So Cal/Hawaii residents in Boise? (moving to, location, state)

[HDL]

Okay, let me start out by saying that not everyone on the forum feels this way, but I love the Eagle / NW Boise /NE Meridian areas. Come up Eagle Rd to Hwy 44/State Street and check out that area. One of my absolute favorite spots is Eagle Rd at Floating Feather Rd heading right towards the Boise foothills. Breathtakingly beautiful !!! Another favorite spot of mine is Hill Rd near Pierce Park Rd heading towards Collister Rd. So gorgeous !

I don't know where you're staying, but if it's down by Cole and Overland (Edwards Theatre, etc.), then you really need to head north of I84 and check out this side of the freeway (imho)! We had our best weather so far this year TODAY, so count your blessings that you decided to visit when you did . A little over a week ago, we were dealing with 2+ wks of inversion and it got some of us down (us TRUE beach lovers !!).

Enjoy your visit and I hope you find out if it's right for your family!

Originally Posted by maui08

Ok, I took a leap and purchased a ticket to Boise last week. I am writing this post in Boise! When I first arrived, the weather was not too bad. Around 40ish with sunshine. A little chilly for me with my thin blood from Hawaii but not as bad as I thought. Very comfortable actually. I took a drive up and down the highway(s) and this I must say is very confusing. Hopefully it is because I am not used to the area but the flatness of Boise made it difficult for me to navigate with no real indicators of which way I was going. I do think the mountains with snow are very pretty but the layout of Boise in general struck me as blah. Many nice homes here with these giant entryways with waterfalls but across the street is a trailer park or a lot with run down homes on it. Stores and restaurants galore!! Anyone who says Boise is boring or lacks in this area must be crazy. I have lived in San Diego for many years and I must say that Boise has twice the amount of stores/restaurants that San Diego has considering its size!

All in all.....homes were very beautiful and at a great price. However, wasn't sold on Boise in general but maybe tomorrow will change my mind......I am here until Monday. Wish me luck.

Aloha

[maui08]

Aloha

Okay, today I woke up bright and early and got a fresh start. I traveled up and down Eagle road looking at many open houses and checking out all the stores, restaurants, etc. I must say that this area has everything you could possibly need without ever having to leave it. I like that accomodating factor. I stopped for dinner and the wait was 30 minutes at 5 different stops! I finally asked the manager, why are all the restaurants so packed...is it always like this? He said yes, weekends here are always busy because people don't have that much to do at night so they go out and eat. I could not believe this as even in San Diego and Maui, you could find a restaurant here and there that was not busy....in this economy Boise seems to be doing pretty well considering all the folks out eating. I keep reading all the posts about Boise and it's slipping economy....sure doesn't look like it to me. Good job Boise!

-Today I could almost picture us living here.....given the fact that gas, groceries, utilities, home costs, etc are basically half the price here as in Maui. Could not believe milk is only around $3 here where in Maui it is around $7. Gas is $1.70 here, in Maui it's $2.50+. I could go on and on with this. The only real question is about these inversions.....? I met many folks today that said it was a good thing I didn't visit 2 weeks ago....some said the inversions were horrible and people couldn't go outside......Am I mistaken, or are these inversions just basically a fog that sets in for awhile and then blows out....? Is there some sort of danger that goes along with these? If the sun isn't out for a week or so and that's the worst thing about the weather here....then I'm sold on moving here!!!! In San Diego we get June gloom where the sun doesn't shine for days or weeks sometimes but San Diego still has wonderful weather. Is this the same type of thing with Boise? I understand it gets a little hot in the summer but everyone tells me it doesn't stay very long...a couple of weeks and then things cool down.....same for winter, really cold occasionally but mostly in the 40's....? Are these things true?

Thanks soooo much for your help. One more day in Boise....

Aloha

[Torrie]

Originally Posted by maui08

Aloha

Okay, today I woke up bright and early and got a fresh start. I traveled up and down Eagle road looking at many open houses and checking out all the stores, restaurants, etc. I must say that this area has everything you could possibly need without ever having to leave it. I like that accomodating factor. I stopped for dinner and the wait was 30 minutes at 5 different stops! I finally asked the manager, why are all the restaurants so packed...is it always like this? He said yes, weekends here are always busy because people don't have that much to do at night so they go out and eat. I could not believe this as even in San Diego and Maui, you could find a restaurant here and there that was not busy....in this economy Boise seems to be doing pretty well considering all the folks out eating. I keep reading all the posts about Boise and it's slipping economy....sure doesn't look like it to me. Good job Boise!

