buyers: A feel good story..... My tenants are buying a home! - 03/27/13 06:22 AM
In the spring of 2007 a 35 year old man got sick.  When he woke up from the coma he was in complete organ failure and had some brain damage and hearing loss from the virus.  The man and his wife and children were in shock.  This was a 2 career family living in a nice home in Seattle.  They had done everything right.  They had good health insurance. They had good jobs.   They were taking care of themselves and their family.  When all was said in done the man was unable to work.   He had medical bills over the million … (6 comments)

buyers: Has anyone done a short sale with Greentree recently? - 01/31/13 04:39 PM
I am negotiating a short sale contract and the seller countered with a committment for a 60 day wait before the buyer can terminate the contract.   This makes me very nervous since the prices are rising quickly in my area and I am afraid my buyers could be priced out of the market if we fail to settle.   Has anyone worked with Greentree recently?  What would be the wait time with them.  I would like my buyers to have the ability to walk if I found something they could buy.  I would love to hear that they are settling reasonably quickly … (2 comments)

buyers: Is Santa Claus my client? Christmas activity.... - 12/25/12 07:55 AM
First and foremost Merry Christmas to everyone who is celbrating.  I promiced myself I wouldn't write a real estate blog dealing with real estate but circumstances has changed.  First remember I do not actually celbrate the holiday.   I am planning on a very quiet day with my hubby and youngest son (who is recovering from the crud).
It started in late Octber.  I was reccomended by a former client at Parents weekend (they let me know).  The son calls me and states what his father wants.  I take him to see some houses.  He likes some and then the family prepares … (3 comments)

buyers: Client doesn't seem to want to sign the inspection contingency... - 12/17/12 06:29 AM
 
Everything is going great…. The buyer loves the house…. The inspection shows a great home…. The seller/listing agent was at the inspection…. Everyone got along great… The future tenants like the former tenant…It looks like a friendly deal…. Then….
 
The relatively mild inspection report comes out.  I look at it at the report and smile.  This should be easy.  We should as the seller to fix a few things because his daughter and friends will be living there until school ends and he is a good dad and just didn’t know these little issues.  But…
 
My buyer is … (12 comments)

buyers: HAPPY HOLIDAY GREATINGS AND HINTS... - 12/15/12 01:10 PM
 
 Does anyone have any ideas I should add?  Especially in helpful hints.
Happy Holidays….MAY THIS SEASON BRING YOU PEACE AND JOY!

 
A few HELPFUL HINTS:
 
1)          HAVE YOU BLOWN OUT THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM AND CLEANED THE GUTTERS?
2)          DISCONNECTED YOUR HOSES? 
3)          CHANGED YOUR FURNACE FILTERS?
 Need help?  Give me a call!  
208-761-2551
… (1 comments)

buyers: I am on the hamster wheel and not earning any money..... - 07/16/12 07:03 AM
This has been an interesting summer so far....Personally it has been going great!  A trip to China!  I took care of my brother after he had a  kidney removed because of cancer (not great but neccesary).  We are planning a famiy reunion  at the end of the summer.  My kids are doing well.  Even the animals seem fine.
Professionnly I am in a quandry.   The last house I sold by myself closed in May.  The maarket has turned and it is really getting difficult for me find homes for the buyers in Boise, Idaho.   The buyers cannot beleive the market turned.  … (6 comments)

buyers: Closed a deal today! Interesting sale...happy clients and I was rear ended.... - 04/25/12 05:42 PM
I just closed a deal on 1430 Leadville in Boise, Idaho.  This deal was interesting for several reasons. 

