​If you're considering buying real estate in Boise, Idaho, Boise is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States, thanks to its vibrant culture, outdoor recreation opportunities, and affordable cost of living. And if you're looking for an experienced and knowledgeable real estate agent to help you find your dream home, look no further than Carolyn Jackson.

Carolyn Jackson has built a reputation as a trusted and respected agent in the state of Idaho. She has a deep understanding of the local market, and is committed to helping her clients find the perfect home at the best possible price.

Communication: Carolyn knows that buying real estate can be stressful, especially for first-time buyers. That's why she places a strong emphasis on communication. She will keep you informed throughout the process, from the initial search to closing day, so you always know what to expect.

Personalized Service: Carolyn understands that every client is unique, with their own set of needs and preferences. That's why she takes the time to get to know her clients on a personal level, so she can tailor her services to meet their specific needs.

Negotiation Skills: When it comes to buying real estate, negotiation is key. Carolyn has honed her negotiation skills over the course of her career, and she knows how to get the best possible deal for her clients.

Attention to Detail: From the initial search to closing day, Carolyn is committed to ensuring that every detail is taken care of. She will work closely with you and all parties involved to ensure a smooth and stress-free transaction.

So if you're considering buying real estate in Boise, Idaho, don't hesitate to contact Carolyn Jackson, of Skyline Realty. With her expertise, communication skills, personalized service, negotiation skills, and attention to detail, she is the ideal agent to help you find your dream home in this beautiful city.

With everything that's been rapidly changing in the housing market, a common question on a buyer's mind is: what’s happening with home prices right now? There is always talk and updating headlines about ongoing price appreciation, but almost as often, you will see some sellers reducing the sale price of their homes. This can be confusing, and leave a potential buyer unable to understand a complete or clear picture.

Understandably, it can be difficult to understand what these experts are saying when the vernacular they use sounds similar. We can determine differences among these common terms to help clarify what’s happening with home prices today:

• Appreciation is when home prices increase.
• Depreciation is when home prices decrease.
• Deceleration is when home prices continue to appreciate, but at a slower or more moderate pace.

Across the country, experts are saying that what we are seeing right now is deceleration. Home prices are still appreciating, but not at the same pace (which was record-breaking!) that we had seen over the past year. Last year, data from CoreLogic shows home prices appreciated nationwide by an average of 15%. And in 2022, that appreciation was more than 20%. This year, experts forecast home prices will continue to appreciate, but at an average decelerated pace of around 10 to 11%.

The graph below shows the latest data from CoreLogic to help illustrate how home prices so far this year are decelerating, but not depreciating​:

As shown by the green bars, home prices appreciated between 19-20% year-over-year from January to March. Over the last few months, however, the pace of appreciation has decelerated to 18%. This means the growth in the price of homes is still climbing when compared to last year, but now at a slower rate.

- The Monthly Mortgage Monitor from Black Knight​

Current home prices are still far above the norm. We would have to see a lot more deceleration to come even close to more typical rates of growth in the price of homes. And yet, that's still not home price depreciation.

The biggest takeaway from everything here is that home prices haven’t fallen or depreciated nationwide, they’re only decelerating or moderating. While there may be some decline in unique and overheated markets, like what we have here in Idaho, home prices are forecast to continue to appreciate across the country. And when we take a look at the country as a whole, none of the experts project home prices will net depreciate or fall; they all project ongoing appreciation.

Bottom Line
If you have questions about what’s currently happening with home prices in Idaho, connect with a trusted real estate professional like Carolyn at Grafted Realty.

If you're a homeowner, you likely just got a big boost in your overall net worth due to rising home equity. Equity is what your home is currently valued at, minus the amount that you still owe on your loan. Based on recent price appreciation, you’re likely building that equity far faster than you may have expected. Here's how that works:

It's no surprise that home prices are on the rise, and this is because of the ongoing imbalance between the number of buyers in the market looking to make a purchase and the number of available homes for sale. Because of this heavy imbalance, however, your home is worth more in today’s market because it’s in high demand. Patrick Dodd, President and CEO of CoreLogic, explains:

“Price growth is the key ingredient for the creation of home equity wealth. . . . This has led to the largest one-year gain in average home equity wealth for owners. . . .”

Because your home value is likely to have climbed so much, your equity has most likely increased as well. In fact, the average homeowner’s equity has grown by about $64,000 over the last 12 months, according to the latest Homeowner Equity Insights from CoreLogic.
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That's considered the nationwide number. To see what’s happening in a specific area such as here in Idaho, check out the graphic below. Using the data from CoreLogic, the map breaks down the average year-over-year equity growth for each state. Idaho shows an average of about $52,000.

Rising Home Equity Provides Opportunity

Equity can help you achieve your financial goals in addition to just building your net worth. Buying your next home, for example! The equity you build up in your current home comes back to you in the sale of that house in the future. This means that, in a market where homeowners are quickly gaining so much equity, the amount you build may be just what you need to cover a large portion (or perhaps even all!) of the down payment on your next home.

If you’ve been hesitant to sell, or if you’re worried about rising costs should you decide to buy a new home, know that the equity you've built thus far in your current home can help fuel your move.
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Bottom Line

If you’re planning to move, the equity you’ve gained can make a big impact on what you're able to afford. To find out just how much equity you have in your current home and how you can use it for your next Idaho home purchase, connect with Carolyn at Grafted Realty!

