My biggest Regret to Moving to Boise (Nampa, Meridian: crime, new home)
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Is that I should of done it a lot sooner. So if your sitting on the edge don't. You can buy a decent house for 200-300k in a nice area. However be prepared to search diligently. The good ones go very quick. Forget about new construction, it's junk. Doesn't matter which builder you choose either. All builders subcontract out to the same carpenters, same hack plumbers and on and on. Some of the doors inside the new homes feel like they were made from paper mache.
Do your own due diligence. Check the flood zones too.
Mother Idaho says to all: Bring me your weary huddled masses. There is water here.
Thanks for this. So I see a ton of houses throughout Meridian in the $160-$200k range that look decent. Are these not worth looking at in general? Is there such a thing as a standard price for a decdent house/area? Or are you focusing directly on the more-desireable areas of Boise proper?
Thanks for the info...and the nudge :-)
-Glen
Depending on what you're looking for, location-wise, there are areas with more open spaces and better construction, outside of Boise.
SE and SE Nampa, Star, some areas of Caldwell, Kuna, etc. BUT, Mick is right, you have to look at quality of construction, CCR's, HOA's, etc. Ask for the last 12 months of utility bills too, if you can get that it may give you some idea of what to expect, how the home is insulated (although any good inspection co. should be able to tell you that), etc.
My own opinion, after looking for a little over 6 years, both on-line and off...is that your best bet is a "newer" home, but not too new (unless you're looking at REALLY high end construction). Seems like a lot of the homes built after 2000, but before 2010 are a tad better on the quality side, keeping in mind that some builders are just junk no matter when the home was built.
Depending on what you're looking for, location-wise, there are areas with more open spaces and better construction, outside of Boise.
SE and SE Nampa, Star, some areas of Caldwell, Kuna, etc. BUT, Mick is right, you have to look at quality of construction, CCR's, HOA's, etc. Ask for the last 12 months of utility bills too, if you can get that it may give you some idea of what to expect, how the home is insulated (although any good inspection co. should be able to tell you that), etc.
My own opinion, after looking for a little over 6 years, both on-line and off...is that your best bet is a "newer" home, but not too new (unless you're looking at REALLY high end construction). Seems like a lot of the homes built after 2000, but before 2010 are a tad better on the quality side, keeping in mind that some builders are just junk no matter when the home was built.
If anyone moves to Nampa, please be aware the place stinks with a horrible rancidity due to the Sugar Beet factory. You get what you pay for.. I'd pay a lot more money not to live in Nampa or as I call it "Crappa", because it smells like a big toilet.
If anyone moves to Nampa, please be aware the place stinks with a horrible rancidity due to the Sugar Beet factory. You get what you pay for.. I'd pay a lot more money not to live in Nampa or as I call it "Crappa", because it smells like a big toilet.
Hogwash. This discussion has been had several times recently on these boards, I think people hear about the smell, and assume *all* of Nampa smells.
The sugar beet factory smells like peanut butter, and I've only noticed it when on Karcher driving by it. The other day (right after the last discussion on this board about same) my daughter said she has smelled it downtown, but only once (and she's there fairly regularly). We have *never* smelled it where we live, near Greenhurst Nursery.
We have, however noted the cow stink, but we've been here since Feb. and only smelled it several times for short durations. I think the wind and temp has to be just right. When I commented on it to my neighbors, (I think they've been here 3 years?), they said they've only noticed it after a cooler rain. Seems to me you'd notice it more during warmer weather, but who knows.
Hogwash. This discussion has been had several times recently on these boards, I think people hear about the smell, and assume *all* of Nampa smells.
The sugar beet factory smells like peanut butter, and I've only noticed it when on Karcher driving by it. The other day (right after the last discussion on this board about same) my daughter said she has smelled it downtown, but only once (and she's there fairly regularly). We have *never* smelled it where we live, near Greenhurst Nursery.
We have, however noted the cow stink, but we've been here since Feb. and only smelled it several times for short durations. I think the wind and temp has to be just right. When I commented on it to my neighbors, (I think they've been here 3 years?), they said they've only noticed it after a cooler rain. Seems to me you'd notice it more during warmer weather, but who knows.
Hogwash? I actually use to live near Nampa and go there frequently. Have you lived there for an extended period of time? Peanut butter???? Haaaaa! Try again. The smell was more like rotting corpses than peanuts. In fact, i live right near a dairy farm now and much more prefer the stench of the cow manure to that gnarly sugar beet or whatever weird factories they have in Nampa. The smell was so bad i would have to keep my face in my shirt to breathe when walking outside. Yes, certain farther out neighborhoods miss the smell, but most of Nampa gets the joys of the aroma to some degree or other.
Several years ago, pre-2010, the Sugar Beet Factory in Nampa reduced their emissions. Since then you really have to be in close proximity to smell it now most of the time. I'm talking like driving right by it on the highway. Even the intersection right next to it is tolerable and you used to not be able to stand it that close.
They're also doing another round of reducing their emissions that will be completed by 2016. It used to be bad but then with new technology and the developers building that new extension off of Midland Blvd I think had something to do with it all. It's where all the new stores in the Treasure Valley Market Place and St. Luke's hospital went in back there along with several new housing developments and schools.
Great to hear Merry!! Although, I believe I did live there in 2011 or so, but perhaps the emission reduction happened at a slow place. Nampa, I always thought was a great place with inexpensive property, but that damn factory just made the town stank.. If the town now has a more palatable scent, I would definitely encourage people to consider living there. It has a lot good shopping, not too much crime and even less traffic than Boise, which still doesn't have much traffic in my book. But I am in Seattle, so I could only appreciate Boise's traffic now.
Thanks for this. So I see a ton of houses throughout Meridian in the $160-$200k range that look decent. Are these not worth looking at in general? Is there such a thing as a standard price for a decdent house/area? Or are you focusing directly on the more-desireable areas of Boise proper?
Thanks for the info...and the nudge :-)
-Glen
Your going to have to hunt. I looked at all area's. It's mostly dependent where you see value. Nice quality homes will come on line for a decent price. To get these you have to be right on it just like buying anything else. Meridian is nice. I liked south meridian best just because of NEagle road and flood zones. Personally, the road has so much traffic that I hope that I won't have to drive down it again for the rest of my life. First find the area you like best. Then look for a house in that area or wait for one to come on line then lock it up under contract. You can can always get out of the contract in first week or so. Its just like buying anything else really. If you see a good deal you better be on it. The motto snooze you loose applies. There is also another strategy you can use. Look for houses than have been on for a while and just low ball folks. The owner occupied ones will bite. As the time has worn them out and they get desperate. These are usually over priced anyway. Until the price reaches the value zone they will get nothing.
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