With inventory low in every Treasure Valley housing market, homebuyers are considering new builds more than ever before. But are they right for you?

If you love to watch HGTV, most of the houses you see people hunting are resales--homes that have been built by and owned by other families. Much of the drama in these shows (think House Hunters) derives from the terrible taste in home decor of the previous occupants and whether the new couple can overcome the "hardship" of an ugly paint color or unattractive carpet.

But with many markets across Idaho, and the country, experiencing inventory shortages, it’s becoming harder for buyers to find a home they love in many neighborhoods. That’s why more and more homeowners are turning to new construction.

Every major housing market in the Boise metropolitan area set a new median sales price record in June, thanks to a decades-in-the-making housing shortage and voracious buyer demand.

Ada County hit its 12th consecutive month of record-setting prices in June with a median sales price of $524,950, a 40% increase over the previous year. Canyon County also set a new sales price record of $424,000, which marks a 49% annual increase. It’s also the 11th price record the county has set in the past year.

All of the Treasure Valley’s largest housing markets also set new records:

• In Eagle, the median sales price hit an eye-watering $849,000, a 56% annual increase.
• Boise’s median sales price hit $500,000 for the first time, a 39% jump.
• Meridian’s

Ask a dozen Boiseans what makes their neighborhood “walkable” and you’ll likely get a variety of answers. That’s because walking is like meditation–while everyone might look similar doing it, their motivations can be vastly different. Some people want convenient access to great food and coffee; other people can’t live without a park nearby for their kids; while others just enjoy a serene sunset stroll as a way to unwind from a long day.

If you’re looking for a new home in Boise, you might already have a list of nearby must-haves in mind–and if not, it’s never too early to make one. To help you get off on the right foot, we’ve developed this insider’s guide to Boise’s most walkable neighborhoods. Our list includes something for every type of walker,

The newest sales data shows that prospective buyers in the Treasure Valley who hesitate are costing themselves dearly, with home prices up more than $36,000 in Ada County just since last month. The year-over-year data paints an even starker picture of this once-in-a-lifetime seller’s market.

Treasure Valley home prices blew past two new records in May. The median sales price in Ada County hit a record of $518,215 (up $156,000 or 43% from last year). This marks 12 straight months of pricing records and the first time across the half-million-dollar threshold. Meanwhile, Canyon County also set a median sales record of $407,225 (an annual increase of $131,500 or 48%). The county marked new price records for every month except one in the last year.

Idaho’s population and economy are booming – we were the second fastest-growing state in the nation last year, according to the U.S. Census. That influx of new residents has also helped make us No. 1 in the nation for economic growth, according to the 2021 U.S. News Best States rankings.

Not only are we outpacing the nation when it comes to job and career growth, we’re especially dominating in industries like technology, advanced manufacturing, food production, energy and outdoor recreation, all of which have a strong presence in our local economy.

In addition to attracting out-of-state talent, local colleges like Boise State University and the College of Idaho ensure future generations of skilled professionals will be ready to step up and lead

Boise area home prices hit new highs in April, thanks to strong demand from homebuyers and continued near record-low supply.

If you’ve spent any time online looking for homes, or have taken a drive looking for “For Sale” signs, you’ve noticed: we are suffering from a stark lack of inventory in the Treasure Valley. This continues to limit the number of homes for sale – and help drive prices up.

While the number of available homes is slowly recovering from the height of the pandemic, total home sales remain well below levels you’d expect to see. Especially when you take into consideration that Ada and Canyon counties added 23,890 residents in the past year.

The combination of record-high prices, record growth, and near record-low sales is

You’ve likely heard of geothermal energy or heat before, but how widely used it is in Boise may just be the city’s best kept secret. Not only does geothermal heat much of downtown, a few hundred homeowners benefit from it, too.

Imagine if you could have your own private hot springs in your backyard. Or better yet, your own private outdoor heated pool, for very little cost. Some East End residents are living this dream, thanks to geothermal heat.

What is Boise Geothermal Heat?

You’ve likely heard of geothermal energy before – the U.S. has many geothermal power plants, which use heat from deep within the Earth to produce steam that is converted into electricity.

Geothermal heat is similar but less complicated. In Boise, it simply involves

Buying a new home is much more than comparing square footage and lot sizes. Buying a new home means planting roots in a new community, discovering new favorite coffee shops, and perhaps most importantly, enrolling your children in new schools. We understand that all parents want what’s best for their children. Paramount of that is helping children get the best education for their learning style and needs. In fact, for many clients, finding the right school(s) for their children is a top consideration when selecting a new place to call home.

As the saying goes, "knowledge is power," but sifting through multiple websites and educational rankings to find accurate, up-to-date information can be daunting. That’s where we come in. We've done that

House prices set new records across the Treasure Valley in March, as buyers hit the spring selling season in force. Scarce inventory continues to plague the market – in March, Boise only had a one-week supply of housing on the market. Ada County had about ten days and Canyon County had under two weeks. It's not just a seller's market; it's a savage seller's market.

But even with our short supply, the monthly and yearly gains we’re seeing in sales prices are staggering. The average annual appreciation we’d expect to see for a home is around 4%. Instead:

• The median sales price in Ada County hit a new record of $469,250 in March, rising by more than $100,000, or nearly 28%, in just one year.
• Boise's median cost of a single-family home rose to

Remember that spike in demand we saw right after the holidays? It’s now hitting buyers in their bank accounts. Both Ada and Canyon counties set another round of new sales price records in February. In fact, the median sales price actually jumped by $29,000 in Canyon County, reflecting the largest monthly increase ever recorded.

The median sales price in Ada County hit $452,750 in February, a 39% increase over last year’s median price of $324,950. In the past year, the number of available listings has also dropped from 1,347 to just 303 homes. For context, we’re talking about a county with more than a half-million residents, and growing.

In Canyon County, the new median sales price record hit $368,000. Not only does that represent a $29,000 jump