The Market has turned in Boise, Idaho

The market has turned in Boise Idaho…

This spring has been tough for me… The market seems to be a sellers market… The prices at the low end of the market have gone up and there are multiple offers… I am having trouble locating property for my first time homebuyers. I am looking into special city programs… Last year when I pulled up homes under $120K there were 40 or 50 of them with the 3 bed. 1.5 bath… Today there are 4… Since I seem to specialize in that market it is hard but I am working hard to find creative solutions for my buyers… I have made several offers for different clients (some above asking price) and only have one succeed. I am educating my buyers ab out the change in the market.

On the listing side things seem to be good. I had to pull a listing for repairs and I kept it off for the 31 days so it showed as new. I had an offer on day 1. I ran an open house where 20 family units came through. I settled on Sunday and before I could put it pending I had 2 realtors call me wanting to put in offers. I had more activity in 4 days then I had in 3 months. I also settled for much higher then the other contract. This tells me the market is changing.

It will be an interesting time for me. I have never worked in an up market. I went into real estate just as the market started to flatten out. I am really good in a down market. I need to see if I can work a up market.

So if you want a great agent who works hard give Debbie Holmes a call.

I’m back to blogging again….

Hi!  I am mostly posting this because I seem to have taken a break from blogging…. I was blogging about everything and I sort of stopped for a few weeks… Maybe I needed the break…. I have been doing a bunch of stuff.

Some real estate, some politics and some spreadsheet work. I have had a tough start of the year with many random events hurting my business…. I had the suitcase full of cash, a buyer with heart surgery, a bad inspection,dad’s small stroke, dad’s research project …. Those type of things… Normally I do great but I guess after a while I didn’t want to talk about it… Or maybe its just the tail end of winter….

Well I am still selling houses in Boise, Idaho…. I have a couple of buyer leads….I thought about running for office again…. I sold the house after repairs quickly and for more than the last contract… So I guess what I want to say is that I am back in the game and trying to work up enthusiasm.

 

Found a great investment but cant interest anyone….

Sometimes as an agent we find a cash cow….. A property that has significant extra value in price or a great rental value…. I found one such property…. It is 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bath 1152 sq ft.  in Boise at a negotiated shortsale of $73000 plus closing costs.  It is even possible that the owner would like to stay at the home and rent it.  Whether you are looking for a home or an investment this is it.  The value is $100,000 today if you turned around and sold it.  I have been in it and wrote an offer on it in October.  It is a nice home for the money.  If you want to see it give me a call.  This home is near the Boise Town Square.  It’s not my listing but it is a good one… I am even thinking of making an offer.  I called my buyers but none of them are ready to move on it.  To bad because it is a very nice home for the money.

Inspection in the rain.

Today it is time for the great reinspection…. Frankly I am nervous.  We have had over 1 inch or rain fall in Boise…. First as snow then as rain…. It is a soggy mess in Boise…. Any faults will be revealed today… My seller has fixed and disclosed a lot of items… But have not been tested because we need rain to test…. I would have preferred the rain to have come some other day….It would have been nice to test the new gutters, skylights, etc…. before the reinspection… So we will see what today brings….

Now as a Realtor my favorite time to look at property is in the rain… It started in upstate New York… My mother and I were looking at property on a very rainy day…. There was a stream running through the basement… When the agent asked what I thought of the home I replied “very nice except for the stream in the basement” .  Since then I really appreatite the rain.  If I was the buyer I would be happy about the inspction in the rain.

As an agent when my client complains about the weather I smile and tell them all the faults will be revealed… This is the best time to look at homes!  You can find the moisture intrusion…. The leaky roof… The flashings that don’t work… water intrusion…. I have walked into listings that had water dripping in the kitchen when it rained…. The inspector doesn’t always find these things when it hasn’t rained….

