Are you looking for the signs of a market bottom? Look around - they are everywhere. The stock market has stabilized at 8,000 - this is a baseline. The jobs market - although seemingly chaotic, is near the end of the layoff festival. Companies have over compensated and have front-loaded their layoffs to over-compensate for a tough economic climate. Housing prices have over-corrected and removed all gains from the bubble. Interest rates are the same as when Leave It To Beaver episodes were brand new! Credit is tight - but not to qualified individuals - and programs are being modified and added every day to help get credit flowing. By the time the media, or your friends and family realize that the housing market has bottom - they will be 6 months late. Look for the signs - don't wait for... 02/06/2009

Today the senate approved an addition to the stimulus package that will give buyers up to $15,000 tax credit if they purchase within one year. This is a very interesting concept and if marketed correctly will help to stabilize housing. The problem we have today is not that there is a lack of buyers - it is there is a lack of confidence. Buyers are asking the age old question - what if the market goes down? But this provision in the stimulus package is the answer to that question. Buy purchasing this year, there will be a built-in 10% price stabilizer. If the housing market goes down another 10% (which I doubt it will at this point) the loss is covered already. If the market doesn't go down, then the buyer realized a 10% savings by purchasing this year. We'll see if it gets approved. My ... 02/05/2009

According to Intermountain MLS Stats Ada County- From 4th Quarter 2008 compared to 3rd Quarter 2006 (the peak of housing costs from the boom) the average price of homes dropped from $275,867 to $220,452 which is a decrease of $55,415 or 25.13% decrease in average sales price   Canyon County- From 4th Quarter 2008 compared to 3rd Quarter 2006 (the peak of housing costs from the boom) the average price of homes dropped from $181,916 to $142,191 which is a decrease of $39,725 or 27.93% decrease in average sales price   Conclusion The average sales price of homes across Treasure Value have decreased on average over 25% since the peak of sales prices in the third quarter of 2006. That is a savings of $39,725 to $55,415 across the Boise Metro.   The real estate market is always an opportunit... 02/05/2009

There are absolutely fabulous deals right now if you are looking to buy a home or investment property in Boise, Idaho.  Prices are down, and sellers need to compete with short sales and REOs (bank-owned properties) if they want to sell.  The question is how do you compare homes and find the real deal?   First, decide exactly what you are looking for.  This "dream list" should include area, home features and size.  Realize that you may not get everything on your list, but it is a place to start.  Enlist the help of an experienced Realtor® who can help you find the homes you'll want to look at and begin your search.  Your agent should also refer you to several lenders to get pre-qualified for a loan.  The best deals definitely go to those who are prepared.   When comparing properties and ... 02/01/2009

I thought I would let you know that if you live in the Boise Metro area of Idaho, we invite you to the Annual Idaho Remodeling Show at the Grove Conference Center tomorrow, Saturday, January 31st from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and on Sunday, February 1st from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM before that Super Bowl Party.  This is sponsored by The Idaho Business League.  If you want to learn the latest in trends and ideas for your remodeling needs for your homes, friends or clients home this is the one biggest shows of the year.    There will be plenty of speakers that will be sharing their expertise on a variety of topics to improve your home and in your remodeling efforts.  On behalf of The Color And Redesign Institute I will be presenting "The Six Steps with Success with Color." I will be presenting thi... 01/30/2009

Hi folks,   Posting from vacation in beautiful Palm Springs, CA today (yes, it's 70 degrees and sunny here - back home in Boise Idaho it's around 30 degrees). Typical vacation - I decided to rebuild all of our websites to make them fresh and new for the new year. It's a lot of work, but I think its important to keep things looking fresh. There is nothing worse than a website that sits idle - search engines hate it, consumers get nothing from it, and the sales force gets bored with it.   So, take a look at my vacation handy-work and let me know what you think! www.43re.com - this is the main brokerage site www.NewConstructionBoise.com - this is our New Construction website www.Sonata-Boise.com - this is our Sonata Hills Community website www.Hazelwoodvillage-Boise.com - this is our Hazel... 01/26/2009

In 2008 only 93 bulders in Ada County pulled more than one permit. Here is a breakout of Boise Home Builder and how may permits they pulled first half vs second and total permits in 2008.  Here is a chart that breaks down permit activity in 2008. Here you can view first half vs second half of the year. View Totals at bottom. As you can see second half of 2008 was less then half of first. Boise Home Builder Permits 1/1 to 6/30/08 Permits 7/1 to 12/31/08 2008 Total Permits CBH Homes 271 129 400 Hubble Homes LLC 119 68 187 Aspen Homes 30 19 49 Ted Mason Signature Homes 19 10 29 Colony Homes 13 13 26 Idaho Development Service 21 4 25 Eaglewood Homes 16 6 22 Syringa Const 13 7 20 Boise Hunter Homes 14 5 19 Stetson Homes 12 7 19 Tahoe Homes 13 5 18 Zach Evans Const 11 7 18 Prestige Homes 12 ... 01/25/2009

