Archive for the 'Down to Earth Information' Category

How Can We Be Part Of The Solution?

July 30th, 2007 categories: Down to Earth Information

This little pest has officially been found to be carrying the West Nile virus in Ada county this weekend.

These infected mosquitos have not been found in Kuna yet, so we need to help keep this pest at bay.  Even thought aerial spraying happens at night, and dissipates before morning, why wait? Aerial spraying is only necessary when monitoring and treatment efforts don’t work. And having to have large quantities of pesticide dumped on our land just doesn’t seem like the best alternative or the cheapest solution.  To protect those that are most vulnerable, like children and elderly, lets do more than the obvious.

The obvious and easiest is to not allow standing water.  What I see that is most discerning is not the homeowner, but the subdivisions where no one is monitoring the watering of the common areas and large puddles are formed,stagnant and inviting.

What can we do?  Let’s get vocal.  Call your property management company and let them know there is a problem.  Only concerned neighbors can make a difference.  If no one says anything, how are they to know?  

Visit this website for more ideas what we can do to avoid this problem. This is a opt out form letter for organic farmers, but has great information for the homeowner.

 http://www.newwest.net/index.php/topic/article/xutos_no_spray_plan_submitted/C108/L108/#comments

 

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Do Smells Make A Difference When You Buy A House?

July 26th, 2007 categories: Down to Earth Information, Real Estate News

Since I want this blog to be a resource for people that don’t know Kuna very well, I thought this would be an important topic to cover.

Yes, we know smell does make a big difference when trying to sell your home. “A house that smells will never sell” is not entirely true, but it does turn off lots of buyers and can account for lower offers coming in.

I have a very sensitive nose and really love my sense of smell, most of the time. I always equate a smell to a memory. Since I grew up with lots of wonderful childhood memories, most smells, conjure up great feelings.

So do smells from the community make a difference when you buy?

To some people it does! That is something you have to know about yourself.

There are lots of “smells” in Kuna. As a manner of fact, that is something I hear often from the city folks, Kuna has some smells to deal with. This is my list, may it bring good vibes to your nose.

1) Cows: We do have some dairy farms in the surrounding countryside. There is a dairy farm across the street from the high school. I’m sure that thrills the students when a rival school team arrives on campus.

2) Horses: Entirely different from cows. Probably because horses are related to more fun activities than cows are.

3) Mint: Especially when they are harvesting

4) Hay: Different smells at different stages of growth, and we have lots of hay fields.

5) Corn: Smells are only during tasseling time, wish there was more of that smell (you can tell I’m from the Midwest)

6) Dryness: How does that smell? Well you’ll just have to be here to experience that. But it does smell, maybe it is dirt I’m smelling.

7) Styrene: What? Unfortunately we do have a manufacturing plant in Kuna that emits this in low quantities, but you can still smell it in certain subdivisions in Kuna.(Ask your Realtor)

If smells are important to your quality of life, I suggest you do your house hunting just about dusk with the car windows down. That is when those smells start to waver in. Personally, I love the smell of a country town.

Tags: Kuna+Idaho, smells

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5 Things You Should Check Out After Listing Your House

July 22nd, 2007 categories: Down to Earth Information, Real Estate News

1. Pictures: Find your house on the internet using your agent’s website and see how it looks to the rest of the world. Most realtors are not professional photographers but can take pictures that honestly portray your home,attracting buyers.

Avoid:

• photos that are too dark
• rainy day photos
• people in the pictures
• if you can’t tell what it is, don’t publish it
• lots of personal things
• pictures taken from the inside of the agent’s car with a camera phone
• photo trickery, can be a real disappoint to the potential buyer

Website that features some pretty bad photos

2. Directions: Somewhere on the listing should be directions on how to get to your house originating from a major, well-known point. Most directions to Kuna start with; Meridian road south….ect. Just check it out and make sure buyers are being directed correctly. When we moved here, our agent could not find a subdivision because of faulty directions (and she didn’t know Kuna very well) But remember, you have people accessing this information now who will use those directions to drive by before they ever get an agent involved in the search.

3. Map: Also on the MLS listing should be a map. I find more problems with this feature than any other. Using an agent unfamiliar with your area can lead to a problem when it is located on the map incorrectly. It can also be a lack of understanding how to input that information correctly into the system. This program will default to a spot somewhere not even close to your house. Check it out, you don’t want other agents or customers to skip looking at your house because of the omission of this simple piece of information.

