Maybe you are buying your first home in Alaska, or perhaps you're relocating to Alaska from another state. Then again, you may be a long-time Alaska resident who is looking to either refinance your current mortgage or take out a home equity loan for home improvements. Regardless of your situation, it's important that you educate yourself on Alaska home loans before shopping for a home and/or mortgage. This article explains what you will need to know before seeking a home loan in Alaska:

The median price of a home in Alaska is $211,500. Recently, homes in Alaska have been appreciating at rates well above the national average. As a result, income levels in many parts of Alaska are too low to purchase a median-priced home with a conventional loan. Although average interest rates in Alaska are below the national average, Alaska has one of the lowest levels of home affordability in the nation.

In Alaska, before a buyer submits an offer on a home, their real estate agent is required to present them with a completed Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement. This document, completed by the seller of the property, requires the seller to name all of the property that will be included in the purchase (refrigerator, stove, alarm system, etc.) and rate certain aspects of the conditions of both the included property and of the house itself. This document requires the seller to disclose any potential problems or hazards that may discourage the buyer from putting an offer in on the home.

Alaska's Civil Code Provision of the Real Estate Act regulates the issuance of variable interest rates for the purchase of real estate. Therefore, borrowers who are issued large mortgage amounts are guaranteed a fixed rate mortgage. Alaska law also prohibits the charging of interest more than one day prior to the recording of the mortgage even if the borrower received the loan prior to that time.

In July of 2002, Alaska law enacted a set of anti-predatory lending laws in order to help protect Alaska homebuyers from predatory lenders. Some of the provisions of this new set of laws include the prohibition of a lender charging points and fees in excess of 6% of the total principal financed amount, the prohibition of a mortgage company issuing a loan to a borrower in an amount that the borrower could not reasonably afford to repay, and the prohibition of the financing of single-premium credit insurance, among others.

If you're buying a home in the state of Alaska, you qualify for both federal and state FHA, USDA, and VA loans. First-time home buyers qualify for Alaska FHA loans with below-market interest rates, and, depending on their eligibility, may also qualify for a loan in order to cover down payment and/or closing costs. Teachers and other professionals who work in an educational capacity may qualify for Alaska's Extra Credit Teacher Home Purchase Program, a down payment assistance loan with forgivable interest.

In addition to FHA loans, the state of Alaska also offers comparable programs to persons with disabilities or persons who live with and care for persons with disabilities. The state also offers several unconventional loans designed to aid homebuyers with the costs of their monthly mortgage payment. For example, Alaska's Interest Only PLUS loan provides qualified homebuyers with a 100% financing 35-year loan that only requires payments toward the accrued interest on the mortgage for the first five years of the loan -- borrowers do not have to pay toward the principal amount borrowed until after the first five years. The individual requirements of each of these loans vary depending on the county in which you are buying a house. Specific requirements can be obtained through the Alaska Housing Finance Agency.

Last Updated: Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Alaska Real Estate Market View updated Tuesday, October 07, 2008 Housing & Social Facts Alaska United States Total housing units 274,246 n/a Owner-occupied housing units 63.0% 66.9% Renter-occupied housing units 37.0% 33.1% Vacant housing units 14.9% 10.8% Average Home Value $197,100 $167,500 Average Mortgage Payment $1,477.00 $1,295.00 Average Rental Payment $409 .00 $388.00 Total Population 641,724 n/a Percentage Male 50.8% 49.0% Percentage Female 49.2% 51.0% Median Age 33.9 36.4 Under 5 years 7.7% 7.0% 18 years and over 70.8% 74.6% 65 years and over 6.6% 12.1%

1 Year Market Value Change for Alaska 1yr | 5yr | 10yr

Popular Alaska Cities and Towns

Location	Population	Median Family Income (2005)
Anchorage	260,283	$55,546
College	11,402	$56,560
Fairbanks	30,224	$40,577
Juneau and	30,711	$62,034
Kenai	6,942	$45,962
Ketchikan	7,922	$45,802

Mortgage Type	Today	Last Week	Change
30 yr fixed	6.03	6.24	0.035%
15 yr fixed	5.47	5.72	0.046%
5/1 ARM	5.34	5.43	0.017%
3/1 ARM	5.48	5.42	0.011%

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Peter Miller is the author of the Common Sense Mortgage and has been featured on such media outlets as Oprah, The Today Show and CNN. His columns now appear in leading real estate media including the Real Estate Professional and RealtyTimes.com.