Last year I gave my buyer her keys and noticed water in the garage….This had been the first rain in a long time… I felt awful… Thankfully the gutter was full of leaves and it hasn’t leaked since…So while I am not happy today this inspection in the rain will reveal all the faults….  Pity I am the sellers agent…. We think we fixed all the problems today we will find out….

Snow Day!!!!

Well it finally happened!  We have a snow day!!! As a matter of fact I think the winter storm warning was for the entire state of Idaho!  I did a good job to warn my dad and wife to drive through last night and not stop in Salt Lake City….

We had 6 inches but it is already melting…. It was very peaceful…. It used to be that I had to run around in the snow driving children to school.  Once in a while other cars would hit mine.  I am a pretty good snow driver (coming from upstate New York) but my counterparts from the great state of California are not…    Instead I just stayed home and enjoyed natures beauty…. The dogs seemed happy…. The orange one is the backside of Jolly the Collie…. She is still with us…..

Bogus Basin (see let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!) has already announced that it is opening at 10 AM tomorrow.  In some parts of the mountains they are predicting over 2 feet of snow!  Perhaps the crops will have water…. Tomorrow I expect things to be back to normal…  My street will be bad but the main ones should be OK…. They don’t believe in snow plows here… Or salt… They will just put dirt at the intersections… Mostly we are civilized about snow… We get it in the mountains and not the valleys…. Just as it should be….But today is a snow day…..

I tried to talk hubby into doing a snowman…. But he wasn’t interested… The kids are grown   and gone….And by the time the driveway was clear I had lost interest…. There was a time that a snow day would have meant snow men and sleds…. Snow balls and hot cocoa…. Now it is just peaceful… A neighbor shoveled the old couples driveway…. Things are friendly in Boise…Boise is a great place to live and play… Today is a snow day… Tomorrow I am back to work selling homes in Great Boise Homes… Give me a call!

Help Wanted Buyers!

Well it has happened.  I sold all my listings!  Well one is pending!

Now I need your help… If you want to sell in the Treasure Valley of Idaho call me! The Treasure Valley includes:  Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, Kuna, Idaho City, Nampa, Caldwell and middleton.  This really great real estate agent will take you through the process of selling the home from start to finish…

1) Advice you on market conditions.

2) Perform a real market analysis.

3) Help you prepare your house for the market.  I have a list of different types of workmen and stagers who will make your home shine.

4) Hire a photographer for a virtual tour.

5) I will put a nice sign in your yard.

6) Keep the flyer box full.

7) Market your home on the Internet including but not limited to Zillow, Realtor.com, trulia, multiple listing service, activerain, facebook and google.

8) I blog and I will blog about your home to create a bigger Internet presence.

9) I have line ads every weekend in the Idaho Statesman every Friday through Sunday.

10) I will open your home at least once a month (if you want me to).

11) I will keep you informed on the activity and interest in your home.

12) I will present all offers and advice you on how to handle the offer.

13) I will prepare a net sheet for you for all the offers.

14) I will negotiate your offers.

15) I will be in contact with the buyers agent and their lender to facilitate the closing.

16) I will advice you on the inspection contingency form.

17) I will be in contact with the title officer.

18) I will read and examine the HUD1 and settlement form for accuracy.

19) If you are in the Treasure Valley I will come to your closing.

20) I will answer any questions you have (if I don’t know the answer I will find it).

21) I can find you your next home or your next agent if you are moving out of the area.

21) I will listen and do my best to get your home SOLD and CLOSED.

Working together we will get your home sold!  I also do short sales and I will write that up in a diffenent post!

So please let me help you get your Treasure Valley home sold!  You won’t be sorry!

I really do not like the party caucus

Warning this is political.  I am not planning to talk about issues but against caucus’.

Here in Idaho the Democratic Party has had a Caucus every four years.  I have participated in the caucus every four years… This year the Idaho Republican party decided to emulate us and have a caucus too…. I think they are afraid that we Democrats go to our caucus then go vote in the Republican primary….. Today I have been thinking about the caucus… I really do not like the party caucus…

First I will describe it for all you primary goers….

