Boise Real Estate Report

Pricing property in Boise real estate market of today.

I recently was approach by an agent from Salt Lake who had a potential buyer down there, if only she could get her home sold here in Boise. He wanted me to go and look at it and let them know what I thought the problem was and what would it take to get it sold. The house had been listed for a year and the listing had expired about a month ago. After procuring a key and viewing it was obvious that the house was over priced by more than a hundred thousand dollars.

The home had functional problems, needs kitchen updating, had a 20 year old wood roof and no shower in the master. Needless to say it needs to be priced less expensively than a slightly nicer home across the street. Below is what I emailed to her to try and explain what it takes to get it sold in the boise market of today. Yes great marketing and superior negotiating can make a small difference but the house has to be the best deal or dream on.


Your options are to lower the price to the point that it will sell, Improve the product to the point it will be the best deal. Or you could rent it out and wait for the market to come back up.


I can tell you this, the buyers will need to perceive your home as the best value in order to generate interest and/or offers. Price overcomes all objections. If you are the 4th, 5th or 6th best deal in nw Boise, by the time 3 sell and you move into the top three and have a shot at an offer, 3 more will list and you are in 6th place and out of the running. You need to be the most competitively priced or you just do not have a chance. I do not know for sure how low you need to go but surely less than the one across the street that is bigger and updated. Or when the buyer that wants to be on the golf course is going to come along, because frankly that is the person who will be willing to pay top dollar for it.

What I do know for sure is that a buyer will go and buy the one down the street if they perceive it to be a better value to them. It does not matter what you paid, what you want, or what you think it is worth. The only opinion that matters is the buyer's who is standing at your front door. Your house will need to stand on its own two feet against the competition. There are so few buyers that they can be ultra picky. They are not going to pick an overpriced home and offer $20,000 less as it is unrealistic that more than 1 in 100 sellers would consider it.

If you are intrested in finding out what your home is worth, visit my " Boise homes value " page. I will get back to you right away. Or better yet give me a buzz at 284-9905.

Labels: Sold not listed. Pricing Boise real estate in a down market.

posted by Mike Carr at 3:47 PM

Dealing with CBH homes a Breath of fresh air.

I wanted to give kudos to one of Boise's anchor builder's. In an era were the big guy always seems to come out on top Corey Barton took the high road when he probably would have been within his rights to take no action.
I meet this morning with representatives of CBH Homes and a past client whose daughter I help to purchase her first home. After pondering the choices, she decided on a brand new CBH Home. She loves everything about it. Except the front yard. When it came time to close the grass was "stressed" as Brett with CBH Homes put it. Mostly it looked dead. The pressurized irrigation was 3 weeks late coming on. We worked out an agreement with CBH that if it had not recovered within 30 days we would need to let them know in writing and they would remedy the situation. At the 30 day mark the buyer decided that it had improved a little and she would give it a little more time to recover. In the last 30 days the weeds have taken over and it looks a little over watered. So to the letter of the contract there was no question that CBH had every right to pass on replacing the sod. As a matter of fact the yard looked a lot better than I expected it to. It was mostly alive but in poor shape from lack of nutrition, weed maintenance and over watering. My client laid out his case that they had tried to do the best that they could and gave the sod every opportunity to come back. Without a second thought Corey said that they would replace the sod so that everyone was happy.
That's right Corey took the time out of his day to come and meet with us over a $300.00 dollar sod issue, 2 and a half months after the sale closed. There are a lot of the big name upper end builders who will not send out a tech to fix a damn thing let alone come out themselves to help solve a problem big or small.
So again thank you Corey for standing up for your product and providing the kind of customer service that people should receive. Some of you high quality upper end mucky type builders ought to take note. While CBH does not build in all quality ranges, the product he produces is very competitive and it is hard to beat. I ought to know it is my job to find those of you who are buying Boise real estate, the best deal possible. At times it puts me at odds with the local builders. But I would like to say that while I have not liked most of the counters that I received back from CBH Homes over the years, I have always been treated in an up front and honest manner, which is more than I can say for some other local builders.

