Utah County Real Estate - Sell before you Buy When it comes time to purchase a new home, the question always comes up, should I sell my old home before I buy the new one?  Depending on your credit situation and your ability to qualify for two loans, this question could be easily resolved.  We will assume you have excellent credit and can do whatever you please.  It is always better to have your present home sold before you make an offer on the new home.  If you have an offer with a contingency of selling the old home, the seller will be less likely to accept the offer or allow better terms.  You will always be in a better bargaining position if you were able to move in without delay.  Credit terms on you new loan will also be better based on you living in the new home as your primary re... 06/11/2010

Energy Audits for Historical Buildings like the Alpine City Hall in Alpine | Information gathered from any Utah energy audits in the Historic Areas of Utah County, Utah will be used to determine energy efficiency, retrofitting and weatherization projects using funds from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG). Retrofitting projects will include air infiltration, energy efficient windows and doors, insulation levels, weather-stripping and caulking, and electric base loads.   Using its EECBG formula funding to retrofit and improve the energy efficiency of a number of it's municipal buildings that will result in substantial reduction in energy usage. EECBG Formula grants can be used for energy efficiency and conservation programs and projects community wide, as well as... 06/10/2010

Utah County Homes for Sale - Bank Owned Foreclosure Property Bank Owned Properties - Utah County Real Estate Banks are not in the business to hold onto an inventory of homes.  They want to get rid of these homes yesterday.  This makes for a great opportunity for you, the home buyer or investor, because most of these homes are well below market value.  Once the bank owns the property they will handle eviction if any, take care of some repairs, pay past HOA and/or other maintenance dues, and then will negotiate with the IRS, removal of tax liens, if any. How do banks sell REO's (Real Estate owned by the Bank?) Most banks have an REO department that handles the sale of these properties.  They certainly would like to get the best price of course.  When you make an offer, the banks will usua... 06/09/2010

Utah County Real Estate - Getting Pre-Qualified is your first step The time has come to start shopping for a home to purchase.  The first thing that you should do is to get pre-qualified for a home loan.  It is very important to understand what your price range is prior to looking so you don't waste time looking at properties that are out of your price range. Where do you begin? Most Realtors work with a trusted network of Mortgage professionals, who can assist you in getting pre-approved for a loan so that you can comfortably begin looking at homes with the assurance that you can obtain the proper financing. Generally, loan officers can help you with a pre-approval by getting some basic information (address, social security number, etc.) over the phone or internet. If you choose to pur... 06/07/2010

Utah County Real Estate - Buyer Agent Commission One of the most often used marketing tricks that Listing agents use to attract home buyers is a Buyer Agent Commission (BAC) that is larger than what is generally offered.  Generally speaking most home sellers offer a commission of 6 percent to the agents that assist to sell their homes.  Half of the commission or 3 percent goes to the agent that listed the home for sale.  The other 3 percent goes to the agent who represents the buyer in the transaction.  By offering an inflated BAC, the listing agent is hoping that the agent representing the buyer will show their home before the home that only has a 3 percent commission. Home Buyers Beware Home buyers need to understand that sometimes their agent may be motivated to show them a home with... 05/27/2010

  Alpine Utah Real Estate has been on quite the roller coaster over the past ten years.  In fact, last year ten fewer homes sold than what sold ten years ago and that was after a big increase.  Alpine homes sold peaked in 2003 and 2005 when numbers broke 100 then about half that many homes sold in 2008.  Median price of Real Estate in Alpine dropped below $400,000 for the first time since 2003.  Although the numbers seem pretty bad, an increase from last year seems to be a sign of hope for those looking to sell. 05/25/2010

Utah County Real Estate - Earnest Money and the REPC The Real Estate Purchase Contract involves more than just price.  You will have to discuss personal property possession, rent, tests, inspections, closing dates and more.  The one term that throws most buyers, especially first time buyers is Earnest Money Deposit.  What is it?  Why do I need to pay it?  Why do I have to pay so much? Not the Down Payment Many buyers show up to write their offer and announce to their agent that they do not have to put an earnest money deposit because they are getting down payment assistance or 100 percent financing.  Communication is very important, it is not difficult to see where an inexperienced buyer would confuse one deposit for another, so do not feel bad if you, too, just learned something new. R... 05/24/2010

