Where to live near Boise? Ca resident (Nampa, Meridian: health insurance, home)

[izzy]

That is funny you mention Emmett today. I was looking on the MLS at Emmett and saw a Craftsman type home that had been undated. It looked like my kind of old home. But didn't know much about Emmett. Tell me more please...small town feel...not a bad commute for hubby...any thing else? I will try and see if I can find that site again that gives percentages of Mormons and where they live...

Izzy

[izzy]

Here is the site:

http://www.adherents.com/largecom/lds_dem.html

Idaho (where 27% are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics...Idaho (where 27% are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

I hesitated to post the above. I don't want to discuss the issues they are doing stats on just wanted to get you the info about how many LDS are in Idaho. So I cut and pasted a portion of the paragraph. If you want to read it in context go to the website.

Now anyone got more info. on Emmett?

[mbnative]

Thanks for your input. I definitely will be visiting before I make any choices. Do you think since I'm so used to Cali weather I'll be miserable? I'm a little scared about that. We plan on going in December, so well see if I can handle the weather. My friend who lives in Sun Valley really wants me to move there, but I think its way to far away and too much snow. The reason I asked about the race thing is that I have a friend who is half black/half white and she said she will never come and visit me if I move there:

[izzy]

Has your friend ever been to Idaho? Or Boise it's self? Just curious what she is basing her dislike on?

Izzy

[DKG]

My family is planning to relocate to the Boise area in late Spring, we are from Socal and do not follow any religion this seems to be a Morman Community and we have nothing what so ever against that but, also do not want to follow it does that seem to be a problem for anyone. Would appreciate any input thank you.

[idahomama]

Boise proper and surrounding areas are seeing a large influx of people from all over the country. I don't know what the exact percentages of Mormons in the area is now, but it hasn't been an issue for us at all here. Outside of Boise, especially in the eastern part of the state you will see much much higher Mormon percentages and it may be a more difficult move. Boise is becoming more liberal in comparison to other parts of Idaho, but it still has a conservative feel ( I am speaking of mentality rather than politically)

[Idaho Greg]

My wife and I moved to North Meridian 2 years and 3 months ago. We left Tracy, Ca., looking for somewhere where we could settle down and semi retire. I got tired of paying high PG&E rates, DMV fees, property taxes, high insurance rates, and dealing with all the congestion and traffic. We searched many states and after a careful study we based our decision on these key factors:

1) cost of living
a) lower property taxes
b) lower state taxes
c) lower home prices
d) weather
e) being close to a nice size city
f) traffic and population
g) outdoor activities
h) overall quality of life

Based on all the above we decided on Idaho. Like you, we had many questions and concerns on which part of Idaho would suit us both best. We wanted to be no further than 30 minutes from downtown Boise, and be in a rural like setting. I looked at:

1) Star
2) Meridian
3) Eagle
4) Boise
5) Middleton

I found that Star was nice but 40 minutes or more from downtown Boise. Eagle was too pricey as compared to the rest but is a very nice town. Boise was again more expensive and I wanted to be away from all that. Middleton was like Star but land was very affordable if one were to build. Keep in mind this was over 2 years ago before. North Meridian fit the bill at the time and we chose it.

When we moved here in October of 2004 we bought a new home in North Meridian. There was new construction going on and I found at that time you could buy a new home for about 100 a sf including the land. For example we chose a new 2,700 sf, 4 BR, 2 1/2 bath, 5 car attached garage, RV pad, fully landscaped home in a newer subdivision for K. We lived there a year and sold it for 270K. Then I found a home in South Meridian, near Kuna, that had a full acre of land, fully landscaped, 3,000 sf custom home, 5 BR, 2 1/2 baths, 4 car attached garage, a huge 2,100 sf detached shop that has 1,500 sf down (room to park the class A motor home inside it), and another 600 sf upstairs that we turned into a game room, and exercise room. We have been here for 1 year and 3 months and just love it. We paid 420K.

Both homes are about 20-30 minutes from downtown Boise. North Meridian has grown even since we moved and quite frankly is getting too crowded IMO. The prices there have softened up and one could find a very nice home for about 120-130 dollars per sf. South Meridian is more rural location with beautiful views of the mountain ranges. It is a little bit more secluded but we are 5-10 minutes from services such as grocery stores and alike. The growth is coming out this way but we have our land and love our home.

The weather here is very nice as compared to Central Ca. We have all 4 seasons which we forgot just how nice that can be. The rain fall I want to say is around 10" a year. It snows perhaps a few times a season at our sea level of 2,600 feet but mostly melts by noon. I have only shoveled the drive way in 3 winters so far. The Spring and Fall months are really the best IMO. You can enjoy relaxing temps that won't put a dent in your utility bills. The Summers can get hot but not as hot as say where we came from in Central Ca. It is also a dry heat with very little humidity. The thing we have also noticed is that during the time change in the Spring and Summer the sun will stay up close to 10 pm! So, after a days work (if one works) there is plenty of day light to enjoy outdoor activities.

As for the traffic I get a kick out of those who did not come from states such as Ca. They will complain that it took them 20-30 minutes to get home or to work. I used to commute from Tracy to the south bay for 13 years. I had days it took 1 3/4 of an hour! This is a piece of cake as compared. The other thing I admire about this area as compared to Ca., is that they refurbish the roads.

As for the cost of living, I am saving thousands upon thousands as compared to CA. My insurance rates for our autos saved us 1/3, home insurance saved another 1/3, property taxes our much less and if you own and live in the house you get an 75,000 home owners exemption*, groceries are less, gas is less, we pay an average of 150 a month for utilities (gas and power) and were paying on average 500 a month or more in CA, contractors charge less, and so on.

cont.

[Idaho Greg]

cont.

Last but not least, we really like the people! It reminds me of Tracy back in the late 80's and early 90's when that town had a population of around 20,000 people. Everyone waved, said hello, allowed you to merge in with a wave and not a finger, LOL, and felt nice to just be here.

Good luck with you decision. We have not missed leaving CA one bit other than our families of course, but it is only a 9 hour car ride home or a 120 airfare ride there.

Greg

* home owner exemption of $75,000, example: a home is appraised at 400K and with the home owners exemption one would be taxed on 325K. Tax rates will very slightly based on the county in which you live and the levies.
We paid 420K for ours and was assessed at near the same and with the exemption our current tax bill is $2,800 for the year.

Picture of our home we live at now

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/gb70/new%20home/homes020.jpg (broken link)

picture of detached garage

[my3arabs]

Idaho Greg...you have a great place!! Are you considered ag or not?

[Idaho Greg]

Originally Posted by my3arabs

Idaho Greg...you have a great place!! Are you considered ag or not?

We our zoned RR, Rural Residential. Our little subdivision does not allow farm animals and or farming per say. There is plenty of room on our 1 acre though to have a very nice size garden.