The median sales price for the Boise housing market in February was $522,000.  This is up 1.7% (or about $9,000) from January and up 5.7% (or $30,000) from February of last year.   Though still sitting below the February record-high median sales price of $549,900, set in 2022, there seems to be a steady trajectory back in the positive direction. 

While prices are recovering, the market still feels incredibly slow, with only 527 homes being sold last month.  This number is up 14.8% from January but remains 15.3% below the number of homes sold in February 2023 and 24.7% below the more normal, pre-pandemic figure in February 2020. This decrease in sales does not reflect a lack of desire for people to buy homes in the Boise area but rather a lack of affordability to do so given current prices and high interest rates.  This slowdown in home purchases is not unique to us but is something being experienced nationwide.  According to data from Bright MLS, the top three reasons people have pumped the breaks on buying are:

Despite these concerns, projections for the Spring market are positive.  Reports suggest buyers may see some relief on interest rates by the end of the year, and seller confidence is also warming with the Spring weather.  If you’re considering buying or selling or are just curious to know more about real estate in the area or how the current market may affect you, we would love to be your resource for the information you need.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

For a quick snapshot of the Boise housing market for February 2024, see below.  

For more market statistics, including those for Canyon, Elmore, & Gem Counties, check out Boise Regional REALTORS® Market Report HERE. 

In our recent small group gathering, we looked at Hebrews 10:24-25 and shared how we had experienced the outworking of the verse in our personal lives.  The verse urges us to actively seek ways to uplift one another, to foster love and inspire goodness, and to cherish the importance of communal gatherings. It was such a joy to hear how each person in the group had been touched and motivated by the community around them. From simple acts of kindness like a friend delivering a smoothie and a hug on a hard day, to the faithful presence of someone walking alongside another in a transitional season, the impact was immeasurable. 

As I reflected on the many ways I have been stirred up by the love and care of the people around me, it not only gave me a deep thankfulness for the individuals the Lord has placed in my life but also heightened my awareness of the influence a simple encouraging gesture can have.  I pray the Lord would continue to nurture within me a heart that prioritizes the well-being of others above my own, and that He would ignite in me an ever-growing eagerness to extend compassion and encouragement in my daily interactions--even when it comes at a personal cost. I believe that as we each seek to emulate Christ's selfless love in this way, we will cultivate a community where love and goodness flourish.  What a welcome change that would be and what a beautiful thing to strive for!  

If you have a story of how someone has stirred you to acts of love and goodness, or if you've experienced moments where you've been an instrument of God's grace in someone else's life, I would love to hear about it. It brings me great joy to witness little glimpses of God's kingdom exhibiting here on earth, serving as a powerful reminder that His love triumphs.

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25)

By Katie Miller

For more blog posts by Katie Miller, click HERE

As mortgage interest rates dipped in December and January, many buyers got off the fence, and the Boise housing market saw pending sales increase to their highest number since June 2023.  Unfortunately, at the beginning of this month, we began to see rates move up again. We anticipate this may cause some buyers to pull back but are curious to see just how much it will affect home sales in our area in the coming months. In looking at national statistics, Redfin’s Economic Research Lead, Chen Zhao, anticipates that increased rates, which will likely stay near 7% for now, will give the housing market a slow start this year.  But, she expects that “activity should pick up a bit in the spring, partly because it’ll be selling season and partly because people are getting more and more accustomed to elevated rates.”  

Despite the effect these elevated rates have on affordability, home prices remain stable and are up by 4.7% compared to the same month last year.   Limited inventory—which is down by 12.6% from last month and 11.5% from last year--coupled with the ongoing influx of buyers to our area, suggests that prices are likely to keep rising rather than dipping. While the potential for price increases may prompt some buyers to act now and the opportunity for competitive offers due to low inventory may entice some sellers to list, the optimal time to buy or sell ultimately depends on individual circumstances.

If you're weighing the idea of buying or selling this year and are finding it challenging to determine the best timing, we're here to assist. Let's discuss your specific situation, review the latest market predictions, and analyze relevant data to help you make informed decisions about the next step in your real estate journey.

