The Complete Guide to Buying Remote Land in Alaska
Content written by Sheila Monson, Remote Properties Alaska
“Remote” a term that can have various meanings, depending on where you’re from. For Alaska, remote means REMOTE! No roads, no services, sometimes no property taxes. The biggest thing to get your head wrapped around is you will need to figure out how to get yourself and your supplies there. Fly, snowmachine, ATV, or boat to the property along with some substantial effort and hiking will always be a part of it. There isn’t anybody to come to your aid, you can’t go to the store and get that “oops, I forgot it” item. You will have to survive with what you have at any given moment. You are not likely to have cell phone signal. You’ll have a plat matt with coordinates. Nobody is going to come out and show you where these lines are. Sometimes there is a trail, often not so much. Think along these lines, “It’s never a weather issue, it’s a gear issue.” Think, “MacGyver” and duct tape. Remote isn’t just a location, it’s an experience, a frame of mind. Choosing who you work with is paramount! Remote Properties Alaska is equipped to guide you in your considerations all through the process.
What Does “Remote Land” Mean in Alaska?
Remote vs Rural vs Off-Grid
Many people outside of Alaska confuse “remote” with “off grid”. Up here, “remote” means you can not drive a car to the property, (and neither can a lender). “Off grid” just means you’re not connected to the electrical utility company. Not all roads have electric to each lot. Yes, you can be “off-grid” and NOT be “remote”. Rural properties are a bit more of a distance but not in city limits. Navigation on properties in Alaska can be very daunting! Remote Properties Alaska is your guide to navigate efficiently and effectively.
Types of Remote Land in Alaska
Fly-In Property
Fly-in properties are the best! Accessed by flying in with a bush/float plane. Property either has it’s own or close by air strip or lakefront. There are many air taxi companies for hire if you are not a pilot who owns your own Super Cub or Cessna 185. Fly-in can be the easiest way to access, and with many properties it’s the only way.
Boat-Access Property
Boat access may be a great way to go if you can be flexible in your coming and going. Also, boat-in properties can be lendable. While rivers are a mainstay of traveling to remote Alaska, “reading the river” is of utmost importance. Every spring or “break-up” as Alaskan’s call it, gives opportunity for a whole new river experience. Some landowners opt for building supplies to be flown in by helicopter, others choose to wait for freeze up and bring by snowmachine. Many people have learned how to live year-round.
Trail / Overland Access Property
There are many properties that are accessible by land. Few are hikeable. Most use ATV or snowmachine. Many people choose to haul their building materials, goods, fuel oil, and such by trail using snowmachine and freight sleds in the winter. Very few parcels are accessible by hiking to them. Depending on the slope, terrain, brush and general vegetation overgrowth. If you are crossing rivers or creeks, winter will be your friend.
Mixed-Access Properties
You can see there are lots of options with accessing remote properties, all depending upon the exact property itself and when you plan to access. The most desirable properties are the ones that can be accessed by many ways. River system can definitely be favorable for access both winter and summer but also can be the most temperamental. Verify the options and what suits you best before you buy.
Access Is Everything: What Buyers Must Understand
Access to the property, how you will logistically get you and your supplies there all matter depending on how you plan on using your remote property. Only planning on going for a month in the summer is much different consideration than living there all year round. Only want a snowmachine haven in the winter? That changes things!
Why access matters more than acreage
Buying land in Alaska for less than $1K per acre?! Yep. And you will work hard to get there. All the gear, snowmachines, ATV’s, Argo’s, Freight Sleds, and may still need to have a heli drop for the larger building materials to get to the site. Accessibility matters in the purchase price. When you are buying property in Alaska always need to know these things. Remember, you will pay for access one way or the other. Here are some real-world video tours of remote Alaska properties showing different access types.
Legal access vs practical access
When you’re looking at remote property, there is a vast wilderness out there and much of it in public land that is easily accessed. There are also established trails. If you see a private property sign – do the right thing, turn around. You won’t find easements for trails, just trails, or open space. That’s about as good as it gets out in the wild.
Seasonal access changes
Remote Alaska really opens up in winter. When the rivers/creeks/ and lakes freeze over they become a snowmachine, fat tire bike, Nordic skiing highway. Not to mention the dog sleds you can see but rarely hear. Seasonal routes and timing change often. River routes can change with each break up and heavy rain. Every year there is a period of time when the waterways are not safe due to not having solid ice/snow bridge over it. This can be about a month in the spring/break-up time and about 2 months in the “Not Quite Winter” time.
Off-Grid Living Considerations for Remote Alaska Land
Power options
Solar panels are becoming more and more popular for remote and off-grid properties. They have become smaller and more powerful. Where your property is and when you plan on using your property can be a determining factor. Expect to use more electricity in the winter, darker months. If using a generator only, be sure you have fuel. Certainly, viable options exist for just about all properties.
