Upscale anchorage: higher-end homes comprise up to 30 percent of the city's buying market.

• Author: Hardan-Smith, Sara J.

A house to call a home is not only a basic necessity, but also has become a retreat from outside stress and everyday activity. Today, Alaska's largest city is filled with executive homes that offer buyers great extra features and wonderful views.

Anchorage home professionals agree that an executive home in the city starts at $650,000. Between 20 percent and 30 percent of Anchorage's buying market is looking for homes in this price range, and finding custom amenities and breathtaking special touches. The market shrinks to less than 5 percent for homes costing $1 million or more.

Prospective buyers in the market for executive homes will find varied homes with custom touches.

Dan Wolf, associate broker for Keller Williams Reality Alaska Group, said a great feature is the increased size of homes in this price range, compared to homes selling for less.

GREAT AMENITIES

"A high-end home in Anchorage is probably more than 3,500 square feet and generally on a 15,000-square-foot lot or better," he said.

The master suites in many of the executive homes Wolf has featured are significantly larger, often with private baths as large as 120 square feet with jetted tubs, double vanities and separate showers. Some homes also offer sauna rooms and granite tiling.

Wolf said he has shown many high-scale homes with custom home-theater rooms equipped with surround sound and theatre seating.

"It is a definite trend," he said.

According to Mike McLane, a real estate broker for Prudential Jack White Vista, prices are higher because of Anchorage's picturesque setting.

"Two items drive the price: view and location. More and more folks are wanting to downsize a bit and move downtown to take advantage of the unique urban lifestyle Anchorage has to offer. On the other side of the coin, you have those who want the higher Hillside viewscapes in areas like Prominence Point. And then you have the draw of Campbell Lake with views and the opportunity to fly from your front yard," he said.

McLane said the options for real estate nearing the $1 million mark also include condominiums, which share many special features with the larger homes.

PLUSH PARKING

"Higher-end homes and condos feature natural stone finishes, such as granite, travertine and marble; and much more space in the master-suite bath combinations, as well as custom features in the kitchen," he said. "In single-family homes, we are seeing up to five-car garages, in the high-end condominiums (there is) parking for two...