How to Prevent Becoming an Overwhelmed Home Shopper

Searching for a new home, while exciting as it can be, often can be a very emotionally exhaustive exercise for a Buyer.   How does a Real Estate Agent help a buyer with ‘Home Shopping Fatigue’?

Don’t know if you have ever had a chance to dine at the Cheesecake Factory.  Wow what a menu!  Choices upon choices and more choices; in fact about 50 pages of them.   As intoxicating as that may sound, you can spend a half hour just trying to decide what to order.  My waiter comes back after about five minutes and says ‘Are you ready to order yet’?  and I have to tell him “I’m only on page five of ten of the appetizer section of the menu sorry”.

Where an agent brings value to his client is by quickly learning and understanding the needs and wants of a buyer, which can often be two separate things.

The problem lies here: ‘What a Buyer doesn’t know, he doesn’t know’. An experienced agent realizes that a buyer often starts with an idea or picture in his head, but after viewing actual properties their ideas, needs and wants will tend to evolve.  It is important to listen and ask thought provoking questions which will require the Buyer to honestly evaluate and discern where they can be flexible and where they cannot.  No home will ever give you 100%, even if you build it from scratch, after you were done there would be things you wished you did different. Try this with each property:

• A good technique is to give each home a nick name.  That will help you better recall them, because after viewing a number of homes they can blur.
• Rate each home 1 to 5 stars and half stars count, even quarter stars if need be.  This will assist in the process of elimination as you rehash the homes you visited.  It will also help clearly define which things on the list are more important.

Once you have a clear picture of their needs, wants and desires, you as an agent can assist them by narrowing the search criteria to homes that will conform more closely to the items they cannot compromise on. Remember that your client is not just buying a house, their buying a home.  Happy House Hunting!

2012 Wilderness Ranch Idaho Annual Real Estate Sales Report

                                                                     

Our Annual Review of Real Estate sales in Wilderness Ranch for 2012 and your 2013 forecast.

By: Paul Heim & The New View Team

Wow what a year!  While I had forecasted in last year’s report that we had passed the bell curve and would see an increase in market values for 2012, the market surpassed what anyone had expected or predicted.  We saw an unprecedented turn around in the Treasure Valley real estate market.  Overall values increased anywhere from 10% to 15%. These gains were primarily in homes under $350,000 but higher priced homes benefited also.

What were the causes and effects?  What we witnessed was a market correction.  It showed that homes had become undervalued.  I like to use the Circuit City analogy.  ‘Best Buy won the war’, … however I would bet Circuit City had way more customers the last four months they were open during  their  ‘Going Out of Business Sale’.  Best Buy had no way to compete with their prices those last months, but after their biggest competitor was finally gone, they knew they would see a spike in their growth and profit.

Likewise, as the banks ‘Going Out of Business Sales’ (foreclosed homes) were nearing a completion, the average seller was not able to compete with these prices.  We then entered a period of contraction.  This simply means we had more buyers than available listed properties.  Supply and demand rules ensued.

With the low inventory of listings on the market, we often dealt with multiple bids in the Valley when homes were priced competitively.  But how did Boise County and Wilderness Ranch fair in comparison? 

In 2012 East Boise County finally crossed an important barrier.  For 18 months we had no sales over $230,000 and that was causing difficulty in appraisals.  Not that the value wasn’t there in higher priced homes, just that appraisers couldn’t validate them for the lenders and the lenders need the appraisals to issue the loans.   The New View Team was able to complete two high-end sales (Boise County, but not in WR) very early spring, (cash deals) that helped remove that barrier and set precedence for every other sale and refinance that occurred moving forward in 2012.

Boise County tends to lag behind the Boise Valley (Ada County) by six to twelve months typically.   The Boise Valley saw a noticeable turn in the market starting the fourth quarter of 2011 so we anticipated it to carry over to Boise County by spring, but as summer set in it happened better than anyone had expected.  No complaints here!

Here are some graphs to illustrate key trends in the Boise Valley and East Boise County Real Estate Markets

How home sales compared in Boise County Idaho and Wilderness Ranch 2003 through 2012

2013 Forecast:

Boise is still seeing a contraction as developers try to re-group and get approval on new parcels through the hoops of planning and zoning for building.