-Today I could almost picture us living here.....given the fact that gas, groceries, utilities, home costs, etc are basically half the price here as in Maui. Could not believe milk is only around $3 here where in Maui it is around $7. Gas is $1.70 here, in Maui it's $2.50+. I could go on and on with this. The only real question is about these inversions.....? I met many folks today that said it was a good thing I didn't visit 2 weeks ago....some said the inversions were horrible and people couldn't go outside......Am I mistaken, or are these inversions just basically a fog that sets in for awhile and then blows out....? Is there some sort of danger that goes along with these? If the sun isn't out for a week or so and that's the worst thing about the weather here....then I'm sold on moving here!!!! In San Diego we get June gloom where the sun doesn't shine for days or weeks sometimes but San Diego still has wonderful weather. Is this the same type of thing with Boise? I understand it gets a little hot in the summer but everyone tells me it doesn't stay very long...a couple of weeks and then things cool down.....same for winter, really cold occasionally but mostly in the 40's....? Are these things true?

Thanks soooo much for your help. One more day in Boise....

Aloha

Hi Maui08,

Yes restaurants are extremely busy on the weekends. It's always been like that since we've been here. We actually like to go out on the weekdays instead of the weekends because average wait at some of the restaurants can be 45min. or longer on the weekends. I thought the same as you, how are they so busy if the economy is so bad?? Apparently it's a luxury that many aren't willing to give up just yet. When you look at the unemployment rate for our area(6.8% for Boise-Metro in DEC08), it seems high, but it's a fraction of the work force and not everyone who lives here is part of the work force. So there are people that aren't even being affected by a down economy.

Cost of living is much less here, but the trade-off for some is the lower pay. Not everyone experiences lower pay, there are white collar jobs here and if you're fortunate enough to land one you can live quite comfortably. Compared to where you're coming from, Boise is a dream when it comes to expenses and that's why people from larger metropolitan areas find it so appealing.

Inversions are something you can experience while living in the Treasure Valley. To some, they are unbearable and to others they are no big deal. Having an inversion is like having a thick layer of fog over the top of you. Some times there is bad air(smog) associated with inversions. The bad air comes from emissions, wood burning stoves, etc. Recently we experienced one that lasted two weeks, but on this occasion the air quality wasn't as bad as some thought. It's cold air trapped below warm air. So you can go up into the mountains and it could be warmer than if you were down in the valley. To me, they're not that big of a deal and I don't feel it's something that affects my quality of life. The weather here is beautiful compared to other areas I've lived in, so a few weeks out of the year of having to deal with an inversion is no big deal to me. Actually the past couple of years, the inversions haven't been all that bad. They typically happen in the winter...to me...I expect bad weather in the winter....that's why it's called winter. That's my take on it....and others might disagree with my opinnion.....but we're all different and I think it just depends on how it makes you feel. Boise's average days of sunshine is 234 days out of the year, just so you know. Here's are a recent article on our past inversion if you haven't seen this all ready.

Treasure Valley pollution wasn't as bad as you thought | Local News | Idaho Statesman (http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/647014.html - broken link)


We do not get the marine layer like what you experience in San Diego. Fog does not occur here in the summer. I remember when I lived in California, it seemed colder in the summer months at night because the fog was always blowing in. You will not find that here. We can experience some fog, but typically when I've noticed it, it's been in the winter.

It will get cold, and January is usually our coldest month. The air is dry here, not humid, so even though it's cold, it's not a damp cold and there's a big difference.....could be why you don't think it's all that bad. Personally I don't think it's all that bad and again, I'm coming with the mentality that it's winter, and I can expect some cold weather in the winter. I like the fact that we have the change of seasons and that's what appeals to me about this area. I lived in California most of my life and I honestly got bored with the weather. Change of seasons can be exciting....it's something to look forward to, whether it's the first snow storm of the season, the first spring thunderstorm rolling in, or the first show of fall color.....ever changing with anticipation of what's to come and the things we enjoy that follows with each season.

Glad you're enjoying your stay in Boise. Hey did you notice all the extra activity going on downtown? We are hosting the Special Olympics for 2009....could also be why you are seeing so many people at the restaurants. We just had opening ceremonies this weekend. Thanks for keeping us posted, it's been fun to read about your adventures.

[boisefan88]

That's so funny about the restaurants - I used to say the same thing to people all the time (that we have nothing else to do so everyone goes out to eat on the weekends). It's funny that other people noticed that.

Inversions have never been a problem for me health wise. They do get depressing, though, when it's gray for so long (and it's a weird gray, because it's not really cloudy and you can kinda tell the sun is there wanting to shine through...and indeed it's usually sunny up at Bogus).

