My New Blog

The Boise area is known throughout the various consumer goods industries as a unique island.  Consumer products are market tested in the Boise area as the city is relatively isolated and has no spill-over from other municipalities.  Salt Lake City, the next closest city, is located more than 5 hours away by automobile.  Portland is more than 6 hours and Seattle is about 8 hours away.  Boise's isolation, in many ways, is a blessing.

Unfortunately, Boise's isolation hasn't entirely protected the region from the weak housing industry.  The residential real estate market is soft in Boise also.  The entire region in which Boise resides, known as the Treasure Valley, has experienced a slowdown in the housing market, from both the number of units sold, and in the rate of market appreciation.

The region's isolation did delay the market downturn somewhat, however.  During 2006, when some of the nation was already experiencing sluggishness in housing, nearly the entire Treasure Valley witnessed a growth in market valuation that had never been seen.  Generally, values were increasing 2.5% a month, with some neighborhoods and communities approaching 5% monthly. 

As we have all heard, what goes up, must come down.  Market values in early 2007 leveled off generally in Treasure Valley, and have started to dip.  While there are some neighborhoods that have started to experience a true negative growth in market valuation, most of Treasure Valley has just started to slip.  As of early August 2008, none of southwestern Idaho has been listed as a "declining market".

That is not to say that things are rosy.  The number of units sold is still weak, and foreclosures are going up.  But compared to the markets outside the Treasure Valley, in other national regions, the housing market in southwest Idaho is hanging on. 

However, it is my opinion, that the worst is behind us.  The Feds are playing with the interest rates to re-energize the economy.  President Bush is pushing some bills to rescue homeowners.  Fuel prices appear to be slipping.  Local housing inventory rates look like they aren't climbing like they have been during the past 12 months.

Keep your chin up.

Appraising homes as a profession certainly has its benefits.  One of those benefits is not having to be chained behind a desk.  The appraiser can wonder around in ways that most typically-employed people cannot.  Having a camera with me for appraisal purposes allows me to tap into that artistic part of my personality.  I truly enjoy photography and in my spare time I sometimes find myself just wandering around trying to find something visually interesting.  While my typical appraisal subject doesn't necessarily inspire artistic expression, it is fun to have a digital camera with me in case I happen across something that does inspire me.  I'm no expert, but I have fun and enjoy the opportunity to get outside.

In Meridian, after a long day of appraising, I was returning home and found a fabulous summer sunset.  I just happened to drive past a new commercial development.  The reflection of the sunset on the commercial sign and the new high school football field's lights in the background triggered my photographic eye.

Near Marsing while out appraising in the spring, I saw this field laborer moving irrigation pipe.  Behind him is a fruit orchard, and then Lizard Butte behind it.

This old barn is south of Nampa.  I drove past it one cold winter day and saw a cat sitting in the window soaking up the sun.  As I stopped my car and approached the barn, the cat saw me and took off. 

Again, near Marsing, this is a vineyard in early Spring.  The field worker is on his tractor down one of the rows.

Downtown Boise at Fort St and 8th St.  This is St. Joseph's Catholic School's facade in the foreground with the spire from the St. Michael's Cathedral in the background.  I really liked the juxtaposition of these features.

In a subdivision in snowy Kuna, this lonely fire hydrant called to me as I drove past.  I'm sure that I got some interesting glances from residents of this subdivision as I walked and walked and photographed around this hydrant.

This is downtown Boise from the foothills.  This photo was taken in the late afternoon in the winter with a slight haze.

While not particularly artistic, this photo proves that the appraiser's life can be very interesting.  I appraised a residential house in Star that had bobcats in the backyard.  This particular male was approachable, but his mother peered at me behind some rocks.  The house owner told me that he had to stay next to me while I did my outside work in the backyard to ensure that the mother cat didn't pounce on me!  Yikes!

Additionally, the appraiser deals with property photos done by people either in a hurry, or...well, let's just stick with being in a hurry.  This photo from the Ada County Assessor's Office makes me laugh.

Could that be the hand of God?  Really?!