4. Multiple Listing Details: These are the little bits of information about your house that agents and potential buyers can read online. These details are what can make someone dismiss or desire to look at your home. Have your agent give you a printout and check it closely,to be sure all the details are correct. I always appreciated knowing if a mistake was made. I would rather find out now than after the fact when someone is wondering where their refrigerator is!

5. The Internet: Try various different ways to find your house on the internet. More people start looking for homes on the internet than any other media. If you can’t find it, than buyers probably can’t either.

Tags: listing, real+estate, Kuna

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Fires, Tigers, and Bears OH MY!

July 11th, 2007 categories: Buying Land Advice, Down to Earth Information, Real Estate News

This time of the year is when the West is in the disaster headlines more than any other time.

Yes, we have other natural disasters(few and far between) like volcano eruptions, earthquakes, flooding and blizzards. But, here in Kuna, we are blessed with very little worries concerning weather.

We fight off an occasional mosquito, rattler, or badger and don’t have to be too wary in the wild.

But wild fires are burning in Idaho and Eastern Oregon. We can see the smoke and smell the fires.

This caused me to stop into our local fire department and ask the chief “How important is knowing your fire district when you consider buying a piece of land in the country?” This is one thing we don’t always take into consideration when looking at that beautiful piece of Idaho dream land, whether in the woods or the desert.

I was surprised to learn that there are parts of what we consider Kuna lands that are not in a fire district. You don’t pay taxes for that service and guess what?

you don’t get those services if you have a fire or emergency.

So if you are looking at a property outside of the city limits, please include these questions to your considerations.

1.) How long will it take for the fire department to reach my house?

2.) Is it made up of volunteers or staffed firemen?

3.) Do I also have 911 emergency services?

Tags: fires, fire+departments, kuna+land

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Snapshot Of Kuna

July 11th, 2007 categories: Community Events, Down to Earth Information

        The Jackson Report

There is a great video of Kuna on the web site for The Jackson Report that really shows a visitor a little about Kuna.  I think it’s creator, Gail Jackson , did a wonderful job of capturing the feel of Kuna.  I’ve added this web page to my links.  This publication will contain short insights into the realtors at the Jackson Group, comments of community events, public opinion, brain teasers and even some real estate related news.  Enjoy

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Don’t Let Your Water Fun On Indian Creek Turn Deadly This Summer

July 9th, 2007 categories: Community Events, Down to Earth Information

Once again some innocent people with a child in tow, came crawling out of Indian Creek obviously shaken.  It happened to my family so I know the fear this float can cause is more that “ferris wheel” fun!

Please be aware! You are taking your life in your own hands if you float Indian Creek without proper equipment.

There are experienced kayakers and rafters that get in the creek at the City park and get out at Crimson Point or Black Cat and they have quite a great time.  But they are experienced!   And they have life jackets and proper water craft. 

The problem lies in the fact that the creek widens out in the city and looks like quite a docile, swift cool stream to float with a tube and a drink in one hand. But after a few turns it leaves the view of the road and this creek turns into a raging, almost continuous rapid with very high canyon walls and no place to bail. 

This creek belongs to the irrigation district and is not the responsibility of the City of Kuna, hence no signs of warning along the creek and really no place in town to get that information. When we talked to some fellow floaters, they hinted that it was kind rough, but did not feel obligated to warn us of the possible consequences.   

My suggestion is to get in at the Strobel Road and get out at the City Park for a swift float that avoids the dangers of the rapids and canyons. Of course you should wear a life jacket especially if you are a child or not a strong swimmer. 

 

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What I Didn’t Like About The Boise Fireworks

July 5th, 2007 categories: Community Events, Down to Earth Information

Boise’s fireworks were great, considering they haven’t had a fireworks show in four years.  And the whole city turned out to enjoy the festive occasion.  But I just couldn’t compare them to the show put on in Melba or the fireworks display during the Kuna Days festival in August.

And it’s not the fireworks that make the difference.

It’s the crowd. Maybe being closer and having the spectators all together in one spot is what makes the difference. Maybe there isn’t as much fear of being weird or out of place. When the booms go off in Kuna or Melba, everyone is into it. The masses sway and connect with the music. Loud outbursts of approval with cheers and claps reward the best fireworks. And when the smoke clears from the last finale, the people are still there absorbing that magical moment. There even seems to be a little reluctance to leave the park, in no big rush to beat the crowd, but lingering to talk with another neighbor. 

Big cities have their perks, but in my opinion, nothing beats the atmosphere and friendliness of a small town.   