For a quick snapshot of the Boise housing market for January 2024, see below.  

For more market statistics, including those for Canyon, Elmore, & Gem Counties, check out Boise Regional REALTORS® Market Report HERE. 

Traditionally, I like to reflect on one word to describe the past year and one for the year ahead. In 2023, I chose "awe." But, in looking back as I wrote our Christmas letter, "sure" felt more fitting. The good news of salvation through Jesus remained a solid truth and a sure anchor in every high and low we experienced. While "sure" prevailed as my 2023 word, “awe” was certainly present in the wonderful, undeserved truth that the God of the universe is mindful of me—that He cares for me, is attentive to my needs, is not burdened by me, gave Himself up for me, and loves me despite my many faults and failings.  

My desire to experience an ever-increasing connection with this incredible God is what inspired my word choice for 2024—"communion.”  I decided to once again read through the Bible in a year using the Bible Recap Plan (If you want to join me, let me know!).  My desire is that this Bible reading plan not become another checkbox on my to-do list but rather a daily, exhilarating journey to commune with God and draw closer to Him. John 17:3 reminds me that real, eternal life involves truly knowing God and Jesus on a deep level. So, I’m eager to experience the joy and life that will come from connecting with Him through His Word.    

I pray that in doing so, the word of Christ will, as it says in Colossians 3:16, “dwell in me richly” –providing wisdom, helping me love those around me, and causing my heart to sing songs of praise and thankfulness continually.  At the end of the year, I hope my time of communion with God over His word will have brought me closer to Him and will have helped me to “comprehend with all the saints what is the length, width, height, and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that I may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

If you have time to leave a comment, I would love to hear what word would characterize your 2023 and why as well as what word you are hoping to characterize your 2024.  It’s always a joy to hear from you!

By Katie Miller

For more blog posts by Katie Miller, click HERE

Despite a slower year for real estate overall, the Boise housing market concluded 2023 in a stable position.  The median sales price in December stood at $516,745, marking the lowest for the year but still higher than the same period last year. To visualize the shift in median sales price from December 2018 to December 2023, refer to the graph below.    

While the number of homes sold in December was down 5.2% from the month prior and down 13.4% from the previous year, the number of pending sales increased by 1.6% and 13.2% respectively. This uptick indicates a rise in buyer demand, likely fueled by lower mortgage interest rates and more affordable home prices compared to earlier in the year.  While increased buyer activity is good news, limited inventory remains a notable challenge.  At the close of December, the number of homes available for sale was 1,184.  This is 13.1% fewer homes than were available last month and 19% fewer homes than were available in December 2022.       

Though constrained inventory will likely pose challenges for buyers in the coming year, there are strategic and effective ways to tackle them, and we’d love the opportunity to come alongside to coach you through.   Whether you are considering buying or selling in 2024 or want to plan so you can potentially purchase in the future, we look forward to assisting you in taking the next steps toward achieving your real estate goals. Feel free to reach out to us for a consultation—we're here to help!

For a quick snapshot of the Boise housing market for December 2023, see below.  

For more market statistics, including those for Canyon, Elmore, & Gem Counties, check out Boise Regional REALTORS® Market Report HERE. 

Here is my (Katie Miller's) family Christmas letter for 2023.  I hope you enjoy hearing what God's been up to in our lives this past year.  If you are willing to share, I also love to hear what God is doing in the lives of others, so it would be a joy to hear from you!  