The buyers daughter called me from an internet website.  She was looking for a home for her parents to buy as an investment/home for her during college.  It was very important to them that it in walking distance to the college.  She had 3 friends she wanted to live with.  Later I spoke to the mother.  We looked at other homes but this was the one the daughter wanted.  It had been on the market for 11 months.  I suggested they get … (0 comments)

buyers: The market has turned in Boise Idaho - 03/25/12 10:13 AM
 
The market has turned in Boise Idaho…
 
This spring has been tough for me… The market seems to be a sellers market… The prices at the low end of the market have gone up and there are multiple offers… I am having trouble locating property for my first time homebuyers.  I am looking into special city programs… Last year when I pulled up homes under $120K there were 40 or 50 of them with the 3 bed. 1.5 bath… Today there are 4…  Since I seem to specialize in that market it is hard but I am working hard … (6 comments)

buyers: The clients fell in love with a contigent short sale..... - 01/08/12 05:23 PM
OK .... I get the call to check out a property they found on Zillow.... I happily open up the multiple listing service and sadly realize that it is a contingent short sale... Now this is a couple living in a hotel with 2 kids and a dog.... This is not for them.. They beg me to call the listing agent... I do and she welcomes a backup offer because the other offer is low... I pull up other listing and she sends me a few others.... I hope for the best... We meet at the contingent short sale... Personally I … (2 comments)

buyers: My last open house of 2011! 105 Bridgewater Ct, Boise, ID 83706 - 12/11/11 10:23 AM
This should be my last open house of 2011! As Christmas approaches people get busy and the open houses are less effective. Of course maybe if I am bored I will do it again next week... They say doing an open house every week shows desperation...Well I am getting desperate to sell this beautiful Boise home in a beautiful subdivision before Christmas. What a wonderful present to give oneself....A place for the tree and a place to hold the holiday....Of course I am Jewish so I celebrate a different holiday...So a place to light the menorah in the beautiful bay window … (2 comments)

buyers: Freddie Mac -- My buyers woes.....Bidding process gets weird. - 11/14/11 05:35 PM
It started on Tuesday morning (election day)!  We saw a cute Freddie Mac property that my buyers liked.  I thought there was value (about $15K)...  They like the home so I called the listing agent....There was one offer on it....I convinced my buyers to put a bid in a bit high....In less then 2 hours we had a positive answer.  The next day they called me back saying they made a mistake...They had to market the property for 48 hours....They rejected our bid and we had to resubmit.Not only that the other offer was an investor offer....

Some buyers know … (3 comments)

buyers: Today I will try to take off.....Maybe.... - 11/12/11 09:51 AM
Sometimes in our business we get busy....Especially when you combine managing your rentals with real estate sales....  I have just such a strecth.   I now have worked 42 days without a day off.  I tried to take my birthday off but the Idaho Statesman had other plans...  I knew I was getting tired when my client called me and asked to see homes....I inwardly groaned and showed them...I almost always love showing homes but I was getting tired...  Believe it or not I actually fell asleep in the bathtub...I had never done that even with new babies... I did twice fall … (5 comments)

buyers: OH well it is never good when there is a "glitch"....Maybe it will work out to my buyers advantage. - 11/09/11 01:20 PM
Yesterday we saw the Freddie Mac property....My clients liked it a lot.  Even without the normal kitchen appliances.  Their real estate agent felt that the house was undervalued....  There was another offer on the table...I encouraged my buyer to bid a little high....I submitted the offer....
 
REALLY WIERD THING HAPPENED....The offer was accepted within 2 hours....That has never happened to me in the world of REO real estate....  The other offer was an invester offer....GRRRR I would have had my buyers bid at asking price and ask for closing costs....They seemed happy and I went to bed thinking at least … (1 comments)

buyers: I had an awesome open house on 722 Pearl St. but I haven't slept much for three days.... - 10/24/11 10:27 AM
I had an open house where 2 families were repeat visitors... At one time we had 5 diffenent family units in the home.  It is funny how they all showed up at the same time.  The sad thing is I couldn't process them properly. I am hoping we recieve an offer soon...  The rental situation in Caldwell and iffy inspection report on another property is making me nervous enough that I seem to have stopped sleeping much....  
Apparently there is mold on the craftpaper of the insulation in the crawl space of my pending (I am buyers agent).  My inspector didn't … (3 comments)

