Park City Blog

How's the market in your state?

How's the market in your state?

Here in Utah, as is true with Most places I think, the residential market has slowed down significantly in volume.  Prices haven't plummeted here in Utah the way they have in some areas, but we are seeing more and more REO properties, and short sales.  I think it's a great time for people to make a lateral move in our market, or for people who want to upgrade a bit.  The next few months, between now and a year from now, It will be a great opportunity for buyers to get some real 'deals'.

As always, feel free to comment if you have anything to add, or with any questions!

Spring has finally sprung in Park City!

It's nearly May, and the weather is finally starting to get nice here in Park City!  Today, it is sunny, and nearly 70 degrees outside, a BIG change from the snow we had last week!! 

There is so much great stuff to do here in Park City in the summer!  It is not nearly as crowded, Winter is our big tourist time, so there are locals specials all over!!  there are TONS of 2 for 1 coupons in the local newspaper for dining at some awesome restaurants, and specials on just about everything else too! 

Park City Resort has some very fun summer activities, including Horseback Riding, The Alpine Coaster and Alpine Slide, The Zip ride, and much more!  Check out their website for more!

Deer Valley is home to the Mountain Town Stages summer concert series, which is SO much fun in the summer!  On Wednesday afternoons, there are free concerts.  You can bring chairs or a blanket, a cooler, and enjoy! 

The Canyons hosts free concerts on Saturday afternoons too, and they have the Farmer's Market every Wednesday in their lower parking lot!! 

The Park City area is also home to over 400 MILES of trails for hiking, biking, and more!  So if you're considering a mountain trip this summer, Park City should be at the top of your list!  For links to all of these and more, please visit http://jparkcity.com/activities.htm

Summer is also a great time to find some incredible bargains on real estate, and you can stay in a beautiful condo for not too much money per night!  It's a very fun vacation for a family in the summer, and a great time to look at all that Park City has to offer!

As always, Please feel free to comment with questions or anything to add!

Get your FACTS strait!

Get your facts strait!

Fact: Utah's economy is leading the nation, with healthy population growth, low unemployment and high job growth.

Fact: Park City continues to represent a great value when compared to other world-class ski resort towns - and Park City is one of the most accessible ski resort towns.

Fact: Park City sales volume in 2007 hit nearly $2 Billion - that's the second-best year in history and up 3% from 2006!

Fact: The Salt Lake International Airport makes for an easy commute to Park City, whether traveling for business or the world-class skiing. 

Fact: The Park City real estate market appreciated by 11% in 2007.

Fact: Local Park City REALTORS^® are very involved in their community. 

Fact: Park City is home to 2 of SKI Magazine's Top 10 Resorts in North America for 2007, with Deer Valley® Resort as the #1 resort for third time.

Fact: The Park City area has 10 world-class ski resorts within an hour drive.

So, contrary to the media's belief, the sky really is NOT falling!

Epic Spring Skiing!

With the HUGE SNOWPACK we have here in the Utah Ski Resorts, this year promises to be one of the best “spring skiing” years we’ve had in a long time! There’s nothing better than waking up on a beautiful, sunny day and hitting the slopes. You can wear fewer layers, sit in the sun outside during lunch, and just enjoy the outdoors in general on days like this! Sure, the snow might be a little slushy at the bottom of the mountain, but all in all, it is pretty nice and soft. It gets you thinking about summer, and the warm days to come, but while still enjoying the great Utah snow.

This year, there might even be the opportunity to ski twice in a day! If the snow pack lasts long enough, then in late May/June, you can actually SNOW SKI in the morning, then hit the lake, and WATER SKI in the afternoon! Makes for a FULL, FUN day! In the winter of 2005/2006, Snowbird ski resort remained opened until JULY 4^th!

If you’re considering a spring skiing vacation, Please feel free to give me a call! I can help you out with a place to stay, discount lift tickets, and much more. Visit my website at http://www.JParkCity.com for details on all that Park City has to offer!

As always, feel free to comment here with questions or if you have anything to add!

Utah Air Quality Qualms!

Several times in the past couple of months, Areas of Utah have been rated as having some of the WORST air quality in the country.  This is due to our inversions, and also to the high rate of pollution in some of our cities.  Salt Lake County, Utah County and the Logan/Cache Valley areas get these inversions.  Click on this link to read about how inversions are created, and how they affect air quality.   http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/climate/TemperatureInversions.php

 

The Utah Division of Air Quality is a great source of CURRENT conditions in Utah.  You can also have email updates when the air quality starts to get to unhealthy levels, by signing up for the DEQ’s (Department of Environmental Quality) Listserv.   http://www.airquality.utah.gov/

 

Park City, though, continues to have CLEAN, FRESH mountain air.  We’d like to keep it that way, and here are a few things you can do to help with the situation, no matter WHERE you live.

             

1. Carpool
2. Use Mass Transit. Park City has an EXCELLENT bus system!
3. WALK
4. Ride a bike
5. Do your business over the phone and/or internet
6. Walk to lunch, or Pack lunch and eat in!
7. Put off errands that can wait, and combine trips, ESPECIALLY if it’s a “red burn” day!

