The Boise Real Estate market just got a shot in the arm. In a move that demonstrates just how big of a glut of homes are on the market Fannie Mae has recently announced an incentive program designed to substantially reduce the large number of REO (Real Estate Owned).

Fannie Mae sold 89,691 REO homes in the third quarter of 2009, up from 39,864 in the previous quarter it said in it’s most recent quarterly filing. Fannie Mae had 72,275 foreclosed homes or REO’s as of September, 30th, 2009.

Idaho Home Buyers who purchase and close on a Fannie Mae REO between January 28, 2010 and April 30, 2010 will be paid 3.5% of the total sales price to be used as follows:

• Buyers closing costs
• The purchase of new Whirlpool appliances, at the buyers discretion, up to the maximum 3.5%
• A mix of closing costs and appliances, at the buyer’s discretion, up to the maximum 3.5%

Idaho Home Buyers that live in and occupy their home as their primary residence are the only Idaho Home Buyers that qualify for the incentive program. Idaho Real Estate investors do not qualify for the incentive program but may still purchase any Fannie Mae REO.

Where do you find a list of Fannie Mae REO owned homes? Fannie Mae lists all their REO’s at www.HomePath.com  Before buying any REO you must know the process involved and must have good representation. An Idaho real estate professional will save you money and stress when making your REO purchase.

When you have found a home that is of interest to you email me at george@tallabas.com or call me directly at 208-880-2333.

Thank you and good luck with your house hunt!

Over my nearly 30 years in the real estate business I have had a lot of out of state buyers tell me they fell in love with
Idaho when they first visited Boise Idaho and the surrounding areas for the very first time.  Many have discovered the beauty of Idaho and I would like to share the common things I have heard over the years.

Friendly people - Yes, I have had many tell me how friendly the people in Idaho are and it is very true. I was walking out of  a Maverick gas station a couple of weeks ago and before I had even gotten in my car two people smiled at me in a row and asked me how I was and to have a  great evening, WOW!

Things to do – It is not unusual to see a couple dressed to the nines going to a musical at the Morrison Center in downtown Boise and drive a few blocks and see a group floating the Boise River. Greenbelts border the Boise River for a good portion of downtown Boise.  Bogus Basin Ski Resort is only 25 minutes from downtown Boise.  Whether you want to fly fish on the Boise River or go to a semi-pro Hockey or Basketball game the choices are endless. Boise closes down it’s downtown core every Wednesday for its “Alive after 5 celebration” where different culture foods are served and live music is played.

The Beauty – So many tell me they love the city of  Boise and the surrounding area. The mountains that sit just east of Boise are stunningly beautiful, especially when they are snow covered as they are right now. Boise is known at the “City of Trees” for a very good reason.  There are two major parks in the downtown Boise area that that attract thousands each year. The Boise Park System does a wonderful job of maintaining these parks.

Diversity of the people – Boise is a “Melting Pot” of wonderful ethnic backgrounds. The Basque people of northern Spain refer to Boise as the “Basque Capitol of the U.S.”  There is a large Hispanic population and you will see a large contingency of Greeks, Japanese, Chinese and many others. It is wonderful to go in to a major shopping area and see all the different cultures.

Beautiful farm land – Idaho has some of the richest farm land in the nation. In fact over 70% of all the specialty seeds grown in the nation are grown in neighboring  Canyon County.  Seed crops like alfalfa seed, carrot seed, onion seed, flower seed, etc. are grown in the Treasure Valley.  You can be in the middle of a 300 lot subdivision and drive only a mile or two and see a beautiful farm spring out of nowhere.

Weather and scenery – We in southwest Idaho are blessed with very mild winters and summers. The air is very dry and the humidity is so low that it makes any heat very tolerable.  The amazing cloud formations, sun rises and sunsets are something to behold. 

Great Schools – Boise and the surrounding areas have wonderful schools. There are several private schools from Boise west to the little town of Greenleaf and there are many Charter Schools in the area as well.  The College of Idaho is located in Caldwell Idaho; the Northwest Nazarene University is locate in Nampa Idaho; and Boise State University is located in Boise Idaho.

There are many more reasons to fall in love with Idaho. Plan your next visit and see for yourself why so many have called Idaho “Home”.

Boise Idaho Skyline

Yes this is what was said before the west was discovered and tens of  thousands headed west to stake their claim.  There is a new kind of migration and many 20-40 year olds have discovered Boise Idaho. The youth are discovering what many have discovered over the years which include white water rafting, snow skiing, hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, hunting and many other activities which are hard to pass up.

