Photo Credit: iStock.com/irina88w

The spring thaw brings excitement and joy to many people. The cold winter months are leaving, and now we can look forward to using our yards for recreation. I don't know about you, but as a homeowner, one of the simple pleasures I have is mowing my lawn. And like many homeowners, I strive to have the best yard in my neighborhood. Having lush, green grass along with healthy trees, plants, and flowers is my goal every year. 

 
Photo Credit: iStock.com/groveb

Fertilizing Your Lawn

Lawns need to be fed to thrive. In colder, dry climates, as we have here in Idaho, it's good to fertilize lawns three to five times each season. In the early spring, a good fertilizer with crabgrass/weed prevention is a good start. Then

When buying (or selling) a home, it's a good idea to have a home inspection done to make sure there aren't any costly surprises lurking in the house. Most buyers require a home inspection and can make the sale contingent upon the findings. At its core, a home inspection is a protection that prevents new homeowners from uncovering a problem with the house that will need fixing or replaced. 

Every state has different requirements for home inspectors, and Idaho doesn't require home inspectors to have any formal training or certifications. As a result, using an inspection company that is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors can provide peace of mind about the professionalism of the home inspector. You can also rely on referrals from

Photo Credit: iStock.com/RCKeller

The first month of the new decade is in our rearview mirror, and the Intermountain MLS has released the home sales data for January. Not surprisingly, home prices continue to rise in both counties, and inventory continues to be tight as we march toward the spring buying season. Opportunities are there for sellers looking to capitalize on the continued growth of home prices.

Ada County

Ada County saw the median home price settle in at $363,000, a nearly 15% increase year-over-year, and up $13,000 from the previous month. The county saw 719 homes sold, a 21.5% increase year-over-year. Ada County has about 1,115 homes for sale, which is down nearly 20% year over year, equating to about 1.5 months of supply. This

If you're a homeowner here in the Treasure Valley, you've probably noticed that your property taxes are on the rise. The fees are going up due to home values rising and assessed levies for new schools. One of the easiest ways to save money on your property taxes is to file a Homeowner's Exemption with the county assessor's office. 

A Homeowner's Exemption reduces the property's taxable value 50% or up to $100,000, whichever is less. The exemption can only be applied to a single residence and up to one acre of land. Commercial property doesn’t qualify. 

To get the exemption, you'll have to apply, and it will remain in effect for as long as you own the home and use it as your primary dwelling.

You do have to apply by April 14th; otherwise, it

Ready to fall in love with a new home or new design trend? The Annual Boise Spring Parade of Homes is coming April 25th through May 10th, 2020. Put on by the Building Contractors Association of Southwestern Idaho, the three-week-long event allows people to tour some of the area's best new homes while exploring their communities. Many of the builders spare no expense and pay attention to the most minute details in their contributions. Their goal is to not only showcase their amazing homes to potential homebuyers but to win awards from a variety of categories. Recognition from their peers is as important as presenting a quality home.

The Boise Spring Parade of Homes allows people to visit up to 40 different custom homes. Additionally, visitors will

The Treasure Valley is home to many fantastic causes. The Mike Brown Group enjoys serving organizations that help foster the community in which we reside. Recently, members of the Mike Brown Group volunteered at the Idaho Foodbank, which provides food assistance to residents of the community who need it. The Foodbank doesn’t have any requirements or income qualifications to use the free food assistance services it provides. No questions asked to take advantage of their services.

At the Idaho Foodbank, the team put together backpacks and other boxes of donated food items to be distributed via the Foodbank’s many distribution partners. Their partners include churches, pantries, and other community organizations. Some of the organizations, like

Freddie Mac recently reported that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.45% during the week that ended February 6, 2020. That's a decrease of six basis points from the previous week, and the third consecutive week mortgage rates dropped.

The last time the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was at this level was in October 2016, when the rate averaged 3.42%.

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also fell to 2.97%, the first time since 2016 that this rate dropped below 3%.

As you can imagine, the near-historic low mortgage rates, coupled with a strong economy, will continue to propel housing demand for the next several months.

Here in the Treasure Valley, with already limited housing supplies, prices are going to continue their ascent. A recent

With the dawn of a new decade, it’s time to usher in a stream of creative design ideas for your interior spaces. In our previous article, we detailed some of the new interior design trends for 2020. In this post, we’re going to take a walk down memory lane, bidding adieu to trends that are “out” for this year. Between the two articles, hopefully, you’ll find inspiration for your own space, whether it’s an existing home or a brand-new home.

Subway Tile

Photo Credit: iStock.com/in4mal

Subway Tile backsplashes and accents in kitchens and baths were all the rage last decade. And for that reason, people are looking for other tile options as Subway Tile was overseen and overused.

Arches 

Photo: iStock.com/yenwen

While the golden arches of

The Ronald McDonald House provides housing for families who have traveled far from their homes to seek treatment for their injured or seriously ill children. Built on the premise that

nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest. The love and support of family is as powerful a medicine as the strongest medicine prescribed.

The house relies on volunteers to prepare home-cooked meals for the residents and the Mike Brown Group is proud to regularly prepare meals at the house.

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, members of the Mike Brown Group cooked a delicious meal at the Boise

Chances are if you’ve bought or sold a home, you’ve seen a “Seller’s Disclosure.” Legally, the entity selling the home has to detail information about the property that could affect the buyer’s decision to buy the property. This can take the form of the physical aspects or issues of the property as well as items that could pertain to the enjoyment of the property by the buyer.

Physical Property Disclosures

Let’s take a look at the physical aspects first. These are any known issues or problems that affects the piece of property, the house, outbuildings, etc. Things that need to be disclosed include:

• Major Structural Repairs
• Flood Issues
• Fire/Smoke
• Roof Repairs
• Mold or other Water Damage

Non-Property Specific Disclosures