Search for ‘better way’ leads to Custom Home Solutions

Five years ago, Anne Leibow was confronted with a pressing problem: her mother found her house no longer was compatible with her limited physical capabilities, and she was left with no choice but to relocate to an elder care facility.  That left Leibow wondering if there was a better way.

So the search began for a business opportunity that would satisfy a growing need for people in their older years to maintain their independence and stay in their homes longer.  Finally, last May, Leibow and her husband Sherman were able to acquire the southern Idaho dealership for Best Bath Systems.

They are distributing the systems through a business called Custom Home Solutions and have a showroom at 480 E. Franklin Road in Meridian.

Founded in the Treasure Valley, and with its recently relocated production facility in Caldwell, Best Bath is a nationally distributed manufacturer of bath and shower units used in both residential and commercial new construction and remodels.  The manufacturer’s fastest-growing niche has been in producing accessible bathing systems for people with limited physical capabilities.

The showroom previously was owned by a local plumbing contractor and was under a different name.  Leibow says one of the challenges in taking the business over will be to eliminate the perception that there still is any direct connection to that specific contractor.

She is excited to shift the focus of the business.  “We’re marketers, not contractors,” Leibow explained, “and we want to work with the local contractor community. …  It’s a totally different approach than what was being taken before.”

The Leibows have owned and operated another distribution company for nearly five years.  While Anne runs the day-to-day operations of Custom Home Solutions, Sherman provides support in marketing and strategic direction.  They both have backgrounds in event planning and marketing communications, which has provided very beneficial experience in launching Custom Home Solutions.

“If you can do something yourself to save money, and you think you can do it well, then by all means do it; but on the other hand, be smart enough to know that you can’t do everything, and hire help when you need it.  That’s an important lesson,” Sherman said.

The couple has found support in each other, and they recognize that it wouldn’t be easy to go it alone.  They also say the support and experience of their friends and business associates has proven helpful.

One means by which the couple has decided to brand and market Custom Home Solutions is by utilizing social media.  Anne feels it is important for a business to find the trends of the times to be successful and thrust your business to the forefront.

The Leibows are in the process of building a presence for Custom Home Solutions on Twitter and Facebook.  “If used properly, social media can really expand your reach without the cost of traditional advertising,” Anne said.  “If you’re succeeding in social media, it’s because other people are talking favorably about you.”

She feels that even if they aren’t reaching their target market through this form of communication, they are at least reaching the children and grandchildren of the baby boomers, who care about the well-being and independence of the older members of their families.

“It’s essential to long-term business success that if you’re selling something, you have to believe 100 percent in what you’re selling, and you have to believe 100 percent in what you’re doing,” Sherman said.

One of the lessons Anne says she learned is to persevere “in your search for the right opportunity.”  Even though it took several years to identify this opportunity, now that it has come along, the Leibows have the experience, commitment and courage to do big things with Custom Home Solutions.

Source:  IBR

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DISTRESSED SALE STATISTICS

2010 Summary – Ada & Canyon County (Jan – July)
	Distress		Typical		Total
	Count	Percent	Count	Percent
South Nampa (86) – 1260	306	66.38%	155	33.62%	461
NW Meridian – 1030	269	47.70%	295	52.30%	564
SW Caldwell – 1280	253	66.58%	127	33.42%	380
NE Nampa (87) – 1250	227	67.36%	110	32.64%	337
SW Boise-Meridian – 0550	188	50.67%	183	49.33%	371
NW Nampa (51) – 1270	179	61.51%	112	38.49%	291
Eagle – 0900	156	50.65%	152	49.35%	308
W Boise-Garden City – 0650	147	35.77%	264	64.23%	411
Kuna – 1100	136	53.97%	116	46.03%	252
NE Meridian – 1020	132	38.15%	214	61.85%	346
Boise Bench – 0400	115	50.22%	114	49.78%	229
Middleton – 1285	102	62.58%	61	37.42%	163
NW Boise – 0800	90	36.89%	154	63.11%	244
NW Caldwell – 1275	86	59.72%	58	40.28%	144
SE Boise – 0300	83	27.85%	215	72.15%	298
West Boise – 0600	81	41.33%	115	58.67%	196
Star – 0950	73	54.07%	62	45.93%	135
North Boise – 0100	59	27.57%	155	72.43%	214
South Boise – 0500	52	46.85%	59	53.15%	111
SE Meridian – 1000	51	35.66%	92	64.34%	143
SW Meridian – 1010	37	74.00%	13	26.00%	50
Canyon County Other – 1290	25	65.79%	13	34.21%	38
Parma – 1292	16	57.14%	12	42.86%	28
NE Boise – 0200	15	17.86%	69	82.14%	84
Wilder – 1293	10	76.92%	3	23.08%	13
Melba – 1265	9	50.00%	9	50.00%	18
Garden City – 0700	9	37.50%	15	62.50%	24
Greenleaf – 1294	1	16.67%	5	83.33%	6
Grand Total	2907	49.62%	2952	50.38%	5859

