Now more than ever a homebuyer needs to know how to make an offer on a home.

In the Boise, Idaho area we are experiencing a shortage of homes for sale and in most parts of the country, this holds true. There just isn’t enough supply to meet demand in most markets. We are at a time when interest rates are still at historic lows and people are more confident in the economy, so we are seeing new buyers hit the market every week.

For those who have already been out searching for their new home, the reality of an inventory shortage means that not only are fewer homes available on the market, but they tend to receive offers quickly and in some cases receive multiple offers.

How Making an Offer on a House Works

So what’s a buyer to do when faced

It’s no secret that the cost of rent is on this rise- everywhere.

If you find yourself cringing every time you send out that monthly rent check, chances are the thought of buying a home has crossed your mind at least once. So what’s stopping you? The biggest hurdle people face is the notion that it takes a lot of money to buy a home. Yes, you need some money to buy, but it may not be as much as you think and saving for your down payment may not be as hard as you think.

Here are five easy tips for future home buyers on how to save for a house down payment.

Trim Your Expenses

Take a hard look at everything that comes out of your bank account. It may be scaling back on the satellite package or doing without a couple of lattes every week. It

Boise home values finished 2016 with an 8.76% increase. After hitting a record high in June of $237,600 prices declined slightly in July. For the rest of the year, values remained unchanged to finish the month of December at a median value of $230,000.

At first, that might seem surprising considering the local real estate market is still sizzling. The reality is, the only reason prices aren’t even high is due to the lack of supply. At the beginning of January, Boise had approximately 500 homes for sale. Based on current sales this is the lowest inventory we have seen in nearly ten years.

Homebuyers continued shopping for new houses through November and December with no real slowdown. Rising mortgage interest rates and tight inventory levels being the