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So I just got back from a long weekend up in the Boise national forest. My camp was exactly 60 miles from my home in Eagle, Idaho and it took about one hour and 15 minutes to get there. It is absolutely the most beautiful place and it always amazes me how close this type of solitude and beauty is. You can experience so many different types of natural wonders and it is all so close! That is why Boise, Idaho is the best place to live - you have all the culture and convenience of a large metropolitan city, but you also can EASILY get away from it all. Literally it is easy enough to get to a place where you will see no people at all for the entire time you are there. I walked through parts of the forest this weekend that I can guarantee no people had been in a long time - just Deer, Elk, Bears, and a multitude of other animals are there. Yesterday morning I was sitting under a pine tree at sunrise and an amazing 6 point buck was standing there watching me - just amazing.

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Does a community that has walking paths, a pool, a clubhouse, and parks make a difference to you? Or, today, are consumers so price focused they are not paying attention to the basics that matter when purchasing Real Estate? Are we so price focused that fundamentals are out the window? Are people buying homes because they are priced at such a discount that they are overlooking all the flaws that made the home languish on the market for so long? It may seem odd - but it’s true. Homes that have sat for YEARS on the market because they were inherently flawed either by floor plan, material choices, or community are all of a sudden disappearing because they hit such a low price. I guess it’s true - there is always a price that any home will sell at - and now some of these homes have found the bottom dollar price. So you tell me - does this make sense? Shouldn’t people be focused on a community with great amenities, homes with awesome floor plans, and values that have held up even in this tough market? Consider that the “Deal” you are looking at may not be a deal at all - look for VALUE not a fire sale and you will be protected in the long run. A great deal in a crappy neighborhood isn’t a great deal… it’s a cheap house in a bad neighborhood… that’s all.

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And, of course any article you read about this stat will say it was UNEXPECTED! Hardly, as prices go down, sales go up - the market works people - and it is starting to show signs that is definitely working. The median price of a new home nationwide is now at $218,400 which is 9.1 percent lower than one year ago - what does this mean? You can buy more house for the same money than you could 1 year ago. But, will it keep going down? maybe… maybe not. But do know this - if you are buying a home to live in and plan to stay at least 2 years… you’ll probably do great because these things have a way of turning on a dime. Don’t get caught on the sidelines… the headlines are out there letting you know what is going on!

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Existing Home Sales Jump to 13 Month High!Here it comes folks - the realization that the boat has been missed. These things turn off and on like a light switch. The up markets all of a sudden just shut down…and the down markets just all of a sudden turn back on. I know - we have a LONGGGGG road ahead of us - but this is really good news - prices have hit the “irresistibility point” and folks can’t help themselves but to buy a home. I’m not one to make predictions, but I bet 2 years from now they will say that September 15th, 2008 was the bottom. And the next sentence will be something like “boy, I sure missed the boat”  Now is the time when future fortunes are made - so get out there and make it happen!

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Are you ready to buy a home?Step One - Determine your Budget and STICK TO IT! You need to understand taxes, HOA fees, maintenance, and a host of other expenses. Ask your Realtor to help you create a budget worksheet - you DO NOT need to be buying too much house! Step Two - Get Pre Approved! This is a huge step - you need to determine how much house you can afford and then you need a Lender to agree with you! Step Three - Work with Professionals. Not working with a Realtor and thinking you can do it yourself can be frustrating and costly. Step Four - Find the RIGHT home. Don’t just get stuck on the “Deal”. It may be a deal on price but if no one wanted the house before - what makes you think you’ll be able to re-sell it? Step Five - Make an Offer - this is where working with a professional is key. You need to establish market value - and that may not have anything to do with asking price. The key here is working with a Realtor who can NEGOTIATE to get you the best possible price! Step Six - GET A HOME INSPECTION! That is money well spent. Step Seven - The Appraisal - this is again a step that protects you and the lender - you won’t over-pay for the home because a third party establishes market value.Step Eight - Title Insurance - this agin is a step that protects you and the lender from having any issues down the road. Title Insurance guarantees you clear ownership and protects you from property encroachments - it’s a good thing and is what helps us protect our property rights in the United States.Step Nine - Get Insurance. Your lender will require it. You need to protect your investment and usually insurers will give you a discount if you have other policies with them. Shop around to find the best coverage for the best price.Step Ten - Closing. This can be a stressful event, but it doesn’t need to be. Did you know you can request the paperwork the night before so you have time to read it? Again, this is where your Realtor can help you understand what you are signing. The most complicated is of course the paperwork for the loan - but the HUD statement helps to distill what it all means. READ IT and UNDERSTAND IT. This is a HUGE purchase and you need to be comfortable with it.That’s it - 10 steps to the American Dream!

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So on the home page we have a survey posted - www.newhomemarketplace.com. Please take a moment to fill out the simple 5 questions there. You’ll be enetered into a drawing for a dinner for two! The reason we are using a survey is we are trying to figure out what it takes to go from a Real Estate Observer - to a Real Estate Buyer. Tell us what you are thinking out there. When we ask people who are buying from us right now - why did you decide to buy - they say the time was right. So, what I want to know is what makes it the right time for you? Post your comments here or take our survey and get entered into the drawing - either way we just want to learn what you are thinking!