 

19 Month Summary for Distress Sales

 

ADA COUNTY
	Distress		Typical		Total
	Count	Percent	Count	Percent
2009
Jan	51	19.17%	215	80.83%	266
Feb	116	38.16%	188	61.84%	304
Mar	182	42.62%	245	57.38%	427
Apr	205	42.98%	272	57.02%	477
May	177	36.27%	311	63.73%	488
Jun	208	32.81%	426	67.19%	634
Jul	197	32.72%	405	67.28%	602
Aug	209	35.48%	380	64.52%	589
Sep	220	34.32%	421	65.68%	641
Oct	212	30.95%	473	69.05%	685
Nov	204	32.54%	423	67.46%	627
Dec	197	46.68%	225	53.32%	422
2009 Total	2178	35.35%	3984	64.65%	6162
2010
Jan	162	53.47%	141	46.53%	303
Feb	181	47.26%	202	52.74%	383
Mar	310	48.74%	326	51.26%	636
Apr	256	34.59%	484	65.41%	740
May	281	38.44%	450	61.56%	731
Jun	289	39.59%	441	60.41%	730
Jul	207	46.31%	240	53.69%	447
2010 Total	1686	42.47%	2284	57.53%	3970
19 Month TOTAL	3864	38.14%	6268	61.86%	10132
CANYON COUNTY
	Distress		Typical		Total
	Count	Percent	Count	Percent
2009
Jan	28	24.14%	88	75.86%	116
Feb	58	53.21%	51	46.79%	109
Mar	105	61.05%	67	38.95%	172
Apr	137	68.50%	63	31.50%	200
May	141	62.67%	84	37.33%	225
Jun	168	59.57%	114	40.43%	282
Jul	158	57.04%	119	42.96%	277
Aug	138	58.97%	96	41.03%	234
Sep	159	62.11%	97	37.89%	256
Oct	180	59.02%	125	40.98%	305
Nov	192	59.63%	130	40.37%	322
Dec	132	58.93%	92	41.07%	224
2009 Total	1596	58.63%	1126	41.37%	2722
2010
Jan	120	75.47%	39	24.53%	159
Feb	142	69.61%	62	30.39%	204
Mar	204	70.83%	84	29.17%	288
Apr	180	52.17%	165	47.83%	345
May	187	57.54%	138	42.46%	325
Jun	218	65.47%	115	34.53%	333
Jul	172	71.97%	67	28.03%	239
2010 Total	1223	64.61%	670	35.39%	1893
19 Month TOTAL	2819	61.08%	1796	38.92%	4615

 

 Distress = Agent gave a “YES” reply to REO, Foreclosure, Possible Short-Sale in MLS.

 

The raw data obtained is accredited to Intermountain IMLS. The statistics , data analysis charts, graphs is done by Hennessey Appraisals.

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Businesses take advantage of still-soft Valley market

It may not be enough to reduce commercial vacancy rates, but some Treasure Valley businesses are moving to new spaces to take advantage of a more affordable market.

A Concordia University School of Law construction project at the southwest corner of Fifth and Front streets in downtown Boise may not have been feasible or even contemplated two years ago.

Concordia has been looking for a building of 40,000 to 50,000 square feet to buy or a building site.  Concordia ultimately looked at about 40 properties, many unlisted.  The university had in mind a budget that wouldn’t have allowed a project that size in downtown Boise.

Last spring, Concordia bought the former Front 5 building on the 0.74-acre downtown site. Immediately south of the 16,800-square-foot building is a parking lot on which Concordia is expanding the structure to about 50,000 square feet.

It took a little imagination to make this site work for the project, but there were two keys:  the excess land immediately south of the existing building presented an opportunity not readily apparent at first.  And the property’s value had dropped.

Two years ago, the multi-tenant Front 5 building was full.  Some tenants left as the economy weakened, which created an opportunity for an owner-occupant, he said.

Another recent owner-occupant is the Idaho Pizza Co. restaurant chain.  Idaho Pizza constructed and recently occupied a 3,000-square-foot building at 310 Sugar Ave. in north Nampa for its commissary – where it makes dough and sauces, and grates cheese, for daily delivery to the restaurants.

