How to Find a Good Home Rental in Boise, Idaho

In recent years, Idaho has become one of the fastest-growing states in the country. Boise, ID, known as the city of trees, is the state’s capital and has received a significant portion of that growth. With so many people moving to the gem state, property rentals can be hard to find. If you are looking to relocate to Boise, or are seeking out a home rental that better suits your needs, we are here to help point you in the right direction and show you how to find a good home rental in Boise, Idaho.

Setting Your Budget

Before beginning the search for your perfect rental home, the best first step is to spend some time evaluating your budget. Most financial experts recommend spending 30% or less of your total income on living expenses. That number should include costs for utilities like electricity, water, gas, etc. If you are married or planning to live with roommates, you can use the total household income into account when determining a budget that will work for you. That number may also be more or less, depending on what you feel comfortable spending. The important thing is that you find an amount that you feel comfortable with spending each month.

Evaluating Your Lifestyle

After you’ve calculated the amount you’d like to spend on housing, start thinking about your personal lifestyle and assess what rental type would work best for you. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What hobbies do you have? Do you have a green thumb and need a home with a yard or large apartment porch with sunlight for gardening? Is it important to you to be close to paths for biking, running, or walking? Or do you need some garage space to work on your hot-rod or home gym?
• Do you have any pets, or want a home that can accommodate them in the future? Do you need a house with a backyard to let your fur babies run around?
• How long are you planning to stay in your next home rental? How long of a lease are you willing to sign?
• Are you planning to have guests visit and stay with you in your home? Would a cozy studio work for you, or will you need an extra bedroom for guests?
• How do you feel about neighbors? Are you okay with the noise that might come along with apartment living, or would you prefer to have a house that would give you a little bit more space?
• How often do you work from home? Do you need an area or room to set up a home office?

Answering these questions will help you to determine what type of rental might work best for your lifestyle. When you’re ready to begin your search, you’ll have a good idea if you would like to seek out an apartment, townhouse, or single-family home.

Determining the Perfect Location

You know what they say…location, location, location. This is another considerable factor in preparation for your rental search. The city of Boise has a population of about 228,000 people; but the Boise metropolitan area—consisting of Boise, Nampa, Eagle, Caldwell, Meridian, and Kuna, among others, has a total population of almost 750,000. Spend some time thinking about the following:

• Where are you planning to work? And how far of a commute are you willing to drive on a daily basis?
• What amenities would you like to have close in proximity? Is it important to you to be close to hospitals or doctors offices? The airport or other transportation? Shopping or grocery stores?
• Do you have children? How close would you like to be to parks or schools?
• Do you prefer big city living, or more of a small-town feel?

What Does Each City Have to Offer?

If you are someone who likes the convenience of a big city, but would prefer the feel of small-town living, a town like Kuna or Caldwell might be a great fit for you. Even though it is growing fast, Kuna is still a small city with a population of only 25,000, and still gives you that country-living atmosphere being conveniently located only 20 miles southeast of Boise. Kuna has been referred to as the hidden gem of Treasure Valley and boasts that, “growth happens, but simple still exists.” Caldwell is slightly larger with a population consisting of 62,000 people, and is situated about 25 miles west of Boise. It is the home to both the College of Idaho and the Treasure Valley Community College, and prides itself on its abundance of parks available to the community.

If you enjoy the hustle and bustle bigger cities have to offer, then Meridian, Nampa, or Boise would be great fits. Nampa itself has a population of over 100,000, and is only 20 miles west of Boise. It is the home of both Northwest Nazarene University, and prides itself on the successful food processing, agricultural, and manufacturing industries. Meridian is even larger with a population of 126,000 and even closer, being only 10 miles east of Boise. It is incredibly family-friendly as home to Wahooz Family Fun Zone, Settler’s Park, and the Warhawk Air Museum, as well as the Village shopping center.

Boise itself offers multiple higher education opportunities, being the home to Boise State University, Boise Bible College, and an extension of University of Idaho. Downtown Boise is thriving with multiple options for dining, shopping, and lodging. The Boise airport gives locals convenient travel options, and the Treasure Valley Public Transportation helps residents to commute locally.

Searching for the Perfect Home Rental

Once you have factored in your budget, lifestyle, and determined what location is most desirable for you, we at Rooftop Rentals is here to help you begin your search for the perfect Boise rental home. Head over to our property search to view available rentals and begin your search for the perfect rental home in Boise and Nampa, Idaho. There, you can narrow your search by price, size, location, and specific property features to find a home that best suits your needs.