The famous saying is buy land they're not making any more of it! And while that is certainly true there's a lot more than just buying a lot when it comes to building your mountain dream home. It can be a long road, but the satisfaction that comes from a bustom built home that is exactly what you want it to be is something that lasts for generations. To help you prepare for your journey into home building we've put together some tips!

Take Your Time
A dream is nothing to rush into! Don't get pressured into a property if it's not what you want, or at least a good compromise on what is available. You want to be able to spend years here, enjoying your time well into the future so spend a little time in picking just the right spot.

Choose the Right Builder
Here in Idaho we're fortunate to have a number of excellent home builders to choose from who offer a number of styles and price ranges. You'll want to pick the right one for what YOU want. That might be a luxurious mountain mansion complete with netzero smart appliances, or it could be just a modest cabin with the creature comforts. Your realtor will likely be able to help you with recommendations for a quality builder.

Be Patient
Building a custom home can take time, but the good news is your're getting something tailored to your tastes so it will be unlike anything else. Your builder will keep you abreast of timelines; it may be helpful to start a build calendar to share with the family so you all have dates to look forward to along the way.

The good news is, here in Idaho we have a wonderful selection of builders so finding one that will be able to build your dream home for you is a bit easier than other parts of the country. If you're still looking for the perfect piece of land, start here!

The triple digit temperatures here in Idaho seem to have finally come to an end; while we hesitate to say Summer is over, it definitely seems to be winding down. One thing that hasn't cooled down much is the Idaho real estate market! While the seasons haven't yet begun to turn it's never too early to start getting ready if you've been thinking about selling your home over the last few months. If you're not sure if the time is right, or are thinking of waiting until later in the year, we've put together a few quick things to consider first...

Your Home Will Likely Sell Faster
Like we said, the market is moving and buyers are motivated! According to the Realtors Confidence Index from NAR most homes are selling in an average of 17 days. Short days on the market is a good indicator that buyers are looking and ready to buy.

The Year is Only Getting Busier
It's a fact. As soon as Halloween rolls through you blink and BAM! It's Christmas. Chances are life is only going to get busier in the coming months and moving in the middle of the holidays can be a real hassle. These few months towards the end of Summer and before Winter and the golden time to list your home for sale.

Inventory is Low
This is great for sellers! This means that your property will stand out and be even more attractive to potential buyers. With fewer homes on the market it's more likely that you will be able to set a higher price or even have competing offers from buyers for your home.

You don't have to go it alone!
Garden Valley Properties is here to help you with all of your real estate needs! Whether you're wanting to sell or looking to buy we have the knowledge of the local Idaho real estate market that you will need.

You've done your research and seen how hot the real estate marketing in Idaho is right now...
With prices still going up and inventory staying low it makes it a prime time to consider selling your home, but where do you even start? To help home sellers we've put together 3 quick tips to help you get your home S-O-L-D!

Get Your Home Ready
More than just packing, this means a super deep cleaning, and a thorough round of sprucing up! You will want to take time to do any lingering repairs that might have been on the honey-do list for a while, touch up paint, and clean house like your mother-in-law is going to be staying permanently.

Getting your home ready can also include adding some quick updates and upgrades like new paint, floors, or other features that can add to your overall home value.

Get Your Home Listed
Sure, anyone can put a sign in the yard and wait but that doesn't mean it will get it done RIGHT. Even so, there are any number of pitfalls to avoid along the way and hiring a professional REALTOR® should be your first step. An experienced real estate professional will be able to do more than just list your home - they can help you set the right price, handle negotiations, and much more along the way to help keep the hassle out of home selling.

Stick with the Process
Follow your agents advice along the way and once the preliminaries are done and your home is listed it's a good time to have the details of your move worked out. Check in with your agent and lenders to make sure everything is running on track. Use the waiting time between listing and selling to take care of important items like moving services and doing any final packing.

Selling your home doesn't have to be hard! Our team of Idaho real estate professionals is here to show you how easy it can be to make the move and call the mountains home!

Being a first time home buyer can be a very exciting thing - but it can also be a very nervous time as well! It's easy to get overwhelmed, in good and bad ways, when you start thinking about buying your first home. The good news is you don't have to go it alone! Our team of experienced Idaho real estate agents has put together some quick tips to help you get off to the right start - take a read!

Check Your Financial Health
It's good to take a look at your finances before you even start. This way you'll know what you have to work with and what price range to start looking at. You'll want to make sure you have adequate savings set aside and that your credit scores are in good shape. If you're working with a lender they should be able to help you look into your finances and see where improvements might be made.

Decide What You Want Early
Don't think just about what you want, think about what you need. Everyone would love a massive sprawling bathroom with walk-in closets you could live in, but that might not be within your reach right now; it might not even be practical all things considered. It's good to think about what features you'd like in the home itself as well as other factors like location and distance to amenities.

Shop Around
This is your first home, so don't be too quick to just settle for the first place you see. Take a little time, go through a few different options and make sure the house you choose has all of the features you want. It may be wise to consider quotes from different creditors or banks as well to find the best rates on interest.

Explore Incentives
Many state, and even federally provided grants and programs are available for many first time home buyers. These special programs can help you save on costs, or recoup them after the sale; your chosen real estate agent should be able to help you become familiar with these.

Selling your home, especially if you've never done it before, can seem to be a incredibly difficult task! There are thousands of details in getting your home ready, finding an agent, deciding on a price, listing it, and then....the wait. We understand how stressful it can be to sell your first home and so we've put together some helpful tips to make the process as easy as possible.

Host An Open House
Holding an open house will get its fair share of local lookee-loo's but it'll also bring in plenty of potential buyers! An open house is the perfect way to present you home and make it available for viewing.

Line Up Movers Early
In fact, go ahead and start getting all of your resources together as early as possible. Price out moving services and even get on a schedule if you're able to plan out your move. Consider also looking up local service providers in your NEW homes area as well.

List Your Home Online
This is something you can count on when you sell your home with Garden Valley Properties! But beyond that, when you see your home on social media share the post and tell all of your friends - it's a powerful and fast way to get the word out fast.

Absolutely Insist on Professional Photography
Pictures sell a home. Especially if you're trying to appeal to out of state buyers who may not be familiar with the area. So be sure to insist on quality photos for your home, not just a walk through with a cell phone!

We hope these tips help you in getting ready to sell your home, and if you're looking for even more help we're only a phone call away - just call 208-462-4620!