Dear Mr. President, Yesterday was an amazing day in the history of the United States. It is, without question, a defining moment in our history and to watch history unfold yesterday with my wife and three daughters was an experience we will never forget. Our country is excited and full of energy and a feeling of anything is possible has been restored within our great nation. As you stated in your address - you are taking office in turbulent times. These times require decisive action and bold intervention. the intent of this letter is to address these problems head on and make clear what I believe to be the direction that must be taken to solve this economic crisis with focused conviction. DO NOT POUR ANY MORE TAXPAYER MONEY INTO THE BANKS OR WALL STREET FIRMS. This will not work. You mu... 01/20/2009

  Being a landlord isn’t easy but given the Resale Real Estate Market, many homeowners are turning their home into rentals. It can be a great idea, but, few of the owners with for rent signs are actually operating their rental in professional manner and in some cases illegally. Managing your own rental can be done, but there are many pitfalls and dangers if its not taken seriously or with care. The consequences are great and it’s your home at the end of the day that you are putting out there to be treated either with care, or vandalism. Hiring a professional Property Manager is great idea because of the experience and professional care involved. The statement that gets me the most from wannabe landlords is, “I can’t afford a Property Manager”. Little do they know that my fee is usually ... 01/19/2009

Exciting events are coming to Boise, Idaho! The Special Olympics will be hosted here starting February 7th LEARN MORE HERE. This will be an exciting time for the city of Boise, Idaho and the state of Idaho as a whole. Our premiere winter resorts will be showcased to the world!   The winter Games by the numbers (Source: Idaho Statesman Online): 20: Days until the games begin. 4,500: The number of athletes, coaches and delegates coming to Idaho. 59: The age of the oldest participating athlete. 63,000: Number of athlete meals that will be provided. 64: The number of events, in seven different sports. 3,500: Number of medals to be given out. 35,000: The latest count of handmade, donated scarves (the goal was 5,000). 100+: The number of countries participating in the games. 6: The number of ... 01/19/2009

Bad News V/S Good News - Sometimes I wonder if someone published a newspaper with just Good News - Would anybody buy it? Apparently not because all of the media focus is always on Bad News.As a tribute to the  New Year, I would like to focus on the Good News in Boise Valley Real Estate. The numbers suggest we are near a post 2004 Real Estate Market in terms of monthly supply of homes on the market. Our supply for average price - size homes 1500 - 2500 sq ft (which comprise the bulk of sales), ranges from a 6 months supply in East Boise to 9 months supply in West Boise. Eagle has about a 12 month supply, while Meridian ranges from 10 months to 15 months depending whether you are South of the Freeway or North of the Freeway.While these numbers are becoming close to those of the Post 2004 ... 01/18/2009

Short sales have got to change here in Boise Idaho real estate market! The fact that an agent is allowed to price a home at any price and get away with it by saying "subject to lender approval" in the comments is maddening. The problem is the prices that are being posted to the market do not represent reality. Less that 15% of the short sales are actually closing, yet short sales make up over 15% of the active market. So, buyers are getting a false sense of what the market truly is. They are making exceptionally low offers based on the belief that they could obtain the short sale around the corner at that price per square foot. My advice - make the offer o  the short sale and see how it goes! I think that we need to create a regulation within the Intermountain MLS (the MLS that serves B... 01/18/2009

      Higher Education for Home Buyers' Saturday February 7th, 2009 Timing the Market Financing Your Home Short Sales, REO's and Foreclosures Developing Your Buying Strategy  Location: Franklin Building Supply                    11700 Franklin                    Boise, ID                    (East of Cloverdale Rd)  Saturday March 7th, 2009 Building Custom Homes How to Select Your Builder Process for Building Your Home Interior Design Trends   Saturday April 4th, 2009 Green Homes Selecting a Green Community and Lot Durable Green and Efficient Homes- Tad Duby, Onpoint Advantage Green Construction- Scott Flynn, Flynner Homes (First to Build NAHB Green Home in Idaho)   Saturday May 2nd, 2009 Selecting a New Communities Community Amenities and Lifestyle- Tucker Johnson, Skyline Development I... 01/17/2009