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10 Things to Keep In Mind If You Want To Subdivide Your Property

July 4th, 2007 categories: Buying Land Advice, Down to Earth Information, Real Estate News

 So you are ready to let some of your precious land go to another landowner, or even to a group of landowners, in hopes of using that equity to take a trip you’ve always been dreaming of, or pay off your kids college, or just not have to take care of it and pay taxes on it anymore. Whatever the reason, be sure you do your homework.  These are just a few things I have learned that could save you a little stress. Good luck!

1. Talk to your Planning and Zoning authorities.  Let them know what you plan to do and listen to them.  If they recommend larger than one acre lots, don’t subdivide into one acre lots. Remember, they are thinking like the social engineers they are trained to be and talk all day to developers, engineers and occasionally a homeowner.  So they do not always think about the cost or complexity to you, a lowly individual. So ask questions and listen, they will steer you in the right direction.  Always write down who you spoke to, when, and what was discussed.

2. Start compiling a list of costs before you begin.  Permits, driveway, engineering, aerial shots, improvements and a survey all add up and vary depending on the job that you are doing. Try once again to quote people or get it in writing. Just the cost of asphalt can fluctuates depending on the time of the year. Make sure you understand anything you sign and it states specifically what you will be receiving and when.

3. Find out if there is some leg work you can do yourself to keep the expense down.  Find out from planning and zoning what you can do versus what an engineering company needs to do.  An engineering firm will charge considerably more for something as simply as sitting at a community meeting waiting for people to show up.  If it is a complex subdivision and will raise lots of questions from neighbors this may be worth the cost.

4. Hire a good engineering company: Get referrals from neighbors that have done the same. I have worked with two different companies and they were like night and day.  Please get a referral from someone that has actually used the company. Be wary of a referral because they are a local business or friends, that is no guarantee of a good business.

5. Talk to your neighbors. Find out how they feel about developments that are going in the area.  Without letting them know what your intentions are, you can get a good feel for whether they will “do anything to keep that from happening here” or whether they themselves are thinking of dividing in the future.

6. Expect the unexpected!  As in any “project” there will always be something come up that could be a obstacle.  Sometimes it just involves more time, or an unexpected expense, or even something as simple as missing a space on an application form.  If you realize this happens in almost all cases, especially to someone who has not done this before, you will take this bitter pill easier.

7. Have lots of patience.  Even when someone says, “We’ll get right on this” remember they have a different time frame than someone who only has this one task to focus on.  In the same breathe, if they say check back in a week, be sure you do.  Sometimes a gentle nudge gets more done, then waiting and getting upset when you realizing nothing has been done.

8. Don’t make any financial plans until you see the end in sight.  It is so easy to spend what you hope to make before you make it.  Remember nothing is certain in this business.  You may not get neighbor’s approval, or a building permit, or find someone who is willing to buy.  It’s a whole lot less stressful to not have bills that need to be paid off, in case this process doesn’t pan out as planned.

9. Be aware of capital gains. Talk to your accountant to see if there is some way of deferring the taxes or what the best route would be for you.  After going through all the work and frustration of this procedure, the last person you what to siphon off 30% is the government.  At least know for sure how much of your gains you will have to forfeit, it may make a huge difference.

10. Keep a journal of all conversations, date time and who you spoke to. This bears repeating again.  It will save you many sleepless nights!

 

 

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Watch Out For This Driver!

July 4th, 2007 categories: Down to Earth Information

Have a safe and great Fourth!  Sara

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Something You Should Consider Before Buying Idaho Land To Raise Horses

June 16th, 2007 categories: Buying Land Advice, Down to Earth Information

In a conversation with a horse breeder here in the Kuna, ID area, she enlightened me in the details of Idaho alkaline land and horses hooves. The alkaline tends to draw moisture out of the hooves that have direct contact to the soil for an extended time, causing cracked dry hooves. This can lead to serious hoof ailments and also affect how nice they look.

What does this mean for the real estate buyer?

If you plan on raising horses, dry land (no means of irrigating) will have more struggles and expense. Not only do you have to buy feed all year round, you also have to keep horseshoes on the front feet all year as well.

Dry land, of course is cheaper, but you need to consider the expense of both feed and hoof care vs. the cost and time of irrigation and keeping a pasture in top notch shape for your animals.

Remember healthy hooves create happy horses!

Tags: horse+hooves, Idaho+real+estate, Idaho+land, Kuna

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