In this podcast episode we talk with James, who recently moved to Alaska from Texas. He discusses his motivations for the move (primarily escaping Dallas-Fort Worth congestion), the reactions of friends and family, the challenges of buying a house remotely, moving belongings, and the process of obtaining a vehicle in Alaska. James shares his experiences navigating Alaskan winters, the surprisingly manageable traffic compared to Texas, and the unique opportunities for exploration. He also touches on the pros and cons of living in Alaska, including the ease of outdoor access versus challenges in healthcare and travel.

Highlights

🚗 Moving Challenges: Relocating to Alaska presented difficulties, including buying a house remotely and shipping belongings across the country. Using U-Haul boxes proved a practical solution for their move.

🥶 Alaska’s Unique Cold: James contrasts the Alaskan cold with the biting cold of North Texas, finding the Alaskan climate less harsh.

🏞️ Exploring Alaska’s Wilderness: James describes the abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities and unique sights, contrasting them with his previous experiences in Texas.

🏥 Healthcare Access: One of the cons highlighted is the relative difficulty in accessing healthcare services in Alaska compared to Texas, especially for urgent medical needs.

✈️ Travel Time: A significant surprise for James was the extensive travel time required to reach various destinations within Alaska and to travel to and from the state.

Jamin Goecker Website (For Relocation Guide): https://jgoecker.kw.comPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgBLvg...Meetup Info:   / 18iqmhgcr6  LinkedIn: / jamingoecker Instagram: / jamin_goecker App: https://jgoecker.kw.comFacebook: / gojaminrealestate Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group

Miguel moved from New Mexico with his son and girlfriend to the Kenai Peninsula. What does he think about Alaska after going from a large city to the small world of Kenai, Alaska?

Jamin Goecker Website (For Relocation Guide): https://jgoecker.kw.comPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgBLvg...Meetup Info: / 18iqmhgcr6 LinkedIn: / jamingoecker Instagram: / jamin_goecker App: https://jgoecker.kw.comFacebook: / gojaminrealestate Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group

Dan and Steph, a couple with four kids, discuss their journey from Washington State to Alaska, highlighting their desire for a nature-filled life and a strong community. They detail their exploration of various Alaskan towns, the challenges of moving, and their initial experiences settling into Palmer.Highlights🌲 Dan and Steph moved to Alaska seeking a nature-filled environment and a stronger sense of community, feeling unfulfilled in the Midwest.🏘️ They visited several Alaskan towns, including Juno, Seward, and Homer, before settling on Palmer due to its balance of community, access to nature, and educational opportunities.🚚 The family sold their house and belongings quickly, with Dan driving their possessions via the Alcan Highway while Steph flew with the kids and firearms.🤝 They emphasize the welcoming and authentic community they’ve found in Alaska, highlighting the inclusive nature of the people they’ve met.👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The couple prioritized stability for their children, enrolling them in activities and schools immediately to foster a sense of belonging and prevent feelings of isolation.Jamin Goecker Website (For Relocation Guide): https://jgoecker.kw.comPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgBLvg...Meetup Info: / 18iqmhgcr6 LinkedIn: / jamingoecker Instagram: / jamin_goecker App: https://jgoecker.kw.comFacebook: / gojaminrealestate Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group