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A new report about Real Estate trends for 2009 was released by the ULI called Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2009. The report talks about a Real Estate Recovery and states that homes closer to cities with thriving economies - Like Boise - will be better than far-out suburbs, where gas prices are making commutes too expensive and current energy prices mean higher bills for residents. The Report was based on interviews of over 600 people in the real estate industry. The report, Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2009, projects that the worst of the housing downturn may soon be over.  I gotta love a good report! Please share any good news you come across - it’s out there, you just need to look for it! 

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It’s always fun to take stock in why you are where you are. I love living here for many personal reasons mostly because it is a great place to watch my family grow and thrive. the great thing is other media outlets have also noticed why this is such a great place to live. The following list is just some of the great reasons to live and thrive in Boise, Idaho: #2 Best Places for Business and Careers, Forbes Magazine, 20084th Best City to Live, Work and Play, Kiplinger Personal Finance, May 2008100 Best Communities for Young People, America’s Promise Alliance, January 2008 Top Spot for Women to Start a New Career, More Magazine, September 2007No. 7 Best Minor Pro-Sports Market, Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal, August 2007Best City for MidLevel Professionals, Kiplinger.com, May 2007No. 10 of 375 Best Places to Live, Cities Ranked & Rated, 2nd Edition, May 2007No. 3 Best Place for Business and Careers, Forbes Magazine, April 2007No. 6 of 72 Major Cities for Environmental Quality, Earth Day Network, February 2007Tree City USA and Growth Award , The National Arbor Day Foundation, February 2007Most Secure Place to Live in the United States Among Large Metropolitan Areas, Farmers Insurance Group, December 2006A Top Retirement Spot, Where to Retire magazine, September 2006No. 8 Best Place to Live, Money Magazine, July 20064th Best Walking City in the U.S., Prevention magazine, April 2006

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Yesterday while I was hosting one of our Fall Collection of Homes I noticed something interesting - there were people who were negative about everything going on in the Economy - and then there were people who were downright positive. In full disclosure I fall into the positive category - but more on that latter. It was interesting to see the way folks that had nothing good to say didn’t seem very happy - and rightly so. They were focused on everything bad so much that it was consuming their day. On a beautifully sunny fall day out looking at beautiful homes - they seemed so unhappy. They were probably going from house to house talking to the hosting agents and trying to bring everyone around them into their unhappy world. Well - I have to say that it doesn’t fly with me! Yes, there is turmoil in this world right now. Trust me I get it - my career and how I care for my family is derived from the hardest hit industry in this economic downturn - I would have every right to be downbeat. But I won’t do it. No way am I going through this one chance at life and wasting it on being down in the dumps. Being positive on things is way more fun! We have so much to be thankful for around here so let’s get everyone around us to feel positive for a change. Thanksgiving is coming up so a list of things we are thankful for is a great place to start - here is just a partial list: 1) I am thankful for my wife and my 3 daughters (and the dog and the cat)2) I am thankful that I get to be a part of the greatest country this world has ever seen - no matter how this experiment turns out we are lucky to be living in these times3) I am thankful for what the men and women in our military do to protect us everyday - we are extremely lucky to have them and we should never forget 4) I am thankful that I live in a country where everything is up to us as individuals - no one can stand in our way and success is always what YOU make it5) I am thankful that I get the privilege to live in Boise, ID - a place where natural beauty and opportunities are limitless OK - that is really a shortened list because I could go on and on. I would appreciate to hear what others are thankful for so please post a comment or two - it is time for us to celebrate the positives. We can drown out the negatives and make everyday better for all of us if we work together. WE CONTROL THE ECONOMY - once you realize that you realize that WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE and once you realize that then NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE! 

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Because it is unique. Even if you are talking about a Southern California tract that has all the same houses stretched out for miles - each and everyone of them is unique! Around Boise thankfully we don’t have tracts of houses that all look the same, but you really need to look at how unique each and every home is. That’s what makes Real Estate so special - each and every property is unique. Yes, they may share some similar features - number of bedrooms, bathrooms, etc - but each one is on a unique piece of dirt with unique characteristics. That is what makes Real Estate have true value. Stock Certificates are all the same…you can’t own better ones in the same company. You can’t drive into a Stock Certificate and you can’t “check in on” a stock certificate. Houses are unique in that you can live in them, create memories in them, watch your family grow in them, and create your life in them. Also - a home will never go to a zero value - many stocks have gone to zero. So - go out this weekend and look at some new houses - they are beautiful and they are unique. They truly have value that you can see, touch, and enjoy. See where your memories can be made - where your family can thrive. Get out and enjoy life in a vibrant community where your neighbors share in your goals of raising families in safe communities throughout Boise. Realize how lucky we all are to live in the best country on earth and in the best town in the United States! We are the lucky ones - let’s enjoy it and let’s keep it thriving!

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