Why I LIVE in Idaho (cool video of local musicians and local sites)

Brad Pitt to make an appearance at Boise, Idaho's Egyptian Theater tonight, December 10th, 2008, for the opening of his new movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

Market Stats for October 2008

In the spirit of continual transparency, below please find the link to Group One's market statics for the Treasure Valley through October 2008.
Please contact me with any questions/comments you may have regarding Treasure Valley Real Estate!

http://www.group-one.com/marketreport/marketstats.html

Something people in Boise already know....

Not every neighborhood is for everyone, although we can learn something from every neighborhood. Take my neighborhood for instance, Boise's North End, recently named one of the 10 Best Neighborhoods of 2008 by American Planning Association. The reasons are numerous why I returned, appreciating it all the more for having left. I no longer drive to the foothills to run my dog, I walk. I no longer worry how I'm going to get home after tying one on Downtown, I walk. My friends and I can grab a coffee, slice of pizza, and new TEVAs on sale within walking distance. My office is close, so I walk now and then when I'm not showing clients property. Oh, by the by, I've shown property WALKING! What a better way to understand the community you want to live. My pocket book and my waistline thank me!

Not every neighborhood is structured like this. It takes time, money and planning. But wouldn't it be great if everyone took one less trip and lived close to something they frequent so they could walk.

Credit Crisis 2008 Summary from NAR

The past couple of months I've been observing lawmakers and how they are deciding to intervene in the Nation's current credit crisis. Now that the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 has past, explanation to the people is needed.
I've received calls from clients wondering how this effects their current real estate transaction, if at all, and how is the Act going to directly assist them in staying in their home.
The National Association of Realtors has posted a summary of how it pertains to the buying and selling of real estate.

2008 August Market Stats

2008 August Market Statistics of Ada County, Boise, Idaho.

September's Monthly Walking Tour

September 13th we had a great walking tour of the Hyde Park area in Boise. The group was few of many walking around the neighborhood Saturday as the Annual Hyde Park Street Fair was in full swing. The crew met at Java Hyde Park, loaded up on espresso and water, strapped on their walking shoes and away we went.

In less than two hours we viewed 6 homes! Below is the data I collected and shared with the listing agents.

Thank you for all of the input and I hope to see the entire group and more next time.

1) A beautiful new construction home on North 12th with a true CHEF's kitchen, beautiful exterior elevations on all four sides, and two sets of double doors leading from the living area to a secluded back patio and entertainment oasis. The two biggest objections; the laundry is in the basement while the master is on the second floor and a majority of the windows aren't working windows. Remedies: Working windows throughout the home. I would suggest a laundry shoot from the master to the basement, but I couldn't see a pathway to do so.

2) Centrally located in Hyde Park, this cozy bungalow has an above garage studio apartment and would be a functional location for a work/live lifestyle. Staging was eye-catching keeping us from quickly noticing paint needing touch up and basement needing to be finished. Small galley kitchen with fabulous view tot the street. Biggest objections; no true master, unfinished basement, and no dining room. Remedies: move a couple of exterior walls upstairs to create large master in back of house, finish the basement (it's really close already) and, as for the dining room - eat outside as much as possible and buy sexy TV trays.

3) Curious to see the Row Houses next to the bungalow on 13th, I called the listing agent to get permission to show. The agent welcomed us to tour the beautifully designed townhome on the end of the Row House in Hyde Park. We were not disappointed. Expertly designed interior space utilizing every square foot down to the 'Potter-esc' room under the stair perfect for a wine cooler. Unlike the home on 12th, almost every window in the house was working and...and even though on a main through-fair with many people in the street, the home was very quiet!

4) 'Very cute' seems to be the consensus from the agent holding the open house on North 16th. The front and backyards are fabulous!! Kitchen is functional as well as the upstairs bath, master suite is in the basement with a walk-in closet and an extra bedroom for the little one if needed (or a sitting room). Biggest objections; no formal dining but there is room for a true dining table for four unlike the previous and kitchen and bath need true updating.

5) Truly a one bedroom, this Harrison Blvd bungalow has plenty of potential to expand upwards! Lovely Front Room with Formal Dinning and built-ins surrounding the fireplace. Garage has a bed and bath above which would make a connection to the original 'home just that easy'. Garden is a wonderland for children and green thumbs alike. I'd like to see this home restored to it's potential turn-of-the-century charmer.

6) Last but not least, a Victorian on 16th that had a true foyer into the living room on the left and farm house dining area/kitchen to the right! The bedrooms are something to be desired...but who needs bedrooms when you have a double North End lot, potting shed, and green house to play in? Definitely a must see for those with vision to see past the wall paper and join the neighbor in renovating the streets original Victorian homes.

Idaho Math Initiative

Realtors Use Math Everyday...Even "I Use It Everyday".

