TL;DR (Quick Snapshot)
- 2025 was steady but competitive in the Boise-area rental market; Idaho remains landlord-friendly with no rent control.
- Legislative changes focused on eviction record shielding, rent increase notice clarity, and proposed application fee guardrails—we’re on top of all compliance.
- Your portfolio under Smart Move in 2025:
- 💰 99.8% Collection Rate
- ⏱️ 19 Days on Market (avg.)
- 🔁 72.2% Tenant Retention
- 🚫 0% Evictions
- 🔧 4.8/5 Maintenance Satisfaction
- ⭐ 4.7/5 Google Rating
- We welcomed Jennifer, our new Operations Manager, who brings 20 years of property management experience to strengthen systems and support growth.
- We were honored to be named by PropertyManagement.com as one of the Top 100 property management companies in the U.S.—ranked #29 nationally and #1 in Idaho, and to win Gold in the Boise Favorites contest for Favorite Property Management Company.
- Looking to 2026, we’re focused on tenant retention, reduced vacancy, rising cost management, and legislative compliance to protect your long-term returns.
Dear Valued Clients,
As we close out 2025, all of us at Smart Move Property Management want to thank you for trusting us with your investment properties. It’s been another year of shifting market conditions, new legislation, and continued focus on protecting your assets while keeping good residents in place.
This year, Smart Move was recognized by PropertyManagement.com as one of the Top 100 property management companies in the United States—coming in at #29 nationally and #1 in Idaho. We were also voted Gold in the Boise Favorites contest for Favorite Property Management Company. We’re proud of these honors because they reflect the trust you’ve placed in us and the results we deliver on your behalf.
Despite the noise in the headlines, Idaho remains a landlord-friendly state with relatively light regulation, no rent control, and strong rental demand in the Boise metro. Our job is to stay ahead of the details so you don’t have to.
2025 Market & Legislative Snapshot
Key Legislative Updates for Idaho Landlords
A few state-level changes are especially relevant to you as a property owner:
Eviction Record Shielding
Idaho now shields certain dismissed eviction cases from public view after a period of time for newer cases.
- What it means for you: Some older, dismissed evictions may not appear on standard background checks, so we place even more emphasis on rental history, income verification, and references when screening.
Statewide Ban on Local Rent Control & Clarified Notice Rules
The legislature reaffirmed that local governments (like Boise) cannot impose rent control or additional limits on rents, fees, or deposits on private residential property. It also clarified 30-day written notice requirements for rent increases or non-renewal on residential month-to-month tenancies.
- What it means for you: Rental rates and most fee structures remain driven by market conditions—not local caps—while notice timelines are clear and standardized.
Rental Application Fee Guardrails (Proposed/Refined)
Lawmakers spent much of 2025 debating guardrails around rental application fees—such as limiting fees to actual processing costs, requiring disclosure of screening criteria, and restricting how many applicants can be charged at once per unit. While some of these changes are still in flux, they signal a clear direction: more transparency and structure around application fees.
- What it means for you: Smart Move already aligns closely with these best practices, so any final changes should require minimal adjustment on your end.
Reminder: HB 545 (Previously Enacted, Still in Effect)
Prior state law continues to prevent cities and counties from requiring landlords to accept optional federal housing assistance programs (like Section 8) and from regulating rent, fees, or deposits for private residential property.
- What it means for you: Boise’s earlier experiments with application fee caps and mandatory voucher acceptance remain preempted by state law, keeping Idaho attractive for long-term rental investment.
As always, we monitor these laws closely and adjust our internal processes so your portfolio stays compliant and well-protected.
Boise–Area Rental Market in 2025
The Boise-area rental market in 2025 has been steady but competitive:
Vacancy:
Vacancy rates have hovered in a healthy mid-range—still favorable to landlords, but high enough that pricing and presentation matter.
Rents:
Average marketed rents have softened slightly compared to peak years, with some pockets of the market (especially larger multi-family) needing move-in incentives and concessions to stay competitive. Well-maintained single-family homes in desirable locations continue to perform relatively well.
Big picture:
Boise remains fundamentally solid: ongoing population growth, limited new single-family rental supply, and a landlord-friendly legal climate. But it is also more price-sensitive than in the boom years, which is why strategic pricing and tenant retention matter more than ever.
How Your Properties Performed with Smart Move in 2025
Even with a more competitive market, your portfolio performed extremely well under management this year. Here are the key numbers for the past 12 months:
💰 99.8% Collection Rate (12-month avg.)
→ Your rental income remained consistent, predictable, and protected, even as some renters across the valley continued to struggle.
⏱️ 19 Days on Market (12-month avg.)
→ We leased homes faster than the broader market, which translates directly to less downtime and higher annual returns for you.
🔁 72.2% Tenant Retention
→ Nearly three-quarters of residents chose to stay, which reduces turnover costs, minimizes vacancy, and supports long-term stability.
🚫 0% Eviction Rate
→ Our rigorous screening and proactive resident management meant not a single eviction was required this year—a win for you, your residents, and your properties.
And beyond the hard numbers, we’re proud of the experience we deliver:
🔧 4.8 / 5 Maintenance Satisfaction
→ Residents consistently rate our maintenance team highly for responsiveness and communication, which directly supports retention.
⭐ 4.7 / 5 Google Rating
→ Your management company continues to hold a strong online reputation built on transparency, follow-through, and results.
These metrics are not accidents; they reflect intentional systems, clear processes, and a team that cares about doing things the right way.
Strengthening Our Team: Welcoming Jennifer
In 2025, we were excited to onboard a new Operations Manager, Jennifer, who brings over 20 years of property management experience to Smart Move.
Jennifer’s background includes:
- Deep hands-on experience with leasing, maintenance coordination, accounting workflows, and owner reporting
- A strong focus on process improvement, compliance, and team training
- A “calm in the storm” leadership style that keeps daily operations running smoothly
Her role is to ensure that everything behind the scenes stays organized, accurate, and proactive—from tracking KPIs to overseeing vendor relationships—so that you continue to receive consistent, high-quality service as we grow.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we move into 2026, we anticipate:
- Continued steady but competitive rental demand in the Boise metro
- Ongoing pressure from rising taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs, though not at the pace seen in some earlier years
- Continued legislative interest in housing and tenant protections, particularly around fees and records, which we will track and implement on your behalf
Our strategy for the coming year will remain focused on:
- Retaining great residents through communication, fair renewals, and prompt maintenance
- Reducing vacancy and downtime with smart pricing, high-quality marketing (including strong photography and 360° tours where appropriate), and tight turn processes
- Protecting your asset long-term through preventative maintenance, detailed inspections, and clear documentation