Water sources
YES, you can melt the snow and use that for drinking. (Pro Tip – be sure the snow is WHITE! My Grandfather always gave me two tips when I was growing up. Plant your corn early, and don't eat yellow snow!) Most homes that have running water are serviced by a well on the road system. There is often iron in the water and most use filtration systems. Since water is a necessity in life in all seasons, think this through. Remote Properties Alaska is here to help!
Waste systems
What comes in must go out, right?! For remote and off grid properties the answer is the same, it’s just a matter of getting there. If you are going with an outhouse, be mindful of how close you are to a water source, whether it be lake, stream, creek, or well. There are also incineration toilets. Turns “it” all to ash. If you are on the road system the obvious, most common remedy is a septic tank and drain field. Be prepared to take care of “things” yourself.
Zoning, Use, and Legal Considerations
Borough vs unorganized area
While most of Alaska is unregulated, there are some areas that have city ordinances. If you are considering property inside any city limits, be sure you check and find out if there is zoning. Of the 2% (Approx) of Alaska that is in private ownership, it does not mean it is zoned. Much of Alaska is in “unincorporated community”. The area has a general name and accounts for in the census. However, they have no zoning, city ordinances, property tax, or services. No taxes = No Services.
Zoning differences across Alaska
Zoning is a term used for describing what type of activity a piece of land within city limits can be used for. Residential, Commercial, and Multifamily are the most common. Each city operates separately from others. If the property is NOT within city limits it likely has no zoning, and very few if any regulations.
What you can and cannot build
Even some remote properties can have some governance. Some remote properties have CCR’s (Covenants, Codes and Restrictions). If there are CCR’s in a remote area, typical restriction is allowing or not allowing dog teams and if this lot can be subdivided even more. It’s important to know before you buy. Native lands can also have restrictions.
Land status and ownership
Less than 2% of land in Alaska is under private ownership. Some 60-65% is under Federal Ownership. There is also State, Borough, and Native Organization ownership or management. The majority of land in Alaska is NOT accessible by the road system. No doubt you will have to cross some if not all of these ownership types to access your piece of Heaven.
Environmental and Terrain Factors Buyers Overlook
Permafrost
Further north in Alaska, you’ll see weird shaped stubble of trees that often have this strange ball looking growth at the top. A tree can only grow as the soil allows it to grow. These trees are the result of permafrost. This occurs when the ground is permanently frozen. Building on permafrost is definitely not ideal. There are methods. Can be done, with care, consideration, and flexibility. And some of the most stunningly beautiful views, the ones that simply take your breath away and make time stand still views are in these areas.
Flood plains and river movement
It always surprises me how surprised people are to find out riverfront property is in a flood plane and floods frequently. Not all riverfront property is, only the property that everybody wants. The idyllic gradual access to walk right out to the river, bare foot with your wine in hand, will be the first to flood if the water rises enough. Rivers are what I can “Live Water”. They travel and often rewrite the boundary or simply leave it all together. The possibility comes with the territory. Know your ground topography and how to build accordingly. And remember, nothing lasts forever but the memories you make along the way, it may be worth it.
Soil, slope, and drainage
What we all love about Alaska is the amazing green vegetation, the enormous moose! All the wildlife! The wildlife is possible due to the vegetation that is possible due to the amount of rain/moisture. Slopes can be changed for better drainage. Thankfully Alaska’s soils for the most part are quite full of gravel. This is a big help for all kinds of drainage. In Alaska we know a couple things. If it’s not raining now, it will. Winter is always coming. Snow is just rain when it’s cold.
Wildlife considerations
When traveling in Alaska always be on the lookout for moose and sometimes even bears. A single person out hiking on the trails is referred to as a snack. Don‘t be one. Most people don’t like to be taken by surprise especially if that something is perceived as harmful, neither do the moose. If you’re one of the blessed ones you’ll get to hear the quintessential sound of the loons in the summer out on the lakes, and you’ll know you have arrived. Alaska is where “national geographic’ comes to life. It’s every bit as dangerous as it is full of wonder to see, hear and watch.
Costs Beyond the Purchase Price
Transportation and freight
Living remotely with nobody telling me what to do! This is the life of dreams! Just be sure to bring a pocketbook full of money with you! 10 acres listed for $9,500 can be found. No road. No designated trail. No nothing but Nature and Nature’s God. Getting set up to be remote even seasonally will cost you in the gear and equipment. Common question, “What’s the cost of a used halfway decent snowmachine?” I answer, “Your life.” That’s all. I’ve heard it said, “you can’t cheap your way to success”. Summer barges can be up to $5.00 per pound. Most find winter the best time to bring in large and heavier supplies.
Maintenance over time
What you once thought as being a “hoarder”, you’ll soon come to understand in remote Alaska that’s called being prepared. Not only “what happens at the cabin stays at the cabin” there’s wisdom to “what’s brought to the cabin stays at the cabin”. Think of maintenance like rain, it’s not if but when. If you’re looking at buying something that’s already been built, very likely the new owner will inherit the maintenance that will need to be done along with all the tools and extra parts.
