Meridian, Idaho — Exciting new development is on the horizon in North Meridian as plans are underway for a 70-acre project called North Meridian Fields, located just west of the future Chinden Blvd. and State Highway 16 interchange. This proposal could significantly shape the community’s growth and connect key residential and commercial areas in one of the valley’s last major undeveloped corridors.
Read the original article here:https://boisedev.com/news/2026/01/21/meridian-fields-mark-bottles-chinden-highway-16/
What’s Planned for North Meridian Fields
According to permits filed with the City of Meridian, the proposed North Meridian Fields development by Mark Bottles Real Estate would include:


About 48 acres of medium-density housing, potentially up to 8 homes per acre.


23 acres designated for commercial and employment uses — bringing jobs and shopping closer to future residents.


The plans specifically exclude fuel stations, conve ...

Boise & Eagle’s 2026 Rat Problem: What Residents Need to Know

Across Boise and its neighboring city of Eagle, Idaho, homeowners are noticing something they haven’t seen much of before: rats and rodents appearing in yards, garages, and even inside homes. What once felt like isolated sightings has started to feel more widespread across parts of the Treasure Valley.

In Eagle specifically, some residents report increased rodent activity around neighborhoods with open fields, irrigation corridors, and newer construction. While this isn’t unique to Idaho, the visibility of the issue in 2026 has raised understandable questions for homeowners.

Why Are Rats Showing Up More Often?

There’s no single cause behind the increase, but several factors appear to be contributing in Boise and Eagle:
 
Milder winters allow rodents to remain active longer
Rapid growth and construction disturb existing habitats
Easy access to food sources, including birdseed ...

So, you're thinking about building your Idaho dream home from the ground up? Whether you want more space, better views, or you're just tired of the bidding wars on existing homes, building new can be a total game changer. But—and this is a big one—it’s not as simple as picking paint colors and waiting for move-in day. There are a lot of moving parts to think through before breaking ground.

Let’s walk through what you really need to know if you’re planning to build a home here in Idaho—from financing to picking land, hiring a builder, and everything in between.

First Up: How New Construction Loans Work in Idaho

Getting a loan for new construction isn’t the same as a regular mortgage. Lenders are a bit pickier, and these loans often come with higher interest rates and shorter terms.

There are a couple of ways to finance your build:



Construction-only loan – You get money in phases as your builder hits certain milestones, t ...

There’s a bit of a pricing standoff happening in the Idaho housing market right now—and if you’re a homeowner or an educator trying to figure out what’s really going on, let’s break it down Idaho-style: plain talk, no fluff.
As of March, the typical home in the U.S. was listed at $469,729 but sold for just $431,057. That’s a gap of nearly $39,000—about 9%. It's the biggest difference we've seen since back in 2020, when pandemic-fueled bidding wars were making things wild. But this time, it’s not bidding wars driving the gap… it’s expectations.
Sellers are looking in the rearview mirror. A lot of folks listing their homes right now are setting prices based on what their neighbor got last summer—or even what they paid when the market was red-hot in 2021 or 2022. But buyers? They’re looking at today’s interest rates, tighter budgets, and way more options.
It’s a classic standoff:


Sellers want yest. ...

Home sellers across the country—and here in Idaho—are offering more concessions than ever to attract buyers. Rising housing costs, higher mortgage rates, and growing economic uncertainty are making buyers extra cautious. Meanwhile, the number of homes for sale has surged to a five-year high, giving buyers more options—and more negotiating power.
In Idaho, we’re feeling it too.
Nationwide, 44.4% of home sales in the first quarter of 2025 included concessions from the seller—up from 39.3% a year earlier, and just shy of the record 45.1% we saw in early 2023.

What are concessions? Concessions are anything a seller offers to help lower a buyer’s costs—like covering closing costs, paying for repairs, or buying down the buyer’s mortgage rate. (Note: price reductions are not counted as concessions in these stats.)


Why Sellers Are Offering More Concessions in Idaho
Several factors are combining to shift the power toward buyers:


Mo. ...