The numbers are in for southeastern Idaho single family and condo sales ... and they have a lot to say. It's no big surprise that home sales and prices are down when comparing the first six months of 2009 with the first six months of 2008.

For the five counties in southeastern Idaho, here's what the numbers tell us:

Jan 1 to Jun 30 2008 (single family & condos)
Number SOLD = 1,052
Average sold price = $182,885
Median sold price = $159,400
Average Days on Market = 112
Number of New Listings = 2,283

Jan 2 to Jun 30 2009 (single family & condos)
Number SOLD = 771 (a 27% decrease)
Average sold price = $167,659 (9% decrease)
Median sold price = $149,000 (6.5% decrease)
Average Days on Market = 135 (17% increase)
Number of New Listings = 2,286 (remained the same)

If you're interested in statistics for your particular county (Bonneville, Bingham, Jefferson, Madison, or Fremont), please contact me. I am happy to share! Please contact me at (208) 351-2776 or hollishhenry@gmail.com.

 

For the 17th year, Idaho Falls, Idaho is the place to be on July 4th for one of the most amazing fireworks displays in the nation. Hosted by Melalueca, the "Freedom Celebraton" culminates in the largest fireworks display west of the Mississippi.

This article ranks the Idaho Falls fireworks display #17, right after Disney World's "Celebrate America."  And this reviewer gives Idaho Falls the distinction of being #2 in the nation, only behind Philadelphia.

More than 100,000 visitors flock to Idaho Falls from all over the state and across the nation to view this spectacular display.  And while parking can be a problem, the show -- which typically lasts about 1/2 hour and is coreographed to popular and patriotic music -- is worth the trouble.

So come to Idaho Falls, a great city and a great place to celebrate our nation's independence!  You won't be disappointed, and you may decide to stay awhile ... or perhaps even a lifetime.

Trust is such an important component in business transactions and incredibly important when it comes to completing a successful real estate transaction. 

I trust my clients to honor their commitments to me as I honor my commitments and responsibilities to them.  I trust the LENDER to do their job and have all the Is dotted and Ts crossed when we go to the closing table.  I trust the TITLE COMPANY to do a thorough title search and provide a professional and pleasant closing experience for my client.  I trust the other AGENT to have their ducks in a row and work toward a successful closing in a professional manner.  I trust my BROKER to have my back when I need his help (and he always has - THANKS Jim Windmiller!).  

So I decided to take Mike Jones's advice and, during this slow time (while the phone is definitely NOT ringing!), write a post about a business referral partner I trust.   This coming weekend our local association is holding our Affiliate of the Year awards dinner.  I was privileged to nominated a lender whom I trust implicitly.  His name is TOBIN DIXON with VISION MORTGAGE in Idaho Falls, Idaho. 

Why does Tobin deserves this award?  Tobin always offers a helping hand and seems genuinely interested in not just making money, but making people connections and building bridges that inspire trust and confidence.  He is impeccably honest and a time-sensitive communicator.  He tells his clients (both real estate professionals and borrowers) the TRUTH (wow, what a concept!)!  He cares more about PEOPLE than MONEY, which (sadly) the current economic crises has shown is a rare commodity in this industry that has been plagued by greed and a "ME FIRST" mentality.

Tobin is a TEAM PLAYER.  He has sponsored several events for the Greater Idaho Falls Association of Realtors (new member orientations and a continuing ed event).  

Finally, Tobin Dixon is REAL and AUTHENTIC.  No game face.  No hype.  When you work with Tobin you get the real deal.  He inspires me to be a better person and Realtor.  Each week, Tobin sends out a weekly Mortgage Rate Update that not only provides interest rates, but provides industry news and thoughtful analysis and information on the current economic climate both locally and nationally.  

So, here's a shout out to Tobin.  I I hope you are the recipient of the "Affliliate of the Year" award this weekend.  You deserve it!  

As the current economic credit and financial crises upfolds, people tend to want to know one thing:  Can I still get a loan to buy a house?  This is the bottom line question I'm hearing from my clients.

The answer is "Yes", but with caveats.  You must be ready, willing and able to pony up the proof that you're a good risk for paying back the loan.  Banks are running scared.  There is money out there, and there are some banks that are still lending (though few and far between).   Your must show a fairly high credit score (something near or above 700), and you must show proof of income (and it MUST be legitimate).  Lenders are pickier and choosier than ever (and with good reason) and want more stringest and verifiable proof from potential borrowers.

If you DO qualify for a loan and you see an interest rate that you like, I would recommend locking it in as quickly as possible . With all of the economic issues at hand right now, banks are tightening up on rates and it will be impossible to predict where rates are going to go over the course of the next months. There is a lot going on right now. We have an election that is little less than a month away and there is also the fate of the Fed's bailout or rescure plan (whatever they're calling it these days) that will have a lot of impact on mortgage rates over the next month. Rates are still relatively low - and there is no guarantee that they will stay low or go lower. Better to be safe than sorry.

