Boise Real Estate- Financing

Your Idaho real estate appraisal is an important and mandatory part of the home buying process, which helps to establish a property's market value. The market value is the likely sales price it would bring if offered in the open real estate market. Your lender will require an appraisal during the home loan transaction. Both the seller and buyer must depend upon the expert opinion of a complete stranger, who will be certified and Idaho state-licensed to determine the value of the property.

Remember, a home appraisal is not the same thing as a home inspection. While you'll want both as you have your heart set on a certain Idaho home for sale, they are two distinct transactions independent of each other. The inspection of the house is to spot any…

There are different ways to look at a mortgage rate. It may be helpful to think of your mortgage rate as the price you pay for the loan itself. Your rate is what it costs to have the loan, without which, many of us would never be able to afford a house. It isn't the bank imposing a way to get extra money out of you, it's simply a way to make the necessary things in life attainable, such as houses and cars.

The financial aspect of Idaho real estate will always be at the front of the prospective home buyers mind, and rightfully so, as your mortgage and the mortgage rate are major players. If you're a first time home buyer, prepare yourself to save money by understanding what your options are.

Start you search for your new Idaho home today! Click…

If you're relocating to a home in Boise, chances are, you're in need of a great buyer's agent who can help you settle in to the house that's perfect for you. But because homes in Boise have such a variety from which to choose, you want to make sure you're getting an agent who will keep your best interests at heart, rather than a fat commission.

Here are three sure-fire ways to make sure you get the great real estate services in Boise that you deserve:

#1 - Experience

When you're relocating, you need an agent that has experience — not just with finding a great home at a great price, but someone who is familiar with the area and has sold enough homes to know what advantages and disadvantages of a home exist. It's important to note that, even if…

You are ready to take the plunge.  You are finally ready to purchase a Boise home.  You have been noticing that homes are really affordable, interest rates are low, and you want to get in on the bargains.  Now what do you do?                     

Hire a real estate agent to represent YOUR interests.  Today buyer representation is pretty common but in the past, even though an agent worked with the buyer, they were working for the seller because they get paid by the seller.  It is no longer that way.  If you have a buyer representation agreement, your agent is bound to represent you in the transaction and not the seller or themselves.  Having an experienced and professional agent can save you time, frustration, and most…

When considering Idaho real estate, potential real estate investors and home buyers should take into consideration several factors that can effect real estate options and prices.  Among these factors should be Idaho income trends over the last ten years, and how Idaho income is projected to perform over the next ten years.

Despite the economic downturn, Idaho, Boise in particular, has maintained a relatively steady median household income trend.  The median household income for Boise in 1999 was $42,432.  The latest numbers for 2008 show the Boise area median household income to be $47,420.  Over the ten year analysis, the highest median income was in 2007 at $51,073 and the lowest in the same period was in 1999 at $42,432.  Overall the median…

No matter if they live in Idaho or across the country, homeowners always seem to have an endless list of to-do items or improvement goals. When working with a budget, how do you prioritize which areas to focus your attention on first within your home?

 A Wish List as a Preliminary Step

One of the first steps to take to guide a prospective home buyer who is shopping for Idaho real estate, is to make a "wish list" of the most important features desirable in a home.

When people are ready to buy a home in the Boise real estate market, having a detailed, ready-made wish list will not only serve as a handy reminder of the things they want to check out as they view each property, but also will be of great assistance to their realtor, who may be able to…

As you look at Idaho real estate, whether in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, or Nampa, and begin to plan and budget for your move and monthly expenses, you’ll probably have a lot of questions, especially if this will be your first time living in Idaho.  You’ll want to budget properly and be prepared for how your life and lifestyle may change from where you’re moving now, including costs such as entertainment, transportation, your mortgage (of course), and also, your utilities.

One question you might have...–how much are Idaho utility bills?

An important thing to remember when considering how much you should budget for utility bills is that, like all other areas, utility costs are largely going to depend on you and your family’s needs and usage of…

Before you take one step into an open house and begin your search for Boise homes for sale, it’s important to get pre-qualified for a loan.  Okay, that sounds easy enough until you start looking at all the loan programs out there. What are ARMs, balloons, and jumbos?  All these terms can be so confusing and it’s difficult for anyone to sort through the variety of choices out there. There is everything from 30- and 40-year fixed rate loans to 1-year adjustable rate loans, so how do you know what’s right for you?  We’ve tried to take some of the mystery out of the process to help you make a more informed decision on your purchase of Boise real estate. At any time feel free to check our mortgage calculator and see what your options…

It is still possible to buy a home in Boise, ID with no money down!  Zero down programs in Idaho were very popular a few years ago before the downfall of the mortgage and housing markets.  Most people think they have all but disappeared but if you know where to look, they are still available and offer attractive interest rates.  There are income and credit score restrictions.  It is important to talk to a lender who is well versed in these programs to determine your individual eligibility. 

Here are 4 great ways to buy a home in Boise with 100% financing.  The first 2 are Idaho Housing Financing Authority and can be used in conjunction with FHA Loan Programs.  The last 2 are U.S. Government Programs that are available to use for purchasing Idaho…