Often, when people ask, “How’s life?” our answer is, “It’s full.”  The word “full” in this response has a dual meaning—on the one hand, it feels “full” like a cup brimming with blessing and, at the very same time, “full” like a plate on which one more thing might send it all tumbling.  Yet, in both our contentment and our chaos, we continue to find an unchanging, steady, and sure footing in Christ.   For this reason, 1 Corinthians 3:11 felt like a fitting verse for our Christmas card this year: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”  As we celebrate Jesus’ birth this season, we are encouraged again by the bedrock of our faith—that is Christ, our Savior.  Despite sin separating us from God’s holiness, His profound love drove Him to come for us!  He left His throne of endless glory to live among us in humble flesh—revealing God’s character tangibly through a life of holiness and sacrificial love.  Then, He died for us—paying the penalty His justice required for our sins, making a way for us to be right with God, and promising that anyone who trusts that His sacrifice accomplished this would indeed be saved.  Finally, He sealed this promise by rising from the grave—conquering death and darkness and inviting all who would accept the invitation to a never-ending life of joy by His side.  How incredible!  We accept!  For us, this is not just a sweet story that brings superficial cheer around the holidays. This is a real event with real, life-changing, and life-giving outcomes for us and, we hope, for you as well!  We praise God with thankfulness that whether our life this past year has felt ‘full’ of joy, chaos, family, work, contentment, sorrow, challenge, or some crazy combination of them all, Christ’s love for us, presence with us, and future with Him are secure.  He has been, is now, and always will be an unwavering and sure foundation...CONTINUE READING

By Katie Miller

For more blog posts by Katie Miller, click HERE

Over the past year, the Boise housing market experienced a notable and abrupt deceleration from its initial post-COVID pace.  However, a recent decline in mortgage interest rates has sparked a refreshing surge in buyer activity. This development is particularly exciting for prospective buyers who have been eager to purchase a home but unable to afford the cost-prohibitive, high-interest payments.  In addition to the possibility of more manageable mortgages, current buyers may also have a limited window to capitalize on the lower prices and greater opportunities for negotiation afforded by seller desperation from the last few months of sluggish sales.   While rate drops are good news for buyers, sellers are celebrating too—encouraged by an uptick in buyer interest, property showings, and even offers received.  Since these market changes are more recent, you won’t see them reflected in November sales figures.  But, with this newfound buyer momentum, we expect to see positive increases in both pending and closed sales come the end of December.   

Despite whatever positive movement is going on in the market, the decision on whether or not to buy or sell is always a very personal one—dependent on many more factors than just the state of mortgage interest rates.  If you have been considering whether to buy or sell in the coming months, we would love the opportunity to help you navigate the decision.  As real estate professionals who are knowledgeable about the market, familiar with the intricacies of real estate transactions, aware of potential joys and challenges that will come along the way, and committed to representing your best interest, we’re confident that we can be a valuable asset to you—one you’ll be thankful for and certainly won’t regret.   

For a quick snapshot of the Boise housing market for November 2023, see below.   

For more market statistics, including those for Canyon, Elmore, & Gem Counties, check out Boise Regional REALTORS® Market Report HERE. 

In honor of Thanksgiving, I was reflecting on the many things I am thankful for, and one that may seem silly but continued to come to mind was my bedroom.  Perhaps, it has something to do with the time change, the cold, and the early darkness, but I find myself eager to retreat to my room each night—much earlier than I should like to admit.  It is not necessarily the sleep that I look most forward to, but all the things that come with the nighttime routine.  I love washing my face, brushing my teeth, and putting on clean, comfy PJs—preparing to enter a time of rest after a full day. I love settling in to read my Bible, as I lay against stacked pillows, under warm blankets, with the soft light of the lamp by my side.  I enjoy the moments when my older kids, who aren’t ready to go to bed yet, come in with a desire to talk and share their stories from the day.  I look forward to the nights when Luke is home, and our room provides the occasional space for undistracted conversation.  Although not quite as peaceful, I cherish the nights when he is at work and a couple of the kids squeeze in next to me to sleep. I love the three signs that hang in my room.  The one to my left--an abstract picture of the mountains with the reminder from Psalm 121 that I need only look up to the Lord to find my help in time of need.    The one in front of me—quoting 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and reminding me not only of how I should love others but also of the beauty of how the Lord loves me.  And, lastly, the one to my right, which was made by a dear friend with the pages of an old hymnal.  The words “Bind My Wandering Heart to Thee” are printed along the side.  They reference the lyrics to the hymn “Come Though Fount of Every Blessing” and encourage me in the truth that my greatest joy is found in abiding in Jesus.     

