Selling your home in todays marketplace requires thoughtful planning and expertise. This is even more so in winter. Winter is a beautiful season the the Boise Idaho area and even though our winters are pretty mild, year after year I run into people who think that homes do not sell in the winter. The fact is nothing could be further from the truth. I have found that buyers in todays marketplace buy a home because they have to. Said another way there are other factors in their lives that create the need for them to purchase now such as a job relocation, marriage, birth of a child etc. This video does a great job of highlighting what specific items need to be attended to to in the winter months when selling a home.

Population: 213,000 (32% over age 50)

Housing costs: $137,020 to buy a home/ $900 a month to rent

Cost of living index: 94 (100 is average)

Moving to a mountain town means easy access to skiing, hiking, golf, fly-fishing, and more. Unfortunately, it also usually means jaw-dropping home prices, a dinky airport, limited health care, and tourists galore. Not in Boise.

Yes, locals here can ski at Bogus Basin 16 miles from downtown, stroll or bike 85 miles of trails, and paddle or fish on the Boise River, which runs through town. But they'll also find low taxes and affordable homes. Plus, Boise has become a nucleus of culture and health care. Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center is ranked in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for clinical performance.

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Boise Airport was ranked seventh inTravel + Leisure Magazine'sAmerica's Best Airports listing in their October 2013 issue. In their annual survey of the 'World's Best Awards 2013,'Travel + Leisurereaders ranked 67 domestic airports in six categories: flight delays, design, food and drink, shopping, check-in, and location.

The magazine's readers identified a growing trend with busy travellers, a focus on smaller airports specifically for their smooth check-in process and efficient layouts, as well as the friendly atmosphere that makes the travel experience a lot less stressful. Boise Airport was noted as #1 for fewest flight delays and as "the very model of an efficient airport."

As with the airports ranked above it, Boise Airport scored high with our free Wi-Fi access and recharge stations for all those electronic devices air travelers love. You can read more about the airports listed and how they ranked by visiting the Travel+Leisure website or picking up a copy of the October 2013 issue at one of the Boise Airport newsstands.

I was very honored today to be recognized by the Greater Boise Rotary Club(s) for their annual "Ethics in Business" Award, as one of 16 nominees. Hats off to Dan Long and his Teen Habits program, this year's recipient of the Award - to my fellow honorees, I am humbled to have been counted among you. Rotary is leading by example with their servant spirit.

Wages increase 2.2%

Forbes says: "Idaho's quirky mix of agriculture, lumber, mining and high-tech manufacturing gives it a far different profile than most states. Unusual job skills for niche industries can remain in demand during recessions, since those jobs can't be filled by just anyone."

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Forebes rankes Boise #9 in the nation as Best Place for Business and Careers.

Job Growth is at 3.1% and projected to be 0.5%.  Not too bad considering many areas are at a negative job growth.  Unemployment according to Forbes is at a 4.3% in Boise.

Median household income is at $57,854 with income growth at 3.1%