Boise Idaho Real Estate Blog - Buying A Home

Treasure Valley Housing Update: More Listings, Steady Prices and Rate Relief

Last month brought a rare mix of easing rates, expanding inventory, and rising home prices across Ada County. Hallmarks of the kind of measured appreciation typical of a balanced market: not a boom, but far from a standstill.

In Ada County, the median home price in September was $555,000, up 3.8% from last year. The median home price in Canyon County was $422,165, essentially flat year over year, but nearly 2% higher than six months ago. While appreciation in Canyon County has historically been more modest, prices remain stable.

Inventory levels across the Treasure Valley remain elevated compared to earlier this year. Ada County has slightly over 3 months of supply. (Months of supply reflects how long it would take to sell all active listings at…

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How to Choose a Home Builder for Your New Home: A Step-by-Step Guide

So, you’ve been perusing homes online, considering floorplans, contemplating kitchen cabinet colors, and imagining the perfect wood floor. Maybe you’ve even toured a few homes to get an idea of what feels best.

You want to buy or build a new home, and you’re ready to commit and ensure that, from stud to Sunday dinner, your new home is perfect. After all, this will be your home. It’s the place where love and laughter will sound for years and years, and whether it’s kids, grandkids, friends, family, toys, or tools, your new home needs to reflect the things that matter most to you.

Your Boise home builder options are nearly endless, and who you choose matters.

You and your builder will spend countless hours together, and with something as…

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Experience the Rich Heritage of Boise's Harrison Boulevard

The story of Boise's Harrison Boulevard has been in the making for more than 100 years.

Imagine being part of a city’s living history – taking tea in the same sunroom once used by one of Idaho’s first governors, or cooking in the same kitchen where J.R. Simplot may have had a billion-dollar epiphany about flash freezing Idaho potatoes, or walking your kids to school down a road that was once lined with the tracks of Boise’s electric trolley car.

Living on the stately, tree-lined street of Harrison Boulevard in the North End is as close as you can get to stepping back in time to Boise’s early days as a fledgling city. When viewing its eclectic homes, most of which were built between 1901 and 1942, you might not guess that the street was Boise’s…

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The Inside Scoop on Boise’s Geothermal Heat

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…

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The Bench: Boise's Cultural and Historical Melting Pot

The Boise Bench—known as “The Bench” by locals—is a multicultural hub of character, diversity, and eclectic personality.

Spreading nearly 10 square miles, The Bench is a collection of eight centrally-located neighborhoods just up the hill from Downtown Boise. Individually unique, Bench communities date back to Boise’s first settlers, and they wear their deep-rooted history like a custom-made style. Spanning over 100 years, Boise Bench neighborhoods are a never-know-what-you’ll-find adventure of home designs, trends, culinary diversity, retail oddities, and architectural artistry.

The Bench is where traditional and contemporary converge. Here, forgotten properties find new life, and a home’s age is seen as personality. Down any street, you’ll…

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Idaho VA Home Loans: 4 Common Myths That Can Cost You

What you don’t know about Idaho VA Home Loans can hurt you–and your wallet.

Respect and appreciation for the military is a cornerstone of American life, and the Department of Veterans Affairs exists, in large part, to facilitate ongoing programs and care for veterans following their service. One of the most valuable perks of military service is the VA Home Loan, a mortgage product that helps members of the military and veterans purchase their homes with favorable terms and no down payment.

Originally an outgrowth of G.I. Bill, VA Loans were created to help returning World War Two soldiers readjust to civilian life by offering them the opportunity to buy a home with no money down and easier financing. The housing boom (and Baby Boom) that…

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Are Solar Panels Right for Your Boise Home?

If there’s one thing Boise has an abundance of, it’s sun. Our fair city gets an average of 210 sunny days per year, which is a boon if you love the great outdoors – or if you’re thinking of making the switch to solar power. Google’s Project Sunroof, which helps communities explore their solar potential, estimates that 86% of Boise’s rooftops are solar viable.

There are other great reasons more homeowners in the Treasure Valley are considering solar energy – it’s a green, renewable energy source that can save you money on your monthly power bill. But since residential solar is still fairly rare in Boise, we’re here to walk you through the other factors you should take into account before you start putting up panels – like local installation costs,…

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Where to Live in Boise – Comparing the Cities and Suburbs

For decades, Boise and the surrounding suburbs were the Northwest's best-kept secret, however, with the area's population growth projected to hit one million residents by 2040, it's clear the secret is out. Whether you crave expansive desert solitude, big-city bustle, tranquil farmlands, sleepy suburbs, or rolling foothills, there's a home in Boise, or a nearby suburb, waiting for you.

The Boise metro area, also known as the Treasure Valley, includes small towns and big cities. Each offers unique strengths and vastly different housing options (and prices). Whether you're relocating from another state or considering a local move, the biggest question on your plate is likely, "where is the best place to live in the Boise area for me?"

You're in…

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Should You Buy a New Construction or Existing Idaho Home?

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.…

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An Insider’s Tour of Boise’s Most Walkable Neighborhoods

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,…

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