultimate Garage for Your Toys: For those with a passion for cars, trucks, and recreational vehicles, the 4-car garage is a dream come true. Spanning an impressive 1,244 square feet, this spacious garage offers ample storage and parking space. The first bay features 11-foot ceilings and an 8x16 garage door, while the second bay boasts 13-foot ceilings and a 12x10 RV-sized garage door, catering to lifted trucks, boats, and more. Personalization and Expert Craftsmanship: Alaska Dream Home understands the importance of making a house truly yours. With this property, there's still an opportunity to choose the exterior and interior paint, allowing you to customize your dream home. Alternatively, trust the builder's expert eye and enjoy the masterfully crafted design that has been meticulously planned to create this breathtaking masterpiece. Alaska Dream Home presents an extraordinary opportunity to own a truly remarkable residence in the heart of Alaska. With its thoughtful design, luxurious upgrades, and spacious 4-car garage, this 3-bedroom, 2-bath home offers a lifestyle of comfort and indulgence.   Contact Amy Neuharth today and embark on an unforgettable journey to building your dream oasis in the Last Frontier with Alaska Dream Homes! 

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  • 30 Tips for Moving with Kids or Pets,Amy Neuharth

    30 Tips for Moving with Kids or Pets

    30 Tips for Moving with Kids or Pets Moving is stressful all on its own, but when you add in kids or pets (or both), it can feel downright impossible. But you can ensure the move is as low-stress for them, and you, as possible.   Kids Consider the timing: Try not to layer a move on top of another stressful life event. Research the area: Help answer kids’ questions by learning about your new home. Communicate: Have age-appropriate conversations to help them prepare. Emphasize similarity: Give kids a good sense of what is NOT going to change. Plan: Figure out ways kids can participate — or get them out of the way. Offer choices: Paint color, furniture arrangement, hanging posters are all ways to give kids autonomy. Hire movers: This can really lower your stress levels and help you focus on your kids. Find an activity: Puzzles, books, or complicated new toys might be good ways to keep kids occupied if you can’t get them out of the house. Take advantage of night hours: Pack and remove items while kids are sleeping to streamline the process. Let kids help pack their things: This can help them feel like they have some control over the move. Help them say goodbye:  If you’ll be leaving an area where you’ve lived for some time, help your kids prepare for this next step by saying goodbye. Prepare ‘overnight’ kits: A special stuffy or two, pajamas, a change of clothes, and so on will help kids transition more easily. Secure hotels in advance: Is there a pool? Will there be enough room for everyone? Make sure those questions are answered upfront if you’re on the road. Unpack their rooms first: Getting the kids’ bedrooms together can help them feel at home more quickly than you’d expect. Arrange furniture the same way: You’ll have plenty of time to move things around; for now, keeping things familiar can help kids adjust. Invest in surprises: Take kids somewhere fun or spring a gift on them to give them some positive feelings about their new home. Maintain routine: If your kids are used to an after-school snack, make sure it’s waiting for them — this isn’t the time to disrupt what’s soothing to them. Avoid disruption: Don’t start your kids in a new activity or push for a developmental stage right now. Keep calm: If you’re stressed out, your kids will be, too. Stay as cheerful and level-headed as you can during the move.   Pets   Acclimation: Get pets used to carriers, kennels, or cars Plan: Take pets to a day care, or keep their favorite room as intact as you can throughout the process. Hire movers: Professional packers and movers allow you to take your dog to the park while the move happens. Secure the animals: Don’t let any fur family members make a break for it while doors are open. Find an activity: A new, complicated toy can help occupy a pet during the move. Prepare ‘overnight’ kits: Plenty of food, a special toy or two, and familiar bedding or blankets can make a big difference to pets on the move. Secure hotels in advance: Will your pets be welcome and will there be enough room for them? Eliminate the chance that something could go wrong by booking ahead. Unpack a room for pets first: Scratching posts for cats, water and food, and toys — plus bedding and anything else that will help your pet feel at home — should be first off the truck. Arrange furniture the same way: Kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from a familiar arrangement. Pets can acclimate more quickly if you stick to your regular layout. Maintain routine: Walk the dog at the same time, stick to your feeding schedule, and do everything you can to keep things the same for pets, routine-wise. Keep calm: Your pets, of course, pick up on your mood. Try to make sure they’re only picking up happy, positive energy from you.    Here is a FREE GUIDE TO MOVING WITH PETS, to keep on hand when it comes to the move! 

