Blog Entries for Ed Byington

Creative Selling

Ed Byington — Thu, 22 May 2008 01:40:51 +0100

Some may remember the late 70's, early 80's when interest rates were in the high teens and low 20's. The country was in recession and there just wasn't cash in deals. So we got creative.

Thank goodness for that experience. I just helped a seller get out from under a rental he owned and a buyer to get into their first home by recalling some of that old experience. The seller owned the property free and clear, but lived 800 miles away and was tired of low rents, vacancies an [...]

Nampa Idaho Get's New Library

Ed Byington — Tue, 20 May 2008 23:24:28 +0100

Last night in a 3 to 1 vote Nampa Idaho city council took a bold step to pave the way for a much needed library in downtown Nampa. Bold in that the funds will be taken out of the city's reseve temporarily while the court decide if the city's urban renewal district will be able to go ahead and bond for $15.5million to fund the project. The bond money would replace the reserve funds. The monies approved last night will allow the city to move ahead and purchase the land now. [...]

Building a New Custom Home

Ed Byington — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:09:24 +0100

Building a new custom home is both fun and rewarding. To begin with go to my home page and click on my custom home button.

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Meridian, Idaho Cavanaugh Ground Breaking

Ed Byington — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:37:14 +0100

Kastera Development recently broke ground on a $97 million, 177-acre Master Planned Neighborhood in south Meridian. The project is called Cavanaugh.

Cavanaugh will feature 548 homes, including apartments, urban-style lofts, condominiums, single-family houses, patio homes and estate-sized homes. Home prices will start at about $220,000 for an alley-accessed home to over $2 million for an estate-sized house overlooking the Treasure Val [...]

Great Tips for Saving at the Pump!

Ed Byington — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:20:35 +0100

I don't know what you are paying at the pump. Here in Meridian, Idaho it is up to about $3.35/gallon, and it gets higher each time I fill up! In the Real Estate industry, we spend a lot of time in our cars, so I really notice the rising gas prices. I came across these helpful hints, and thought I would pass them along.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have t [...]

Spring pictures of Meridian, Idaho!

Ed Byington — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:21:39 +0100

Well, we had one of our first beautiful, warm (70* which I know isn't warm for some parts of the country, but for us that was almost hot!) days last Saturday. It made me want to get out the camera and snap some photos.

Then I remembered that Shelly Houston from the Meridian Mayors office had already taken some fantastic pictures that she gave me permission to share. Since I am naturally lazy, I thought I would not re-invent the wheel and just use hers....

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Exra, Extra...Meridian Idaho home for sale receives multiple full price offers!

Ed Byington — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:08:50 +0100

Well, I have had a terrific day in Real Estate today! We received 2 full price offers on a Meridian Idaho Home for sale!!! We ended up taking one with No contingencies, and it will close in 30 days. Sweet! We may even get the home next door sold as well. These are homes priced in the high threes too, not starter homes for our market!

That is PROOF that things are still moving! At least in the Idaho New Homes Market, w [...]

Top Ten Reason's NOW is the best time this century to buy Real Estate in Idaho

Ed Byington — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:26:53 +0100

1. Selection, selection, selection. There are over 6400 single family homes on the market in Ada and Canyon counties in Idaho. Regardless of your price range, there are plenty of houses from which to choose.

2. No Bidding Wars. In 2005 many clients would bid on multiple homes before they were able to purchase one. Other buyers bid the properties up substantially from the original listing price. There is less competitive bidding in this buyer's market.

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What makes Meridian's Bridgetower so desireable?

Ed Byington — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:15:15 +0100

Bridgetower is a new Master-Planned Community in North West Meridian. It has many amenities that make it very sought after, even in today's slower Real Estate market. One of the most obvious, is it's TWO community swimming complexes. Bridgetower is a large community, but with two swimming complexes, everyone is close to the pool. How nice is it to enjoy having a pool, but not have the maintenance headaches, or worry over small children getting hurt? There is also a community park with play [...]

Tips for Selling Your Home in a slow market

Ed Byington — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:34:13 +0100

Right now is a slower than usual market, but job transfers and life changes know no difference and you mus sell your home. So what do you do?

Here are some suggestions:

1-Make your home feel like the most welcoming house on the block so buyers fall in love as soon as they pull up. Let them picture themselves hanging from the swing on your front porch or barbequing on your back patio or relaxing in front of the warm fire on a cold winter’s day [...]

Gardening in Nampa, Idaho

Ed Byington — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:52:29 +0100

The old timers in Nampa will always tell you to not plant your tomatoes before the snow is off the Owyhee Mountains or Schafer Butte. We are a Zone 3 climate and therefore should be aware that the plants we grow can tolerate the cold weather. Another thing; they must be "drought tolerant" as well. Before man-made irrigation Nampa was sagebrush and desert.

Lilacs, Choklecherry, Oregon Grape, Junipers, and Buffalo Grass are all naive to the area. Ja [...]

The TRUTH about the Mortgage Industry.

Ed Byington — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:11:28 +0100

It’s Ugly out there! As many of you have been hearing, the nations mortgage industry has been going through some very challenging times and there is a lot of finger pointing. I thought I would take a minute to set the record straight and explain the difference between what we do as “mortgage brokers” in the industry compared to banks.

Fifteen or twenty years ago if you needed to get a mortgage loan, you would go to your local bank and plead your case [...]

Life in Nampa

Ed Byington — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:58:56 +0100

Nampa is a great place to live. To me Nampa is "Mayberry" and Opy Taylor had nothing over me.

It was a pleasant country town on the Union Pacific railroad line half-way between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon or Seattle, Washington. It was nothing to hop on you bicycle and ride 5 or 6 miles to visit a playmate for the afternoon. Downtown Nampa, Idaho was busy; stores were full and shoppers in them. Life was good.

Now, life [...]