Echoes of the pre-bust boom Low prices and mortgage rates make property a good investment now, said Sherry Oliver, a Keller Williams agent and co-owner of Real Property Management in Nampa.

Raiding 401(k)s for better returns Oliver says several clients who own property for investment also are rolling their 401K money into real estate management trusts because of the high return on investment.

Cheap Ada homes? Sorry “Everything under $100,000 in Ada County is gone,” Oliver says.

The latest prices Median prices for existing homes in Ada County last month were 11 percent higher than in October 2010, according to data from the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service. In Canyon County, they were up 19 percent

A break for builders, too New-home prices rose 23 percent in Ada County and 9 percent in Canyon.

What’s next? The housing market has likely hit bottom and begun its slow climb to better health.

National recognition The turnaround on Wednesday earned Boise a rank of No. 8 among Realtor.com’s “Top 10 Turnaround Towns.”

Sandra Forester: 377-6464