Fall is officially here and we’re in the last quarter of 2026. As you’re settling into a consistent work or school schedule and starting to prepare for the holidays, maybe you’re also starting to set your sights on what is the next step for your family in the upcoming year. Maybe you’re wanting to relocate, whether in the Valley or outside of it, or in another state entirely. Maybe your family is growing and you need more space, maybe you need less space since your youngest moved off to college and the house feels too big now. Maybe you have new work opportunities or just want a change of scenery. If you own your current home and are considering moving, there’s a few things you’ll want to do before listing your home to help the process go as smoothly as possible.

The first step is finding a good real estate agent who is trustworthy and experienced. Hiring a real estate agent will take a load off your shoulders as they can handle paperwork, set up showings, and deal with offers and counter offers. Once you’ve hired an agent, then you can start handling the rest with confidence.

Before you do anything else, you’ll want to research the market in your area and figure out your finances. How much are homes going for in your area, what could you list your home for realistically, can you afford closing costs, what is the next step for you, and will you be able to afford all that it entails? Being informed is the best thing that you can be while having a house on the market. Your real estate agent will be able to help you compare house prices and suggest reasonable selling prices, and you can always meet with a financial advisor if you need extra advice on handling your finances.

Once you have a handle on the finances and legal matters, then it’s time for the practical tasks of selling a home. Decluttering and cleaning your house will do wonders for first impressions of new buyers during showings. You are aiming for a clean, neutral space so that buyers can see how spacious the rooms are and where they could put their own belongings. Make any necessary repairs as well, things such as broken doorknobs, drawers, cupboards, holes in the walls, or scratches in the paint. Make sure your yard is tidy as well and the lawn is mowed, and any trim is touched up. You want your home to be inviting and feel comfortable and neat! Getting a professional photographer to take your listing photos is our recommendation, since they have the training and abilities to make your home feel more spacious and well-lit than an amateur could.

While your home is on the market, you will want to make sure that you’re flexible and ready to leave when a showing is scheduled, that your home is neat and smells good, and be punctual with paperwork and keep your expectations realistic. Selling a home can be a stressful endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be! Let us at TVPM and RE know if you have any questions about selling your home or if you’re ready to get started on this journey.

The long, hot days of summer are mostly behind us now and the nights are getting chilly! With kids headed back to school and schedules going back to normal, maybe you haven’t even considered what your next step of housing will look like. But maybe you are feeling the tightness of your current space with the dark winter days approaching, or maybe you’re wanting to put your money into something that is actually yours and not just rent going into someone else’s pocket. The process of home buying can be overwhelming, however, whether it’s your first time or your fifth; and just in case you need a refresher, here’s an overview of the basic steps that you’ll be taking when you enter the process of owning a home.

Before you ever go to a home showing or scroll listing websites looking at potential properties, you will want to go through your finances and ensure that you really are ready for home ownership. Saving for a down payment is always a good idea, as well as knowing where your credit score lies, the state of your budget and income, and doing research on where you would like to live and what the cost of living there is compared to where you live now. There can be a lot of hidden costs with home ownership and you’ll want to ensure that you are ready for the responsibility. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage loan could also be a good idea depending on your situation. You may qualify for different programs in your area, especially if you are a first time home buyer or veteran, so make sure you do your research and talk to a good financial advisor if you have questions.

Next, make sure you have a good real estate agent to work with! Someone who’s experienced with what you want to buy, where you want to buy it, and is honest and reliable. Then you can begin the exciting part of buying a home: researching homes, attending open houses or home showings, and making your final decisions! Your real estate agent will handle all the necessary communications and paperwork for these steps, another reason why getting in touch with a qualified agent is a good idea.

Once you’ve settled on a home you want to buy, you and your agent will send in an offer and start the negotiation process. It’ll look like a lot of back and forth paperwork, requests, and concessions. If your offers gets accepted, then you’ll have more paperwork to sign and fees to pay, and you’ll also want to to get the home inspected before you close to ensure that there’s nothing hidden you’ll need to take care of in the home that you don’t want to. Then once you close, you’ll be the proud owner of a new to you home!

We hope this information was beneficial to you, and if you need any help or have any questions, please reach out to us at TVRE and PM. We’re always happy to help!

