Rank Metro area
1 Raleigh-Cary, N.C.
2 Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, Wash.
3 Austin-Round Rock, Texas
4 Provo-Orem, Utah
5 Hinesville-Fort Stewart, Ga.
6 Logan, Utah-Idaho
7 Grand Junction, Colo.
8 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas
9 Idaho Falls, Idaho
10 Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C.-S.C.
Source: Proximity One
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
I.F. cheaper for many despite higher tax rate
Ammon's long-touted low tax rate doesn't save many of its middle-class residents from a higher cost of living than paid by their Idaho Falls counterparts.
A higher schools tax levy and utility fee increases enacted over the past year and a half have negated the savings most Ammon homeowners would see on their yearly tax bills.
The Post Register analyzed significant taxes and fees assessed to residents of three geographic and taxing areas: Ammon; the section of eastern Idaho Falls that lies within Bonneville County Joint School District 93; and the bulk of Idaho Falls, which is within the boundaries of Idaho Falls School District 91.
That analysis found owners of smaller, cheaper homes spend far less if they live in the Idaho Falls-District 91 area.
That's because Idaho Falls residential water and sewer rates are about half of what people in Ammon pay -- a difference compounded by the fact that Idaho Falls Power customers pay 35 to 40 percent less for electricity than do Rocky Mountain Power customers.
Another major factor is the difference between tax levies charged by the area's two main school districts. Homeowners in District 93, with a taxable value of $100,000, pay almost $20 per month more than those in District 91.
But Ammon's low tax levy -- about one-third of the Idaho Falls levy -- begins to pay dividends for families owning homes with a taxable value of $250,000 or more.
At that value, Ammon residents pay nearly $600 less per year in taxes and fees than eastern Idaho Falls residents. The bills for Ammon residents and the rest of Idaho Falls would be virtually identical in that scenario.
Local real estate professionals said the difference between each area's taxes and fees aren't the driving force behind potential homebuyers' decisions.
These days, the bargains to be had in a rocky housing market can be just as important as the standard considerations of neighborhood, price and quality, said Juan Murdoch, an agent with Keller Williams Winstar Realty in Idaho Falls.
"In this market, people are less concerned with the fees -- the city fees -- and other things like that than they are with the house itself," Murdoch said. "It's really, 'Where are the places where I can get the best deal on the house?'"
While acknowledging that utility fees are a concern for business owners, Ammon City Council President Dana Kirkham said she's not worried that fee increases will discourage homeownership in the city. Money isn't the only reason people move to Ammon, she said.
"There's a quality of life here that people here are buying into, too," she said
Article from the Post Register in Idaho Falls
A higher schools tax levy and utility fee increases enacted over the past year and a half have negated the savings most Ammon homeowners would see on their yearly tax bills.
The Post Register analyzed significant taxes and fees assessed to residents of three geographic and taxing areas: Ammon; the section of eastern Idaho Falls that lies within Bonneville County Joint School District 93; and the bulk of Idaho Falls, which is within the boundaries of Idaho Falls School District 91.
That analysis found owners of smaller, cheaper homes spend far less if they live in the Idaho Falls-District 91 area.
That's because Idaho Falls residential water and sewer rates are about half of what people in Ammon pay -- a difference compounded by the fact that Idaho Falls Power customers pay 35 to 40 percent less for electricity than do Rocky Mountain Power customers.
Another major factor is the difference between tax levies charged by the area's two main school districts. Homeowners in District 93, with a taxable value of $100,000, pay almost $20 per month more than those in District 91.
But Ammon's low tax levy -- about one-third of the Idaho Falls levy -- begins to pay dividends for families owning homes with a taxable value of $250,000 or more.
At that value, Ammon residents pay nearly $600 less per year in taxes and fees than eastern Idaho Falls residents. The bills for Ammon residents and the rest of Idaho Falls would be virtually identical in that scenario.
Local real estate professionals said the difference between each area's taxes and fees aren't the driving force behind potential homebuyers' decisions.
These days, the bargains to be had in a rocky housing market can be just as important as the standard considerations of neighborhood, price and quality, said Juan Murdoch, an agent with Keller Williams Winstar Realty in Idaho Falls.
"In this market, people are less concerned with the fees -- the city fees -- and other things like that than they are with the house itself," Murdoch said. "It's really, 'Where are the places where I can get the best deal on the house?'"
While acknowledging that utility fees are a concern for business owners, Ammon City Council President Dana Kirkham said she's not worried that fee increases will discourage homeownership in the city. Money isn't the only reason people move to Ammon, she said.
"There's a quality of life here that people here are buying into, too," she said
Article from the Post Register in Idaho Falls
Monday, August 29, 2011
California Distressed Sales Decline, Realtors Push for Streamlined Shorts
California’s pending home sales dipped in July, as did the share of distressed property sales, according to a report released by the state’s Realtor group this week.
The California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) says 44.5 percent of home sales contracts accepted last month involved distressed properties. That’s down from both a month earlier and the same period last year, when the distressed share was 46.9 percent and 47.7 percent, respectively.
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The California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) says 44.5 percent of home sales contracts accepted last month involved distressed properties. That’s down from both a month earlier and the same period last year, when the distressed share was 46.9 percent and 47.7 percent, respectively.
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Friday, August 26, 2011
Foreclosures
Looking to invest in a foreclosed home? I have access to all Idaho Falls Area foreclosed homes. Give me a call or visit my website. http://www.idahofallsidrealestate.com/custom3.shtml
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
7 Storage Solutions You Didn’t Know You Had
Every square foot of your home is valuable. Here are seven storage solutions that take advantage of underutilized nooks and crannies. And just for fun, we did some back-of-the-napkin calculations based on the average price per square foot of a U.S. home ($81)—so we could attach a theoretical value to the bonus space.
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Friday, August 5, 2011
Facing Foreclosure: What to Do Right Now
If you’re facing foreclosure, don’t panic: Take steps right now to save your home or at least lessen the blow of its loss.
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Monday, July 11, 2011
Surviving Short Sales - Local News Story
It seems like everywhere we look there are more and more For Sale and Foreclosure signs. In Idaho Falls during the month of May just over a third of all homes sold were distressed properties.Read more from our Local News. I was interview for this local story.
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