Some areas of the Boise real estate market are holding value better than others.

The Southeast Boise real estate market is doing pretty well considering the times and if you are looking to buy in the SE Boise area, you probably will not get quite as good of a deal as you would if you were to go more to the west.

Homes that are closer to the Downtown area are keeping their values to a higher degree. Location, location, location is what you always hear with the Boise real estate market, and it really comes into play in there down market times. So, you may not quite get the deals that you might expect if you want to buy in NE Boise or N. Boise.

Now let's talk about the really good areas to buy if you want a deal. W. Meridian, Idaho is a place that you can discover some great buys that are still in a convenient location. There is a ton of new construction there that is sitting empty and homes that are going to foreclosure. Some great deals will be in subdivisions like Paramount, Lochsa Falls, and Bridgetower Subdivisions.

The Star and Middleton, which area about 10 miles east of the primary market are really ripe for the picking. Because of these cities being out of the way a bit and a lot of new construction that is vacant, you can find some excellent buys here. There are homes that were originally listed for 1.1 million that are on the market for less than 500k, and homes that were originally 400k that you could pick up for 250k-300k.

Foreclosed (bank owned or R.E.O.)are abundant, but you will find that many of them require that you make some improvements such such as the usual touch up and sometimes some carpet. Some are left in exceptional condition and others are missing all fixtures and smell like pet pee. Interest rates are amazing right now. On Friday some banks were offering 5.25% for conventional purchases. Now keep in mind this is for great credit ratings (720+) with 20% down and all the fixings.

You can truly find a bank to finance you. The options are less attractive for investment purchase and refinance, but I found a bank that is offering amazing deals. You can even find 100% loans still out there, but 95% is more typical!! You can also call it the rural development or R.D. and this loan is a federally secured loan. These loans are available for properties in Kuna, Star, and Middleton. Also, still available but not sure for how long is IFHA 100% financing for people with good credit.

The program is called "Good Credit Rewards." FHA financing is available with a 3.5% down payment which is an achievable goad. If you have yet to purchase and are waiting on the sidelines, it will probably be a good time for many months to come. Whether you are going to buy in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, or somewhere else, make sure that you have all the information on the market that you need to make the right decision.