Who are Idaho's Largest Brokerage Companies and how do they perform. Is bigger better?

Idaho Real Estate Brokerages

Information obtaind from IMLS Markte Share Report. Deemed reliable and accurate but may not be exact.

What can you learn from this chart and these #'s.

Three Largest Idaho Real Estate Brokers- Keller Williams, Silvercreek, Coldwell Banker Tomlinson Group.

Which company is the most productive? CORE Group by almost double everyone? Another interesting perspective of this chart, which does not include every real estate company in Idaho, is that if we agree that an agent would need to sell at least a home a month to make a living, this is the only company where agents can work full time with out a second job?

I would not recommend using this chart, necessarily, when looking for a Realtor because at the end of the day it is about agent performance and client satisfaction- your satisfaction! There are professional agents that work hard to take care of clients across the Treasure valley who work for a variety of brokerages. Finding the right agent for you is a personal choice. That being said the chart above easily displays which companies have the largest resources to sell homes and who are the most aggressive or hire agents that are closers.

How to choose an Idaho Real Estate Agent

1. Referrals. There is nothing better than a trusted advisor sharing their network with you. Another way to get referrals is from your bank. The home loan department will definitely have relationships with several in the industry.
2. Personal Relationship. While an agent referred to may do a great job, it is still about personalities and getting along with someone who is going to help you buy or sell something that costs tens of thousands of dollars. You may need someone who tells you what to do as opposed to someone who wants to be your friend? Choose wisely and in your best interest.
   
3. Don't settle for the first person you meet. Check out at least 3. Remember that when you are interviewing candidates, it is not about whom you like the most, it is about who is going to work best on your behalf. If you are looking for a buyer's representative, I would not look for someone who is not a strong negotiator.
4. Get it in writing. It is easier said than done, right!
   
5. They all cost about the same. Hey everyone deserves an equal opportunity but the professional with years of experience and numerous transactions charges the same as the guy fresh out of the box? To be fair, the green ones may have fewer clients and will have more time for you and willing to go the extra mile.

Trey Langford

BuildIdaho.com

When you are considering a new home for sale and try to negotiate for a better price remember these points.

A home is something that rarely sells for the asking price. As a matter of fact, many people will not buy a home unless there is some negotiating on the price. Seems kind of backwards, you almost have to ask more for your house to get the price you want in the first place?

New homes are a different kind of purchase. First, It is being sold by an Idaho home building company. Secondly, it is being sold for profit, that is profit not capital gains! Thirdly, if the builder has a stake in the community, selling the home at a discount not only undercuts the value of previous home owners but also future home owners, including you. It also effects future profits for the builder because appraisers will see that the home is now worth less!

We do not want to say that you should not try to get the best price on a home, on the contrary, you work hard for your money. Also, it is true that the cost to build a home between builders can vary by thousands of dollars. A larger home builder is getting bulk discounts and is probably getting a better price on the lot as they are also buying in bulk on home building lots. Smaller home builders, on the other hand, are on the job continously paying close attention to every detail.

A credible builder understand the value of the home before it goes up. They have already researched the market and understand what similar homes in the area are selling for. This is important to know for you as the buyer so you can compare home for sale.

A credible home builder is probably not going to negotiate on price as much as you would expect. Two years ago there were fewer buyers in the market and prices were much softer than they are today. Builders were much more motivated to sell a home fearing another buyer may not walk through the door for months.

Today, the new construction market is small but doing well with out of state buyers and they are offering cash. Today's home buyer is seeking value and willing to pay for it and builders are eager to meet their needs.

Interestingly enough, as competitive as it is still, good builders understand home buyers and the marketplace. They are definitely negotiating on price but in a much different way.

One of the first things they will do is offer to pay for closing costs. While this is still thousands of dollars, many do not see this as a sign of negotiating. As we mentioned earlier, the builder is less willing to negotiate on price in the market because it not only affects the previous home owners but it will also cut into future profits as appraisers now see that the "new" home value is your price. Even if they wanted to increase the price on the next prospective home buyer, the appraisal would not be able to justify it, if there were a bank inolved for a home loan.

Tips to Negotiating the price of a new Idaho home for sale

If you like the floorplan and the Home Builder is not willing to negotiate on the price of that specific home, ask for the price of the exact home on a different lot or in a different community.

If it is a model home, request pricing for all the upgrades, like granite, garage extensions or upgrade landscaping to see what you could live without today.

One suggestion, so that you are not taken advantage of, is to hire an Idaho Real Estate Agent to be your buyer's representative. They make a commission on the sale but cost you nothing,(?) I say cost you nothing but builders clearly realize that some 3% of the deal is thousands of dollars. They are glad to pay it which is included as part of their marketing costs but if you approach them as an individual, it may allow for some negotaiting flexibility. For example, they may not negotiate on price but willing to include more landscaping.

Another idea is to ask the builder to pay the HOA dues for a time period, or even utilites.

Learn more about Idaho Home Builders

Search Boise Idaho Home for Sale

Learn more about the average price of new and existing home sales prices have changed since 2005.

Star Idaho Real Estate Report

Star Idaho is a small town about 20 miles west of Boise Idaho.

While the average sales price of homes have dropped $200k in Star Idaho, the quality of life remains just as strong. This is the quiet side of Ada County with even more open space! Here one finds a range of housing opportunites from entry level homes like Saddlebrook to highly amenitized communities like Heron River or Pinewood Lakes to estate lots in communities like Stonebriar on the River.

This graph displays average home values of home the the Star Idaho MLS area by quarter from 2005 to present.

source Intermountin MLS

Star, ID is a small town located about 20 miles west of Boise. The city has a reputation for it's rural character and is community oriented with an active Parks and Recreation program. It is best know for Mule days in June but it is also has a reputation for being quieter and having a slower pace. The Boise River runs just south of town with foothills just to the north.