July 11, 2017 by CNBC – Scott Cohn, Special Correspondent

Idaho is Ranked #6

A 5-pound sack of this state’s most famous product will cost you just $1.40 in Boise.  The same potatoes – considerably more traveled – will cost you nearly four times that in Sarasota, Florida.  Okay, you are thinking: But I bet I can get orange juice a lot cheaper in Sarasota.  And you are wrong.  Juice prices in Idaho are roughly the same as in Florida, maybe a little lower.  Want a steak with your potatoes?  You can pick up a nice T-bone for under $10. … Continue reading →

Summer 2017

Here’s are some quick facts from Boise Valley Economic Partnership. 

Growing Population

• Comprised of the following communities: Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Kuna, Eagle, Star, Emmett, Garden City, Caldwell and Mountain Home
• Total population within a 45-minute draw area: 689,013 (Applied Geographic Solutions Estimate 2016)
• Idaho is among the top five fastest growing states in the nation (National Census Bureau)

Low Costs for Business and Living

• The overall cost of doing business is nearly a third lower than California and Washington
• The cost of living is 91.5% of the national average (Accra Cost of Living Index 2016)
• The average cost… Continue reading →

April 19, 2017

Two of Idaho’s metro statistical areas are among the country’s top 20 for population growth, according to the Idaho Department of Labor.  
In a new release, the department used U.S. Census Bureau information collected between July 1, 2015 and July 1, 2016 to better illustrate Idaho’s population growth of 1.8 percent, which brought the state to 1,683,140 residents.  Coeur d’Alene was Idaho ‘s fastest-growing metro statistical area during that time, increasing by 3,947 residents or 2.6 percent of its population.  That was the 11th-fastest growth percentage for a metro in the country.  

The Treasure… Continue reading →

Resale Homes –
In Ada County, we closed 8,160 homes in 2016.  This is the highest number of resale homes ever closed in Ada County.  This demonstrates the population growth in the past 20 years and also the strong recovery from the market collapse of 2008.  
Canyon County closed 3,300 resale homes in 2016.  Canyon County is still lagging behind the recovery seen in Ada County.  Canyon County closed 3,600 homes back in 2005, which was their best sales month ever.  

New Homes –
Ada County closed 2,613 new homes in 2016.  This is our strongest sales number… Continue reading →

Boise is ranked #30 in the top 100 markets in the U.S. to see average price gains of 4.79% and sales growth of 5.28%.  
Despite a more moderate housing market overall in 2017 based on the report below, Boise MSA strong local economies and population growth will continue to fuel among the nation’s hottest markets.  

2017 National Housing Forecast – The 2017 national real estate market is predicted to slow compared to the last two years, across the majority of economic indicators.  Home prices are anticipated to increase 3.9 percent and existing home sales are forecast to increase… Continue reading →

Idaho was among the fastest-growing states in the U.S. between mid-2015 and mid-2016, resuming a trend of more than two decades of population grwoth above the national average.  Utah and Nevada led the nation in percentage growth year-to-year, adding 2 percent to each of their populations.  Idaho, Florida and Washington came in just after them at 1.8 percent, according to census data distributed by the Idaho Department of Labor.  

Census estimates suggest Idaho gained more than 30,300 new residents over the year, says Labor, for a total population of 1,683,140.  

Where’d they come from?  Nearly 19,000 people moved… Continue reading →

Meridian #2 Best City to Live In
24/7 Wall St. | October 2016

#4 Best Midzise Real Estate Market
WalletHub | August 2016

#3 Best Midsize City for First-Time Home Buyers
WalletHub | July 2016

Top 10 City for Active Families
Outside Magazine | July 2016

Idaho Ranked #1 in Job Love
Monster & Brandwatch | July 2016

#8 Best City for Recreation
WalletHub | July 2016

#5 Best Drivers in Country
AllState | July 2016

#4 Best State to Practice Medicine
Medscape | June 2016

Idaho Ranked the Hottest Job Market
Kipplinger | June 2016

Top 10 Best Cities… Continue reading →

• The Boise-Nampa area is ranked as one of the most secure large metropolitan areas in the U.S. out of 114 regions nationally with population of over 500,000 (Farmer Insurance Group)
• Average commute time is only 18 minutes
• Four seasons of world-class outdoor recreation at your doorstep:  skiing, hiking, cycling, fishing, rock climbing, rafting and more
• A full complement of cultural amenities including the national recognized Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Boise Philharmonic, Opera Idaho and others
• Excellent K-12 schools and post-secondary educational opportunities
  (Source: Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce)

If you like sunshine, you’ll love the Boise Valley.  With an average of 220 sunny days, low humidity and just 12.1 inches of precipitation, the climate here is ideal for spending time outside.  Summers are characterized by hot days and cool evenings while the winters are relatively mild.  The adjacent foothills receive plenty of snow (note the Bogus Basin ski resort just 16 miles from downtown), but snow rarely covers the floor of the valley for more than a couple days at a time.  

Weather in the Boise Valley is influenced by Pacific weather patterns, which helps moderate temperature… Continue reading →

Resale Homes Data:  
Ada County – closed 691 units in August – down by 9 units than August 2015 or down by 159 homes from July.  The average sales price YTD is $254,290, up by $15,618 or an 7% over 2015 average.  

Canyon County – closed 276 homes in August – down by 32 homes from August 2015.  The average price was $159,353, an increase of $18,202 or 13% increase over 2015 YTD average.  

Pending sales for both counties in August was 1,177 units which is an decrease of 86 units from last August.  … Continue reading →