‘Wow’ or ‘disgusting’? 5 Boise homes for sale at prices that will melt your brain

We all know that the price of real estate has inched up in Boise.

North End. East Boise. Anywhere Boise.

But percentages and median values don’t tell the entire story. Sometimes we need photos, too.

So grab your checkbook, Idaho. Let’s go house hunting.

I’d ask you to sign a waiver, but I couldn’t find one that covers blown minds.

$1,570,000

▪ 1301 N. 18th St., four bedrooms, three baths, 4,469 square feet

Here’s the property that inspired me to do this exercise. After an Idahoan intrigued by the price tag tweeted the Zillow listing (thanks, @IdahoLark!), replies ranged from “Wow” to “How disgusting.” So I drove over there.

Hey, it is a nice house. “That’s a beautiful home,” my wife said after seeing photos. (It freakin’ better be, right?) Check out the full listing here.

$1,589,000

▪ 1314 N. 14th St., four bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, 3,782 square feet

Uhhh. North End prices are nutballs, but something didn’t compute when I peered through the window. Oh, wait. It’s going to be a remodel, the listing says: “We are creating a new home that looks like it’s from the 1900s.” Yep, for a 1600000s price. Full listing here.

$2,000,000

▪ 5758 W. Hill Road, four bedrooms, two baths, 2,482 square feet

The price of manufactured homes these days! But check out that huge front lawn. It’s so green! On a 2.23 acre lot. On Hill Road. This sale is pending, and you probably couldn’t have afforded it anyway. “Anything that is within city limits and has land is getting gobbled up like crazy for development, for way over asking price,” a Realtor friend told me. Full listing here.

$1,290,000

▪ 1002 E. Washington St., four bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, 2,357 square feet

You can hike Table Rock from this neighborhood. That’s worth a million bucks, right? One of the fascinating parts of this property (also singled out on the aforementioned Twitter thread) is its history. Specifically, the listed prices in 2016 and 2018 — $420,000 and $590,000. By the way, there’s an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 17. Full listing here.

$2,399,000

▪ 851 W. Front St., Apt. 1401, three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, 4,237 square feet

Now we’re talkin’! If I’m paying millions in Boise, I wanna feel like a millionaire. “Both dramatic and low maintenance, this stunning high-rise condominium in the heart of downtown Boise is a one-of-a-kind residence,” the listing proclaims. “Two levels of commanding airspace with floor-to-ceiling views. The gallery entry is the perfect place to showcase your personal collection.” Collection of what? Heads of all the losers I steamrolled to make my fortune? Yeah, baby! (Wait. HOA fees? $1,353 a month?)

Bubble? What bubble?

Now that we’ve scooped our brain matter off the sidewalks, how do we rationalize these cloud-scraping price tags?

We don’t, really. We just accept them. Economists don’t see a crash or correction probably coming. This is Boise’s new reality. “This market is ridiculous,” my Realtor friend responded after I emailed her the five listings above. “There is no rhyme or reason to pricing right now. No matter what we think a property should be listed for, it ends up going for way over asking price due to total lack of inventory. SO CRAZY!!!”

This story was originally published April 16, 2021 at 4:00 AM.