For more than two years, Idaho Pizza had been looking to lease a facility, but it wasn’t until this year they decided to buy property and build, CEO John McNicholl said.  The deal enabled the pizza company to own instead of rent, and to expand the operation.

McNicholl credits the dour economy for the buy-and-build scenario.  The Nampa site is central to the five-restaurant Treasure Valley wide chain.  Idaho Pizza took occupancy in late May.

Lorana Quintero, president of the franchise operation, said franchised owner-operators are keeping their eyes and ears open for opportunities in the southwest Idaho commercial real estate market.

Kristi Bowins, senior property manager with Colliers, said shopping center managers must stay creative in what has been a higher-vacancy, lower-rent market.

“It’s how creative you get that makes it work for both the tenant and the owner,” she said.

Vacancy can hurt the landlord but can benefit businesses that are growing, Bowins said.

Leapfox Learning’s recent move from Oakbrook to Shopko Plaza is an example of a business taking advantage to expand, she said.

Leapfox, which offers computer training, last March expanded in Oakbrook.  And again in June, the business took over an additional 5,000-square-foot space at Shopko Plaza in part because an ideal expansion space wasn’t available at Oakbrook.

Leapfox Education Director Debbie Nolan, said, the move was possible in part because Leapfox’s lease at Oakbrook was a month-to-month add-on to the lease of neighboring Quick Computer, a sister business.

“They worked me such a deal at Milwaukee (Shopko Plaza), at a fantastic, discounted rate that a small business owner could afford,” she said.

Leapfox now has two locations including part of the Quick Computer space in Meridian.

Commercial vacancy rates, rents

Office vacancy was 18 percent throughout the Treasure Valley at the end of 2009 and 18.2 percent in mid-2010.  Average full-service asking rent for office space in the Treasure Valley was $17.21 per square foot per year at the end of 2009 and $16.30 as of mid-2010. The average rent paid is $14.73 per foot as of mid-2010.

Retail vacancy in the Treasure Valley increased from 13.1 percent at the end of 2009 to 13.5 percent in mid-2010.  Average triple-net asking rents (tenant also pays taxes, insurance and maintenance costs) were $13.83 per square foot per year at mid-year, down from $14.47 a year earlier.

Treasure Valley industrial building vacancy dropped from 12 percent at the end of 2009 to 10.9 percent in mid-2010.  Monthly, triple-net, average asking rents were 52 cents per square foot at the end of 2009 and 49 cents at mid-2010.

Source: 2010 Colliers Idaho Mid-Year Real Estate Market Review & IBR

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ADA COUNTY JULY STATISTICS:

Below is a snapshot of June’s real estate activity for Ada County:

BOISE:

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Meridian selected as “top 10″ family town in Nation

Meridian, Idaho was selected by Family Circle magazine as one of the 10 Best Towns for families.  The announcement was made today based upon the magazine’s annual efforts to identify communities that are the perfect place to call home.

“We are excited to have our community selected by Family Circle as one of the 10 Best Towns for families from cities and towns across the country.  We have a strong public school system, quality parks, a low crime rate, and much more. Meridian is a premier city to live, work and raise a family,” said Mayor Tammy de Weerd.  “This acknowledgment is a reflection of the role that all of our great community partners play in making Meridian a place to call home.”

The results will appear in the August 2010 Family Circle magazine available today, or online at www.familycircle.com. With a circulation of 3.8 million and 20 million readers, it is one of the most widely read monthly magazines in the world.

The City of Meridian is located at the center of the Treasure Valley in southwest Idaho, minutes from the State Capitol. Founded as a farming community in 1893 and incorporated as a city in 1903, Meridian is now one of Idaho’s largest and fastest growing communities. As the home to many young families, Meridian is a vibrant community whose mission is to be a premier city to live, work and raise a family. For more information about Meridian, visit www.meridiancity.org.

Source:  aarealtorsboise.com, Trust Realty

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2010 Remodeled Homes Tour June 5 to 6

Those planning a home remodeling project this summer will want to attend the 2010 Remodeled Homes Tour June 5 to 6. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Idaho (NARI), will showcase home remodeling projects primarily in Boise and Meridian.

“It’s a great tour for everyone. You get to see pictures of what the home used to look like, versus what it was. It showcases all the possibilities through remodeling,” said Teri Ottens, executive director of the local Nari chapter.

“While the tour targets a very select group of people,” Ottens said, “we see everyone from people in their late 20s up to their 60s coming through.”