This is an amazing movie about the current and future state of technology. Our world is changing around us so fast these days. It's amazing how much technology has changed the way Real Estate is found and purchased - even in the past few years. What really gets me thinking is how different life for my 3 daughters will be. It's the little things - the changes in our daily lives. What was life like before Google? Anyone remember carrying around a 15 pound cell phone?But, at the end of the day, with all the changes, there are still so many things that remain the same. In the end - people buy real estate from people. They enter into transactions with people they trust and they use the services of people they have formed a bond with. So, technology just becomes a part of our lives - but our... 01/17/2009

I have to admit that I was not very thrilled about the idea of attending the Boise Zoo with some family members. However, I felt obligated to provide the kids with an educational opportunity. I think the thought of looking at ordinary animals in the cold December winter, with wild-kids running everywhere could have played a factor in my non-enthusiastic dread. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, the kids were wild but that’s a sign of enjoyment as they experienced the new animals. The animals turned out to be amazing. I had run by the zoo a number of times (as it is on the route that many local running races use) so I thought what could possibly be worth looking at in there. I imaged a few wild birds, maybe a llama or two, but nothing like the animal adventure that we experienced.... 01/16/2009

We are now half way through January 2009, so I thought I would put together a summary of what the market in Hidden Springs, Boise, Idaho is looking like.  I don't want to be overly wordy or overly technical, so here's the low-down: Active listings:  51      High:  $995,000      Low:  $205,000 (not a short-sale...this is a great deal!)      Median:  $399,000      Average:  $412,533   Pending listings:  3 (from $375,000 to $700,000)   Sold listings:      Janaury to date:  2 ($303,000 and $560,000)      December 2008:  1 ($350,000)   As you can see, the market isn't red hot.  There are, however, some homes moving.  Likewise, there are some great deals that will be moving soon.  (That listing at $205,000 is unheard-of since 2005.)   Adam Levanger Silvercreek Realty Group Boise Idaho Real Es... 01/16/2009

We have decided that sharing information is the BEST way for everyone to do better in this economy. So, we have decided to host a series of information seminars for the general public as well as industry professionals. We will be discussing such topics as "Timing The Market", Building Custom Homes, Green Building Practices, and many other informative topics that are about the Boise Idaho Real Estate Market. We will be inviting guest speakers and be leaving plenty of time for questions and answers. We think the best way to get through a tough Real Estate Market is to share knowledge. Because in knowledge comes confidence.  If anyone would like to join us for one of our seminars, we would love to have you! Please visit: CLASS SCHEDULE Also, if you are an expert on a particular subject and... 01/15/2009

WHATTTTT? Forbes wrote that Boise Idaho was in the top 25 weakest housing markets! the article only makes a small mention here: "Provo, Utah, and Boise City, Idaho, are also headed down with the drop in nearby ski home sales, says Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Economy.com." Ok - first off I obviously have no idea where I live because I NEVER KNEW I LIVED IN A RESORT TOWN! Boise, Idaho isn't a second home ski resort town. Companies like HP, Micron, Simplot, and Boise Cascade have huge presences here. This is a technology town. This is the town that will pioneer green energy sources. There are more patents per capita in Idaho than any other state. This is not a ski bum town. There aren't multi-million dollar McMansions along the ski runs... we live by the foothills - not the mou... 01/15/2009

Ada County Cost Analysis  Ada County Average Sales price trend chart Source: Intermountain MLS Two trends worth noticing- Pricing is back to Third Quarter 2005 now  Average price of New and Existing homes are getting closer. View detailed analysis of each area in Ada County-   North BoiseNortheast BoiseSoutheast BoiseBoise BenchSouthwest BoiseSouthwest Boise/ MeridianWest BoiseWest Boise/ MeridianNorthwest Boise  Eagle, ID Garden City, ID Kuna, ID Northeast MeridianNorthwest MeridianSoutheast MeridianSouthwest Meridian   Star, ID   Trey Langford www.BuildingCredibility.com   01/15/2009

Real estate investing can be a fantastic moneymaking opportunity, and foreclosures, bank owned properties and short sales are some of the most profitable ways to invest in real estate. However, many investors and homebuyers are uncertain on how to begin their real estate investment travels. click here for a free list of idaho foreclosures and bank owned properties.   Being educated on the foreclosure process is key. As many investors and homebuyers know, a foreclosure is a legal procedure initiated by a lender to take ownership of a property when a borrower has failed to make payments for a debt that is secured by that property. But once a property goes into the foreclosure process, what's next?   Whether you are a first time homebuyer in pursuit of the “American dream” of home ownersh... 01/14/2009