Are you 'LinkedIn'?
This is one my favorite grassroots on-line networking sites!
Review my LinkedIn Profile and join my network.

First Time Home BuyersTax Credit...NAHB Glance

The National Association of Home Builders published THE short reference list for the position of the First Time Home Buyer as stated in the American Housing Relief and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008.

* The tax credit is available for first-time home buyers only.

* The maximum credit amount is $7,500.

* The credit is available for homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009.

* Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

* The tax credit works like an interest-free loan and must be repaid over a 15-year period.

Group One Market Share (Q1 2008)

Group One has 10.3% of the listing market which improved from last quarter by 4 points. You'll be happy to know that Group One's average days on the market has improved from last quarter and is now 86 days while the average for all of the offices is 93 days.

Group One's share of the sales volume is up 5 points from last quarter to 9.3%. You'll be happy to know that we have the highest average sales price of $319,283.

As a Group One agent, I am proud to be making a difference in our ever changing market through my commitment to EXCELLENCE!

Boise in the Brookings Institution Vitality Report

Click here to read report from the local Treasure Valley paper about the Brookings Institution Vitality Report...


http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/409246.html

8 Quick Fixes to Increase your homes Value

With buyers scarcer, sellers must up the ante to convince them that their property offers what many want most — top value for dollar expended. Here are eight fast fixes:

1. Buff up curb appeal. You’ve heard it before, but it’s critical to get buyers to want to look on the inside. Be objective. View listings from the street. Check the condition of the landscaping, paint, roof, shutters, front door, knocker, windows, house number, and even how window treatments look from the outside. Add something special—such as big flower pots or an antique bench — to help viewers remember house A from B.

2. Enrich with color. Paint’s cheap, but forget the adage that it must be white or neutral. Just don’t get too avant-garde with jarring pinks, oranges, and purples. Recommend soft colors that say “welcome,” lead the eye from room to room, and flatter skin tones. Think soft yellows and pale greens. Tint ceilings a lighter shade.

3. Upgrade the kitchen and bathroom. These make-or-break rooms can spur a sale. But besides making each squeaky clean and clutter-free, update the pulls, sinks, and faucets. In a kitchen, add one cool appliance, such as an espresso maker. In the bathroom, hang a flat-screen TV to mimic a hotel. Room service, anyone?

4. Add old-world patina. Make Andrea Palladio proud. Install crown molding at least six to nine inches in depth, proportional to the room’s size, and architecturally compatible. For ceilings nine feet high or higher, add dentil detailing, small tooth-shaped blocks used as a repeating ornament. It’s all in the details, after all.

5. Screen hardwood floors. Buyers favor wood over carpet, but refinishing is costly and time-consuming. Screening cuts dust, time, and expense. What it entails: a light sanding, not a full stripping of color or polyurethane, then a coat of finish.

6. Clean out, organize closets. Get sorting—organize your piles into “don’t need,” “haven’t worn,” and “keep.” Closets must be only half-full so buyers can visualize fitting their stuff in.

7. Update window treatments. Buyers want light and views, not dated, fancy-schmancy drapes that darken. To diffuse light and add privacy, consider energy-efficient shades and blinds.

8. Hire a home inspector. Do a preemptive strike, since busy home owners seek maintenance-free living. Fix problems before you list the home and then display receipts and wait for buyers to offer kudos to sellers for being so responsible.

Sources: Ernie Roth, Roth Interiors, Los Angeles; Angel Petragallo, abr, Group One, Boise, Idaho; Melissa Galt, Galt Interiors, Atlanta; Steve Kleiman, CEO, Oakington Realty, Houston; Sid Davis, Sid Davis & Associates, Farmington, Utah, and author of First-Time Homeowners’ Survival Guide (Amacom, 2007); Steve Hochman, Friendly Note Buyers, Roxbury, N.Y.; Margi Kyle, designer and spokesperson for Hunter Douglas.

Experts say the Nation has another 20% housing price adjustment instore...

From the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) to the S&P, our Nation as a whole has on average 20% more of a price adjustment to the overall housing market until we are in a recovery position.

Map of Misery (The Economist)

How do you think affects Idaho, the Treasure Valley in particular?

Send me your comments!

Interesting!

Closed Sales for March 2008 only down 5% compared to 2007.

With all the doom and gloom press, it's difficult for Buyers and Sellers to realize that we can and will make it through this housing price adjustment.

If you have any questions about Boise area market statistics, you know where to find me.

I've made a move...and what this means.

I've been in my new diggs for one week today and, I have to admit, it couldn't have happened at a better time.

The real estate market couldn't be reported more depressing than the national tabloids have published and I get to work with the BEST team in Boise, Idaho - GROUP ONE - to develope a comprehensive real estate business to call my own.

GROUP ONE family is dialed into what we as Real Estate Agents and Brokers need to succeed in any market. I have never felt more prepared to market and sell real property.