Next Generation Consulting (NGC), a national consulting firm has confirmed this trend and recently published new findings where it reported the relocation patterns of 20-40 year olds since 1998 to date.  NGC studied the relocation patterns of this age group and divided it into 3 categories:

Mighty Micros – Next  Cities with Populations of 100,000 to 200,00

Midsized Magnets – Next Cities with Populations of 200,000 to 500,000

Super Cities – Next Cities with Populations over 500,000

Boise Idaho was ranked #8 out of the top 20  ”Midsized Magnet” cities. According to NGC there are 7 indexes used in “Next City” evaluation which are Learning, Earning, Vitality, Around Town, After Hours Cost of Lifestyle and Social Capital.  To read the complete NGC report go to Youth Discover Boise Idaho.

In 2008 Amy Bickers from the Kiplinger News Letter visited Boise when she wrote her article titled ”The Best Cities to Live Work and Play” In this article Amy mentioned: “I don’t know how anyone gets any work done in Boise”! eluding to all the things there are to do in and around Boise.  Amy went on to rank Boise #4 in the top cities to live work and play in.  It is no wonder the 20-40 year olds have discovered what people of all ages have discovered.  Boise Idaho is an awesome place to call home!

I am licensed in Idaho and Oregon and serve the greater Boise Idaho area including the major cities of Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell and the surrounding Treasure Valley area of S.W. Idaho. I have trained over 50 Realtors as owner of my own real estate company for 17 years.  I specialize in residential, investment, land, and commercial real estate.  I am a CCIM candidate (Certified Commercial Investment Manager) having begun my required commercial classes. In the spring of 2007 I also became a “Certifed Short Sales Specialist“. I have spent the past 20 years developing a system that focuses on my clients needs and takes care of them before, during and after the closing.  I have surrounded myself with excellent consumer service focused professionals which include mortgage lenders, home inspectors, title companies, appraisers & insurance companies.  I do not jump from lender to lender, title company to title company etc.  I prefer to use the same companies that are tried and true and will be here when the real estate market is strong or weak and that place customer service, integrity and honor at the head of their list of goals they strive for. What this all means for you is that you have experience on your side.  The value of experience cannot be overstated when it comes to making the largest investment most will make in their lifetime.

Being fluent in English and Spanish I developed the nation’s first bi-lingual hotline that gives buyers home information in both English and Spanish.  As a seller, this opens your home up to many more buyers that may have not otherwise called on your home.  I have also created a website Search Idaho Homes that I have worked hard on and receives over 60,000 hits per month.

My philosphy is that if I take care of my clients/customers needs and show them respect, my production will take care of itself.  My goal is to have everyone walk away from a real estate transaction feeling they had the best service they could ask for.

Idaho Real Estate Cities and Towns

Boise is our capital and one of the fastest growing cities in the nation Discover Boise and thousands of people relocate to Boise each year.  Beautiful parks, resaurants, and bike path border the Boise River which runs through the heart of Boise. Boise is the home to Micron Technology, Albertsons Grocery and Hewlett Packard chose Boise as the location for it’s printer division.

Nampa is one of the fastest growing cities in Idaho. Located only minutes from Boise, Aggressive Nampa is known for it’s progressive pro-growth attitude which has attracted thousands of new residents and business and industry.

Caldwell represents a lifestyle many seek. Known for it’s focus on family Caldwell Living has attracted many residents to relocate here from the “Big Cities”. Beautiful Lake Lowell offers summer boating and fishing and is surrounded by the  Deeflat National Wildlife Refuge which is world renowned for it’s natural wildlife. Caldwell is the home to the original J.R. Simplot potato processing facility.

Eagle is the Little City That Can with an “Old Town” charm coupled with exclusive residential developments.  It has become the choice of many professionals looking for high-end homes away from the big city life.

Meridian is constantly in the news and is constantly competing with Nampa for the fastest growing Idaho City.  Meridian is a bedroom community to Boise and conveniently located close to I-84. It has a long history and is the home to the popular and fun Meridian Speedway which has been offering family entertainment since 1951!

Middleton is one of the best kept “Little Towns” in the west.  Middleton has been always known as a close community that has a strong agricultural base and a strong feel of “Community”.  The annual 4th of July fireworks is a major event each year drawing visitors from all over the valley.

Star is one of those towns that if you “Blink Your Eyes You Will Miss It!” But if you do miss it you will have missed a wonderful community. Star takes one back 50+ years and has the flavor of years gone by coupled with some new residential and commercial developments. It’s proximity to the capital of Boise makes it a favorite for many.

Homedale will take you back about 50 years and has it all. Most people know not only their neighbors but most everyone else in the town. Ma and Pa grocery stores, tiny quaint churches and annual 4th of July parades.  Homedale is well known for not only for the quality of life but for it’s excellent schools and a close sense of community. Located only 45 + or – minutes from Boise it is a great place to raise a family.