I expect to see more homeowners (who were previously tight on the current value vs. what they owe) attempt to list in 2013, now that values have increased.  Nationally, home prices are predicted to increase 1% to 3%, but I predict Treasure Valley real estate increases to be somewhere between 3% to 5% conservatively.

In part, this projected increase will be due to a rebound in land values, which affects ‘over all’ home values.

Boise County, I believe, will see the START of a land recovery in Spring of 2013.  Whether it will do as good as housing did in 2012 is yet to be seen.  If you are looking to invest, then NOW may be a good opportunity to consider land, prior to a potential rebound.

I would suspect we will see more building and new construction homes taking place in Boise County in 2013.

There are some other exciting things happening in Boise County potentially for 2013 and we will keep you updated with them as the year progresses.  Some highlights are:

–          The opening of the Hot Springs in Idaho City which will help this end of the county economically.

–          Dr Matt Nelson’s new Family Practice office, which will be located directly across from the old Rock’s Lodge.

If you have any real estate related questions, please feel free to call or email us anytime, or visit our website!  We would love to hear from you.

Paul Heim & the New View Team

(208) 344-5700 – office

(208) 794-8175 – Paul Mobile

http://www.NewViewRE.com

Boise Idaho Real Estate sees a ‘Come Back’!

The Boise area housing market has seen a significant turn around in 2012.  Homes values have seen some correction and sales/absorption rates have increased dramatically.  Boise also benefits from being an influx state where many people relocate from other states.  Why? .. For quality of life.  Idaho boasts more public lands than any US state outside of Alaska.  If you flattened Idaho out it would be larger than the state of Texas.  If you are looking for that quality of life change than we recommend you should investigate Idaho for yourself.

The Core Logic Index Rate has ranked Boise as the #1 spot for a real estate turn around in the US>   The median home price in the Greater Boise area is very affordable compared to most metropolitan areas that offer similar amenities.  There are many quality homes to be found in the Treasure Valley area of Boise between the 100k – 200k range, offering 3 bedrooms 2+ baths and often even three car garages.  You can investigate Boise area homes by clicking here.

You can learn more about the Treasure Valley area of Boise Idaho by visiting http://www.cityofboise.org/  Come experience the difference.

Real Estate Rental Investments Boise Area

If you invest in rental properties than now is actually a very good time to buy additional units. With so many people who suffered the loss of their homes in the down turn, they are predicting a shortage of availability in rental units and for rents to increase in conjunction.  The expectation is for a strong rental market for the next five years.

I have seen many multi unit, bank owned properties at great rates. You can investigate the Boise Idaho area and search the Boise Idaho Area MLS to find options that may work for your investment interests.

Spring in Idaho has arrived and so have Home Buyers

Seems not only spring flowers are blooming but home buyers seem to be coming out in droves.  There has been a significant increase in sales coupled with a shrinking inventory.  Building lots are becoming more scarce and builders are scrambling to find new sites.  All bodes for a continuing turn around in 2012.  Happy house hunting and check out the parade of homes this weekend.  Some of my favorites are Wayne Stacie Homes, Tresidio Homes and Boise Hunter.

 9MEDSKSJTFUR

Boise Idaho – What’s The Hype About?

Boise Idaho Relocation Guide

Idaho is a beautiful state filled with mountains and lakes. The capital city of Idaho is Boise and the state is landlocked; it is surrounded by Monatana, Wyoming, Nevada, Oregon, British Colombia and Utah. The state has a population of approximately 1.5 million people. For families considering moving to Idaho, here are some practical facts that you`ll need to know.

The cost of living in Idaho is one of the lowest in all of the western states. This is based on groceries, transport, health care, average cost of housing, utilities as well as other services. Idaho has an extremely low crime rate, which is great news for families who are thinking about moving there; according to statistics from the FBI, this state has the lowest crime rate in the west of the country. The rate of crime which is serious is more than a fifth less than the national rate.

In terms of education, Idaho is one of the top states in the country for adults who are aged 25 and over that have received their high school diploma. Almost three fifths of the general fund of the state is used for educational purposes and the majority of children who are of school age go to public schools. Nearly every city in Idaho which has a population of more than 20,000 people has a university or a college as well as technical training centers which teach vocational work.

Idaho is an environmentally friendly state; due to its mountainous location, the water which flows from these higher regions is of good quality. Air quality is also of a high standard, bar during certain months when the pollen count is higher.

