Visiting anchorage in 3 days! We were gearing up to move to the area blindly in early 2022 from western WA for my fiancés work and were so excited but the move was cancelled, so we ended up moving to Spokane instead. Alaska may be coming up again as an opportunity soon-ish. Looking forward to actually seeing the city we were supposed to move to (well, near. Palmer/Wasilla was our actual plan)
Thank you for putting these videos out, they have been really helpful. Me and my wife have really been getting the ball rolling as far as moving up there goes and it can be a little overwhelming sometimes. It’s always been a dream of ours and we feel very prepared, but that doesn’t change the fact that it can be very nerve racking from time to time. I look forward to new information and tips that you’ll be putting out. Thank you again for your help. 🙏
I would say if you’re going to cross the border, have all your documentation in a binder neatly tucked into transparent sleeves, the border agent will like seeing that and it will go quicker. Getting ready to come to Alaska was ridiculously stressful, but that was because we only had 5 weeks to make it happen. I had over 50 things to do on my list. We left alot of stuff at the old residence and we’re going back next spring. If you’re driving make sure your vehicles are up on maintenance and you have an extra spare tire\oil\antifreeze and perhaps join AAA as well so you can use the TripAdvisor to plan your trip and book any stops(hotels). We got spooked and was told we needed a passport to cross and we didn’t. If you’re stressed about crossing call the border and ask before you go, we lived close so we drove up to talk to the agents a week prior.
We moved up here with 5 weeks lead time, including buying a place, moving and planning the trip (back in July), drove from Maine, did it in 6 days. Alaska is beautiful, people are nicer for the most part. We drive through the fires in Canada, that was surreal. The Alcan what a trip! I towed a sawmill and that was a little hairy but I have to say given the conditions of the roads during the last 1000 miles, I wouldn’t do that again. Little struggle finding logs for the mill in Wasilla, hVe a few leads. Alaska has Lots of great places to eat visit, shop, we’re just starting to explore a few places. We were blessed as we got fixer upper on 5 acres in Wasilla.
Many of us dreamers about Alaska are really tired of overpopulation where we currently reside. We like the idea of getting away in the backcountry where few people are around. As a Colorado native, I can hardly escape them in Colorado 's mountains anymore. It wasn't this overpopulated 20 years ago. But I realize the adaptation that moving requires. Thanks for the videos.
But you do lose a lot of the simple community of just popping in for the weekend, birthday parties, etc. It's definitely not something to be discounted out of hand.
As far as Alaska is concerned, the distance from family in the continental U.S. is a positive experience for some and a negative one for others. It's not always convenient nor cheap to fly, when you're used to hopping in the car and driving from S. Carolina to Tenn to visit grandma. It tends to be harder on wives. Family is a big reason why people move back to the states after just a few years here, b/c the wife wants to be closer to her mother. So it's a good idea to have those discussions with other family members (if you have good relationships) before making the move.
@@kristenspencer9751 thanks for that! My wifes parents will be with us or in the Seattle area. Time will tell, its the kids that we need to get on a plane to see.
My wife and I have been considering moving to Alaska for about 3 years and I think we’re getting close. Been looking at jobs in Fairbanks. I know it’s colder but gets less rain and snow. I do hvac for a living. Any tips? I’ve watched most of your videos. Thanks for the info. Your stats on crime really changed my perspective.
Great video Jamin! Always good insight. It was so beneficial for us to do a BNB and visit the area in different seasons. Also when coming to visit, acting like a local, finding drop in activities for the kids, walk around the stores and talk to people.
Definitely Airbnb and the decision to rent really comes down to how comfortable you are with the area. I’ve worked with people who rented first and I’ve had people who bought first. People were happy with either option but it all comes down to how familiar you are with the area.
stop encouraging people to move to alaska there's to many people as it is i know its your job but the more and more people moving in will just keep eroding our culture and the subsistance way of life that we live we do not want any more outsiders
Alaska is a nice place to visit in summer.
Visiting anchorage in 3 days! We were gearing up to move to the area blindly in early 2022 from western WA for my fiancés work and were so excited but the move was cancelled, so we ended up moving to Spokane instead. Alaska may be coming up again as an opportunity soon-ish. Looking forward to actually seeing the city we were supposed to move to (well, near. Palmer/Wasilla was our actual plan)
Awesome! That's going to be a fun trip.
