Great Growth for the Mat-Su Valley.

• Author: CUTLER, DEBBIE
• Position: Brief Article

The Valley has the highest growth rate in the state.

Life in the Matanuska Susitna Borough is good, at least based on the number of families moving out there from Anchorage and other outlying areas.

According to Neil Fried, a labor economist with the Department of Labor, the Mat-Su Borough is growing by about 3.6 percent per year, compared to the overall state growth of 1.3 percent.

"It's one of the few places growing fairly fast and really the only area of the state growing really fast," said Fried. "It's interesting that between '94 and '98 there were more housing permits issued in the Valley for single family homes than there were in the Anchorage Bowl area, not including Eagle River. They are exporting housing in the sense like (Anchorage) exports tourism and international air cargo. The housing market is an attraction and the reason why a lot of people choose to live there."

According to Jerry Moses, manager and associate broker with Prudential Vista Real Estate in Wasilla, the average sales price for a home in the Valley is $133,890. The average sales price for a home in Anchorage is $173,558.

"That $133,890 will buy you a three-bedroom, two-bath home with a double-car garage pretty easily," he said. "People can come out here and purchase a home for considerably less-$20,000 to $30,000 less--and get a half acre or acre lot. They pay significantly less and get more land to boot and that is sure to be a big selling feature."

Another attraction is that commute time to Anchorage has been reduced due to upgrades to the Glenn Highway. (It takes about 40 to 45 minutes to get to Muldoon from Palmer or Wasilla.) Also, those 1iving in the Valley enjoy close proximity to lakes, rivers and other outdoor attractions. And there are a growing number of jobs available in the Valley. Employment growth during the 1990s in the Valley increased by nearly 67 percent, much greater than the state's overall growth rate of about 17 percent. In addition, there are now more services available to those who live there-Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer and an increase in medical facilities.

"We have a few more conveniences than we did 10 or 12 years ago," said Moses. "It all combines to make it an attractive place to live."

It's difficult, however, to get precise figures on how many homes are being built or sold because not every builder or seller uses the Multiple Listing Service to list the homes. However, the MLS can provide a good idea of trends in the area.

Moses said...