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Old 09-20-2016, 02:55 PM
 
334 posts, read 566,168 times
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I'm single and retired. I'm thinking about buying a $150k townhome in Idaho Falls. Does such exist? Or maybe an old home on one of the numbered streets. Is that a good location? Can you walk to town from there?
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Old 09-20-2016, 03:29 PM
 
Location: Old Mother Idaho
29,184 posts, read 22,216,042 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by suaz View Post
I'm single and retired. I'm thinking about buying a $150k townhome in Idaho Falls. Does such exist? Or maybe an old home on one of the numbered streets. Is that a good location? Can you walk to town from there?
I'm sure both are possible to find.

The numbered streets from 1st to 16th are all within walking distance to downtown Idaho Falls, within the eastern boundary of Holmes avenue or even Woodruff avenue. 17th is one of our main arterial east-west streets, and it stretches a long way eastward.

Anything between Boulevard and Holmes is a relatively short walk to our downtown, but our major shopping distance lies quite a way eastward, essentially beginning at Woodruff, one of several north-south arterials. A lot of most of our shopping now lies along 17th St., or close to it.

But there are townhouses and homes for sale that are only a short way away from this district. A lot of our medical services and our hospitals also lie in that same area. The central shopping district actually begins at Holmes ave. to the west, and ends at Idaho Fall's eastern city limits, where Ammon begins. Ammon is a true suburb; only some bridges over some canals are the only division between it and Idaho Falls- there are many places where a newcomer wouldn't know where Idaho Falls leaves off and Ammon begins.

Unfortunately, a lot of our largest shopping district isn't very good for pedestrian traffic or bicycle traffic. This is an issue our city council is presently addressing, and efforts are being made right now to change the situation. Most of the plans involve removing 2 car lanes in some of the 4-lane streets, and changing them to 3 lanes. This will allow a much safer bicycle/pedestrian zone to be created, but it's going to take time. Some of our older arterials have already become 3-lanes, and they've proven to be both safer and better traffic movers than they were as 4 lane streets.

But walking can be a long hike for anyone who lives close to the river, in the north side of town, or especially in the divisions west of the river. Right now, the west side is the place a lot of brand new development is happening, and some of that includes retiree housing that won't have the need to go all the way east for a person to go to a grocery store or other common stores that fill everyday needs.

Car travel will always be a necessity for most folks here to some degree. Hiking around outdoors in the depths of winter is a venture for only hardy folks, especially when it gets cold. But some folks do it, and others ride bikes year round- the bikes with the really big tires that are good in snow are becoming quite popular here.

This was also one of the first places where mountain bikes began selling well, years ago. Like the Subaru, some outfits just suit this state very well.
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Old 09-20-2016, 04:54 PM
 
385 posts, read 523,462 times
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A watchout about the Numbered Streets houses, coming from someone who almost bought one a few years ago. The houses, several 100+ years old, are very charming and probably a great fit for a retiree, both with the small square footage and relatively low pricetag. But the low pricetag means a lot of them immediately become rental properties. And unless the landlord takes a hands-on approach (or writes firm language into the lease) for lawn/landscape maintenance and exterior upkeep, many of these houses become eyesores. You'll see several slummy looking houses/yards scattered about the area, in between the well-maintained homes.

The proximity to downtown and to the riverwalk was a huge selling point for me. But ultimately the shoddy rental properties on either side of the house I nearly bought was the reason I decided not to move forward.
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Old 09-20-2016, 11:56 PM
 
8,440 posts, read 13,392,771 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by suaz View Post
I'm single and retired. I'm thinking about buying a $150k townhome in Idaho Falls. Does such exist? Or maybe an old home on one of the numbered streets. Is that a good location? Can you walk to town from there?
How soon would you be moving? Do you want to live in the City of Idaho Falls, Ammon or Bonneville County Your timeframe may determine what is available for Townhomes. A lot are under construction in Idaho Falls, but we haven't seen the pricing of them yet.

I think about this a lot like tmp4. I'd go to a new Townhomes before i'd go to an older home, if both choices were available. I'd rather have HOA rules and fees to protect my investment that have good neighbors and a dive one whose property decreases prices on the entire street.

Have you checked for Townhomes online? If you've found some let us know where they are approximately so we can answer qustions.

Where are you moving from?


Welcome to the Idaho Falls forum. I hope you'll post often and get involved with clubs, organizations and much more locally when you are here.

I go by MSR.
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