Exploring Beautiful Idaho

IDAHO ATTRACTIONS

Tamarack Resort made the news when President George Bush visited the facility in 2005.  The facility aside from Luxory Lodging for weekend and longer stay offers golf, tennis, hiking, mountain biking, water sports, Ampitheatre events and hiking in the summer months.  In the winter Tamarack a phenomenal ski resort for Apline skiing, Nordic & Snowshoe, snow boarding and ski instruction.

Sun Valley Idaho is historic having roots going back to 1936 and many movie stars call Sun Valley home. Skiing for the beginner to the most advanced Alpine skiier is offered plus Sun Valley attracts world class skaters throughout the winter months.  In the summer fly fishing, tennis, golf, hiking and mountain biking are common past times of the local residents and visitors.

McCall Idaho is Idaho’s version of “On Golden Pond”.  McCall is proud of Payette Lake which is the center of this wonderful little city. Located in the Payette National Forest McCall is the a favorite for many living in the S.W. area of Idaho and from other parts of the state.  An 18 whole golf course adds to the water sports, fishing, hiking, boating and rafting offered in the summer.  Close by Brundage Ski Resort is a “Hidden Gem” as far as ski resorts go and well known for it’s awesome powder skiing.

The Birds of Prey is an awesome place to take the whole family. Idaho’s Birds of Prey World Center is located south of Boise in the town of Kuna, Idaho. An amazing 16 raptor species nest in the National Conservation Area and an additional 8 species either winter or use the area during migration. Thousands of people from all over the world visit this incredible center each year.

Silver City is a small town in S.W. Idaho that will take you back 100 years! Click  Silver City of Idaho >> An Idaho Treasure and find out about this small old west town that is tucked away in the very S.W. corner of Idaho and is less than an hour and a half from the Boise Idaho Airport.

IDAHO EDUCATION

Public Schools In Idaho is one of the reasons Idaho attracts many new residents to the state each year. Idaho Schools range from the rural 50 student schools to the large public schools found in Boise, Twin Falls and other larger areas of the state.  The Idaho Legislature has always focused on making a quality education a top priority.

The College of Idaho located in Caldwell is the pride and joy of Caldwell.  A liberal Arts School, The College of Idaho attracts students from as far east as Maine and several foreign countries.  The college has also proudly graduated several Rhodes Scholars.

Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa is another fine small university.  Northwest Nazarene is located in Nampa and is a strong christian school with a wonderful history in Canyon County.

Boise State University made history in the 2006 football season when the Boise State Broncos defeated powerhouse Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl in January of 2007.  It was the shot heard around the sports world and there is now talk about a movie to tell the story of the underdog Bronco’s incredible season. Boise State University is the proud home of the Bronco’s located in the capital city of Boise.

Local Area Links!

Looking for a home in Southwest Idaho?: My Featured Southwest Idaho Listings – Search the entire Southwest Idaho MLS – Boise Idaho Real Estate – Eagle Idaho Real Estate – Meridian Idaho Real Estate – Nampa Idaho Real Estate – Caldwell Idaho Real Estate

Town Websites: Boise Idaho – Eagle Idaho – Meridian Idaho – Nampa Idaho – Caldwell Idaho

Information: About Ada County, ID – About Canyon County, ID – Idaho State Historical Society – Idaho Tourism

Demographic Information: Boise Idaho City Data – Eagle Idaho City Data – Meridian Idaho City Data – Nampa Idaho City Data – Caldwell Idaho City Data; Ada County Census; Canyon County Census

Recreation: Idaho Ski Resorts – Idaho White Water Adventures – Idaho Fishing Guide – Meridian Water Fun – Idaho Campgrounds – Idaho Trails and hiking – Idaho Backpacking

Attractions: The Morrison Performing Arts Center -  The Idaho Stampede Basketball – Idaho Steelhead Hockey – Boise Art Museum – Idaho Museum of Natural History

Local Shopping: Boise Towne Square Mall – Karcher Mall of Nampa

Local Dining: Boise Idaho Dining – Nampa Idaho Dining Guide – Eagle Idaho Dining – Meridian Restaurants and Attractions – Caldwell Dining

Golf Courses: Treasure Valley Golf Courses – Idaho Golf Courses

Local Transportation: Boise and area transportation

State and Government: Idaho Department of Health and Welfare – Social Security – State of Idaho – Department of Motor Vehicles – Idaho Department of Education – Census 2000 data for Idaho

Idaho – Idaho Visitors Guide – Idaho Public Television – Idaho Public Radio – Idaho Tourism