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Boise Real Estate – Homeowner Tips

As we approach our Winter season, here are a few tips you may find helpful:

Downspout Extensions

I have dealt with three home inspections this week and two of them revealed water in crawlspaces.

Both properties would have benefited from the installation of downspout extensions that would have directed water away from the foundations.

If you have downspouts that are dumping rain water alongside your foundation, you could easily end up with water in your crawlspace.

I recommend the 3-4′ flexible extensions available at Lowe’s or Home Depot

Disconnect Your Hoses

Don’t forget to disconnect your hoses from your outside faucets to prevent freezing damage to your faucets and expensive plumbing repairs.

Close Your Foundation Vents

Remember to close your foundation vents now and reopen them next Spring.

Blow Out Your Sprinklers

If you haven’t already done so, have your sprinkler system blown out to remove water from the underground lines and the above-ground manifold valve.

Replacing a manifold valve can cost upwards of $500.

Check Your Interior Plumbing Connections

I recommend checking the connections of your interior plumbing to avoid water damage.

One of my clients just moved into a beautiful home in Eagle immediately after the hardwood floors were refinished.

They heard a funny noise in the middle of the night, went downstairs to check things out, and stepped into an inch of water covering most of the downstairs.

The culprit was a loose fitting under the kitchen sink that popped loose.

Now, they must endure the mess and disruption of replacing the hardwood floors and carpeting (fortunately covered by their homeowners’ insurance).

P.S. I also recommend you consider replacing your existing copper or clear plastic icemaker water supply hose with a sturdier braided hose to avoid potential leaks and water damage.

November 13th, 2008 Posted in Around Boise |

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"You Poor Thing, You"

I have had several people come up to me recently (knowing that I’m a real estate broker) and breathlessly ask “So . . . how are you doing?”

It’s like they just can’t wait to say “You poor thing, you!” because I’m in real estate.

When I (honestly) tell them I’m doing well, they look at me with disbelief.

I’m fortunate to have a loyal base of past clients who refer their friends to me, and I have many clients who have completed several transactions with me.

I have three closings between now and December 4^th and I’m actually looking forward to the upcoming holidays so I can catch my breath and plan for next year.

One of those closings is a listing that I sold this past weekend after only two weeks on the market.

I’m glad that we again have a market where buyers and sellers actually need someone with experience who can guide them through the complex process of buying or selling a home.

Believe it or not, there are actually serious, qualified buyers out there who want to be homeowners.

Those buyers are buying the homes in top condition that are properly-priced.

I don’t view our present market as “bad”; I view it as getting back to reality.

BTW – If you run into me, please don’t say “You poor thing, you!”, okay?

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Boise, Idaho Real Estate Stats For October 2008

Here’s a snapshot of October’s real estate activity for Boise, Idaho (Ada County):

Available Homes
# Available: 4,562
# Vacant: 2,372
Vacant Percent: 52.0%
Average Asking Price: $324,507
Median Asking Price: $246,700

Pending Sales
# Pending: 508
Average Asking Price: $255,455
Median Asking Price: $199,900

Closed Sales October 2007
# Closed: 480
Average Sales Price: $221,779
Median Sales Price: $229,213

Closed Sales – October 2008
# Closed: 422
% Change: -12.1%

Average Sales Price: $244,914
% Change: +10.4%

Median Sales Price: $200,000
% Change: -12.7%

Data taken from Intermountain MLS on 11/7/08 and pertains to single-family residences on lot or acreage. Data does not include condominiums or townhomes.

November 8th, 2008 Posted in About Boise, ID, Boise Market Stats |

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Meridian, Idaho Real Estate Stats For October 2008

Here’s a snapshot of October’s real estate activity for Meridian, Idaho:

Available Homes
# Available: 1,256
# Vacant: 750
Vacant Percent: 59.7%
Average Asking Price: $268,439
Median Asking Price: $239,900

Pending Sales
# Pending: 131
Average Asking Price: $218,844
Median Asking Price: $197,500

Closed Sales October 2007
# Closed: 140
Average Sales Price: $292,126
Median Sales Price: $268,000

Closed Sales – October 2008
# Closed: 110
% Change: -21.4%

Average Sales Price: $246,026
% Change: -15.8%

Median Sales Price: $215,927
% Change: -19.4%

Data taken from Intermountain MLS on 11/7/08 and pertains to single-family residences on lot or acreage. Data does not include condominiums or townhomes.

November 8th, 2008 Posted in About Meridian, ID, Meridian Market Stats |

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Eagle, Idaho Real Estate Stats For October 2008

Here’s a snapshot of October’s real estate activity for Eagle, Idaho:

Available Homes
# Available: 503
# Vacant: 223
Vacant Percent: 44.3%
Average Asking Price: $626,803
Median Asking Price: $499,900

Pending Sales
# Pending: 47
Average Asking Price: $500,067
Median Asking Price: $450,000

Closed Sales October 2007
# Closed: 38
Average Sales Price: $364,588
Median Sales Price: $303,500

Closed Sales – October 2008
# Closed: 37
% Change: -2.6%

Average Sales Price: $380,767
% Change: +4.4%

Median Sales Price: $349,945
% Change: +15.3%

Data taken from Intermountain MLS on 11/7/08 and pertains to single-family residences on lot or acreage. Data does not include condominiums or townhomes.