Today we meet Wesley, a recent transplant from Knoxville, Tennessee, and we talk about his family’s move to Palmer, Alaska. Wesley details their motivations (primarily outdoor recreation and lifestyle), the mixed reactions from family and friends, and the process of making the move. He discusses the challenges of finding a home, including encountering some unusual issues with inspections. Wesley describes their Alcan drive, including navigating Canadian border controls and potential wildfire concerns. The interview concludes with a discussion of the pros and cons of living in Alaska, covering topics like cost of living, job market, social scene, access to public lands, and the unique challenges and rewards of Alaskan winters.Highlights🏡 Home Buying Challenges: Wesley shares humorous anecdotes about the difficulties of finding a home in Alaska, including a house built on railroad ties and another with a concerning history of drug use. This highlights the importance of thorough home inspections before making a purchase in any location.🚗 The Alcan Drive: The interview offers practical advice for those planning to drive the Alcan Highway, including suggestions for alternate routes due to wildfires and the recommendation of purchasing a trailer and reselling it upon arrival for a profit.☀️/ 🌙 Seasonal Adjustments: Wesley candidly discusses the challenges of adapting to Alaska’s extreme seasons, both the long summer days and the extended winter darkness, emphasizing the importance of staying busy and engaged to mitigate seasonal depression.👍/👎 Pros & Cons of Alaskan Life: The episode presents a balanced perspective on living in Alaska, detailing numerous pros (access to nature, public lands, job opportunities, unique social scene) and cons (cost of living, limited food scene, unpredictable weather, healthcare access).🐻 Subsistence Lifestyle: Wesley’s enthusiasm for Alaska’s subsistence opportunities, including berry picking and gardening, showcases the unique connection to nature and self-sufficiency that many Alaskans appreciate.Jamin Goecker Website (For Relocation Guide): https://jgoecker.kw.comPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgBLvg...Meetup Info: / 18iqmhgcr6 LinkedIn: / jamingoecker Instagram: / jamin_goecker App: https://jgoecker.kw.comFacebook: / gojaminrealestate Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group

Eli and Nnikia moved to Fairbanks recently, looking for an adventure of a lifetime...and Fairbanks did not disappoint! If you're considering taking the plunge and moving to Fairbanks, then this episode is for you.

Jamin Goecker

Website (For Relocation Guide): https://jgoecker.kw.com/contact

YouTube:  ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@alaska_realtor⁠⁠⁠

Meetup: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/12BHb41xXF2/

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamingoecker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jamin_goecker/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

App: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jgoecker.kw.com/myapp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/GoJaminRealE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠state

Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group  

Today we talk with state economist Paul Martz about the 10 year forecast of the job market in Alaska. In this episode we dive into the in's and out's, discussing the industries that are projected to gain the most ground and those that stand to lose the most.

Article from Alaska Trends Magazine:

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/sites/default/files/trends-mag-file/oct24.pdf

Jamin Goecker

Website (For Relocation Guide): https://jgoecker.kw.com/contact

YouTube:  ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@alaska_realtor⁠⁠⁠

Meetup: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/12BHb41xXF2/

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamingoecker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jamin_goecker/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

App: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jgoecker.kw.com/myapp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/GoJaminRealE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠state

Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group  

Let's talk about crime in Alaska, specifically on the Kenai Peninsula. Beyond that, Ben discusses what he likes and dislikes about living on the Kenai.

Jamin Goecker

Website (For Relocation Guide): https://jgoecker.kw.com/contact

YouTube:  ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@alaska_realtor⁠⁠⁠

Meetup: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/12BHb41xXF2/

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamingoecker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jamin_goecker/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

App: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jgoecker.kw.com/myapp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/GoJaminRealE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠state

Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group

Ken drove the Alcan Highway a few months ago and he came prepared for anything that this notorious highway had to throw at him. In today's episode, he unpacks his preparation and shows how you can make it smooth(er) process!

Link to Ken's itinerary: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qhf5Ili-94084On57IyNhCI74xjm4N8M/view?usp=sharing

Jamin Goecker

Website (For Relocation Guide): https://jgoecker.kw.com/contact

YouTube:  ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@alaska_realtor⁠⁠⁠

Meetup: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/12BHb41xXF2/

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamingoecker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jamin_goecker/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

App: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jgoecker.kw.com/myapp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/GoJaminRealE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠state

Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group  

Today we talk with Tyler Bobo, a real estate investor in Wasilla, Alaska. Tyler discusses his journey into real estate investing, starting with mobile homes and employing creative financing strategies like owner financing and private money. He emphasizes the importance of conservative investing and leveraging properties responsibly. He contrasts his unconventional methods with traditional bank loans, highlighting the challenges and benefits of each. Bobo shares both successful and challenging investment stories, illustrating the lessons learned and the importance of thorough due diligence and tenant management.

Today we talk with Brad, who grew up in Ketchikan, Alaska, served in the military, and now lives in the Wasilla area. Our conversation covers life in Ketchikan, including its unique challenges and community aspects, the transition to life in Southcentral Alaska, and Brad’s experiences navigating the differences between these two vastly different Alaskan regions. Brad discusses the pros and cons of living in Southcentral Alaska, highlighting the trade-offs between cost of living, access to amenities, and the natural beauty of the area.