The Idaho Statesman reports on the fading housing bubble in that state. "Relief may be in sight for Treasure Valley consumers struggling to find affordable single-family housing in a market where a dwindling inventory has driven home costs to record levels."

"Developers and officials with local industry say dozens of new housing developments in the area, along with more than 30,000 building lots in the regulatory pipeline, may help hold the line on runaway costs that are pricing potential home buyers of the market. The increased inventory could give buyers the upper hand when negotiating to buy new homes."

"According to the Intermountain MLS, there were 3,841 new and existing homes listed for sale in the Treasure Valley this week, 43 percent fewer than the 6,749 on the market during the first quarter of last year."

"As more acreage become available for development, builders will no longer have to pay exorbitant prices for land, said Don Hubble, owner of Hubble Homes. He said his company recently had to pay $165,000 an acre for land in Meridian that had been appraised at $125,000 an acre."

"Hubble said much of the available land for sale is being gobbled up by out-state-developers eager to benefit from the Treasure Valley housing boom."

"'That makes it more difficult for the rest of us to find land to build on,' he said. 'But if there are more than 30,000 lots coming online, that's going to make a big impact.'"

"And the high number of new subdivisions in the works will mean more inventory for buyers, who now feel they must buy immediately or risk losing out on single-family properties, said Trey Langford. His most recent survey found 69 subdivisions with 15,041 potential lots in the works in Ada County. Canyon County had 96 new subdivisions with 7,195 lots."

"The more homes available, the better for the consumer, Langford said. 'Right now, if you don't buy a home upon seeing it, you can figure you're not going to get it,' he said. 'But with more homes on the market, consumers will have more choice, and the current seller's market will become a buyer's market.'"

"Home prices rose last year by 24 percent in Ada County and 31 percent in Canyon County. Wage increases in the area averaged 2.7 percent for the year. 'A 20 percent increase in home prices is sustainable for a couple of years,' said Jim Archer, of Hubble Homes. 'But then what happens is you lose your market because people have been priced out.'"