The caucus at best is going to take 2 to 3 hours of your life…. Our caucus is always in the evening.  Every county in Idaho has its own separate caucus.  Because my county is divided into two Congressional districts we sit with our own district…  We all listen to representatives of the presidential candidates… They are always representatives because presidential candidates don’t often come to Idaho and certainly not to our caucus.  To the Presidents credit he did come a few days before our caucus and energized the voters.   Historically our caucus our  is poorly attended… Usually around 1000 people….That means most of us Democrats stay home because it is inconvenient, boring, etc….  So the speeches are done…. We cast our first vote…. Any candidate in Idaho who gets less then 15% of the vote in the room gets no delegates to our state convention and is eliminated for the second round.  We next go to the second round…. Many people jump ship to a more popular candidate… This is especially important if you are backing a losing candidate and want to go to the state convention as a delegate….While we are waiting party officials and candidates for lower offices give speeches.  Doesn’t this sound like fun?  I do not like the party caucus…

OK…That is over….Many people leave but the most important work is yet to happen…  The most important part of this political animal is selecting delegates to represent the candidates at the Democratic State Convention….  Those politicos who are still in the room (less then 10% of the caucus attendees) break up into candidate groups…Including the people for the great candidate uncommitted (which can also be eliminated if the uncommitted get 15% in the first round).  People who want to be delegate put their name up for nomination… Then the group decides if there will be speeches or not.  I have seen 5 minutes speeches and I have seen people introduce themselves. The vote happens the delegates are elected….Everyone goes home… So the caucus is attended by maybe 5 % of the people who identify themselves as Democrats…. The delegate were elected by 10% of those….One of the reasons I do not like the party caucus….

That describes the normal year…..In 2008 one Presidential candidate did work the caucus system in Republican states like Idaho.  He is now President and it was this strategy that led to President Obama’s nomination over Senator Hillary Clinton.  He energized our party and our caucus by coming to our great State three days before the caucus.  The Ada county caucus in Boise Idaho was packed!  It was a very cold day and the line to get in stretched blocks… There was no allowances for the elderly, the infirm, the handicapped, those with small children….. We were all in line….I had never seen such a thing…. My family arrived around 1/2 hour before  starting time… We did not make it in…. The fire Marshall closed the doors…If you do not make it in you could only vote in the first pass… You couldn’t participate further….  My oldest son and I waited for over an hour to get in (once they closed the doors) we wanted to stand as delegates…. My son was interviewed on the TV.  I might have been too.  I knew party officials and tried to send word that we were locked outside.  Eventually the 20 or so of us still standing were let in.   I really do not like the party caucus….

The caucus is skewed in favor of political activists not the average likely voter… There are no absentee ballots…It is skewed against the old, rural, military, the sick, people with young children …One could even argue that the 2008 caucus was skewed against party regulars who figured it would be business as usual…My son Jesse will not be a participant in the Democratic caucus because he is residing in China. There is no absentee voting…. One could argue it is also skewed against the poor because the buses don’t run past 7 PM in Boise…..I really do not like the party caucus…

Finally a personal story about my father a noted Republican did in fact attend our caucus in 2004 because my mother was very ill and we are divided into Congressional districts. That meant I could not sit with my dying mother and participate. She insisted on going even though she was so ill and just out of the hospital.. My father to his credit went with her…. It would have been much easier for my mother to cast an absentee ballot in a primary….  I am proud of my mother for standing up for what she believed in and I am proud my father stood by her to take care of her.  Another reason I really do not like the party caucus..

So I stand in awe as the Republicans of Idaho finally emulate the Democrats…. They chose to run a caucus too… Oh what fun….

