Big Lake area outside Wasilla (Anchorage, Palmer: real estate, rental, houses)

[angelface101]

I have seen some houses for rent near Big Lake. I was wondering if anyone has any opinions about living in that area? We have 4 children. My husband and I are coming up from Portland, OR this week to check out the area in between job interviews. I wanted to scope out some neighborhoods or areas that we might like to live. I'm not a big city girl so I would like to look anywhere from Eagle River to Wasilla. Thanks

[Marty Van Diest]

Big Lake is hit and miss. Some areas are nice, some not so much. This is an ugly time of year...all the stuff the snow was hiding is now showing up.

[mongazid]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

Big Lake is hit and miss. Some areas are nice, some not so much. This is an ugly time of year...all the stuff the snow was hiding is now showing up.

Yep, I learned a new word this spring: "Trash Flowers"

[Moose Whisperer]

Giant skeeters in the summer. Nasty buggers...thick clouds of black death!

[AADAD]

Chugiak is more rural and has some nice neighborhoods. Eagle River a little busier, both have enough services to keep you happy and enough space to keep you sane.

Always look at your housing in the path of the sun as there are places in Eagle River and Chugiak tucked in and rarely get direct sun.

[AKStafford]

As was previously said, Big Lake is a mixture of two worlds. You have the really nice homes, usually on a lake, often someone's second home. Then you have homes that are definitely lower income. Big Lake Elementary leads the district in subsidized school lunches. Last I heard, something like 90% of the students qualify for the free breakfast program.
But, it's still a nice area overall.
Have you considered Wasilla or Palmer?

[theteardrop]

Big Lake is VERY hit and miss. Eagle River has more of a city feel (to me at least). Wasilla and Palmer have some nice areas. It is something you just have to expolore. Houston High (the high school of Big Lake) is fairly small and have fewer programs and higher level learning than the other high schools, but it can have a more personal feel). By higher learning I mean AP courses. Wasilla leads the district in AP courses while Palmer has the IB program. The best elementary schools in the district (by test scores) are Cottonwood and Pioneer Peak, but that isn't to say that there aren't some very good ones out there. Big Lake and Houston have a higher rate of poverty.

The snow is coming and going, but keep in mind the wind in the Valley brings all sorts of treasures, so you aren't going to get the best views of homes. Eagle River is more expensive housing wise than Wasilla or Palmer. If you want to look at real estate, go to Alaskarealestate.com (they do rental property and sales) and the advanced search can let you narrow your choices. The valley (Big Lake, Houston, Palmer, Wasilla) are all part of the Matanuska-Susitna. You just have to look. Plus, it depends on how close or far you mind being to town.

[angelface101]

You all have been so helpful. It will be interesting to see what the wind is like there. Everyone keeps warning me about it, but I live in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon where we have the world's best wind surfing so I don't think I'm too worried. In central Oregon there is snow from Oct. to May and my best girlfriend lives there, so I've visited when the layers start melting and uncovering prizes. It's really nice to hear perspectives on different neighborhoods, you don't really know much about a neigborhood by just driving by. I had seen a house on Craigslist for Big Lake so I was just wondering. Teardrop, what's IB program at Palmer? My husband has two interviews for Wasilla and 1 for Palmer and 1 for Anchorage. Then it depends what hospital I get a job at before we decide exactly where we can rent. Thanks, you all have been helpful. Now just wondering if we will feel some of that rockin and rollin this weekend, as you all have been feeling this last week. A little nervous.
'

[gobrien]

Big Lake/Houston used to be (and maybe still is) an area where you could buy cheap land and build a cabin. The land payments were like $100 a month, very appealing to people who wanted to build from scratch on a limited budget.

[theteardrop]

IB is the international baccalaureate program. Is your husband a high school teacher? Right now the district in the Valley is negotiating a contract and hasn't even agreed to hire back non-tenured teachers (they are being encouraged to attend a job fair just in case). If you need background on the schools shoot me a message and I can answer any questions you may have.