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  • 18 Secrets No One Tells You About Buying A House,Amy Neuharth

    18 Secrets No One Tells You About Buying A House

    Here are 18 "secrets"  or things you may have not been told when it comes to buying a house.    You don't need to put 20% down These lenders offer low-down-payment or no-down-payment options: VA loans: 0% down*  USDA loans: 0% down FHA loan: 3.5% down Some conventional loans: 3% down   *Must be a veteran or veteran’s spouse ... But you do need to put any new credit line plans on hold Your mortgage rate and ability to secure a mortgage will depend on your credit score — ideally, at least 580, if not higher.   You're not locked into one particular lender Talk to a few different mortgage brokers and ask them what their best deal is. Your monthly mortgage payment includes more than just the loan payback   The monthly payment includes: Your loan principal — the amount of money you borrowed Your loan interest Taxes Insurance Private mortgage insurance (PMI) if you put less than 20% down   ... So the mortgage amount online is not necessarily accurate Don’t just use the online calculators and think you know what you can afford — talk to an expert.   School districts are important even without kids Homes in neighborhoods with good schools tend to appreciate in value more quickly, and those values stay more stable over time.   You don't need to spend your entire preapproval amount Financial experts suggest that you spend no more than 30% of your household income on your mortgage. Don't overextend yourself!   You'll look at homes out of your price range You will not be able to refrain from looking at homes just above your ideal price range. Look if you must, but don't let it influence your decision-making.   You may get outbid, more than once Sellers often opt for cash buyers because the closing process is less cumbersome. Stay strong and have faith that your house is out there.   Agents get paid on commission Your real estate agent will guide you through the homebuying process. When you reach the closing table and the house is yours, the seller cuts your agent a check. This is because agents are paid on commission — a percentage of the sale.   Talk to a contractor before closing If the inspector finds issues, hire a contractor and go over the inspection report.   Speaking of closing: Introducing closing costs! Closing costs can be picked up by the buyer, the seller, or both. They cost anywhere between 2% and 5% of the home’s purchase price and can include: Title search Title insurance Escrow or closing services Credit report fees Notary services Wire fees Courier and delivery fees Attorney fees Recording fees Local transfer taxes Home protection plans Natural hazard disclosure fees Home inspection fees Home appraisal fees FHA mortgage insurance premium fee Lender fees (application, underwriting, etc.) HOA fees Points purchase Survey fees   Your mortgage will probably be sold to a servicer Most lenders sell mortgage loans to a servicing company, which will be the entity collecting your payments. (Credit unions are the exception.)   Parking isn't always guaranteed If you live in a major metro area or have roommates or kids of driving age, you might struggle to find parking.   You'll need to buy furniture Your new home is going to need some new items to fill it — just don’t buy a bunch of furniture on credit before your loan closes.   You're on the hook for any home repairs Be aware that any systems that fail will be your responsibility to replace or fix, including: The roof The sewer line or septic tank Drains and plumbing The foundation The electric system The heating and cooling systems The water heater All major appliances   Those nearby empty lots won't be empty forever You cannot take it for granted that the rolling (empty) hills around your brand-new home are going to remain empty. Stop in at your city or county offices periodically and ask what they know about any development plans or zoning for the area.   It might take a while to feel like "home" It may take a few weeks or even months before you start settling in and feeling like a homeowner.

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