Utah County Homes for Sale - Top Three Home Buyer Mistakes Well you have finally decided that it is time to stop renting and that you need to purchase a new home.  Be aware that is important to stay calm and think your way through the process; don't get so excited that you overlook a few very important steps. Failure to get pre-qualified before making an offer on a Utah County home: The very first step you need to take when considering the purchase a new home is that of interviewing and hiring a Mortgage Broker or Loan Officer.  Understanding how much you are qualified to purchase up front can save you a lot of time and frustration later on.  The pre-qualification letter is very important to the seller when it comes time to make offer on their home.  Taking the time to get pre-qualified... 05/20/2010

Utah County Homes for Sale - What can you afford to buy? Many factors come into play when you attempting to figure out how much you can afford in a new home.  In addition to your monthly mortgage payment, there are closing costs, moving expenses, plus purchases and maintenance for the new home.  The rule of thumb is generally considered, your gross income multiplied by 2.5, will give you an approximate amount for the price of home you can afford.  The amount will vary depending on how much you have as a down payment, your debts, financial situation, and credit history and rating.  Your debts, including alimony and child support, should not be more than 30 to 40 percent of your gross income. Monthly Mortgage Payment Lenders are very careful to make sure you have the ability to repay your... 04/28/2010

Utah County Real Estate - Seller Motivation and the Offer Price When looking for Utah County homes for my buyer clients, I have found that the Seller's Motivation can have a dramatic affect on the price of the home.  The most common "Motivated Seller" is someone who has already bought his or her next home or is relocating to a new area.  They will be under the gun to sell the home quickly or face the prospect of making two mortgage payments at the same time.  Since that can drain a bank quickly, most sellers want to avoid such a situation and may be willing to give up thousands of dollars to avoid the possibility. Family crises can be a motivation for a seller to make a quick deal.  However, when you see a real estate ad that mentions, divorce, motivated seller, relocation, or something... 04/20/2010

Utah County Real Estate - Comparable Sales One of the most accessible sources of comparable sales is the public record.  When someone buys a home the property is deeded from the seller to the buyer.  In most circumstances, this deed is recorded at the local county recorder's office.  They combine sales data with information already known about the property so they can assess property taxes correctly. Accessing the data can be somewhat difficult for the general public.  Realtors gain access through title insurance companies.  The title companies either compile the data directly from the county recorder's office or purchase it from other companies.  One problem with the public record is that it tends to run a little behind.  By the time the consumer is able to access the information it ha... 04/13/2010

Utah County Real Estate - Buyer Agency As of 1994, the state of Utah authorized Buyer's Agency.  In Utah County, and throughout the state, buyers can choose an agent to work exclusively on their behalf.  Buyer agency benefits include: •·         Buyer's agents are almost always paid out of the proceeds of the sale by the seller or builder, so we always recommend using a Realtor, as it will cost you nothing extra. •·         Many people do not realize that it is advantageous to have an agent on a new home purchase as well.  I have gone to bat for my clients on a number of occasions when there were problems with home builders.  Salespeople who work for the builder are usually very ethical they are also employees of the builder and are bound by their relationship to their employer.  They d... 03/30/2010

Utah County Real Estate - Contingencies and the Purchase Offer When it comes time to make an offer on your new Utah County home, occasionally there are a few obstacles that make it difficult.  It is sometimes hard to discover all the potential problems that might go wrong, but you might want to anticipate some so that you can cancel the contract without penalty.  These are called "contingencies and you must make sure to include them when you offer to buy a home. One of the more popular contingencies is having to sell a previous home before purchasing a Utah County home.  Making the closing the sale of the home a condition of your offer is important to avoid having to pay two mortgage payments instead of one.  Other popular contingencies include the ability to obtain financing, property ... 03/18/2010