I had a friend who moved to Maui (Lahaina) a few years back, and wanted to buy a house so he tried to move back here. His family stayed for two weeks (in late Jan/early Feb) before they decided they couldn't stand how brown and dead everything was, and promptly moved to San Luis Obispo. He was born and raised in Idaho, too, and stayed until he was in his 30's. He needed the sun and moderate weather.

[pll]

Originally Posted by boisefan88

That's so funny about the restaurants - I used to say the same thing to people all the time (that we have nothing else to do so everyone goes out to eat on the weekends). It's funny that other people noticed that. .

Lol! Eating out is our winter hobby. We go out to eat a lot and so do a lot of our friends. It's not good for the waistline though. That's why my suggestion to those moving here is to learn a winter sport to offset the weight gain and cabin fever.

Originally Posted by boisefan88

Inversions have never been a problem for me health wise. They do get depressing, though, when it's gray for so long (and it's a weird gray, because it's not really cloudy and you can kinda tell the sun is there wanting to shine through...and indeed it's usually sunny up at Bogus)..

I agree.

Originally Posted by boisefan88

I had a friend who moved to Maui (Lahaina) a few years back, and wanted to buy a house so he tried to move back here. His family stayed for two weeks (in late Jan/early Feb) before they decided they couldn't stand how brown and dead everything was, and promptly moved to San Luis Obispo. He was born and raised in Idaho, too, and stayed until he was in his 30's. He needed the sun and moderate weather.

Boise has a lot to offer but it's not for everyone. I think renting for awhile or staying for a long periond of time during the winter is helpful.

You have to realize that it's like living in a different city when the winter comes. I think we do people a disservice when we minimize it and say it's not a big deal to the people that are from areas where it's sunny 90% of the time. It does take a while to get acculmated to the weather here.

I've noticed there are a lot of Real Estate agents on the Boise Forum.

[Torrie]

Originally Posted by pll

I've noticed there are a lot of Real Estate agents on the Boise Forum.

So what's your point in mentioning that?.... Because we're real estate agents we don't have valid comments? Maybe I'm wrong, but that seems to be what you're implying so I'd like the opportunity to answer your concern. I can't speak for the rest of the agents so I'll speak for myself.

I was born and raised in California, lived there for 30 years. I've lived in Burbank, Saugus, Mariposa, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, San Luis Obispo, Gilroy, and Napa, California, pretty much up and down the state, on the coast by the beach and inland, with the exception of the very North end of the state. Not to mention, I've lived in three other states, Oregon, Washingtion and Colorado. So, the perspective I can offer might actually help this poster and the questions they posed in this thread.

I also work with a lot of out of state clients and specialize in relocation. I spend a lot of time with people from different areas, so I feel I have a pretty good idea of where people are coming from and what their expectation levels are. If you follow the posts on here, many people that have come to visit will often comment that they don't understand what all the fuss is when it comes to the traffic, weather or other imperfections that sometimes get brought up on the forum that lead the reader to believe it's so terrible. That being said, I think it's good that the reader receives a variety of input so they can make the best choice for their family. Everyone will have different experiences and be affected in different ways and it shouldn't matter who they are or what their profession is. I happen to enjoy what I do and I enjoy where I live and most likely that shows in my posts, so regardless of whether I had real estate agent next to my name or not, I'd be saying the same thing.

Boise-Metro is a great place to live and apparently many others feel the same, otherwise they wouldn't move here, so I think my posts aren't that far off. Will some people not like it here?.... of course, that's just a given. But I'd like to be clear that just because I'm a real estate agent doesn't mean there's no merit to what I'm saying or other agents for that matter. I hope while considering Boise, Maui08 takes all our thoughts into consideration, because that's the whole point.

So maybe that's not what you're implying by your comment above, but I can't think of any other reason why you would say that.....and for the sake of other forum members reading this thread, I felt a clarification needed to be posted.

[boisefan88]

What was the point of all that though? We all have experiences, and they're all valid. Yours no more than anyone else.

Perhaps what Pil was implying was that there may be a conflict of interest in real estate agents giving relocation advice. I mean, of course you are going to be advocates for the place you live, otherwise you wouldn't be employed long. I don't think s/he was being insulting or anything out of sorts. At least I didn't read it that way. No need to be so defensive.

[AlleyTD]

Originally Posted by boisefan88

What was the point of all that though? We all have experiences, and they're all valid. Yours no more than anyone else.

Perhaps what Pil was implying was that there may be a conflict of interest in real estate agents giving relocation advice. I mean, of course you are going to be advocates for the place you live, otherwise you wouldn't be employed long. I don't think s/he was being insulting or anything out of sorts. At least I didn't read it that way. No need to be so defensive.

