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Exactly. A home under $150,000 within 5 minutes of downtown is probably going to be a trailer house in Garden City or a tiny shoe box sized home off of Broadway that needs new plumbing. 10 to 15 minutes from downtown opens up more possibilities.
I agree Boise is less expensive then some other western cities, but more expensive then others.
Everyone else, Downtown Boise is one of the nicest downtown's in the western US so homes are generally more expensive the closer you get to downtown. There are condos downtown that have sold for over one million dollars so the downtown area is not for the thrifty shopper.
And there are condos downtown that sold for under 200k, some even under 150k when they went to auction a few years ago (CitySide Lofts, Grand Ave. Condos).
Even the Royal Plaza had trouble selling their lofts and had to go to auction, because they were way over priced for the market.
To say that there are million dollar condos in Boise, as if that is the norm, is just as disingenuous as saying there is a lot of housing near downtown for under 150k.
However, like Boisefan, I bought a house really close to downtown Boise, near BSU and Manitou Park, that was not a fixer upper. Around 1200 sq ft, with a new roof, siding, solid foundation, garage, updated plumbing (Pex), and sat on .16 acres. I had to do some work on the bathroom, and paint and put in new carpet. That's it. I paid $110K.
I have friends who bought into the East End, off of Warm Springs, for under 200k.
The plain fact of the matter, whether we're talking about 150k, or 200k, or 250k, is that it is absolutely affordable to buy close to downtown, unless you're single and make under 40k. Maybe you're not getting in the North End, or near Hyde Park, or in the foothills, but you're still downtown and it's not Garden City.
Heck, even now you can buy into the area south of State St. and east of 27th for under 200k. I should know, because I spend much of the fall looking at houses in that area. We looked at 15 homes that were at or below 200k.
And there are condos downtown that sold for under 200k, some even under 150k when they went to auction a few years ago (CitySide Lofts, Grand Ave. Condos).
Even the Royal Plaza had trouble selling their lofts and had to go to auction, because they were way over priced for the market.
To say that there are million dollar condos in Boise, as if that is the norm, is just as disingenuous as saying there is a lot of housing near downtown for under 150k.
However, like Boisefan, I bought a house really close to downtown Boise, near BSU and Manitou Park, that was not a fixer upper. Around 1200 sq ft, with a new roof, siding, solid foundation, garage, updated plumbing (Pex), and sat on .16 acres. I had to do some work on the bathroom, and paint and put in new carpet. That's it. I paid $110K.
I have friends who bought into the East End, off of Warm Springs, for under 200k.
The plain fact of the matter, whether we're talking about 150k, or 200k, or 250k, is that it is absolutely affordable to buy close to downtown, unless you're single and make under 40k. Maybe you're not getting in the North End, or near Hyde Park, or in the foothills, but you're still downtown and it's not Garden City.
Heck, even now you can buy into the area south of State St. and east of 27th for under 200k. I should know, because I spend much of the fall looking at houses in that area. We looked at 15 homes that were at or below 200k.
Of course you are sensationalizing what I left in my previous post. I did not say million dollar condos were/are the norm, I simply pointed out that some have sold for that much downtown. Please remember this discussion is about current prices so the fact that some condos sold for less and some auctioned off 2 or 3 years ago has nothing to do with the current market.
Somewhere I read that 50% of the population in the Boise metro area makes less than 15 dollars an hour. How is half the population even suppose to afford a home for even $150,00?
I have found Boise to be pretty expensive for what you get. We are thinking of relocating to the area and after picking a school district, it looks like our housing cost is going to go up for a house with way less land and no basement.
Somewhere I read that 50% of the population in the Boise metro area makes less than 15 dollars an hour. How is half the population even suppose to afford a home for even $150,00?
For people who fall into that wage category affordability is usually defined by dual incomes. Husband and wife, husband and husband, wife and wife.
Somewhere I read that 50% of the population in the Boise metro area makes less than 15 dollars an hour. How is half the population even suppose to afford a home for even $150,00?
Half the population probably came from California and brought equity!
Somewhere I read that 50% of the population in the Boise metro area makes less than 15 dollars an hour. How is half the population even suppose to afford a home for even $150,00?
They either live in cheaper parts of the valley, smaller house or condo, rent, work multiple jobs, are house poor, or some combo of all.
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