Thinking About Fairbanks (Craig: marketplace, cabins, vehicle)

[Arktikos]

If you're going to buy a used car, fly to Anchorage and buy it there from a private party. Not a big difference in pricing between Seattle and Anchorage on Craigslist. Subarus are a dime a dozen in Alaska so it could even be cheaper in Anchorage.

[Homwtown]

I was made a few unexpected offers today. I got a call from someone in HR making me an offer to work out of either Barrow, Bethel, Kotzebue, or Yaktat for up to 80K. However I'm on the hook for at least three years if I take the offer. I wont lie, I'm up for the adventure rural Alaska have to offer. However, I'd like a realistic outlook / expectation of what I'm getting myself into if I accept the offer?

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Homwtown

I was made a few unexpected offers today. I got a call from someone in HR making me an offer to work out of either Barrow, Bethel, Kotzebue, or Yaktat for up to 80K. However I'm on the hook for at least three years if I take the offer. I wont lie, I'm up for the adventure rural Alaska have to offer. However, I'd like a realistic outlook / expectation of what I'm getting myself into if I accept the offer?

Those places are quite different! Yakutat probably differs the most climatically and culturally from the others and its the smallest. It's not the AK Interior arctic "experience" the others are but it is still remote logistically. If you like more of a focus on marine industry and lifestyle, that's where you would find it.

[keyman51]

Yakutat definitely. You can fly to Juneau for some different scenery and get a car to drive around. If you get a couple of weeks off, then fly to bush areas north of Anchorage to check them out (in the winter). The bush up here is totally different than places off the road system in southeast. We are getting to -30 below here and could get lower in Jan. Had planes cancel for nearly 2 weeks because of foggy weather. Store was out of normal produce and eggs for awhile, people getting cranky because of no mail, ect.

[Homwtown]

I've spent the past few days watching YouTube videos featuring Barrow, Bethel, Yakutat, and Kotzebue. Honestly, I did not know what to expect and shockingly I'm rather impressed by what I was watching. I wouldn't mine spending time in any of those locations. I'll have plenty of time to really think about things considering Uncle Sam is shutdown so no paperwork will be processed. I am curious though, if I'm able to luck out and find a place to rent for a few years, how much am I looking at for a one bedroom rental (Rough estimate wise will it lean more towards prices in Anchorage $800-$1600, Juneau $1100+, or Fairbanks $500-$1200)?

[keyman51]

Would not want to live in any of those remote places unless housing was provided. My stepson has worked in Bethel on rotation because some of these places can't get locals. Rent in these places is usually high ($1600 or more and substandard) housing alone can be hard to find and logistics on getting vehicles there in a reasonable time can be interesting.

[Homwtown]

Originally Posted by keyman51

Would not want to live in any of those remote places unless housing was provided. My stepson has worked in Bethel on rotation because some of these places can't get locals. Rent in these places is usually high ($1600 or more and substandard) housing alone can be hard to find and logistics on getting vehicles there in a reasonable time can be interesting.

Thanks for this advice, much appreciated. Fairbanks here I come.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Homwtown

Thanks for this advice, much appreciated. Fairbanks here I come.

Cool!! When will you be here?

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

If you're going to buy a used car, fly to Anchorage and buy it there from a private party. Not a big difference in pricing between Seattle and Anchorage on Craigslist. Subarus are a dime a dozen in Alaska so it could even be cheaper in Anchorage.

That's what I did. Looked for the pickup I bought in September for a very long time. Finally found it in Anchorage, sent it to a mechanic, then flew down to buy it. Recommend. Fairbanks is a terrible place to buy a used vehicle.

[Homwtown]

Outside of Apartments.com and Apartments finders are there any other sites that I can checkout for finding a nice one bed and bath apartment? I was scoping out Craigslist but a co-worker told me to be careful because that site is littered with various degrees of rental scams.