 

If we all try to follow these guidelines, we will be able to Breathe Easier into the future!  As always, Please feel free to comment with questions, or if you have anything to add!

        

 

For all the Dog Lovers out there...

Here's one for all of you dog lovers out there - This is SOO cute. I COMPLETELY disagree with anyone who says that dogs are not smart. Granted - Some are smarter than others, but this is amazing... and definitely worth checking out! 

http://www.jparkcity.com/images/DogInPool.wmv

Hey, some people just don't like to swim, and apparently, some dogs are the same! 

As always, Please feel free to comment with questions or if you have anything to add!

It's a GREEN Ski World!

Our ski resorts here in Utah are doing their part to reduce the carbon footprint!  Last year, Park City Mountain Resort commissioned a study prepared by researchers and scientists out of Boulder, CO, that looked at the impacts that climate change will have on the area, and it's surrounding community in 25, 50, and 75 years.  There were presentations all over, called "save our snow" which highlighted the results.  If nothing is done and business continues as usual, the snowline in Park City will start at 9500 feet in the year 2075!!!  When you consider the highest elevation at PCMR, Jupiter Peak is 10,000 feet, it leaves only 500 feet of snow cover - not exactly the greatest snow on earth!!  Utah ski areas aren't taking the news lightly - The following article is GREAT, and shows what all of the resorts here in Utah are doing.

I found this article in Sports Guide Magazine - CLICK HERE to download article in PDF, and view a larger version of it!  Definitely worth a read!

As always, feel free to comment with questions, or if you have anything to add!

Utah marks fifth quarter in row as nation's home-price increase leader

This was in the Salt Lake Tribune today - It's a great article about Utah Real Estate!  Forget the "doom and gloom" reports we keep hearing from the media - The sky really is NOT falling!  This article is great, and shows that we truly do have a STEADY economy here in Utah, despite the fact that some other areas are feeling the downturn a bit.

Article Last  Updated: 02/26/2008 01:33:16 PM MST

 

Posted:  11:12 AM- Utah still leads the  country in home-price appreciation, a new report shows.
    Prices rose 9.27 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, compared with the October-November-December period a year earlier, according to the report released today by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. 
    In the report, Wyoming was No. 2 with a 8.27 percent gain. North Dakota was third, with a 7.87 percent increase, followed by Montana at 6.90 percent and Alaska at 5.97 percent.
    Among metropolitan areas, Wenatchee, Wash., was No. 1 with a 13.67 percent increase in home values over that one-year period. The Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux area in Louisiana was No. 2 with a 12.15 percent gain, followed by Grand Junction, Colo., up 12.03 percent.
    Ogden-Clearfield was No. 4, with a 10.8 percent increase. Provo-Orem ranked sixth among all metro areas, with a 10.46 percent gain, followed by Salt Lake City, up 9.68 percent, and Logan, up 8.75 percent.
    The only other Utah city on the list, St. George, however, logged a 1.91 percent decline in home values, placing it at No. 220. St. George's real estate market began a home-price run-up more than a year earlier than much of the Wasatch Front and began its downturn in 2006. The Wasatch Front's real estate market began to slow in the summer of last year.
    Nationally, prices were up only 0.84 percent in the year that  ended Dec. 31.
    In the earlier part of this decade, Utah's home-price appreciation was the worst in the country, while Utah's neighbors and other states were racking up impressive home-price gains. Then, a few years ago, the state's real estate market took off, too.
    But while Utah's market took off, its Western neighbors began a downturn that continues today. Nevada's home prices, for example, fell by 5.86 percent in the year that ended in December. Prices also are down 2.4 percent in Arizona. The lowest-ranked state in terms of appreciation is California, with a decline of 6.65 percent.
    Utah's ranking marks its fifth consecutive quarter in the top spot, but rising inventories and declining sales of new and resale homes along the Wasatch Front that started several months ago point to more moderate price increases, most likely in the single digits, over the next year. Some even are predicting home values may decline at some point.

As always, Please comment with questions, or if you have anything to add!

 

Water Due Diligence!

Do you live in a house with a well?  Are you thinking about buying one?  Have you ever considered that the water might not be good enough quality to drink?  That it might be contaminated?  That the water right with the well might not be valid? 

 

 

 

If you are currently considering buying a house with a well, or if you're concerned at all about your water quality, It's definitely worth a look to visit this website:  http://www.cascadewaterresources.com/news.htm. John files of Cascade Water Resources can help you verify that the well is in good condition, the water is safe to drink and shower, and the water right is in place to give you legal rights to use the water from the well!

As always, Please feel free to comment with any questions or if you have anything to add!

IGNORE the headlines! Don't Wait to buy Real Estate!

I came across a great article in TIME magazine.  CLICK HERE to view this article.  There's also a link here to download a PDF of this great article!

This article really highlights a lot of great reasons that you should buy NOW instead of waiting.  It highlights how the "wait and see" mentality can really cost you!   It's definitely a factual read worth your time, so please check it out! 

As always, feel free to comment with questions!