Pat Thacker

When Buying acreage properties, remember that your water supply is usually a private system located on your property. Unless you are in a subdivision with community systems, that will be discussed in a different blog.

  But for the most part you will be responsible for your own system. Prior to purchasing, these water systems, usually private wells, should be inspected.  In the treasure valley area of southwest Idaho, there are several things to test for when it comes to private wells. #1. Is productivity or how much water the well will produce on a GPM, or gallons per minute… Continue reading →

Boy, that is a good question. Home inspections have taken on a life of their own in recent times. They can either be a sellers nightmare or a buyers blessing! But should they be either of those ? I don’t think so. First lets take a look at the purpose of a home inspection. The true purpose is not to get an opinion of whether to buy or not buy.  The true purpose is to get an unbiased inspection of the real condition of the home today. Not what it might be in 6 months or a year, that requires… Continue reading →

I see lots of people who move to Idaho and buy an acreage for the first time. Yehaw,  now they can have dogs, horses, cows, chickens, a garden etc. 6 months later things aren’t so rosy. Why, usually unrealistic expectations and being unprepared for the environment. 

  What am I talking about? If you live in the country in Idaho, that can mean just a mile or 2 out of the city, sometimes the country will walk right into your back yard. You must realize that wildlife lives among the people when you live in Idaho. Even close to the… Continue reading →

Looking to buy or sell in Eagle, Idaho or surrounding Areas of Southwest Idaho? This is a very difficult market for both Sellers and Buyers to navigate. you may end up with a multiple offer situation as a seller or an offer just hours after listing. So those questions of did I price it correctly will haunt you?  As a buyer, Did I not offer enough? I keep getting out bid, will I ever find a home that I can afford? There are a lot of skills and tactics that experienced realtors develop over years of negotiating in all… Continue reading →

Looking for Outdoor Idaho properties for recreation or a second home? Idaho has lots of fantastic recreation areas close to the treasure valley and Boise. 

I think shopping by county can be one of the most effective ways to sort and choose properties as each county tends to define the types of properties you may be looking for. 

However, buyers must be cautious when shopping for recreational properties, water quality, year round access and vague property boundaries can lead to some big mistakes and legal issues when finding properties in out lying counties. The parcels and maps and… Continue reading →

When we talk about an easement, or a license to use a portion of someone else’s  real estate in Idaho, first lets look at a few terms. An easement has a benefited property, the one that gets the benefit of using the easement, and the burdened property, or the property that the easment goes through or across. Easements can be for many different uses. They can be for ingress or egress, they can also be temporary or permanent and pass on with the property. They usually will have a legal description and will spell out exactly… Continue reading →

Depends, are you in the city or the county? An easement, no but depending on whether you live within the city limits you may need to know the rules before you build your barn, only to find out the type of livestock you own isn’t permitted.

 For instance in the city of Boise, you must have at least one acre or  you must have horses or livestock on the property continually at all times or you can lose you right to keep livestock within the city limits. Eagle, Meridian, Star, Middleton and other cities in Idaho may have… Continue reading →

When Buying a home or property on a small or large lot in Idaho, have you ever wondered, where are the actual property lines? Well, it pays to be sure where those lot lines are. Especially if it is an older property where fences have been replaced or moved, and structures have been added. 

  A good place to start is with the Title company. First, ask for the plat map and very IMPORTANT, ask for an Aerial photo with the lot lines enhanced in color. Many times this will reveal any discrepencies in the property lines. I have… Continue reading →

Ever since the oil and gas boom started in the US, people are starting to get more excited and scared about mineral rights. Now in Idaho, we are experiencing more exploration and drilling for natural gas. 

Don’t get panicked just because you hear rumors about fracking and water contamination, faucets exploding fire coming out of the shower heads etc. Most of this is not true, and is propaganda. Although there may be pollution or land disruption from these activities, it is very heavily regulated by the State and federal agencies including the EPA. There are some things that… Continue reading →

So you are ready to buy or sell a home in Idaho. That is great, but before you jump, it is a good idea to have a plan of execution. If you are a buyer, first and foremost GET PREQUALIFIED WITH A LOCAL LENDER! I capitalize this because of its importance. I recently began shopping with a young couple who took my advice and were pre-qualified before we started. In the first several hours we found a property they loved and it already had 2 offers on it but the seller hadn’t accepted either one yet! So we quickly got… Continue reading →