dstaats's blog

Business leaders hear predictions, pleas and appraisals

David Staats — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:26:56 -0500

It was a big, coffee-craving crowd.

About 900 people got up early Wednesday to hear a blend of predictions, pleas and appraisals at the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce’s annual Economic Outlook Forum.

The predictions came largely from Gerald Hunter, president and executive director of the Idaho Housing and Finance Association.

Boise economists say Congress must avert financial disaster

David Staats — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:50:21 -0400

President Bush and government officials are “not overstating” the dangers of allowing the U.S. financial markets to collapse, two Boise economists told the Statesman's Joe Estrella on Thursday.

Boise State University professor of economics Don Holley and Boise economist John Church agree that a nationwide financial disaster could ensue if the administration and Congress do not reach a quick agreement on the proposed $700 billion Wall Street bailout package.

“We’re walking on the edge of a knife,” Church said. “It could be the 1930s all over again.”

Two Realtors tell their colleagues: Buy some property

David Staats — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:01:57 -0400

Two Idaho real estate brokers are urging their colleagues to put their money where their financial interests are and help the economy by buying property.

One is John Knipe, a real estate broker with Boise's Knipe Land Co. and a former officer of the National Association of Realtors Land Institute in Chicago. The other is Meridian broker Douglas Ferguson, president of the institute's Idaho chapter.

The National Association of Realtors has more than 1.5 million members — enough purchasing power to help solve the national housing crisis, Knipe and Ferguson say.

Updated: The big bailout: Why Crapo, Simpson and Sali don't like the Bush plan

David Staats — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:35:31 -0400

The public's antipathy toward the big Wall Street bailout has prompted even Idaho Republican members of Congress to criticize President Bush.

A bailout deal between Bush and congressional leaders of both parties is reported to be in the works, and its terms may well bring some critical Republicans around. You'll find the latest about that on the Statesman's home page.

A big bailout is coming, but who'll bail out Gaile Hensley?

David Staats — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:14:15 -0400

Washington may soon commit hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out banks, mortgage companies, insurance companies and other businesses that never should have sought to profit from people who bought homes they couldn’t afford.

But no one is going to bail out Gaile Hensley. She'll just have to wait and hope that the big bailout bolsters the economy enough that some work trickles down to her.

Housing association says new law will let it finance 750 homes at low interest rates

David Staats — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:36:50 -0400

The Idaho Housing and Finance Association says a new federal housing law will allow it to finance mortgages for an additional 750 households through its First Loan program, which offers low fixed interest rates.

More than $100 million in bonding authority will be used for the homeownership provisions in Idaho, the association said. The law also will make it possible for eligible households facing financial hardship with adjustable-rate mortgages made after Dec. 31, 2001 and before Jan. 1, 2008, to refinance into fixed-rate mortgages.

Boise housing slump 'relatively mild,' agent tells USA Today

David Staats — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:39:13 -0400

In case you missed it: Tuesday's USA Today took a look at the Boise housing market. The paper's weekly "Close to Home" feature quotes local real estate agent Dan Hernandez saying the local housing correction has been "relatively mild," with high-end homes languishing but homes from $100,000 to $275,000 moving briskly.

A manufacturing marvel in Grangeville offers hope for Idaho's wood-products industry

David Staats — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 14:22:04 -0400

Idaho’s wood-products industry employs about 15,000 people, down from nearly 23,000 in 1979. But anyone who thinks the industry is yesterday’s news should see what’s happening in Grangeville.

More than 20 legislators, legislative candidates, state employees and others did that Friday as part of a two-day tour to learn about Idaho’s forests and forestry businesses. The tour was led by the Idaho Forest Products Commission, a state agency funded by taxes on the industry.

How a Boise real estate agent got three homes and families on a cable TV show

David Staats — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:14:30 -0400

Marta Paulson was on a ski lift in Sun Valley last winter when the call came from Home and Garden Television: We loved your application. Would you send us a demonstration tape?

So when she returned home to Boise, Paulson invited a few of her neighbors over and pretended she was their real estate agent.

Of Micron, Qimonda and the Internet

David Staats — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:05:39 -0400

If a tree falls in the forest, does it matter if the tree isn’t on the Internet?