So, where are all the people coming from in our valley?  Many of you have asked this question & I ran across this article from United Van Lines covering the basics of their survey.

I hope you enjoy.  Please contact me when you know anyone needing to buy or sell Idaho Real Estate!  I appreciate your referrals!

What County is that?

Many of you have asked me for a reference on Idaho License Plates and what those pre-fix designation mean. Well...here it is! You can now view the number and letter reference to know which Idaho county certain vehicles are from.

Keep in mind, those who have personalized plates do not have the county designations, so there's no telling from where they came!

CRS? ABR? GRI? What do these mean?

OK... So are Realtors just so egotistical that they have to display all those letters after their names?

Actually, these designations DO in fact have a meaning.  The most critical thing to remember is that these designations reflect a Realtor's commitment to education and a commitment to the quality of service they offer to their clients. 

Customers and clients alike, need to pay attention to these designations, simply for the fact that they represent experience and knowledge.  Our market, today, is filled with real estate sales people who have just recently passed the state exam (the minimum requirement) to assist home buyers and sellers in one of their most valuable investments.

Realtor designations also indicate areas of specialties for the agent.  Please take the time to review the following list of designations and remember, most of them require many more hours of classroom education than what is even mandatory by individual states.

Unfortunately, when economic activity declines and housing activity decreases, more real estate enters the foreclosure process. High interest rates and creative financing arrangements also are contributing factors.

When prices are rapidly accelerating during a real estate "bonanza", many people go to any lengths available to get into the market through investments in vacation homes, rental housing and "trading up" to more expensive properties. In some cases, this results in the taking on of high interest rate payments and second, third and even fourth deeds of trust.

The Mechanics' Lien law provides special protection to contractors, subcontractors, laborers and suppliers who furnish labor or materials to repair, remodel or build your home.

If any of these people are not paid for the services or materials they have provided, your home may be subject to a mechanics' lien and eventual sale in a legal proceeding to enforce the lien. This result can occur even where full payment for the work of improvement has been made by the homeowner.

Builders, in an effort to combat the dual problem of an increasing population and a declining availability of prime land, are increasingly turning to common interest developments (CIDs) as a means to maximize land use and offer Homebuyers convenient, affordable housing.

The two most common forms of common interest developments in many states are Condominiums and Planned Unit Developments, often referred to as PUDs. The essential characteristics shared by these two forms of ownership are:

In purchasing your new home, your future monthly payments will be made up of principal, interest, real property taxes and insurance, but what is the tax for the Community Facilities District, otherwise known as a Mello-Roos District? The LTA has answered some of the questions most commonly asked about the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act.

What is a Mello-Roos District?

A Mello-Roos District is an area where a special tax is imposed on those real property owners within a Community Facilities District.

Estate planners often recommend "Living Trusts" as a viable option when contemplating the manner in which to hold title to real property. When a property is held in a Living Trust, title companies have particular requirements to facilitate the transaction. While not comprehensive, following are answers to many commonly asked questions. If you have questions that are not answered below, your title company representative may be able to assist you, however, one may wish to seek legal counsel.

Who are the parties to a Trust?

How Should I Take Ownership of the Property I am Buying?

Real property has become increasingly more valuable and the question of how parties can take ownership of their property has gained greater importance. The form of ownership taken -- the vesting of title -- will determine who may sign various documents involving the property and future rights of the parties to the transaction. These rights involve such matters as: real property taxes, income taxes, inheritance and gift taxes, transferability of title and exposure to creditor's claims. Also, how title is vested can have significant probate implications in the event of death.

Underground heating oil tanks can pose many potential problems to both home buyers and sellers. They have been the source of many environmental problems such as contamination of surrounding soil and ground water.

Leaks are caused by the rust inside underground tanks, or by an electrical condition sparked by electric utility lines.

Buyers should have the tank inspected to make sure that it is structurally sound.

Radon is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas that has been estimated to cause 5,000 to 20,000 lung cancer deaths yearly. It is second only to smoking as a cause of lung cancer. It has been estimated that nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the US has elevated radon levels.

Radon is produced when small amounts of uranium and radium in soil and rocks decay. Radon gas will also decay into smaller and radioactive particles that can be inhaled into the lungs where it can damage cells and cause lung cancer.

Lead poisoning is a serious problem which can lead to adverse health problems. In children, high levels of lead can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, behavioral and learning problems, slow growth, and hearing problems. In adults, lead poisoning can cause reproductive problems, high blood pressure, digestive problems, nerve disorder, memory and concentration problems, and muscle and joint pain.

Lead poisoning is especially a problem in cities with older buildings. Typically, lead is present in the paint from older buildings, in the water supply, and in the environment from cars and buses. Preventing lead poisoning in large cities, where there is so much possibility for exposure is both difficult and expensive. Federal programs have attempted to address this problem.

When purchasing a piece of property, it is important to be aware of any environmental liabilities associated with it. For example, you should find out if there are any registered underground tanks within several miles of the property, any known contaminated properties in the neighborhood, or any property owners who have been fined by the government for failing to meet environmental safety standards.

Before, it took a costly site investigation for the information, but now there are online environmental databases available at a fraction of the cost. Anyone can access reports on otherwise hard to detect environmental issues. With these databases, it is possible to obtain a listing of hazards near a property, or spills and violations attributed to businesses nearby.