Houses, homes and achieving the American dream

Home.

All it takes is for the word to pop into your mind and you are instantly transported — back to where you grew up; to where you live now, surrounded by good food, good friends and laughter from an oft-told tale at Christmas; to an out-of-focus vision of your dream home as it comes into focus.

The area has, to both delight and dismay been "discovered" (or discovered again, depending on who you talk to). Prices are significantly higher and finding a home or an apartment that fits in your budget can be harder than making it through Costco on a Sunday afternoon in under 10 minutes and on budget.

While subdivisions, large and small, and apartment complexes are being built throughout the five northern counties, development is having a hard time keeping up with demand. North Idaho, associate broker Raphael Barta notes, presents a "multi-dimensional opportunity for growth … a rich mosaic of laid-back rural agricultural roots and New Economy innovation initiatives." There is, quite simply, something for everyone from those seeking a quiet, rural lifestyle to big-city action.

While there are challenges in workforce houses, efforts are being made to find solutions. Among them is a six-parcel community housing land trust project being launched by the Kaniksu Land Trust in Priest River. Also, Coeur d'Alene Regional Realtors reports that Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho is building 21 condo-style homes on Coeur d'Alene's north side. In Post Falls, the Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance's "Miracle on Britton" project is expected to provide affordable home ownership for 28 middle-income, working households that otherwise may not be able to own homes in Kootenai County.

Other efforts, such as Idaho Housing and Finance Association's Finally Home! Homebuyer Education program, aim to give potential homebuyers a helping hand. The classes give those in search of their first home all the practical advice and wisdom you might have gotten from a beloved grandpa or grandma way back in the day. What are your responsibilities as a homeowner? What should you look for? What types of loans are available and what one would be best for you?

“The overall goal is to provide first-time homebuyers with a roadmap to the purchase process and we see education as the key to sending first-time homebuyers out for success in the long-term,” said Heather Bowman who oversees the program for the association.

Some find value in taking houses in need of tender loving care and a whole lot of elbow grease and transforming them into homes either for profit and for their own enjoyment. It takes having a plan, hard work, strategy and foresight. Doing good, old-fashioned homework and investigation of both a home's charms and its "dear, sweet heaven, what is going on" weaknesses can mean the difference between a successful flip and one that loses money.

Even when a home is a rental, it can be a personality-packed sanctuary, a refuge from the stress of work and the constant bickering and political division a near constant in the country. And thanks to a variety of projects and options, putting your stamp on a place — without any long-term changes that might upset your landlord — is easier than ever, advises interior designer and real estate professional Nikki Luttmann

In the Silver Valley, Realtors Kat and David Barron have been a part of the real estate market in the good times and the not-so-good times. Even with all of the highs and lows that come with the industry, the husband-and-wife team enjoys being able to help families through, what is oftentimes, a stressful, but important, chapter of their lives: finding a home.  

Settle in on the couch, grab a cup of coffee and a chocolate chip cookie — and this month's North Idaho Business Journal as we explore all the ins, outs, attics and backyards of real estate; the latest trends, how to achieve the American dream of owning your own home and more

— Caroline Lobsinger, NIBJ Editor