What are the Good Areas in Boise?

As real estate agents, prospective buyers looking for a home often ask us some variation of the question, “What are the good areas in Boise?” It seems a fair question for a buyer to ask their REALTOR® and one most people think we should be able to answer.  However, for a variety of good reasons, we are not able to do so.  Here are two of the big ones:

1. It’s a Violation of the Law and the REALTOR® Code of Ethics: Communicating details about a neighborhood or community, even factual data, could violate the Fair Housing Act, established in 1968 to eliminate housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or family status  It could also violate the REALTOR® Code of Ethics which in addition to the classes mentioned above, also protects against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.   Voicing an opinion about a neighborhood, even if done with good intentions, can violate the law.  For example, if an agent affirms a particular neighborhood is great for families, the agent could be implying the demographic mostly consists of parents and children.  In doing so, they may draw families to the neighborhood or unintentionally push unmarried individuals or older couples away. Additionally, statements about crime rates or schools can sometimes be interpreted as a reference to race and therefore could also cause agents to be in violation of the law. Since most answers to the “What are the good areas in Boise” question could be perceived as steering prospective homebuyers toward or away from a community based on a class under federal protection, we are encouraged to let our clients determine those factors for themselves.  For more information on Fair Housing and our commitment to it, visit our Fair Housing page HERE.   

2. It’s a Matter of Opinion: In almost every case, the answer to the question, “What are the good areas in Boise?” is a matter of opinion.  Depending on a person’s experiences, likes, dislikes, wants, and needs, the answer may vary greatly from one to another.  Thus, even if we could answer the question without violating the law, how would we really know how to accurately guide you without knowing all of your history and preferences? And, how could we give you a fully accurate picture of how life might be like for you in a particular area?  The agents in our office each live in different areas.  We each have friends, family members, and clients who have lived or purchased property all over the Treasure Valley in a variety of cities and areas within those cities.  Each person’s reasons for saying "yes" to the question “Is this a good area for me?” are unique to them and depend greatly on their lifestyle, needs, and specifications.  Thus, instead of giving you our opinions or the opinions of others, we encourage you to seek out information to help you form your own opinion about the "good areas" in Boise for you!

In seeking to answer the question "What are the good areas in Boise?” for yourself, we recommend the following:

• Research the Areas:  Thanks to the internet, information and statistics are readily at your fingertips for pretty much anything you want to know about a given place. Make sure to look into the things of importance to you! As one option, the “Helpful Links” page on our site provides a number of good sources for researching different areas in the Treasure Valley.  

• Spend Time There: Probably the best way to learn about an area is to observe it in person.  Take a drive or walk through the neighborhood of interest at different times of the day, and consider what you see, hear, and experience.  Check out the restaurants, amenities, recreation, grocery stores, shopping, and entertainment options nearby. This will help you better know what life might be like there and if you might enjoy it!

• Talk to Others Who Live There:  While you’re out and about in an area, talk to people you meet who live there.  Ask what they like and dislike about the area as well as other questions to help determine what your likes and dislikes might be.  

Though we can’t answer the question for you, we hope this information is beneficial in helping determine YOUR answer to the question “What are the good areas in Boise for me?”  

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