It's funny. I see Torrie's point and I see yours. But everyone shouldn't assume that just because your member group says Realtor there is a conflict of interest.

For example, ME
My group says Real Estate Agent and while its true I am licensed - It is hardly my livelihood. I got my license because I like to shop for my own houses.
Over the last year I looked at over 320 homes before we chose our new house a couple months ago.
That would be make any Realtor nuts and would waste a lot of their time and money ... plus, they'd hate me. or at least be very annoyed - rightfully so.
I'm a tough cookie.

I got my own license in AZ and in ID to avoid Realtors. By representing myself, I had the freedom to look at my leisure and no outside pressure to buy or whatever.
I made my own husband batty sometimes with the house hunting and he's not a Realtor.
I just want what I want and their are a lot of clients out there like that ... the ones who want to see EVERYTHING before they make a buying choice.
I am a true buyers agent - and don't mind that client - because I can so relate.

I only work in Real Estate part-time (which is like the F - word to many full time Realtors.) They will say I don't know the business as well, but I don't care.
I'm there for family, friends, referrals and the occassional new friend, who doesn't like most stereotypical Realtors. Real Estate is my hobby.
I have two other great jobs- that pay better: The first is as a Mom to two beautiful kids, the second is in the high end travel/hospitality business - which takes me to places like New England in the Fall and the Kentucky Derby in May ... and more ... the third hat I wear is the one of Real Estate.

I love Real Estate ... I love travel ... I love reading about and visiting new town, cities and countries ... all of these things make mine valid comments.
Like Torrie and other Realtors on the board - a "title" or occupation does not define any of us.

The problem with message board and email is that it is hard to determine tone ... maybe no one was implying anything and maybe no one was defensive

[Sage of Sagle]

To clarify a point:

Realtors are a wealth of information on relocation, and our terms of service not only allow realtors to post but encourage their involvement with our forums, provided they answer questions with helpful advice, and let business come to them versus being aggressive here.

THIS IS FINE, and is not running afoul of what we're doing here. Do realtors tend to play up the positives of any area? I suppose, sure. But then again, I know others who are more "optimistic" about geographic areas who aren't in that business. Maybe it's just that people who are really positive about their living region tend to gravitate toward then SELLING people on that region.

Point is, a realtor giving advice on CDF is in no way a conflict. It's appreciated.

[MrGrumpy]

Originally Posted by maui08

Aloha

Okay, today I woke up bright and early and got a fresh start. I traveled up and down Eagle road looking at many open houses and checking out all the stores, restaurants, etc. I must say that this area has everything you could possibly need without ever having to leave it. I like that accomodating factor. I stopped for dinner and the wait was 30 minutes at 5 different stops! I finally asked the manager, why are all the restaurants so packed...is it always like this? He said yes, weekends here are always busy because people don't have that much to do at night so they go out and eat. I could not believe this as even in San Diego and Maui, you could find a restaurant here and there that was not busy....in this economy Boise seems to be doing pretty well considering all the folks out eating. I keep reading all the posts about Boise and it's slipping economy....sure doesn't look like it to me. Good job Boise!

-Today I could almost picture us living here.....given the fact that gas, groceries, utilities, home costs, etc are basically half the price here as in Maui. Could not believe milk is only around $3 here where in Maui it is around $7. Gas is $1.70 here, in Maui it's $2.50+. I could go on and on with this. The only real question is about these inversions.....? I met many folks today that said it was a good thing I didn't visit 2 weeks ago....some said the inversions were horrible and people couldn't go outside......Am I mistaken, or are these inversions just basically a fog that sets in for awhile and then blows out....? Is there some sort of danger that goes along with these? If the sun isn't out for a week or so and that's the worst thing about the weather here....then I'm sold on moving here!!!! In San Diego we get June gloom where the sun doesn't shine for days or weeks sometimes but San Diego still has wonderful weather. Is this the same type of thing with Boise? I understand it gets a little hot in the summer but everyone tells me it doesn't stay very long...a couple of weeks and then things cool down.....same for winter, really cold occasionally but mostly in the 40's....? Are these things true?

Thanks soooo much for your help. One more day in Boise....

Aloha

You definitely can get some cold spells here in Boise that last for weeks (ie 20-30 degrees) but fortunately it's not like some areas where you are stuck with permanent frost for months on end. As for the being dead all over the place it depends on where you live, try the north-end, warm-springs or east-bench area and there are plenty of trees/foliage around. It's all about compromises and deciding what you can put up with. The biggest question though is what you plan on doing for employment up here. With the economy the way it is I DO NOT recommend moving unless you have secured a steady decent-paying job.