Housing on a budget: how does a single-income or low-income family find affordable housing with rising housing prices in Alaska?

• Author: Nisenbaum, Shana

It is one of the necessities in life, finding shelter. But who actually enjoys taking the time to search all over town for a perfect place that mandatorily fits into a budget? Anchorage isn't exactly the most expensive city around, but it's certainly not the cheapest.

In a search for almost anything these days, most will likely turn to everybody's favorite modern resource, the Internet. Unfortunately, the online listing for Anchorage apartments is slim, and the information available for those apartments is even more feeble. The best and probably most accurate aid in an apartment search is an Apartment Finder catalogue, the small, detailed pamphlets found all over town in stores like the local supermarket and other retailers. The Apartment Finder names a variety of complexes citywide, lists apartments within most everyone's budget, and even provides maps for easy directions. And it can be acquired for every consumer's favorite cost: price-free.

Apartment Finders are usually most helpful when you're familiar with the town and can visit your selected apartments easily. While details are provided for every apartment complex, they are limited and few pictures are shown. Although it is easiest to obtain one locally, they are available for order by phone or Internet. And if you are moving into Anchorage, it's by far your best source.

Even though the Apartment Finder is more comprehensive than Internet information and more detailed than a newspaper, the information isn't always accurate. Apartment Finder publishes guides seasonally, but prices can differ month to month at many complexes. Often various properties will offer special deals if a renter signs up within a specified time period, typically a certain month. For instance, in October, Alpine Apartments offered a deal for $500 off any apartment or the deposit. They and other complexes will offer various deals throughout the year, some significantly better than others. As would be expected, apartments rent/lease a lot faster when a better discount is available.

However, these specials are never published in advance so you have to be lucky enough to be searching at the right time.

MONEY MATTERS

The range of rent for apartments varies greatly, especially depending on where in Anchorage you are searching. One- and two-bedroom apartments dominate the rental market as the majority available for rent. Studio apartments exist for those looking for the cheapest possible housing. Prices on a studio can...