Congratulation to the Boise State University men’s basketball team and to the coaches for their successful year and for capping it off by winning the Western Athletic Conference Championship over New Mexico State University last Saturday night. Triple overtime no less. I look forward to watching more exciting games next year.

Good news for residents of the City of Trees. According to a press release from the Boise Police Department, Boise City’s crime rate, adjusted per 100,000 population, has dropped 37% over the past decade including an 8% drop between 2006 and 2007. [Read more →]

Looking for a deal? The number of homes in short sale in the Boise area is climbing. Not looking for a “starter home”? That’s okay because luxury homes are also being offered in short sale.

The term “short sale” means that the lender on the property is willing to accept less than what is owed on the property to avoid foreclosure. However, that doesn’t mean that you can offer a ridiculously low price and the lender is going on accept it. But a reasonable offer together with reasonable terms will be taken seriously.

Currently, short sale homes in all price ranges are available in the Boise area. From a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1125 square foot home in Canyon County priced at $111,900. to a 4 bedroom, 4 bath, 5977 square foot home in Hidden Springs priced at $1,250,000. (including over an acre of land).

If you’re interested in learning more about short sale homes in the Boise area, email or call me today!

You purchased a home a couple of years ago. Now your subprime adjustable rate loan is about to re-adjust upward and you don’t know how you’ll make the payment, Now there’s help.

Under an initiative announced in December - Hope Now - homeowners with subprime loans are finding help in resolving their mortgage woes. Hope Now is an agreement entered into by lenders, loan servicers and mortgage investors. The initiative provides an interest-rate freeze on the loan so that the borrower has time to work out a solution.

The first course of action to take is to call the national counseling hotline - 1.888.995.4673 - to talk to a HUD-approved counselor. This number has counselors available 24/7. The counselor will collect information about the homeowner’s financial situation and determine eligibility to participate in the program. You may be eligible if:

1) you’re current on your loan and expect to stay current after the rate adjusts upward but need to refinance;
2) you’re current but may default after the rate adjusts,
3) or you’re in default even before the rate adjusts.

In addition, you must have secured your financing between January 1, 2005 and July 31, 2007 and your rate is set to adjust between January 1, 2008 and July 31, 2010.

However, any homeowners who is facing default for any reason can call to get counseling. It costs nothing and may provide an answer to your mortgage woes.

With all the gloom and doom that we read about in the newspaper and hear in the news media, I thought it might be interesting to compare some statistics from the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service website. Here’s the facts for Ada County:

2002
Total homes sold 6,836
New Construction 2,211
Existing Homes 4,685

2003
Total homes sold 7,886
New Construction 2,611
Existing Homes 5,275

2004
Total homes sold 9,123
New Construction 3,123
Existing Homes 6,000

2005
Total homes sold 12,222
New Construction 4,686
Existing Homes 7,336

2006
Total homes sold 10,136
New Construction 3,707
Existing Homes 6,411

2007
Total homes sold 6,789
New Construction 1,779
Existing Homes 5,006

The fact is that homes are still selling if they’re priced right, in good condition, and in a good location. And since you can’t change “location”, you need to change the items you can - condition and price. That’s what it takes.

Today kicks off the 2008 McCall Winter Carnival in McCall, Idaho, a small resort town about 2 hours north of Boise in the rugged Idaho mountains. Many events are scheduled for the 10 day event. This year’s carnival has the theme “Wild, Wild West”. Many events from past years are on the venue again this year including the snow sculptures, Monte Carlo night, Snowshoe Golf and the Mardi Gras Parade. A new event this year is the extreme rider snowmobile event.

Also this year, the 2007 Yellow Pine Harmonica Festival will be a part of the Carnival. With the fires last summer, Yellow Pine wasn’t able to hold it annual event. So they’ve partnered up with McCall to provide carnival attendees with a musical treat. And if you play the harmonica, be sure to bring it along as jam sessions are sure to break out.

For more information about the Carnival, check out the McCall Winter Festival website.

Quality built by Mill Right Custom Homes LLC, this cozy home has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and is on a corner lot in a quiet, somewhat rural, neighborhood in Wilder. Outside features include 30 year architectural shingles and T-channel vinyl siding with stone accents on the front of the home. Full automatic sprinklers and landscaping is already completed.

Inside you’ll find vaulted ceilings, plant shelves and a ceiling fan in the spacious and open great room area. Bright light floods in from the southern exposure window that overlooks the backyard and patio area. Decorator colors and touches make this home extra special.

The kitchen includes a built-in range with a microwave over, a dishwasher and disposal plus a large pantry for extra food storage. Lots of storage in the oak cabinets which are finished off with laminate countertops and a tile backsplash. Front - north facing - kitchen window overlooks the front yard.

The spacious master suite features a master bath with a tub/shower combo and a spacious closet with organizers.

Home is recently completed and ready to move into. Builder offers a one year warranty on home. This home qualifies for Idaho Housing 100% financing as well as Rural Development financing. Call today to find out more about this wonderful home!

Property Details

• Price: $126,900
• MLS #: 98341242
• Street Address: 699 Prince Avenue, Wilder
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 2
• Square footage: 1201
• Year Built: 2008
• Lot Size: .14 acre
• Garage size: 2 car
• Stories: Single
• Virtual Tour

Many buyers out there are afraid to commit to a home purchase now because of the recent direction of the housing market. If they buy now, the market may continue to go down and the home they buy will decrease in value. However, “timing” the real estate market - like the stock market - is difficult. You don’t know the bottom has hit until it’s on it’s way back up and then you’ve missed the bottom. [Read more →]

Bogus Basin, the ski resort just 30 minutes north of Boise, opens for the season today. With 11 inches of new snow in the past few days, the resort is able to open its ski lifts for skiers. And the best part - free skiing today - to celebrate Bogus’s 65th anniversary. Hours are 10:00am to 4:30pm today. Night skiing begins tomorrow.

The number of homes that are active in the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service has dropped again for the 4th straight month. It’s too early to say that we’ve “bottomed out” but [Read more →]