If you are considering a move within or too the Boise area and would like to take advantage of my experienced service( yes I do remember which builders have been unsavory in their dealings) in helping you find that next perfect home give me a buzz or shoot me an email. We offer Buyers agency at no cost to you the buyer! 888-722-6453

Labels: CBH Homes provides exceptional customer service

posted by Mike Carr at 7:04 PM

High Mountain Lakes

While these are not for everyone, those people who are able and do not attend, are in fact missing some of the most breathtaking scenery and great fishing. The photo above is from an overnighter we did last year. We had to walk over 6 foot snow fields to get there. Needless to say we were a little early for fishing, but did find time to finish the last Harry Potter book with my son Noah. This year we camped at a lake up the valley a ways. What a great trip, short hike, beautiful vistas, solitude, wildflowers, fishing. One evening we bouldered to a rock knob above camp and were treated to terrific views of the Sawtooths and Boulder-White Clouds, just beyond a field of lakes spread below us! We had deer in camp, a smore making contest, poptarts for breakfast and had a great bonding experience away from the distractions of everyday life.

The options are endless, daytrips, overnighters to 2 week epics. For those of you that are past clients and would sell or buy Boise real estate from us in the future, give us a call and we can give you some ideas. For those of you that are future clients in search Boise real estate, we will give you a helping hand with an itinerary as well. For those of you that are Boise Idaho real estate agents , or are related to said. I am afraid I will have to send you to a lake with no fish at all. Or even better the one with the six mile hike uphill in both directions and a lot of 6 inch brookies. Some of the areas that I have not been to that I am aiming for include the Bighorn Crags, the Trinity mountain area above Featherville, Big Buck lake in the Frank Church Wilderness Area. There are so many options that, much like the whitewater in Idaho, I fear I will run out of time to sample all the areas that I hear calling my name.

A few specifics for those of you that need help this second.

The bench lakes above Redfish are a great day trip, easy hike.

Collie lake off the road in to the Marsh Creek trail head is a more aggressive day trip that has decent fishing, no real trail.

For overnighters there are a couple of sets of lakes out of the trailhead at Grandjean, 4 to 6 miles one way.

Another good overnighter with terrific views of the Sawtooths from the west, would be to the no name lake behind Tyee Mountain. 2.5 miles one way.High clearance vehicles with tough tires required, no real trail. The views from the ridge east of the lake are unsurpassed. Good fishing, privacy(never seen another person there).

For a longer 4-10 day trip the Queens river loop starting near Atlanta is great. There are hundreds of lakes and side trips. Another good option if you have a friend that is not a backpacker to drive is to leave from Atlanta and come out in either Stanley or Grandjean, via ten lake basin.

The epic of all epics would be to start at the Langer lake trailhead off highway 21 and Bi-sect the Frank Church wilderness area. There are hundreds of options But I would probably hit the middle fork around the mouth of Rapid river and then climb out of the canyon to Middle fork peak and tour the Bighorn Crags, Back down to the river at Waterfall creek(the view up Waterfall creek from the spot were the trail begins it's decent to the river, rivals the Sawtooths and Grand Tetons) and up big creek to the Stoddard trail. That brings you out Just below were the Middle Fork of the Salmon, aka middle-salmon joins the main Salmon. This one is a two week trip. If you plan ahead you can re-supply at Thomas Creek or at the Flying "B". Arnold aviation has the mail route and I think it is cheapest to "Mail" yourself something to one of the Backcountry strips. I believe Thursday is mail day.

I need to win the lottery, then I would have a fighting chance to get to all of the fun stuff there is to do in this state. Did I miss a good one and you can not help but share? Be my guest, you can reach me at my website boiserelocation.com. As a side note we have goats that we use to pack our gear with. We do occasionally rent them out to pre approved friends and members of the public. If you have a tired back they are a great option, albeit a little slower than a horse. but it does not hurt when they step on you. Goodbye for now. I am off to dream of my next trip to one of the crown jewels of the great State of Idaho.