Ten homes will feature minor or major revamps – from smaller bathroom or kitchen remodels to homes that are completely revamped – inside and out. Home tours are self-guided, but contractors are available at every site and are able to answer questions.

Homes will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Tickets are $5 online, by phone at 322-8191, or in person at any of the homes. Additionally, a map highlighting their locations is available at the Nari of Idaho Web site.

source:  ibr

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Few toilets at CBH job sites; workers find other methods

KTVB broadcasted the story below which I thought was worth sharing:

The self-proclaimed number one home builder in Idaho received citations and fines from a federal agency this month for failing to provide adequate toilet facilities for workers at home construction sites.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the agency that helps assure the safety and health of all workers on the job, conducted an investigation into CBH Homes after some CBH workers said that their employer does not always provide them a place to go to the bathroom while on the job.

In a NewsChannel 7 investigation, no portable toilets were found at eleven different active CBH home construction sites in the Treasure Valley in early May.

When asked how often workers had access to portable toilets while at work, one construction worker said it was “sporadic, at best. I’d say probably more often than not [we would] not have them.” Workers interviewed for this report requested that we not reveal their identities for fear of being black-balled from future construction jobs in the area.

By law, home builders like Corey Barton are required to provide adequate restroom facilities for their employees at new housing construction sites.

Absent portable toilets, workers were asked what they would do if they needed to use the restroom. One worker said, “If a gas station is close enough and it’s not too bad, we’ll run to a gas station. But if we’re in places where we can’t…we’ll just use a bottle or whatever and throw it in the trash when we’re done.”

“They’ll urinate in a corner of a house, or if they’re doing the other (defecating), anywhere from in the boxes to crawl spaces,” said another worker. “I’ve seen a wide variety of things like that.”

On the day after we started this investigation, we called OSHA to see if the accusations against CBH had merit. OSHA responded by launching it’s own investigation. The very next day, portable toilets appeared at CBH work sites across the Treasure Valley. But evidence of improvised toilets, such as old soda bottles, were left behind.

“Most of the time, when we go to insulate the houses, we usually find (urine-filled bottles) in between the walls,” said another construction worker. “They usually just shove them in there.”

Following our interview, the worker pointed out a urine-filled bottle behind the house he was working on. The bottle, containing a yellow liquid, lay on the ground behind the house. “I was opening the vents and there’s one right on the back door,” he said.

One worker who spends most of his work hours at CBH construction sites estimates he finds urine-filled bottles in one out of every four homes where portable toilets are not available.

Next door, one such bottle was found in a crawl space of the CBH home a woman is going to live in. NewsChannel 7 had the contents tested by Minert & Associates, a federally regulated drug-testing lab in Meridian. The lab confirmed that the liquid in the bottle was human urine. It also tested positive for marijuana.

“This is probably the only chance I will ever get to build a house and to pick everything out and it’s just been a long process,” the woman said. “We’re almost to the end and then to find out this has gone on…I’m wondering what else have they done in our house?”

The woman did not want her identity revealed at the time of our interview because she feared she would lose the home. She has since closed on the property and says she is happy with her purchase, but not before hiring someone to inspect the property with an ultraviolet light to make sure the home was sanitary.

“Never would I have thought about this,” she said. “Now I wonder who else may be going through the same thing we’re going through and not know it.”

CBH owner responds

We asked CBH owner Corey Barton about the allegations. “We absolutely provide toilets at the work site,” he said. When told that some workers claimed Barton had gotten a reputation of not providing portable toilets he said: “That is absolutely false. Absolutely false.”

Evans: “We went to the majority of the developments in the Valley, as well as one down in Mountain Home, and we did not see a single port-a-potty. How do you explain that?”

Barton: “If there wasn’t, there should be. And if there wasn’t there was just a slight error on getting one there, or that there was one ordered and coming.”

Barton said construction workers will turn a home into a makeshift bathroom, whether he provides a toilet on site or not. Workers interviewed during this investigation dispute that claim.

OSHA citations include fines

After concluding its investigation, OSHA determined that CBH was in violation of the law for not providing adequate toilets at two of its construction sites. CBH was fined $500 for each citation. Barton has until June 14 to either pay the fines or contest OSHA’s ruling. As of May 26 OSHA’s Boise office had not heard from Barton, according to the agency’s regional director.

Evans: “The amount of toilets you had significantly went up from May 4 to May 6. Would you say that on May 4 you were in error and on May 6, after talking with OSHA, you corrected those errors?”

