North End, Boise, ID Real Estate
The North End is Boise's first suburb, spread across a grid of tree-lined streets between downtown and the foothills. It grew up in a building boom that began in the 1890s, and much of that early fabric is still here: Queen Anne houses, bungalows, Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival homes, modest clapboard cottages, and later ranch houses, many with rear alleys and wide planted parkways out front. Buyers look here for the older homes, the Hyde Park shops on 13th Street, and trailheads at the top of the street instead of across town.
The homes
Homes here are almost all single-family homes, built mostly between the 1910s and the 1950s. Expect mostly three- and four-bedroom homes, most of them about 1,000 to 2,500 sq ft on standard-size lots. On the North End's residential streets the city describes mostly single-family homes, with some multifamily buildings and small commercial corners mixed in and lot sizes that vary from block to block. To narrow your search, browse single-family homes, condos and townhomes, homes with views or homes with a basement. The North End shares the 83702 ZIP code with downtown; for that wider view, see homes for sale in 83702.
Living in a historic district
Large sections of the North End sit inside Boise's local historic districts. The City of Boise designated the North End Historic District in 1994 and expanded it in 2004, and Harrison Boulevard, with its grassy center median and mature trees, has its own residential district. The goal is to keep the modest character of each block as seen from the street.
In practice, that means exterior work on a home in a district may need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city before you start. The city lists projects such as replacing siding or windows, adding a porch, addition or visible deck, building an accessory structure of 120 square feet or more, putting up a fence of a material other than wood, and creating an accessory dwelling unit. Vinyl windows aren't permitted in Boise's historic districts. Painting and asphalt shingle roofing don't need one. Not every North End street is in a district, so check the city's historic district map for the exact address.
Hyde Park
Hyde Park is the North End's commercial heart, centered on North 13th Street around Eastman Street. It's Boise's original neighborhood shopping area, a couple of blocks of storefronts built between the 1890s and 1920s, and it's a historic district of its own, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It's known for locally owned restaurants and shops. The Hyde Park Street Fair, organized by the North End Neighborhood Association, began in 1979 and is held at Camel's Back Park.
Camel's Back Park and the foothills
At the north edge of the neighborhood, Camel's Back Park on West Heron Street has about 11 acres of play areas, picnic tables, practice fields and tennis courts. Behind it, a steep trail and staircase climb to a viewpoint, and the Camel's Back and Hulls Gulch Reserves open onto the Ridge to Rivers trail system. Family loops start from Camel's Back parking or the end of 9th Street, and Lower Hulls Gulch runs an odd/even day schedule for downhill bikes versus hikers and uphill riders. To compare nearby neighborhoods, see North Boise, or start from the Boise page.
Schools
The North End is served by the Boise School District. North Junior High sits on North 13th Street, and several neighborhood elementary schools serve different parts of the area. Assignments go by address, so use the district's Attendance Area Locator to confirm the schools for any home you're considering. If Boise High is on your list, see homes near Boise High School.
Questions to ask before you make an offer
- Is the home inside a local historic district, and do any past exterior changes have the approvals they needed?
- If you plan to change windows, siding or a porch, or add a garage or ADU, what will the Certificate of Appropriateness process require?
- How old are the plumbing, wiring and sewer line, and have mature street trees affected the lateral?
- Does the home have alley access or off-street parking, or will you rely on the street?
- For a basement, are there signs of moisture, and has it been permitted as living space?
- For a condo, what do the HOA dues cover and how healthy is the reserve fund?
Get to know the North End market
Templeton Real Estate knows the North End market and can help you make sense of the homes, neighborhoods and prices you are seeing.
Have a particular neighborhood or type of home in mind? Tell us what matters most and we can narrow the search to the properties worth a closer look. Call or text 208.473.2203 or send us a message.