Labels: High Mountain Lakes- Idaho

posted by Mike Carr at 4:00 PM

Events in Boise area August 2008

Good Morning one and all! I am hoping each month to outline some of the events that are to occur in the next few weeks for those of you checking this from afar it will be a good quick check to see what is happening.

August is a busy month. From taking that last summer vacation with the family to the adventure of another year in school August is packed from start to finish!


The annual Boise Metro Golf Classic – one of the most anticipated networking opportunities of the year is just around the corner! Join us for the Chamber’s 10th annual golf tournament on Friday, August 8th, 2008.


The Caldwell Night Rodeo August 12-16 is a local favorite. They have been nominated again for...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Caldwell Night Rodeo has again been nominated for Large Outdoor Rodeos of the year by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. This marks the sixth time in the past seven years the CNR has been selected. Cheyenne, Wyo., San Antonio, Deadwood, S.D. and Estes Park, Colo. all of which were voted Rodeo Committee of the Year in their categories a year ago -- are back among the 2007 nominees announced to determine the best of the best in ProRodeo.

The Western Idaho Fair- August 15-24. This is a heart stopper, from the food, to the rides, to the smell in the Llama barn, if you can not find a way to entertain yourself here, the boise basin quilters meet on the 21st. Once again the concerts are free, or at least they ought to be. Hey you get what you pay for in this world. In no particular order, The Temptations, Chicago, Corbin Bleu(isn't that something to eat), and Gary Allan. Remember do not miss the Llama barn or you will not know which smelled worse the shows or the Llama's. That said Stone Temple Pilots and Reba are coming but not in association with the fair, and, you guessed it, they are not free.

BYP Gatsby Gala - Benefiting the Idaho Humane Society At the Double Tree Hotel, Riverside. Live and Silent Auction, Casino, Dancing, Dinner - 20's Attire or Black Tie Optional. Tickets $50-$65. Contact Erin at 472-5258August 23 6:00 p.m.


Boise State Football- August 30, 6:00 p.m. vs. Idaho State University. Hard to believe that another season is upon us. Seems like the Fiesta bowl was only yesterday. Seems like last year was a waste for hard core bronco fan, who now expects undefeated every year. Should be fun, new sky boxes, new blue turf, new quarterback. You unrealistic fans remember not to boo him until at least the second quarter and his second incompletion.


Concerts- Randy Travis Idaho Botanical Garden August 8th, 2008
Warped Tour Idaho Center 57 Bands August 8th
Lewis Black Morrison Center August 24th - 8pm
Sheryl Crow Idaho Center Amphitheater August 27th

Dutchoven cook off. August 2. This is a promotion at the South Fork Landing in Garden Valley. It is a river front development with a cabinesque type of setting about 40 miles north of town.

The Yellowpine Harmonica Festival is set for the for August 1,2,3. While this is not in the Boise area, or like the rest of this blog have anything to do with Boise Idaho real estate, I have always wanted to go and have yet to make it. Great camping, fishing, bring an extra 5 gallons of gas, it is a haul to get to yellowpine.