buyers: NEW LISTING 105 E. Bridgewater St., Boise, ID 83706 - 09/03/11 03:05 PM


 
My Newest Listing!!!!!
Open Sat. 9/10/11, 2-4 PM! Beautiful single level home with vaulted ceilings in desirable Lakewood Meadows. All new flooring (tile, carpet and vinyl), new appliances, furnace, roof, paint, water heater, fixtures. Even the kitchen sink has been replaced! The home has four skylights, beautiful grounds and walking paths. Close to shopping, Bown Crossing, Greenbelt, downtown, freeway and schools. This home has it all and won't last long! Bring your buyer's fast! Buyer to verify all information.
3 bedroom, 2baths, 2 car garage 1695 sq ft.  This is a must see!!!!!
FOR MORE DETAILS!
http://tours.tourfactory.com/tours/tour.asp?t=782352
 
… (4 comments)

buyers: Why sell HUD homes -- an essay - 07/15/11 07:34 PM
Over the years I have been the buyers agent for several homes in the Treasure Valley.  The first thing you want to do is make sure your broker has signed the agency up to sell HUD homes.  The first time I sold a HUD home I had to refer my client out and lose a significant portion of my commission check.   It also makes the deal stranger since you know all the in and outs of the deal and the other agent doesn't.  Talk to your broker or the office manager and ask for the HUD number and check to make … (2 comments)

buyers: One year after the inspection........ - 03/16/08 10:55 PM
I often become friends with my clients.  My second clients bought a home that had updated electrical.  We had the house inspected and he detailed a lot of things (mostly trivial).  What the inspector failed to notice was that the wire to the circuit breaker was just wrapped around the screw.  Over time (or maybe earlier) this came lose and heated up the circuit (I guess it arced).  Last night at temple they told me this story.  Luckily the damage was fixed my an electrician changing the circuit but I know the house had been inspect twice in short order....  My … (3 comments)

buyers: I sometimes wonder about the value of open houses. Do you? - 03/08/08 08:52 AM
Another weekend and two open houses.  This means that any other business I have must be squished into the mornings or evenings.  I have yet to sell a home at an open house but I do them for a few reasons:
I might get lucky and find the buyers for the home..... I might find a buyer for another home.....(more likely and has happened)It seems a thing real estate agents should do....It helps the sellers focus on getting ready to show their house....Gives the opportunity for the neighbors to find out about the house  (without having to disturb my clients) Lets me … (12 comments)

buyers: Today I went to a seminar...... I made a couple of appointments for tomarrrow - 03/05/08 10:01 PM
Well I went to a seminar which helped me some.  The guy was very pushy about his paid seminar on March 20.  He was actually insulting to us if we didn't sign up.  I didn't because I am on a plane during the seminar.  After reminding us how important it is to remember the balance of family and real estate he told me to cancel my trip.  that really annoyed me.  He also wouldn't stop asking the same question if we didn't say yes (to whatever the question was).  I noticed 1/2 the people left at the break.   He did … (1 comments)

buyers: Today I did my first and last agents open house - 02/29/08 10:49 PM
I have a unique property at 1408 Dearborn St. in Caldwell, Idaho that had been on and off the market for a while.  It needed rehab bad.   Well my partner and I bought it, rehabbed it, and listed it.  When we have a normal open house we get lots of traffic coming through.  The only problem is that we aren't getting agents taking their customers through it.  My partner kept asking me if I should do an agents open house.  Well I did one today.  I sent out the appropriate flyers (via a delivery service) promising lunch.  Well I bought … (27 comments)

 
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Debbie Holmes

Boise, ID

More about me…

Gold Key Real Estate

Address: 915 N. Cole Rd., Boise, ID, 83704

Office Phone: (208) 376-9000

Cell Phone: (208) 761-2551

Email Me

This is a blog about all things real estate (and a few extras). I blog about my buyers, sellers, listings, short sales, the real estate market. I am internet savvy and am trying to learn more skills. I like blogging because I get to share information with other real estate professionals. I can find you a great home in the Treasure Valley. I was the Democratic Nominee for CD2, Idaho for the US Congress. I have two website: http://www.debbieholmes.net and http://www.greatboisehomes.


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