Idaho falls and surrounding area? (Boise, Ammon: housing, rent, job)

[izzy]

Hi,

Need info on Idaho Falls and surrounding area. Plan to relocate from CA. Mls shows the IF area and surrounding towns to be a good value. Would like info. on IF neighborhoods and schools and what towns are considered good, safe areas to bring up kids? What area is the most beautiful...terrian?

Looking to buy for under $200,000.

Izzy

[MagpiesMagpiesMagpies]

Originally Posted by izzy

Hi,

Need info on Idaho Falls and surrounding area. Plan to relocate from CA. Mls shows the IF area and surrounding towns to be a good value. Would like info. on IF neighborhoods and schools and what towns are considered good, safe areas to bring up kids? What area is the most beautiful...terrian?

Looking to buy for under $200,000.

Izzy

Izzy, I'll be nice. The place you want to be is in the Hillcrest HS catchment area. (Ammon, SE Idaho Falls, the foothills). But avoid the "old" part of Ammon (the bird streets and near the elementary schools) and anywhere near the busy streets (17th, Hitt, Ammon-Lincoln, Sunnyside). $200K probably won't get you too far up the foothills but you might find something outside of town.

But seriously I'm not joking, there aren't a lot of trees or craftsman homes. You can see for yourself.

Magpies

[pinkpalace]

hey izzy - I grew up in Poky and Idaho Falls before moving off to Boise. It's been at least 10 years since I spent any real quality time in the area though, so I really can't comment on anything you're really asking for...

All I'll say is second the comment about watching Napoleon Dynamite. If you've never been to the area, the movie will give you a good view of what Eastern Idaho looks like. Heck, Boise doesn't look that different.

The IF area is a nice, safe place to raise a family. The only negative thing I'll say about eastern Idaho is that the winter is awfully windy and cold, and the state does a poor job of keeping the ice off the roads. Winters in the Boise area will be quite a bit more friendly (but still icy).

Good luck on your move!

[djstorey]

Ok, I'll jump in here. Yes, Idaho Falls tends to be on the brown side. We're in high desert here so if you're looking for green, you'll be disappointed. However, if you can handle living in the brown areas, it's very pretty and green up the hill towards Island Park. There are also other pretty areas within a couple hour drive from here.

Housing shouldn't be a problem. There are quite a few houses under the $200,000 range. No, you won't be able to find much up the hill from Ammon, but there are other areas in the Ammon area that are not so expensive. Many people also like the westside of Idaho Falls and there are houses on that side that would fit into your price range.

Schools - well, I am in the Hillcrest, Sandcreek area and have had no major problems with the schools here. Yes, this area tends to have a good reputation, but, I have not heard too many bad things about any of the schools here. Yes, Idaho Falls High school is not the prettiest thing, but I have talked to people in all 4 high schools here and have not heard anything worse than what I've heard about Hillcrest! Some people just love the west side of town which has Skyline High and wouldn't live anywhere else! Other love Bonneville High and the surrounding areas. I really believe that you'll be fine no matter what side of town you end up in, as long as you don't live in the older, poorer part of Idaho Falls.

As far as safe areas. Most all of IF is very safe, especially compared to many places in California. The worst part of town, like I said above, is the older section in and around downtown.

I do agree with pinkpalace on the winter weather though. Very windy and cold and the icy roads are no fun. We lived in Rigby for a while and the one reason that we moved here to IF is that we hated driving on that icy highway! As long as you're near town though, you won't have to deal with that.

Good luck on your move!

[izzy]

Hi,

My husband is a road mechanic so driving in bad weather is a concern. Since he spends eight hours a day on the road...going from job to job. I'll have to let him read your post and make his own mind up about it.

I think anywhere outside of ca, that is affordable to us, is going to be different from what we grew up with. Which is green winters and brown summers. Farm land, rivers, lakes, and all four seasons within driving distance. 2 hours to ocean, one hour to snow, 6 hours to southern ca.

We live in rolling foothills with oak trees. Very brown and dry in the summer. Green and pretty in the winter, but no snow most years.

I can't think of any state that is going to give us all we are use to for $200,000.

But a lot of ca folks seem to be coming your way. There has to be things they like about the area...and we are lds...so we won't feel out of place in that aspect

Thanks for all your info. Will do some more research via mls in the areas you mentioned.

Izzy

[my3arabs]

I sure do miss the oak trees of Ojai! I think that you will do well in IF. The temple looks out over the Greenbelt and you can see the falls from there too.

There is a house up behind Ammon on the hill in the Skidmore section that sold for over a mil and it sure wasn't worth it. My ex and his father did the masonry on it and I know the guy that put in the vacuum system so I got to go inside. The only thing about the place that was worth anything was the view but even then to put up with the steep hill in the winter wouldn't get me to buy it for a penny!

On County Line rd in Rigby, by the Loft, there are some new housing tracts going in going in on both sides of the HWY 20. They put in a brand new Stake center a yr ago and it is huge.

[izzy]

Hi,
Thanks everyone for your info. After telling my hubby he would have to work out in the wind and drive on Icy roads all day...we decided to go back to looking at Boise. I know they get ice too...but my understanding is their climate is milder then IF? Well back to Boise.

Thanks again for your help.

Izzy

[cleosmom]

Izzy, Boise's weather can be milder than IF's weather. You will encounter high temps in the summer 90's-100's and during winter you'll find snowy days with icy roads and some wind blended in as well. The snow doesn't seem to stick as long there as I'm used to here in SE Idaho.

[idahomama]

We moved from Denver to Boise about 5 years ago and we have been surprised how mild the winter is here. (And Denver doesn't really have as tough of winter as many people imagine) Boise in general doesn't receive that much precipitation. I have four young children and in the time we have lived here I have never been nervous about getting on the roads in the winter time. Roads are always maintained (and it never snows that much at a given time) and snow just doesn't stick long. IMO the summer weather is harsher in comparison to the winter here.

[idahomama]

Forgot to mention to checkout cityofboise.org for average montly precipitation break downs.