Housing in Idaho is very affordable and moderate; there is a wide range of choice available, from luxury estates to simple cottages, depending on your family`s budget.

The economy in Idaho is diversified and strong.  Some of the main industries include agriculture and manufacturing but retail, tourism, tech work, information services, business and health care are also sectors which are growing quite rapidly. There are plenty of employment agencies to help people with finding work all across the state.

In terms of energy supply, the state of Idaho has a distinct advantage over the rest of the country. Rates for residential electricity and natural gas are highly competitive and are some of the cheapest to be found.

If you and/or your family are thinking about moving to Idaho, consider the advantages and ensure that you plan your move well in advance. Hiring a moving company can take alot of the stress out of relocating, as alot of the hard work is done for you.

Idaho Real Estate Updates

SEPTEMBER – 2010 Newsletter Housing Trends eNewsletter

Welcome to the most current Housing Trends eNewsletter. This eNewsletter is specially designed for you, with national and local housing information that you may find useful whether you’re in the market for a home, thinking about selling your home, or just interested in homeowner issues in general.

The Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau and Realtor.org reports, videos, key market indicators and real estate sales statistics, a video message by a nationally recognized economist, maps, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, plus local neighborhood information and more.

Please click here to view the SEPTEMBER – 2010 Newsletter Housing Trends eNewsletter.

If you are interested in determining the value of your home, click the Home Evaluator link for a free evaluation report.

‘How to Buy foreclosures’ and ‘When to reduce your Price’

5 Tips for Buying a Foreclosure

Get prequalified for a loan and set aside funds, and you’ll be ready to purchase a foreclosed home. Read

6 Reasons to Reduce Your Home Price

While you’d like to get the best price for your home, consider our six reasons to reduce your home price. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Idaho Real Estate and Home sales.

Moving to Boise Tip #2 Relocation Experts

Published by Craig on 30 Sep 2009 at 11:57 am

After looking all over the internet for a great place to move, you chose Boise.   The next locgical step would contacting a Boise resident who happens to be a relcation specialist.   In my opinion, I would much rather prefer talking with a local resident who really knows the “lay-of-the land”.   Someone knows the Treasure Valley and has their “boots on the ground”.  There is no way an out of town relo company will have the same ability as a “Local Embassabor” would.

When it comes time to pack and move to Boise, it will be a great feeling to know you will have a team of professionals waiting upon your arrival.  Please take a look at the list of relocation specialist and give them a call.

• Paul Heim 208-344-5700  buyboise@gmail.com Silvercreek Realty Group-Boise
• Mike Carr 208375-0203 mikecarr@boiserelocation.com Remax Capital City-Boise
• Rick Snyder 208-631-2754  rick@idahomesales.com Kellerv Williams-Boise
• Tracy Brown 208-794-2109 tracy@gemstatehomes.com A.V. West-Boise
• Tom Ashworth 208-830-7991 tom@tomashworthrealestate.com Group One-Boise

Craig Ballhagen-Guild Mortgage-Boise-208-713-3309

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Discover Boise Idaho Real Estate

Click Here - Boise Home Search

Assisting individuals discover the benefits of Idaho Living.  If you would like to discover what Boise Homes have to offer,  visit http://www.paulsidahohomes.com for Boise MLS Home searches and area information.  Covering the entire Treasure Valley Area.  Contact Paul Heim today for more information 208 344-5700 buyboise@gmail.com

Idaho is an amazing State. If all the lower 48 states were ironed out flat, Idaho would be the largest; its rugged terrain with towering cliff sides, pine-forested peaks and deep canyons make Idaho’s natural scenery one of the wildest and striking in the U.S. The southern half of the state is much lower in elevation compared to the north. The Snake River forms the western border with part of Washington and Oregon before turning into the state and bisecting the southern half, meandering through the fertile Snake River Plain in the eastern part of the state. The Bitterroot Range serves as a natural border with Montana, and further east, the Clearwater and Salmon River mountains extend for miles into the some of the most isolated regions in America.  If you would like more information regarding Idaho please visit http://www.statemaster.com/state/ID-idaho

For images of Idaho’s majestic features please visit the Photo Book of Idaho Images

Idaho is a life time worth of living,  Experience the difference. We’re committed to helping you find a home to place your heart. In Idaho HEIM = HOME

Paul Heim, Silvercreek Realty Group Call today 208 344-5700 or email me at buyboise@gmail.com

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