Note we didn't say "perfect..."

Labels: Boise Real Estate, Home Supply

Labels: Boise Real Estate, Listings

"What's the market like in Boise?" is a perennial question of home buyers and sellers.

Labels: Boise Real Estate, Idaho Statistics, Pricing, Real Estate Trends

Couldn't believe it's actually been four years since we've been blogging, but here it is, our first post on January 24, 2006.

Labels: Blogging, Random

There is an old but still funny exchange at City-Data.com (link here) about living in the Boise area.

This particular writer laments drugs, gangs and a conspiracy by officials to suppress information about Boise's darker side in an effort to attract businesses. ("The reason you do not find much about Boise is the state and city keep as much away from people as they can as the only way Boise will still grow is to bring in out of state jobs.")

Let's be honest about this: Every magazine in America can generate a carefully calibrated system of ranking the "best" cities but if you have a bad experience in one of them, a magazine article isn't going to change your mind.

In spite of this, it's useful to compare crime rates, living costs, traffic, unemployment, wages...WEATHER!

Visit Boise.

Then add it all UP: What kind of person are you? Can you cope with dry heat as long as you have a short commute, a home you love and an air-conditioned office? Maybe community--building meaningful relationships with people who share your values--matters more than anything else. Or perhaps you're one of those rare, happy individuals who can live comfortably anywhere there's a suitable job.

Don't get hung up on what the "worst thing" or "best thing" about Boise is. No place is perfect.

Speaking of perfection (heh), we've been updating our "Why You Should Move to Boise" brochure. Email us if you'd like it.

Labels: Boise, Boise Real Estate, Idaho, Opinion

At the end of 2009, Keller Williams Real Estate was named the Top Real Estate Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine.

Keller Williams Realty joined the ranks of the top franchises in the world last week, when the company was ranked as the No. 1 real estate franchise on the 31st Annual Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur magazine. During the same week, the company was also voted the Most Recognizable Brand of Real Estate Franchises for 2009 in an industry-wide survey for the Swanepoel TRENDS Report.

Our Chief Operating Officer Mary Tennent attributes KW's success to its phenomenal people (thank you) and KW's core business models.

Labels: Keller Williams Real Estate, News, Real Estate

We are seeing a reduction in, well, reductions! This is just good news, however slight, however late in coming.

"Trulia, Inc., a real estate search site, has announced that 22% of homes currently on the market in the United States as of December 1, 2009 have experienced at least one price cut, the lowest level since Trulia started tracking price reductions in April 2009. The total amount slashed from home prices also dropped from $28.1 billion in November to $24.7 billion in December, representing a 12% decrease. The average discount for price-reduced homes slightly increased to 11% off of the original listing price compared to 10% in the previous four months. The number of listings on Trulia also decreased by 9% from the previous month."

The sources also collect data by region. The West is showing the lowest number of price reductions(19%) after the south (20%).

Article courtesy of RIS Media. Click here for the fully story.

Labels: Home Values, Listing, Pricing, Real Estate

Here is an EXCELLENT rundown of fact versus fiction on tax credits for energy-effecient improvements to your home, courtesy of the National Association of Home Builders (link here).

You can even download a handy-dandy little fact sheet.

Wondering what your remodeling project is worth? We can help you find the answer.

Labels: Boise Real Estate, Real Estate Trends, Remodeling, Tax Credits, Taxes

1. Fresh, running water. You really can't leave this out, can you? The World Health Organization reports that 1.8 million people die every year from diarrheal disease, and that an estimated 88% of those deaths are attributed to unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene. In the meantime, we run the water while we brush our teeth.
   
   
2. Our family and the friends who have become family.These are the treasured people who get us through rough years. We need them almost as much as we need fresh water.
3. Surviving the market downturn. We're still here and we're not going anywhere. We made the cut, and we still like our jobs.
   
   
4. Living in a country where we can have a job that we love. Like fresh water, it's easy to take this for granted. Not having to rely on degrading or exhausting, low-paying just to put food on the table; not being forced to work 18 hour days (oh...wait!); never being coerced into a job--these are things we're thankful for, and that makes us some of the luckiest people in the world.
   
   
5. Food. Like piping hot turkey, homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, steaming ladles of gravy, pumpkin pie...