CNN Money: Boise is #3 Best Place to Retire

Boise-Idaho

 

No surprises here–Boise has been named a top place to retire yet again. Extremely low crime rates, the culture of bigger cities, not too hot, not too cold and very affordable.

Here’s the article and the other cities that made the list.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/real_estate/1109/gallery.best_places_retire.moneymag/3.html

Tired of Natural Disasters? Come to Boise.

How’s that for a marketing campaign?

We’ve lived in a number of areas around the country that face their fair share of natural disasters.  It’s no fun.  So it occurred to us that one of the best reasons to live in the Boise, Idaho, area is to get away from extremes.  Let’s review, shall we?

No earthquakes–check.  No hurricanes–check.  No tornadoes–check.  No blizzards–check.  No mudslides–check.  No tsunamis–check. No humid weather–check.

Summer gets pretty hot and dry for about two weeks in July, which causes wildfires in the nearby mountains, and the subsequent smoke, which can be nasty.  But unless you actually live in those mountains, you’re not going to have to worry about evacuating.  All in all a good deal compared to other areas of the country.

Let’s be clear–not all of Idaho has the mild weather Boise has, because Boise lies west of the Rocky Mountains.  Where there are mountains, there’s a chance of earthquakes, wildfires, blizzards and mudslides.  Boise doesn’t face those.  The Treasure Valley isn’t called the ‘banana belt’ of the Pacific Northwest for nothing.

Come check Boise out for yourself.  Talk to the locals.  You’ll see what we mean.

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How to Spackle a Hole Without Sandpaper

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More Homes for Downsizing Without Downgrading

A Glory Gray production.
We continue our tour of Hazelwood Village, Boise, Idaho with this visit to the “Miller Creek” model by Belveal Construction.

Hazelwood Village is an affordable custom home community featuring a salt water pool, large playground and community center with gourmet kitchen.  Perfect for the family that wants to enjoy a beautiful neighborhood and a home that is a more manageable size.

Idaho Attorney General Helps Homeowners

The Office of the Attorney General of Idaho has put out a few great handbooks you should be aware of.

The first involves home foreclosure law in Idaho and what you can do to avoid foreclosure. You can download it here:

If you’re looking to buy your first home, this second handbook is written with you in mind. You can download it here:

Kudos to the Attorney General’s office for producing these.

If you have any questions about these or any other real estate related subjects, we’re here to help.

Household Tips–Laundry


A Glory Gray production.
Here’s a tip that will save you money and help the environment. Team Gray shares an alternative to dryer sheets.

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Where the Living is Easy

ladera oneJust became available: UPDATE:  SOLD IN 42 DAYS BY TEAM GRAY

Beautiful single-level, 3-bedroom, 2-bath end unit Boise townhome surrounded by manicured lawn and mature shade trees.

The living is easy in this open floor plan complete with large windows, vaulted ceilings and private rear deck. Beautiful hardwood, new carpeting and vinyl flooring. Fresh interior paint throughout.

Move-in ready with refrigerator, gas range and washer and dryer.

Offered at $129,900.

See a virtual tour of this property here.

Visit us at http://www.idaho-homes.net.

The Safest Place to Live in the U.S.? Boise, Idaho

Sperling’s ‘bestplaces.net’ has just compiled their list of safest places to live.  Based on data from 379 U.S. municipalities, the experts looked at factors such as crime statistics, unemployment rates, risk of environmental hazards, terrorism threats, natural disasters and extreme weather conditions. 

Boise topped all of the large metro areas with populations above 500,000.

Five other Idaho towns were named in the top 20 safest smaller towns.

There’s just something wonderful about living in a place that isn’t a struggle to live in.  You don’t have to constantly watch your back.  You can smile and talk to anyone you want.  When you’ve lived in other places like we have, it’s the first thing you notice about Idaho. 

You can see the entire list here, courtesy of www.marylandrealestatehomes.com.

Visit us at http://www.Idaho-Homes.Net

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Video Outtakes 2009

Just for fun–here are some funny moments edited from our 2009 videos.

Boise Home Searches Increase

With 87% of homebuyers searching online for their next home, it’s good news when online home searches rise.

Boise, Idaho, has seen a 32.2% rise in online home searches this year according to a new survey by Realtor.com.

Other areas are seeing even greater increases.  Las Vegas online searches have increased a whopping 140.4%.

Of course, it’s not surprising that Boise has not seen a twofold increase in home searches, because our market has been more stable over the past year than most.

Still, an increase in homeline searches is good news for all.

Visit us at http://www.Idaho-Homes.net.

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