I am currently working with buyers who want to buy a home with a large (ideally 30’ X 40’) shop, on small acreage or a large lot, near Boise.

My buyers have pre-approved financing and are ready to buy.

Criteria for the home includes at least 1,800 square feet, 3-4 bedrooms, good surrounding area, within 10-15 miles of the Boise airport area, up to $225,000.

It’s okay if the house needs some work, but it can’t be a candidate for demolition.

Criteria for the shop includes adequate size for two or three Dodge Sprinter delivery vans, power, and water.

There are currently 20 listings in MLS matching that general criteria.

Over the past 10 days, I have researched, driven by, and/or previewed all of them.

Many of them were misrepresented in the MLS listings and had storage sheds; not shops.

Yesterday, I showed my buyers the two properties that made the cut for showing after my extensive research.

Both properties were in poor condition, overpriced, and located on major roads with heavy traffic and road noise.

I have also researched existing homes for the possibility of buying a home and building a shop afterward, but have been stymied by both zoning laws and CCRs prohibiting shops on properties.

After a lot of digging, I did find a nice home in the City of Meridian with an adjoining ¼-acre lot that initially appeared to be a viable situation for my buyers.

But, that’s where it gets interesting because the home is in the City of Meridian and the rear ¼-acre lot remains in Ada County with unclear zoning laws.

That’s because the rear ¼-acre rear lot includes a community well for the adjoining subdivision (not annexed to the City of Meridian) and thus was probably never intended to be buildable.

I have asked Ada County Planning & Zoning to tell me if a shop could be built on the 1/4-acre lot, but I’m not expecting a positive response for a variety of reasons.

This has been a huge learning experience for both my buyers and myself.

Properties like this are extremely difficult to find! 🙁