That is all I can come up with in the time I have. Over and out. Mike

posted by Mike Carr at 5:52 AM

Meridian Idaho Real Estate

Labels: Meridian Idaho Real Estate For Sale

posted by Mike Carr at 5:44 AM

Boise Idaho Real Estate

12010 Gambrell Just reduced to $163,975

Labels: Boise real estate for sale

posted by Mike Carr at 5:29 AM

Boise Twilight Criterium

posted by Mike Carr at 6:36 AM

Boise Idaho Weather

When trying to describe the weather in Boise, the closest fit I can find is near perfect! That is with a couple of exceptions. The hottest part of the summer is a little bit to hot and the coldest part of the winter is a little bit to cold.
But the rest of it is near perfect, the glorious indian summer of the fall and the life that arises from the ground each spring, makes one realize that life is worth living when you live in such a place. We have four true seasons and the change from one to the next marks the time and the place. From the skiing at Bogus Basin and the Idaho Steelheads hockey games in the winter, To the Rafting, WaterSkiing and Idaho Shakesphere Festival in the summer. Each season has it's own unique events, things to do, place to see and people to meet. The area boasts more sun than is probably health for the human body. We have no real natural disasters. While we are ranked 6th in the country for earthquakes, the last large one that we had was in 1982 and was epicentered near Challis about 150 miles from Boise. Other than that lightening and forest fires are pretty much it. You have to be a careless, clueless or a little unlucky to get burned by either of those.
For those of you looking for the best 7 day forcast, try the Noaa site, National Weather Service for Boise Idaho. This is what I use when trying to figure out what were and when for the various day trips that I am going to take around the area.
Since I am writing this in July I will start with summer. The bad first, Remember the summer all the cows in Texas died because it was so hot, 1994 I think? We had a record number of days over 100 that summer. I believe it was 18. A normal summer we have about 8 this year we have had 2-3 so far. Typically we have cool mornings with lows around 60 degrees and hot afternoons that reach the peak temperature at about 5:00. We have an over abundance of sun, with little rain between June and October.
Our late summer melds into fall with October having highs in the 80's and lows in the 30's and 40's. Around the middle of October we start getting freezing nights and the fall color's explode on to the scene. By the end of the first week of November the colors start to fade giving way to an icing of the white stuff on the nearby mountains.
Winter in the valley is typically an event of watching the snowline move up and down the adjacent mountain sides. We get on average of about 21 inches of snow on the valley floor over the course of the entire winter. A storm of 3 inches and then within a couple of days it typically melts, and so on until about 21 inches of snow has fallen. If this is not enough to scare you away you can search Boise real estate at this site.
Typically the weather in the valley gets warm and nice before the snow is gone at the ski hill. By April the grass is growing and the golfers are golfing. The daffodils and tulips are going by Easter. Some time in May we start getting highs in the 80's, by the end of June we are usually getting some low 90's.
If you have never lived in an area with four true seasons the change from one to the next is truly invigorating and feels like a new beggining. To go trick or treating without a few blowing leaves, To pass the Christmas season without the hope of waking up to a dusting of the white stuff on the ground is not living. If you are coming from a place with one and a half seasons, wake up and smell the dogwoods. If you will not move to Boise without being able to experience all that 4 seasons has to offer, wake up and smell the dogwoods. Dogwoods do smell don't they??
If you have additional questions about the weather in Boise or real estate in Boise feel free to Give me a call. 1-888-722-6453

Labels: Boise Idaho Weather

posted by Mike Carr at 12:18 PM

Best of Boise

While reviewing the recent edition of the Best of Boise, on the Idaho Statesman website I came to the conclusion that some real lame people must vote for those things. While a lot of the winners were spot on, like Goldy's and Shige's.

There were quite a few that were real head scratcher's to me. For instance, the best family recreation spot was Lucky Peak State Park. While it is impressive when the rooster tail is spraying, the rest of the year it is a little spot of grass wedged between a river that is 34 degrees and lovely state highway 21. On top of that you have to pay a fee to use it. As Tom hanks said in the movie Big "Whats fun about that". And I agree. Let me give those 85,000 thousand of you that voted on this glorious family recreation area some other ideas.

Celebration park, complete with hiking, rock art, fishing, swimming, mountain biking and History comes to mind. Located just south of Melba.

How about a class three whitewater trip on the main Payette by Horseshoe Bend.

To adventurous? Then for my money, the Boise river through town would beat the pants off of the old state park, there is even a playground at the take out for the little ones.

Any one of the 6 other parks along the Boise River they all have better facilities, and they are free.

Roaring Springs, no never mind I do not think kids would enjoy that more than Lucky Peak State Park.

Lets move on and examine a couple more. The best day trip was voted in as Cleo's Ferry Museum? What in the heck is that? If you have to be told then how could that be the best day trip available. Let me tell you this, it will be a cold day in the river at Lucky Peak State Park before you catch me spending my precious day off visiting Cleo's.