Utah County Real Estate - Determining the Right Home for You There are a number of things to consider when choosing the right home and everyone's priority is different.  Where should it be located; neighborhood preference; single or multi-level, number of bedrooms and baths; square footage: yard size; features: quality of school; age of home; interior or exterior appeal; and most of all, price, because if it's out of your budget, it can't be considered. Make a List Make a priority list of things important to you.  Start with the most important, things you have to have.  Then work down the list, putting them in order of most important.  After you are done, go up to the top and move down until you get to a place where you can draw a line.  Above the line should be all of the items you hav... 03/03/2010

They definitely are mostly found in upper end homes, and they may be elegant, but buyer beware - they leak. Not only do they splatter water all over your bathroom floor and walls but they also leak up in the ceiling above. This is the third one that we have discovered the sheet rock in the ceiling around the water outlet wet. The first one we found had a large mold colony growing inside the ceiling. The best inspector in the world with the most powerful flashlight would have never discovered this. Always insist on infrared thermal imaging home inspections. The hot water is the red line falling from the ceiling. The blue area in the ceiling is the wet and moldy sheet rock. 03/03/2010

We need Positive Price Action to confirm market bottom.  One month of price improve isn't sufficient to confirm the market bottom.  We need to see appreciation month over month for three months. PRICE ACTION   Other good signs in addition to positive price action is lower DOM (days of the market), lower new listingsand higher percent of new listings being SOLD.   SUMMARY Has the Utah Real Estate Market bottomed? Currently we are not seeing the needed positive price action (along with other indicators) to confirm a market bottom.  This is NOT a good time for those investor with low and/or no risk tolerance to purchase.  Investors with a long term buy and hold strategic.  Opportunities are starting to make sense.  Contact your property resource specialist for information to make an inform... 02/27/2010

Are you purchasing a short sale, vacant or unoccupied home, condo or townhome in Alpine, Utah? Industry experts and the federal government all agree and recommend using thermal infrared cameras on all home inspections. Hi resolution infrared thermal imaging is the only tool to uncover hidden water and sewer drain leaks that most often occur when a vacant home sits unattended over the winter. We are finding an ever increasing number of vacant homes with small plumbing leaks that only high-rez infrared cameras can find. These leaks, if left unrepaired will only cause a mold problem to manifest itself in the months to come. Alamo Infrared is the original infrared home inspection and energy auditing company in the Rocky Mountain West. For more information visit our website:  www.utahenergya... 02/27/2010

Are you purchasing a vacant or unoccupied home, condo or townhome in Alpine, Utah? Industry experts and the federal government all agree and recommend using thermal infrared cameras on all home inspections. Looking to increase the energy efficiency of your home in Alpine area of Utah, Utah. Are your gas bills through the roof? Let Alamo Infrared Energy Audits and Home Inspections inspect and evaluate your Utah area home or business. Our modern equipment can evaluate and determine the air tightness of your new home. Leaky windows and doors as well as missing or insufficient insulation can only be detected using high performance blower doors and infrared cameras. For more information visit our website:  www.utahenergyaudit.com  www.umrt.com Alamo Infrared is the oldest and largest energy ... 02/20/2010

Utah County Real Estate Appraisal The Utah County Real Estate Appraisal is an important part of your home buying transaction.  The appraisal helps to establish what the property's market value actual is, in fact it would likely be the main tool in helping the seller establish the proper selling price. Lenders require an appraisal when the home is offered as security for a loan; they want to make sure that the property will sell for at least the amount of money it is lending.  Utah County Real estate agents often use a comparative market analysis (CMA), with an appraisal to help their home seller determine a realistic asking price for their home.  Many times, experienced real estate agents will come very close to an appraisal, but usually the appraisal is very detailed and is the only va... 02/10/2010

Looking to increase the energy efficiency of your existing Alpine, Utah home or business? Are your Questar gas bills through the roof? Let Alamo Infrared Energy Audits and Home Inspections inspect and evaluate your Alpine, Utah 84004 home or business. Our modern equipment can evaluate and determine the air tightness of your new home. Leaky windows and doors as well as missing or insufficient insulation can only be detected using high performance blower doors and infrared cameras. For more information visit our website:  www.utahenergyaudit.com  www.umrt.com Alamo Infrared is the oldest and largest energy auditor for homes, businesses and government buildings in the Rocky Mountain West. 01/30/2010