58 minutes ago · Like

  Debbie Holmes

Gold Key Real Estate    

(208)761-2551 Email: d5holmes@msn.com

To search Boise Homes visit my website

Today I am exhausted

Maybe it is the new diet with the new year…. Maybe it is because I ran around all day…. Maybe it is because I dealt with lots of paperwork and had great news….But I am beat….I am blogging because I realized I haven’t for 2 days…. So the good things that happened.

1) A house with title problems now has insurable title and the inspection is scheduled for Friday….. See Tax Sale Horror.

2)  My Wells Fargo deall closed late but it closed…. See I hate dealing with big banks. 

3) Dad signed the papers on the refinance.

4) I might have a new client that I showed a home to.

5) I met my parents for lunch.

So I sit in bed….I realize I should blog….But I am tired.  Tomorrow I am meeting my former clients for lunch, cleaning my car (in case new clients want to get in it) and paying my bills…. So today I am exhausted and I am going back to Netflix or maybe I will just go to sleep…

  Debbie Holmes

Gold Key Real Estate    

(208)761-2551 Email: d5holmes@msn.com

To search Boise Homes visit my website

Happy New Year! and my fondue recepe!

Happy New Year

I want to wish you a Happy New Year from Boise Idaho! I celebrated as I usually do with family members (who are in town) and a few friends… This year seemed a little sadder since 2 of our 3 sons were in other countries. My eldest skyped us at 11:50 PM Boise time with a video call from Beijing and we shared the New Year with him. My other son was fast asleep in Cambridge by the time we had our New Year. I always make a cheese fondue and a few other appetizers…My middle son brought cheese fondue to the party in London… Tradition!!!!! Sometimes we play games. Sometimes we visit…

Here is my Cheese Fondue Recipe:

1/2 pound Swiss

1/2 Gruyere

500 mL of white wine (I like Chardonnay)

a couple of tablespoons of Kirsch

1 loaf of french bread (stale is best)

Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes.

In a saucepan heat the other ingredients… Boil at least 10 minutes while stirring (to remove the alcohol).. Put on a hot place or under a flame…. Dip the bread in the fondue with a fork…. Enjoy!

Not real estate but a Holmes family New Year (my mom started the tradition over 35 years ago for our family)

Debbie Holmes

Gold Key Real Estate Company logo

(208)761-2551 Email: d5holmes@msn.com

To search Boise Homes visit my website

Should I take my home off the market for Christmas?

Wondering about the wisdom of taking a home off for the market for Christmas

As Christmas approaches there are less homes on the market…. Who wants people going into your home while you are getting ready for the holiday?  Your family is coming…. You have presents to wrap…. Parties to go to and make….  The holiday is a lot of work!  The holiday is also a lot of fun!  Who wants to show or buy houses now?

 

I have sold homes….One on Christmas eve…. I have a listing at 105 E. Bridgewater Ct., Boise, ID 83706 …. Since I have exactly one listing left and I cannot put up directional signs in the neighborhood, I have been opening it up for 3 weeks running….In preparation of the open house I prepared a list of homes in the area for sale… On Dec. 4 there were 12 homes in the subdivision for sale… On Dec. 11 there were 10 homes for sale in the subdivision… On Dec. 18 there were 7 homes for sale in the subdivision…. Some went pending other listings were cancelled…. So what does it mean to the seller?

There are less houses to choose from!  You might just get the best Christmas present of all… A good offer on your home…. I just had an offer on Saturday on Bridgewater!  We are now $1500 apart… I think we will settle…. If I had pulled the listing because we were getting close to Christmas I wouldn’t have the offer… My seller would still be wondering…  

 Remember the movie “ Miracle on 34^th ST”?  What is a better present to give your family than a home to celebrate the holidays in… Some people are still looking…. If you can bear the intrusion on your holiday keep your home on the market!

 

 

 

 

  Debbie Holmes

Gold Key Real Estate    

(208)761-2551 Email: d5holmes@msn.com

To search Boise Homes visit my website