The Boise Valley: Idaho: Boise

This will be the first of a new series of blogs we're calling the "5". The "5" will highlight five specific properties in any number of classes, price points, or neighborhoods in one of the markets that we specialize in here in The Boise Valley!

Located in the beautiful "Lakeharbor" subdivision. Enjoy strolls along the Boise River or find adventure in any number of Lake activities; fishing, canoeing, sailing, or just a wonderful picnic in a beautiful setting. Plantation Country Club is just up the road and The Idaho Athletic Club is within walking distance. A wonderful example of an Executive home that is available NOW!

Click here to see this home...

This beautiful home is located in the Boise Foothills with magnificent views overlooking the Dry Creek Valley. Enjoy the setting sun and views from your home that very few ANYWHERE enjoy. If you must have the quiet and peace of the "mountains" but require proximity to The Boise Valley, then you have got to take a look at this wonderful Executive Home!

Click here to see this home...

Calling all golfers! This example of the wonderful properties now available in the North West Boise market. Lush landscaping that runs right to the Par 3 12th tee box of Plantation Country Club. Enjoy your summer evenings watching the duffers go by or join em!

Click here to see this home... 

After a long hard day spent chasing paper from one file to another, come home to this beautiful coastal styled home and escape to sea! This home will help you envision and plan your next vacation to the coast. Located in the Hidden Springs community in the foothills; let this be your escape from daily drudgery!

Click here to see this home...

For those of you who have water running through their veins. Boise River, Silver Lake, and Greenbelt access are the jewels in the crown of this wonderful property in the North West of Boise.

Click here to see this home...

My colleague, Craig Zuber, has written a book called "In The Trenches - Do or Die Lessons from the Business Battlefield".  Craig has a talent for lighting fires and watching him work on this project over the last several months has motivated me to light a little fire under my self as well.  This seems to be a gift that Craig has and it seems he has found the perfect vehicle to put his motivational talents and business skills to good use.  Watching this project start to gain momentum I can see that it is turning into a grass roots movement to actually help transform our 500K or so exiting military personnel into entrepreneurs and small business owners.  This is a concept I have never seen and I think it could catch on and only help America.  In these times of economic turmoil, who might have the skills, mindset, and intestinal fortitude to not only survive but strive?...Our Soldiers!  His website is SoldiersImpact.com ...check it out!

 HIDDEN SPRINGS  $180K--$600K

View Larger Map

Welcome to Hidden Springs!  Idaho's first "planned community" was established in 1998 and is thriving today with over seven hundred homes and a mix of residents ranging from young renters to families to empty nest retirees.  Hidden Springs boasts it's own mercantile, library, fire station, two pools, barn/community center, and even a dental office.  All of the feeling of "out of town" but only minutes from downtown.

Boise State vs. TCU ... An epic and suprising defensive struggle ...WE'LL TAKE IT!!  What a game.  Hats off to the young men on both teams who waged this battle and gave us a great last game of the 2009 season.  Where Boise State finishes in the rankings and if they deserve a co-championship, i'll leave to those who know better.  What I do know is this is one great team and we get it done when it counts.  If you live in the area and want to welcome home the team you can meet them at the staduium at 2:30pm.  There will also be a ceremony at Boise State Allen Noble Hall of Fame Plaza at 2:45pm.  CONGRATS BOYS!!!

*

*

I've just updated the "Local Market Reports" page on my website, TheBoiseValley.com.  Below i've put together some "average" data of Canyon and Ada counties.  Please keep in mind that this is not very "specific" data and there can be some significant differences between the two counties, various cities, areas, neighborhoods, price points, ect...remember "All Real Estate is LOCAL"!  If you need a better breakdown you can download the reports from the "Local Market Reports" page or just contact me and I can put together a report with as much or little specificity as required.  I will post updated data around the middle of each month and will post "quarterly" data as it comes in.

• Average rolling Monthly sold Price: -1.65%
• Monthly sold Volume (6 months): 374
• Inventory (12 months): 9.8 months

Applications for Home mortgages fell sharply last week to the lowest level in 9 years.  I think this was mostly due to buyers waiting out the eventual extension of the "Tax Credit".  Now that it has been extended and expanded, I suspect we'll see the mortgage activity begin to climb.  With the expansion including existing home owners we should actually see the application activity rise above anything we saw over the summer.  For a full explanation of the new criteria go HERE to see an excellent chart from the National Association of REALTORS.  There is also some excellent FAQs HERE.  If anyone out there is contemplating moving to The Boise Valley, or you already live here and have questions...give me a call, we'll chat!

So, we have a new name to go along with a new deadline...and even "new" criteria.  The "Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act" of 2009 extends the $8K for qualified "first-time" buyers and even expands to offer a credit of $6,500 for "qualified" buyers who are not first timers!  For complete explanation as well as some very good FAQs just click HERE.  While there has been some concern that this program is stealing sales from the near future...frankly that is above my pay grade.  As a REALTOR here in The Boise Valley, it's my responsiblity to concern myself with what's in my client's best interest.  I just have to have hope that smarter people than me have their hands on the wheel when it comes to the bigger picture.

Well it looked like another good turnout for the 8th annual Zeitgeist Half-Marathon run around The Hidden Springs community in The Boise Foothills at the North-East end of The Boise Valley!  While the registration numbers pushed a thousand it was hard to tell how many showed up but It looked like several hundred anyway!  This is just one of the many foot races run through Hidden Springs each year.  Include the many bike races and the "Bicycle Friendly" Community Designation and you have one of the most active communities anywhere in the nation.  Moving here several years ago was the best "quality of life" decision our family has made.  Our neighbors are a rare blend of caring and fun!  Let me know if anyone out there has any questions concerning Hidden Springs or The Boise Valley for that matter!

According to Realtytrac, The Boise Valley was in the top three metro areas with increases, over the past year, in foreclosures.  Specifically, third quarter foreclosures are projected to be 4,157, or 1.76% of the market (that's 1 in 57!).  This represents a surge of 22.16% over the same quarter from last year and moves into the top 20 in the nation.  The national average is projected to be .73% which represents an increase of 22.5%.
CLICK HERE for the entire article from RealtyTrac.

Well, we just got a little confirmation concerning the Homebuyer Tax Credit.  Apparntly an endorsement by the Administration has just been announced to extend and expand the Homebuyer Tax Credit.  If enacted it would entail the following:

• Allow current homeowners who buy a new home qualify for a $6,500 credit as long as they have lived at their current residence for 5 years.
• The income limit would increase from $75K to $125K for individuals and from $150K to $250 for couples.
• The expiration date would be extended from November 30th of this year to April 30th, 2010 with a 60 day allowance beyond that date to close the transaction.

This is excellent news for us here in The Boise Valley and should contribute significanly to any market recovery in the near future.