Blog Review: Buy Idaho Real Estate

By Stevie Duffin Updated on 3/26/2014

                          

Last week, if you had asked me what I thought about the state of Idaho, my reply would have been something like “Uh, why are we talking about Idaho?” After reading through the BuyIdahoRealEstate.com blog, it didn’t take me long to realize that I’ve been living under a very big rock.

Thanks to the Hughes Real Estate team, who own and operate BuyIdahoRealEstate.com, I’ve seen the light. And I can’t help but notice that even their site domain is a sort of call to action: wake up, America – Idaho is gorgeous so let’s all move there!

Now, let me explain how this blog’s siren song has me crashing right into Boise’s bluffs.

First, there are pictures. In fact “pictures” is a weak word– let’s call it photography. With every blog entry comes sharp, ethereal images that are sure to make you stare for a minute before you remember that there’s something to read. Only a few days ago, the Hughes team posted a particularly haunting article titled Boom and Bust: Idaho’s Ghost Towns, and it’s already my favorite:

“There’s something equally eerie and compelling about a ghost town; whether it’s the old, abandoned buildings, the whisper of history, or the faint visual telling of a simpler time. There are ghost towns that dot America’s landscape in every direction, and while some retain only a few glimpses into the past, others hold on to period specific architectures that lures in tourists.”

  

(I’d argue that there’s something equally eerie and compelling about this post, and probably the entire blog.)

What follows is a list of Idaho’s ghost towns, complete with history lessons and more photos that will momentarily hypnotize you.

Despite its relentlessly mesmerizing photos of Idaho scenery, BuyIdahoRealEstate.com is not all local legend and lore. The practical reader will find an endless catalogue of How To style articles (winning bidding wars, choosing real estate agents) as well as news pieces about the mortgage market and housing recovery.

However, this author is not partial to discussing practicality in blog reviews so I’m going to talk about something fun: What Kind of House are You?:

“Did you know that properties, houses and neighborhoods say a lot about the people who choose to live there? Although it sounds kind of amusing, knowing what kind of house you identify with can really cut down on the amount of time you need to spend searching for those same properties, houses and neighborhoods communities later.”

The entry, dated February 6, 2013, caught my eye and I couldn’t resist. The reader chooses from four classic architectural motifs common to Boise: Craftsman, Farmhouse, Victorian, and French Provincial. I chose French Provincial:

“The properties, houses, and communities that feature French Provincial characteristics will most likely be found in more suburban areas as opposed to the country. French Provincial style depicts a roaring hearth, symmetry of design, brick exterior, and steep-pitched roof. They often have tall second-story windows with arched tops, and porches with substantial balustrades.”

  

And just like that, the Hughes team has convinced me that I need a French Provincial house in a suburb of Boise.

The Hughes team will convince you of a lot of things – like Boise, Idaho being a great place to live - and they do so with utmost subtlety and beauty. Apparently I’m not the first to take notice of Boise’s awesomeness because as the February 4, 2014 post says about the attention from Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, CNN Money and more, Boise Continues To Top The Lists.

After you check out BuyIdahoRealEstate.com, Boise will be surely be at the top of your list, too. I say definitely stop by, if only just to stare.