Barton: “If there’s a problem, we address it and take care of it.”

Evans: “So are you saying there was a problem?”

Barton: “When OSHA brought it to our attention they said they wanted more – with the amount of workers that there are today – we want this many toilets; and of course, we overkill.”

Evans: “To the homeowner (we interviewed earlier) and to every other homeowner out there, what do you say?”

Barton: “We know that from time to time there are things that happen and mistakes that unfortunately happen, things that might get over looked, or accidents that happen. We don’t condone that or think that’s okay, but again we do have rules, requirements, and of course we’re always in a constant state of learning, educating and trying to get better at every step, at every level.”

 

Source:  ktvb

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Meridian Idaho Real Estate Statistics–2010

Below you will find statistics regarding the real estate activity during the month of February:

Closed Sales – February 2010
# Closed: 108
% Change: +31.7%

Average Sales Price: $185,052
% Change: -8.9%

Median Sales Price: $160,744
% Change: -12.4%

Closed Sales – February 2009
# Closed: 82
Average Sales Price: $203,049
Median Sales Price: $183,400

Pending Sales
# Pending: 250
Average Asking Price: $188,249
Median Asking Price: $169,000

Available Homes
# Available: 1,000
# Vacant: 575
Vacant Percent: 57.5%
Average Asking Price: $198,957
Median Asking Price: $174,900

Data does not include condominiums or townhomes. Data taken from Intermountain MLS on3/5/10 and pertains to single-family residences on lot or acreage.

source: boiseblog.com

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OVER 406 BANK OWNED HOMES FOR SALE IN ADA COUNTY

As you probably know, there is a plethora of bank owned homes for sale in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Kuna and Star.   Banks are motivated to sell and will typically price these distressed homes 10-30 percent under current market values.  Granted, most do need cosmetic work done prior to move-in such as new carpet, paint, lawn maintenanceand other misc items.  However, there are some bank owned property which the previous homeowner has taken it upon themselves to leave the residence in nasty shape by taking a sledge hammer to walls and doors along with pulling all appliances like the range, dishwasher, disposal and microwave (sometimes water heaters and furnaces, too).  Unless you would like to take on the costs, I suggest bypassing some of the bank owned homes on the market. 

It is also important to not look for only bank owned homes.  There are numerous non-distressed homes on the market (fair market sellers) that must sell.  These homes are priced competitively and do not need the improvements that a foreclosed upon home typically does.  With that, it is important to consider the costs of repairs when deciding whether to purchase a home which needs some love (yet is priced lower than the home down the street) or one that is turn key and ready to be moved into.

Bank owned homes will be prevelant in our market through 2010 and part of 2011.  Would you like a list of bank owned homes forwarded to you?  If so, send me an email with your contact info and I will provide a list of bank owned property currently on the market.

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Meridian’s Portico mixed-use development marks milestone

Over the last 18 months, the mixed-use development in Meridian called Portico has leased 265,000 square feet of commercial space. That’s about 80 percent of the 327,849-square-foot project at the Eagle Road exit off I-84.

In a commercial real estate market as tough as it is today, development company Gardner Ahlquist has decided the achievement is something to celebrate. At 1:30 p.m. today, Feb. 4, Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, Meridian Mayor Tammy deWeerd and other elected officials and corporate leaders plan to gather at the Portico West Building, 3277 E. Louise Drive, on the fourth floor to laud the progress.

“Here, in this anchor location of our med-tech economic development zone, Gardner Ahlquist Development has achieved something great and has demonstrated that an outstanding location and design can help commercial real estate thrive even in a soft economy,” De Weerd said in a Gardner Ahlquist release.

Tenants at the development include:

• St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center, which purchased an 80,000-square-foot office building for use as an outpatient surgery center and physician offices

• Scentsy Inc., which is moving its headquarters into 67,000 square feet at Portico. Scentsy is a growing manufacturer, designer and marketer of scented, wickless candles

• ESI Construction, construction manager for the project, also moved its headquarters to Portico

• Saltzer Medical Group, which has leased and occupied a 20,000-square-foot office space for consolidation of two clinical locations, including 18 physicians

• A Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant

• Ling & Louie’s Asian Bistro, in a space that will be constructed soon. The restaurant will employ over 100 people.

Also planned is a 175-room upscale hotel from an Idaho-based hotelier. The hotel’s brand has not yet been announced.

Otter takes Portico’s successful leasing as a positive sign for Idaho.

“Meridian’s latest economic development success is one more important signal that the Idaho economy is going to be one of the turnaround stories of 2010 and 2011,” he stated.

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