Now, although I said earlier that it wasn’t necessarily the sleep that I looked forward to most, that is indeed part of it.  When I enter bed feeling poured out, tired, or just ready for a new day, I am so thankful for the Lord’s promises that he “gives rest to the weary and heavy laden” (Matthew 11:28).  Indeed, His steadfast love never ceases, His mercies never come to an end.  They are new every morning.  Great is His faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). 

As you reflect on the things you are thankful for this season, is there a particular space you find yourself thankful for?  If so, I’d love to hear about it.  

By Katie Miller

For more blog posts by Katie Miller, click HERE

Last month, the resale home sector of the Boise housing market is where we saw the most positive movement.  This month, however, it’s new construction that’s leading the charge.  Though still 11.1% below last year's prices, the median sales price for new construction jumped by 6.3% from last month.   Also, inventory of new homes also expanded by 6.2% this month, pending new construction sales rose 3.8%, and the number of new homes sold increased by 9.8%.   

Since we anticipate a rush on home buying if interest rates drop, it’s encouraging to see more new construction being built.  Continued increases in inventory for both new and existing homes will be important in helping to prevent a potential repeat of the last three years when the shortage of available homes led to aggressive buyer competition, hasty decisions, and rapid price increases. An increase in inventory will be an important step in helping to stabilize our market and improve affordability. 

If you are considering what your options might be for buying or selling in the next year and how future interest rates, inventory, and prices might affect your decisions, we’d love to meet to hear your wants and needs, share what we know, and hopefully help you assess when the timing might be best for you.  

For a quick snapshot of the Boise housing market for October 2023, see below:

For more market statistics, including those for Canyon, Elmore, & Gem Counties, check out Boise Regional REALTORS® Market Report HERE. 

If you know me, it probably comes as no surprise that I’m a perfectionist and by extension, I’m a fixer.  If something isn’t perfect, my tendency is to want to fix it, correct it, clean it, or make it right as quickly and thoroughly as possible.  This desire is true in relationships as well.  If I sense there is brokenness or something off between me and a friend, I quickly begin working to figure out all the things that could have gone wrong and what I need to say or do to make it right again.  If I can’t make it right quickly, I start to get distressed.  In one such recent incident, a friend called me out, saying: “Katie, you’re always in such a rush to fix things that you miss the beauty of the work God is doing in the brokenness.”  

I know my desire for things to be good, fixed, and put right is from the Lord.  After all, His way is perfect and just; His word is flawless; He is good and upright; and, there is no unrighteousness in Him (Psalm 18:30, Deuteronomy 32:4, 2 Samuel 22:31, Psalm 92:15).  But, in my eagerness to see things made perfect as I, in my limited human mind, understand perfection, I miss the better work that my perfect Father is doing in the waiting.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promises as some count slowness but is patient toward us and purposeful in His timing (2 Peter 3:9).  Though He is the ultimate fixer—the One who, with a word, can make everything wrong right again—He has chosen, in his infinite wisdom, to let brokenness remain for a season.  The thousands of years He waited to fulfill His promise to send the Savior of the world and the 2,000+ years He is waiting to return to make all things new are no accident or unkindness or mistake, but rather His perfect way of making all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  

So, I’ve been trying to surrender my striving to fix things in my human effort and in my desired timeline, remembering a few very important truths.  First, I’m not capable of fixing them on my own, and I’m going to wear myself out trying.  Second, I have a Father who can fix them, who knows when and how best to do it, who has promised me He will, and who has proved trustworthy to keep His promises. As His child, I can simply give Him the brokenness and watch in wonder as His perfectly good and capable hands make things new in ways my finite mind could never have imagined.  May He help me to keep my eyes on Him so I don’t miss it! 

By Katie Miller

For more blog posts by Katie Miller, click HERE