Thank you for putting these videos out, they have been really helpful. Me and my wife have really been getting the ball rolling as far as moving up there goes and it can be a little overwhelming sometimes. It’s always been a dream of ours and we feel very prepared, but that doesn’t change the fact that it can be very nerve racking from time to time. I look forward to new information and tips that you’ll be putting out. Thank you again for your help. 🙏
Glad to hear it! Let me know when y’all have specific questions and I’ll keep plugging away over here 😃
I would say if you’re going to cross the border, have all your documentation in a binder neatly tucked into transparent sleeves, the border agent will like seeing that and it will go quicker. Getting ready to come to Alaska was ridiculously stressful, but that was because we only had 5 weeks to make it happen. I had over 50 things to do on my list. We left alot of stuff at the old residence and we’re going back next spring. If you’re driving make sure your vehicles are up on maintenance and you have an extra spare tire\oil\antifreeze and perhaps join AAA as well so you can use the TripAdvisor to plan your trip and book any stops(hotels). We got spooked and was told we needed a passport to cross and we didn’t. If you’re stressed about crossing call the border and ask before you go, we lived close so we drove up to talk to the agents a week prior.
We moved up here with 5 weeks lead time, including buying a place, moving and planning the trip (back in July), drove from Maine, did it in 6 days. Alaska is beautiful, people are nicer for the most part. We drive through the fires in Canada, that was surreal. The Alcan what a trip!
I towed a sawmill and that was a little hairy but I have to say given the conditions of the roads during the last 1000 miles, I wouldn’t do that again.
Little struggle finding logs for the mill in Wasilla, hVe a few leads.
Alaska has Lots of great places to eat visit, shop, we’re just starting to explore a few places. We were blessed as we got fixer upper on 5 acres in Wasilla.
Towing a sawmill on that road sounds like it would have been an adventure lol
Many of us dreamers about Alaska are really tired of overpopulation where we currently reside. We like the idea of getting away in the backcountry where few people are around. As a Colorado native, I can hardly escape them in Colorado 's mountains anymore. It wasn't this overpopulated 20 years ago. But I realize the adaptation that moving requires. Thanks for the videos.
I know for our family a big topic of conversation has been being far from family and what that needs to look like. 😮
I get that. Luckily though, air travel makes everyone about 12 hours away in a pinch.
But you do lose a lot of the simple community of just popping in for the weekend, birthday parties, etc. It's definitely not something to be discounted out of hand.
@@alaska_realtor I keep saying that! Community is the one you make where you are.
As far as Alaska is concerned, the distance from family in the continental U.S. is a positive experience for some and a negative one for others. It's not always convenient nor cheap to fly, when you're used to hopping in the car and driving from S. Carolina to Tenn to visit grandma. It tends to be harder on wives. Family is a big reason why people move back to the states after just a few years here, b/c the wife wants to be closer to her mother. So it's a good idea to have those discussions with other family members (if you have good relationships) before making the move.
@@kristenspencer9751 thanks for that! My wifes parents will be with us or in the Seattle area. Time will tell, its the kids that we need to get on a plane to see.
My wife and I have been considering moving to Alaska for about 3 years and I think we’re getting close. Been looking at jobs in Fairbanks. I know it’s colder but gets less rain and snow. I do hvac for a living. Any tips? I’ve watched most of your videos. Thanks for the info. Your stats on crime really changed my perspective.
Yup, I will answer your question in more detail in my upcoming podcast :)
Great video Jamin! Always good insight. It was so beneficial for us to do a BNB and visit the area in different seasons. Also when coming to visit, acting like a local, finding drop in activities for the kids, walk around the stores and talk to people.
That's a great point!
So would you recommend an airBnB vacationing in the state, if you like it, rent first, then settle to a house?
Definitely Airbnb and the decision to rent really comes down to how comfortable you are with the area. I’ve worked with people who rented first and I’ve had people who bought first. People were happy with either option but it all comes down to how familiar you are with the area.
Have y’all visited up here before?
@@alaska_realtor we have not
stop encouraging people to move to alaska there's to many people as it is i know its your job but the more and more people moving in will just keep eroding our culture and the subsistance way of life that we live we do not want any more outsiders
700k people is not a lot🤣
He's probably discouraging people with his realism about it. Alaska will remain sparsely populated for good reasons.