Emergency planning costs
True story! There was a couple I knew a while back. Amazing remote homesite. Relying on a small lake for their water source. As the time went on the water became contaminated. The next thing they realize she’s on her death bed very suddenly requiring to be medically evacuated out. There are insurance companies that cover this, and there are emergency flight medics that are trained for remote extraction in any season. Like everything in life, there is risk attached to living remotely. You risk either LIVING your dream adventure or risk NOT living it!
Who Remote Alaska Land Is (and Is Not) For
Do you have the grit? Do you find yourself with a challenge staring you in the eye, thinking, “I can make this work?” Do you like planning ahead, ability to be flexible in a split second? Maybe you thrive on waking up each day with no particular place to go but outside, breathe, gather the snow to boil for coffee, and whatever it takes to just “be”. Only limitation is Nature and Nature’s God. Can you stretch your supplies to last two weeks longer than expected? Maybe you’re thinking it would be great for a season, maybe summer! If this sounds like an adventure of a lifetime – THEN MOVE FORWARD BEFORE YOU’RE TOO OLD TO DO IT!
Not a good fit for:
Investor tip: Building in remote Alaska is always more costly than what you can sell it for down the road. The cost of the land doesn’t change much, but building materials, equipment to get it there, and the fuel, is always rising. If you’re in mind of building for a profit, you should stick to the road system. Yes! Bears DO poop in the woods, the very woods you’ll be in, the very woods you’ll likely be doing the same thing in. If you didn’t bring the toilet paper, well…. You get the idea. No – it’s not sanitary, nothing in remote Alaska is. If that sounds like hell on earth, please for the love of all that is good in the world, stick to the road system!
How Remote Land in Alaska Is Priced
Why comps are different
Alaska is a “non-disclosure state”. That means professionals in the real estate industry are the only ones able to access what a property actually sold for. This is private information not public. Therefore, all the online algorithms are wrong. Dead wrong. And what it cost you to build over the last 10 years doesn’t necessarily add up to a marketable price. By calling a known leader in that market, Remote Properties Alaska we have the data! Who you work with makes a difference.
What actually drives value
Simply put, there are few people who DESIRE to experience remote Alaska, and even fewer who can actually make it happen. Not only does the actualizing this dream have challenges, very few that can be financed. This means cash out of pocket for the Buyer not only for the property and all that comes with it, but your personal gear and equipment to get there. The easier and less costly the access, the more in purchase price you’ll pay.
Why similar acreage can vary wildly in price
10 acres of lakefront with a lake that has freshwater stream to it. This is easily accessible by many ways and typically if plane accessible within minutes to an hour. A ten acre remote parcel that require crossing rivers and creeks that takes at least a full day to access, much more risk and cost to access, plus have to haul fresh water to the site. The difference in price in these 2 properties can be $100K!
What to Look for When Evaluating a Remote
Property
How close fresh water is, various ways to access, how hard are you willing to work? All these things we’ve mentioned all play into what will work for you and the cost of the property. Vacant land will be less price than one with a cabin that is year round livable. Do you see yourself using only in the winter or only in the summer or a good mix of both? Do you already have extreme winter gear and equipment? Do you plan on hunting? Check on the hunting season. These are all good considerations and things to ask yourself.
Real Examples: Lessons from Sold Remote Alaska Properties
What buyers valued most
For these folks access to the cabin along with privacy and seclusion was high on their list. The trail in was such that during the summer months it was accessible by a 4x4. And the Terrain once there was able to be navigated by the all 3 generations!
What scared buyers initially
Initially research indicated the amount of slope on the property may be too much. When we walked the property together they could see it wasn’t as steep as it seemed. Most of the actual property was on level ground, the steepest point was easily navigated by changing the approach.
What ultimately closed the deal
The Buyer’s weren’t able to take the cash out of pocket for their family retreat. And nobody is guaranteed tomorrow. This was one of the rarer remote properties that was able to be financeable. Working closely with lenders made it possible. Aligning the Buyer’s ideal property, how the property was marketed, along with the perfect lender was definitely critical for this family’s dream becoming reality.
Working With a Specialist in Remote Alaska Real Estate
Simply put, remote properties sell for far less than on the road system properties. Licensees not “remote minded” struggle due to the time it takes to research and the ROI on their time. Educating the Buyers, and the typical documentation is very limited and time consuming to obtain. When a licensee is getting paid by commission, the numbers just don’t match up. They don’t tell you that in a 3-hour master class. Therefore, most Licensees don’t want anything to do with them, they take more time and bring a much smaller paycheck. Therefore, they really haven’t educated themselves. Therefore, they have too much risk, a lot of “I don’t know” answers, lack of experience and knowledge. Remote Properties Alaska has spent the last 30 years living in Alaska and experiencing Alaska out of the city limits!
Next Steps for Buying Remote Land in Alaska
Education before Action:
Just beginning the process of buying remote? Get educated. Re-read this entire post. You don’t have to know everything. You should know the basics of being remote. Think you’re ready? Get a professional you can trust to walk you through the whole process all the way to recording that Title Deed! That would be me. Sheila Monson!