Try a drive to Stanley and have a burger at the Redfish Lake Lodge gazebo, before taking a quick dip in the lake. Side trip Through Bruce Meadows to Dagger Falls and watch the salmon jump the pour over on the left side. Back up the hill, stop at the bridge hike 200 yards downstream to dead snag and catch 20 inch cutthroat, continue on to Bear Valley, Pick a few mushrooms and wild flowers on your mountain bike ride. Take another dip in the creek to cool off. Down, down, down to Lowman. If you have the time hang a left to Kirkham hotsprings for a a soak in the hot springs. Other than it can be crowded this spring is one of the cleanest and least odiferous in the state. Back on the road and down the south fork, stopping twice to watch the rafters and kayakers, hoping someone will fall out in one of the rapids without getting injured of course. Back into town for a late sushi dinner at Shige's. Thats a day trip. Of course there are probably some of the people who Voted for Cleo's that would say "what's fun about that"

Another good one would be a Leslie Gulch/Jordan craters trip in se oregon. If you have not been or heard of these two they are a muted version of Zions and craters of the moon 2 hours from Boise. If your butt is made of iron or you have two days you can come back via Silver City.

Another epic day trip is to hike to the lookout at Ruffneck peak via Langer Lake. Great views of the Sawtooths, fishing and swimming going up and down.

Wine anyone. A self guided tour of the areas wineries would be alot of fun. Remember either designate a driver or sip and spit.

My favorite would be this. Pick up a cancelled Middle Fork of the Salmon permit, Drive to Boundry Creek put in, have car shuttled to Garden Valley airport. Push off 9:00 Am. Arrive Indian Creek Guard Station at 7:00 Pm. Hop on pre-arranged flight to Garden Valley airport. Home in bed by midnight. That is my kind of day trip. Best done in aire inflatable kayaks. Granted this is on the excessive side but would beat the heck out of the nature hike at Cleo's. Really better done as a two day trip. I do not think I could pass up that many good fishing holes in one day, I would be sick.

Then there is the best scenic drive. While the trip to Mccall is scenic in spots, a lot of the way you are staring at a cow pooping in a pasture. Again "whats senic about that", unless of course it is your cow. Go back to best day trip it is also best senic drive even if you never leave the Highway. granted the restaurants and coffe shops are not as good in Stanley as they are in Mccall. But the scenery is better. Pooping elk beat pooping cows everytime in my book. Of course I am bias, I own part of that pooping elk.

My webhelper tells me that I do not need to mention that I am a realtor dedicated to helping buyers and sellers buy and sell Boise Idaho Real Estate. That is when I am not recovering from one of the great Boise area day trips listed above

posted by Mike Carr at 10:43 AM

Puppies are cute. Puppies have puppy breath. We have puppies! 5 Adorable little german shorthair pointers. Born July third it is the mums second litter. This litter is an attempt at getting replica of the mom. It is a motherline Beier's Evolution greif breeding. I believe we have succeeded in replicating the mom as the biggest in the liter is a female with very similar markings and colorings as the mother. Whoo hoo, hopefully she has the run and desire to find the birds that the mother has.
This will bring us up to a total of 4 pointers that we own. Selway,Bandit, Agro and whats her name. Feel free to email me with suggestions. The studs call name is nick so mabey nikki? Or Sage. Hmmm.
You may be wondering what in the heck would a guy want 4 dogs for, and I have an anwser. The rocky chuckar hills surrounding Boise are tough on there feet and tiring. If you hunt the same dog for 3 straight days. the dog on the third day usually does not hunt like the dog on the first day so you can rotate them out. Also injuries, cuts to the pad on there paws, porcupines, and of course as bandit found out cars represent a significant hazzard. We also have a dog sled and I cant wait to go with 4 dogs. We use them for skijouring, and bikjouring.
For anyone still with me I would be happy to send you some photos of said dogs, or photos of Boise or the surrounding area. If you are new to the area or moving to boise and have questions about chuckars or chuckar hunting. Or any general questions shoot me a line!

Labels: Puppies

posted by Mike Carr at 6:24 AM