I’m sure you’ve all been feeling the heat of the Treasure Valley these past few weeks! Our summers are not terribly long but they sure are hot. The housing market has also been pretty hot the past month, let’s take a look at what’s been going on and also see what big differences there are between the rental market and the buying/selling market.

The Treasure Valley, specifically the area surrounding Boise, is a hotspot for out-of-state buyers and big investors. As a result of the high demands for homes and properties, prices for both rentals and homes for sale are quite high. Boise’s median rent is around $1,800 a month and Meridian is around $2,300 a month. Nampa, a more affordable larger city, is around $1,500 a month. Many renters who can’t afford the areas on the east side of the valley are starting to move out towards Caldwell and beyond. As for homes on the buying and selling market, Ada County’s median sold price was $540,990 in March 2026 down 4.25% year over year; and Canyon County’s median sold price was at $432,490, up 1.76% year over year. Ada County is at about 2 months of inventory, and Canyon County is at just over 2 months of inventory, both under the ideal of 4-6 months of inventory, but definitely better than we’ve had in previous years.

Overall, we do still believe that if you can buy, do it! Renting can be good for short-term, but with the influx of newcomers to our state, renting prices are high and options are slim. It would be better for most people to put money towards something they can own, even if maybe you live a bit further out from Boise than you’d prefer. Consider your options and stay informed, contact us at TVRE and PM if you have any questions!

Summer is finally here in the Treasure Valley with its long, sunny days, ongoing celebrations of the U.S.A’s 250^th birthday, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventures with the whole family. If you’re hoping to move into a different home this summer, whether to get more space for your family or to downsize and have less space or yard to take care of, you will have to decide whether you can buy or need to rent. Maybe you’re waiting on a new build to be finished, or don’t know what exactly you even want yet, or maybe you genuinely don’t have the financial ability to purchase a home for yourself. Renting is a great option for any of those scenarios! Let’s take a look at how the Treasure Valley rental market is doing this summer.

There’s a strong rental market in the Treasure Valley, with over 3,000 listings as of Spring 2026. Many landlords are competing for tenants and are working properties to appeal to families who normally would have bought houses already but are waiting out the high prices of the current market. There are also plenty of new builds being worked on and people often need temporary housing while they’re waiting for their homes to be finished. 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom homes are often the most attractive rentals, and Meridian, Caldwell, Kuna, and Middleton are some of the hot places to get homes since they are affordable and accessible locations. Most rentals range from $1,500 to $2,500 a month.

If you’re looking to rent, you’ll want to ask yourself what your long-term goals are and find something that works for your family and that won’t trap you in a rental agreement for longer than you need. Pay attention to your finances and keep an eye on the market if you’re hoping to be able to buy a home soon, don’t let your monthly rent eat away at your savings when you could be putting that money into a mortgage payment. Feel free to ask us at TVPM and RE any questions you might have, and don’t forget to research and stay informed.

In this day and age, you may think that renting is the best choice for long-term savings. And in some cases, you may be right! However, you might be surprised at the passive savings that you can accumulate just from living in your own home and paying off a mortgage instead of paying rent.

While renting is typically cheaper than paying a mortgage, owning a home means that you can collect equity, which is the financial stake you have in your home. If you put a down payment of 20%, then your equity will be 20% of the home’s value at closing. Each time you pay your mortgage, you gain more equity in your home until you own it outright. If you were to sell your home and you have 40% equity from paying off your mortgage each month, you will receive more money than what you paid initially on the sale of your home! But if you were paying a landlord, the rent you deliver each month will make its way into your landlord’s pocket and not back into yours, unlike with selling your home and gaining back your equity.

In addition to building equity, owning a home also means that you can refinance and potentially sell your home at a greater price in the future. Or, if you decide to stay there long-term, it would mean that you never have to worry about a landlord kicking you out or raising your rent and you can put down permanent roots. Renting does have its benefits too, however, if you’re not able to factor in the costs of maintenance, property taxes, and mortgage payments into your budget yet then renting is great for keeping a roof over your head while you save. But, if you’re able to buy a home and just haven’t yet, you should do it! You’re missing out on the equity you could be building just from owning your home and the rent you are paying each month is just going down the drain (AKA into someone else’s pockets).

Contact us at TV Idaho RE and PM if you have questions regarding home equity or renting, or just want to talk about home ownership or selling your home! We’re happy to help you in any way we can.