Looking to relocate from NY to AK. Would appreciate any info re: best bets for jobs, land, and anyone willing to e- or snail mail with help toward that. Thankyou.

-- Susan Mahoney (thebradleypond@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002

Answers

Haven't lived there in over 20 years, but if you want to "live off the land", and that means venison, Salmon, trout, crab, halibut etc then southeast is the place, and Ketchikan is my favorite place, with LOTS of rain, but a fairly temperate climate. Not nearly as much snow as here in Maine. But land prices are (or were) incredibly high. Gardening is also pretty much a lost cause unless you plan to bring some topsoil with you. The Matanuska valley (Anchorage) is apparently pretty good for that, but I have no personal knowledge, since I visited there, but never lived there. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), January 14, 2002.

I lived just off the Glenn Hwy decades ago. I was back to visit friends there last summer, thinking maybe I'd move back, but it's worse now. Land prices are outta sight. I agree about the SE, it's downright beautiful and has warmer weather year-round, but you must have a solid retirement income or a very good job to hold you over during roughtimes.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

First in answer to Brad, Matanuska Valley is not Anchorage. To Susan, go back through the older inputs to this forum (i.e. Anybody From?) and you will find information supplied by current residents and past. If I were limited to one piece of advice for anyone relocating to Alaska, it would be "BRING MONEY" and lots of it. Relocating to Alaska without a job in hand or without an educational pre-trip can be expensive.

-- David A. (mncscott@ak.net), January 14, 2002.

Sorry, David. I did not mean to indicate that the Matanuska was Anchorage. I was merely trying to give a reference. Much the same as saying Tok was permafrost,or that Adak or Attu are a bit isolated. Most folks don't know that the Last Frontier is so diverse and vast. I was merely trying to give my opinion that MY preference would be SE. But the advice that a LOT of money is necessary up front is undeniable. We ALMOST went "back home to Alaska" but settled in Maine. We love it here, but yearn for SOME of the wonderful parts of the Alaskan lifestyle. Guess we're mired down here for now, but who knows what next year will bring?! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), January 14, 2002.

I am one of those dreaded "realtors" in Alaska. You can take a look at my website for info on real estate in the Mat-Su Valley. Also, my 15 year old daughter has a website for "tourists". She does it for fun but it is pretty educational.

Her website is www.wolfsign.com mine is www.valleymarket.com

Real estate is not cheap here, even though we are a large state, only 1% or so is in private hands and you have to find some of that for sale. All the other land is owned either by the Federal Government, State Government, local governments or one of the Alaska Native Corporations.

I have lived here all my life, I traveled around the country once trying to find other good places, I liked upper New England but couldn't find anything to match Alaska.

I often sell houses for people that have been here for 10 years or so who say they are tired of the cold and dark and want to move back to "America". I now always joke with them to look me up when they move back in a year or two with the same story, "it wasn't like we remembered, we want to come back to Alaska".

So...come on up, but be prepared to stick it out for a year or two before your make up your mind about the place. Depending on your skills, jobs can be scarce or plentiful. There is always work for nurses or construction workers. Currently there is a shortage of corrections officers and teachers (are they the same thing?).

-- marty van diest (marty@valleymarket.com), January 15, 2002.