The weather is changing. The leaves are falling. That usually means the real estate market begins to fall in the Mat-Su.
The market is usually steady year-round in places like Arizona, but not here. Real estate agent Scott Blair explains that Alaska is different. We have a seasonal market. We’re moving into the slower part of the cycle.
There are just over 100 homes on the market in Palmer right now. The median list price is around $580,000. The median list price of newly listed homes in Palmer is less. It’s about $530,000.
Blair is watching to see if the market has reached a turning point in which prices may decline.
A couple things are pushing the market downward. Higher mortgage rates are a factor. So is what folks can afford. The cost of groceries and fuel are rising. Incomes haven’t increased at the same pace.
Blair watches the market action index. An index below 30 indicates a buyer’s market. Palmer has been a seller’s market in recent years. Blair says he hasn’t seen the index fall below 30 since he began following the report about six years ago.
His advice for people trying to sell a house right now is simple. Don’t overprice your house. The market tells you something if you put a house on the market and no one calls or comes to see it during the first week.
The price may be too high. Making a small adjustment may not be enough. Blair says that when a market is moving downward, sellers can end up chasing the market down if they make small price reductions while the market continues to fall.
A larger price reduction can be necessary to bring the house back into line with the current conditions and get the attention of buyers.
There are other ways to get their attention.
Blair says open houses can work in certain locations, particularly areas with a lot of traffic. However, open houses often don’t attract many people here in the Valley. Homes can be spread out over large areas.
Realtors can update the description of a listing. It then shows up in the 24-hour multiple listing service hot sheet. A property can be taken off the market and later relisted. Blair says buyers aren’t always fooled by this. If they’ve been watching a house for months, they know it.
Online listings are important. Good photographs matter. Accurate information matters. The description matters.
Blair says a listing should say more than, “Here’s the kitchen. Here are the bedrooms. Here’s the deck.” Instead, the listing should help potential buyers imagine themselves living in the home.
Maybe there’s a big backyard and a deck. The goal is to help someone picture the family, the dogs, the barbecue and the summer gatherings. Because, as Blair put it, the listing gets people to the showing. And the showing sells the house.
His advice to sellers right now is simple. Don’t try to push the market. Price the property appropriately. Listen to your realtor. And be patient.
Scott Blair from My Favorite Realty joined us last week to talk about what he’s seeing in the Palmer market. The full interview is on bigcabbageradio.org. Look in podcasts, then Morning Show Interviews.
JOIN Mat Su is hosting an Assembly Candidate Forum tomorrow from 7 to 8 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wasilla. Candidates from districts one, two, and four will attend and respond to questions on issues. A 30-minute reception with the candidates follows. JOIN Mat Su was founded as Valley Interfaith Action.
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Mike Chmielewski reported this Page Two article and yours truly, Lee Henrikson produced it. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Wednesday September 30, 2026.