Southern Idaho Real Estate.Com
Your "No Hassle" Real Estate Agent for
Southern Idaho Properties

According to the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service, which reports homes sales in Idaho, Twin Falls County is experiencing a seasonal increase in total home sales.

Jerome and Burley are also seeing a slight increase in home sales. However, inconsistencies in the data has made it difficult to gauge performance in these areas.

"From the numbers that I see in (Twin Falls), the area appears to have very little housing overhang and a relatively stable economy," said Lori Keegan, a regional analyst with AIA, which advises banks and other institutions on real estate markets. "It's still too soon to know right now, but I would say that the numbers indicate the beginning of a market recovery -- at least at the local level."

The bad news is that few people, including Keegan, expect the regional housing market to reach construction and sales levels experienced prior to 2006.

"For most of the country, regardless of where you live, it was an abnormal market fueled by risky loans and a significant amount of market speculation,"she said.

She added that many rural areas are not seeing the crushing effects of a housing downturn, which is being felt in larger cities where more subprime loans were issued.

Local builders and lenders agree that the regional housing market is recovering -- even amid more stringent lending requirements -- and that pre-2006 sales numbers will be elusive for years to come.

Still, housing prices have remained mostly stable and sales numbers are increasing in month-over-month reports.