                                      1Q 2007                    1Q 2008                   Pct. Change

Homes sold
Bonneville Country        390                      267                  -31.5
Jefferson County            52                         46                  -11.5
Bingham County            82                         62                  -24.4

Median sale price 
Bonneville County       $148,700               $157,000            +5.6
Jefferson County        $176,650               $192,500            +9.0
Bingham County         $127,500               $129,500            $1.6

Average days on market
Bonneville County              97                     102                 +5.1
Jefferson County               98                     108                  +10.2
Bingham County                91                     111                  +22.0

Statistics for the first quarter of 2008 show an increase in the median sale prices of homes in these three counties when compared with the first quarter of 2007.  Note that the number of homes sold decreased in all three counties.

 

WANNA KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN IDAHO FALLS ON JULY 4, 2008?  HERE YOU GO!!!

What: 4^th of July Parade

When: 4^th of July Starting at 9:00 am

Where: Parade starts at the Civic Auditorium parking lot, travels west on 4th Street, turns south on Boulevard, and ends at Rogers, which runs along the south side of Tautphaus Park.

Cost: Free to spectators.

Description: America Honors the Spirit of Freedom has been selected as the theme for the 2008 Independence Day Parade. The theme was selected to honor the tradition of patriotism in the United States through this nation's great history. The Grand Marshall will be Representatives from all local and national service branches.

P.S.  My husband and 3 kids are on float # 101.  Hooray!

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What: Family Freedom Fest

When: 4^th of July, Noon - 5 p.m.

Where: Sandy Downs

Cost: Free

Description: Free hotdogs, drinks, chili, $100 prize for best chili, tons of activities for the kids, live music - Mike Banks Jazz Quartet, LFJ, and others, drawings all afternoon for fun prizes, special presentation by Todd Pierce, International Chaplain for the PBR, Wilderness Circuit Bareback Champion. And lots of other stuff!

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What: Liberty Festival on the Falls        

When: 4^th of July, Noon - 10:00 pm

Where: Memorial Drive on the Greenbelt

Cost: Free

Description: Over 20 food vendors will be on hand to fill any craving from snow cones to Bar-B-Q. Business vendors will showcase their products and arts/crafts vendors will display their wares. Among other things, large military vehicles, fire trucks, and other mega machines will adorn the street for all to admire. If that isn't enough, non-profit organizations from all over Eastern Idaho will have fair like games and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Children will be astonished at the sheer size and amount of jumpers, rock climbing walls and more to entertain them for hours. Finally, it wouldn't be a festival without live music, a battle of the bands, and fun contests. Bring the whole family, you won't want to miss Idaho Falls at its best.

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What:  The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration Fireworks show  -- This is the largest fireworks show west of the Mississippi River, and is choreographed shell for shell and note for note with a broadcast of patriotic music and narration. Fireworks begin at approximately 10:00 PM. BRING YOUR RADIO TUNED TO KLCE 97.3FM! The Fireworks are FREE!

Last weekend my husband and I and our three precious (though somewhat precocious) kids joined a client-turned-friend and her hubby at the City of Rocks (Idaho's premiere rock climbing area).  Now I don't know if any of you reading this know about the City of Rocks, but it is an amazing and breathtaking area that draws rock climbers from around the world. 

The towering spikes, monoliths and pillars of granite that jut out of the high desert floor along the old wagon trail to California's gold fields were marveled at by thousands of transcontinental travelers more than a 100 ago.  In 1988 Congress set aside this southeastern Idaho valley of geologic oddities as a national reserve to recognize its significance as a historical landmark on the California Trail.

But enough about that. 

This post is a "don't-be-as-dumb-as-I-was" cautionary tale.  The weather was crazy-hot and in the middle of this scorchingly hot day my friend and I had the bright idea that she and I, my 8-year-old son and her 3-year-son (carried on her back) would take a 6-mile hike.  We checked out the map, took lots of water and thought we were well prepared and would be back at camp within 3-4 hours.  A couple of hours into the hike we realized the map was considerably less than accurate, we were running out of water and quite impossibly lost.  On top of that my knee (which I'd had MRI'd a few days before) was giving out and we were becoming dehydrated and exhausted.

I told my friend (who was faring much better than I) to go on ahead, find my husband (an avid long-distance runner) and send him back with water.  My friend refused to leave me (a smart choice, as it turned out) until we were able to get to a place she recognized.  Long story short, we walked for several more hours and many more miles as I became REALLY dehydrated and disoriented.  Finally, we reached a place my friend recognized, and she and the two boys went ahead while I stopped and rested my knee before continuing on at a slower pace.  Within the hour, I met my husband on the trail and we found our way back to camp.  I have to say that my 8-year-old son was amazing, brave and a real hero.  And my friend was totally amazing, too. 

In restrospect, it was clear that our decision to hike during the hottest part of the day on a trail that was unfamiliar, and with small children and a bum knee to boot was pretty foolhardy (why is it that it's soooo easy to recognize dumb decisions AFTER THE FACT!?!). 

The results of the MRI on my knee came back today.  I have a completely severed ACL that will require surgery to repair.  I've been walking around for a month with this knee injury and had no idea!  I'm just glad the knee didn't give out completely and we all survived in relatively good condition.

Moral of the story:   Be smarter than I was.  Don't forget you're nearly 50 (even though you still think you're 25), and take twice as much water as you think you'll need.  :)