Buying your first home is a balancing act of several factors. And because mortgage rates and home prices have both risen this year, it's costing potential homebuyers more now than it did just a few months ago. But that doesn't mean you need to place your dreams of buying your first home on hold!

If you partner with a trusted real estate advisor like Carolyn Jackson and hone your home buying strategy, you can navigate today’s complicated and ever-shifting market to find the perfect home you’re looking for. To get started, here are two tips:

Prioritize Your Wish List by Working with a Professional

If you’re having trouble finding a listing in your budget that fits your vision of the perfect first home, it is absolutely worth working with someone who can take an experienced look at what you want versus what you really need. In fact, your wish list can have just as much impact on your home search as your finances, according to the latest First-Time Homebuyer Metro Affordability Report from NerdWallet:

“Your budget isn’t all that you need to be concerned about; your wish list and desired location may carry just as much weight.”

You'll find that prioritization is key. Be flexible in what you’re looking for when it comes to finding your first home in order to open up your list of opportunities. Partnering with a local real estate professional will help you better understand what’s available in today’s fast-paced market, and they can help you reprioritize your wish list for the home you dream of. And if something from your "Must Have" list doesn't make the cut, you can always add features to make the home your own after you've purchased and moved in.

Consider More Locations and Increase Your Search Radius

In order to find more homes within your target price range, you may be required to be flexible on your dream home's location. Especially if you’re a remote worker, expanding your search radius just might give you the dream home opportunities you need. As Fannie Mae explains:

“. . . continued remote work flexibility is likely giving many the ability to live farther away in more affordable areas.”

Deciding to search in more places that have a lower cost of living could be the key in finding a home that fits both your budget and your wish list.

Bottom Line
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If you're serious about purchasing your first home this year, revising your dream home wish list and expanding your location searches can help. Work with a trusted real estate advisor like Carolyn Jackson to explore all the opportunities in your area, so you can achieve your homeownership dreams.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac has inched up to 5% in the last few weeks alone. That might sound like daunting news, but rest assured: the right time for your home search in Idaho is now. You might be inclined to put your home-buying dreams on hold, waiting for the rates to fall, but waiting is only going to end up costing you more. Mortgage rates are expected to keep rising in the next year.

If you’re thinking of buying a home in Idaho, keep a few things in mind so you can succeed, even as mortgage rates rise. 

How Rising Mortgage Rates Impact You

Mortgage rates play a significant role in your Idaho home search. When rates increase, so does the amount of your monthly mortgage payment; your home buying ability will be directly affected by how much you can comfortably afford.

The chart below is an example of the big impact even a quarter-point increase in mortgage rates can have on your monthly payment:

With these recent increases in mortgage rates, it’s likely that you have already noticed an impact on your purchasing power. Instead of delaying your plans to buy a home in Idaho, today’s rising rates should motivate you to purchase now before mortgage rates increase even more. Use this motivation to fuel your Idaho home search and plan the appropriate next steps accordingly.

The number one way to prepare for your home search is to work with a trusted Idaho real estate advisor now. An agent can connect you with a trusted lender, help you fine tune your home search according to your specific budget, and help you be ready to act quickly when the time comes to make an offer on the Idaho home of your dreams.

Bottom Line
Buyers who are serious about finding their Idaho home should use the recent increases in mortgage rates as extra motivation to buy sooner, instead of as a reason to wait. Waiting to purchase will only cost you more in the long run, as rates are expected to continue rising. Work with an Idaho real estate professional to understand your budget and purchasing power, and how you can be best prepared to buy your new home in Idaho before mortgage rates climb even higher.

• Involve the whole household in de-cluttering. It's a big job!
• Remove everything from an area
• Vacuum and wipe down
• Put items back that you love and want to keep!
• Donate or sell items that you no longer need

In your home search, now focus on the criteria you do WANT. A big back yard? A home with lots of natural light? Make a list and imagine what this new home might feel like!

• Rugs
• ​Upholstery
• Curtains
• Drapes
• Shower curtains
• Slipcovers (put slipcovers on while they're still damp for the best fit!)
• Get help from a professional carpet cleaner for carpets and big rugs

Now it's time to narrow down your list of available properties! Review your criteria and your options. We'll set up showings so you can see the properties!

• Clean behind the fridge and vacuum the coils
• Clean the garbage can and recycling bins
• Scrub grout in the kitchen and bath
• Clean out the dryer hose and vacuum the lint trap
• Clean blinds and dust light fixtures
• Vacuum hard-to-reach places,
• Clean plastic screens on TVs, computers, and other electronics

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There are a lot of little details in the final phase of getting your new home. We're going to make an offer and run through the appraisal and inspection process. We will handle all of these details for you--because let's face it--there's gonna be a lot of cleaning and packing to do soon!

Knowing key housing terms and how they relate to today’s market is important. When mortgage rates and home prices rise, it impacts how much home you can afford.

Terms like appraisal (what lenders rely on to validate a home’s value) and the inspection contingency (which gives buyers essential information on a home’s condition) directly impact the transaction.

Buying a home can be intimidating if you’re not familiar with the terms used throughout the process. Lean on a trusted advisor so you have an expert guide and advice for any questions that may come up.