Posted: April 10th, 2008 | Author: Nathan Blair | Filed under: Utah Homes, green housing, utah builders | Tags: Green Utah home builders, utah energy efficient homes, Utah real estate | No Comments »
I know I’ve been talking a lot lately about ‘going green’ in your home, but it has really sparked my interest and I think it’s important.
One thing that I didn’t talk about last time is who to hire to build a green home for you. I became interested in this question after I paid a visit to my sister and saw a house being build behind her that claims to be entirely ‘green’. So who can you turn to?
Instead of compiling a list myself, I’ll refer you to a good website that has a bunch of information on green builders – this website calls them Energy Star builders, but it’s the same thing. The website is Energy Star Builders in Utah.
They have created a list of builders who have a minimum five-star rating on the HERS scale. Some names I think you’ll recognize, but some I had never heard of.
You’ll probably find that building a green home will cost more than a regular home. It might make sense to some people, but others might not be able to justify the cost. We’re not here to vilify people who don’t build green home – everybody can do something to be environmentally responsible. If building an energy efficient home fits into your plans, then more power to you.
Tags: Utah home builders,Green Utah homes,energy efficiency,utah real estate,real estate
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Posted: March 22nd, 2008 | Author: Nathan Blair | Filed under: UAR, Utah real estate | Tags: Utah Association of Realtors, Utah real estate, utahhousingfacts.com | 2 Comments »
Someone on Facebook directed me to this website called utahhousingfacts.com. It’s not exhaustive by any means, but it’s a nice little site that reminds us in Utah that real estate is local.
It’s worth a few minutes of browsing. There are some Utah statistics, homeowner benefits, etc. I think it may have been created with the relatively non-informed consumer in mind, since it has a lot of basic stuff. And it was clearly created by Utah REALTORs, but don’t let that scare you away.
*My service doesn’t stop here! In addition to maintaining The Salt Lake City Utah Real Estate Blog, I also help people buy and sell homes in Utah. When you need help with either of these, contact me!
Tags: Utah housing,Utah real estate,real estate
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Posted: March 19th, 2008 | Author: Nathan Blair | Filed under: Utah Economic Summit, Utah economy | Tags: The Governors's Utah Economic Summit, Utah economy, Utah real estate | No Comments »
Lately I’ve been hearing quite a bit of talk about an event coming up in March, called the Utah Economic Summit. Until this year, I didn’t know anything about it, but I’ve looked into it a bit, and it seems like it would be worthwhile.
From what I understand, this event will be an overview of Utah’s economy, where we are, and where the plans will take us. Some of Utah’s business and economic leaders will speak about where they feel Utah is going and what it needs to enjoy future prosperity.
In addition, you will be able to attend various Executive Breakout Tracks, or specialized forums focusing on specific industries such as real estate, business law, business promotion, etc. One that looks particularly interesting to me will be about Web 2.0 and how to survive in the midst of it.
The event is on March 20th, and will go from 7:00 am to about 3:15 pm. Lunch will be served following a keynot speech by Governor Huntsman. It should be good, and I encourage all you interested in Utah’s economy to attend.
View the Utah Economic Summit website here.
*My service doesn’t stop here! In addition to maintaining The Salt Lake City Utah Real Estate Blog, I also help people buy and sell homes in Utah. When you need help with either of these, contact me!
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Posted: March 19th, 2008 | Author: Nathan Blair | Filed under: foreclosure, short sales | Tags: first time home buyers, home foreclosure, Utah real estate, utah real estate short sale | No Comments »
Most of you now know that it’s a great time to be a buyer of real estate. That’s being said everywhere, and is nothing new. But let me go a little further and tell you, from recent experience, that if you look closely it might be an even better time than you think.I’m referring to the number of homes that are being sold as short sales. This isn’t really that new either, but it needs to be brought to your attention. If you’ve ever thought you’d like to buy a home for a lot less money than it’s worth, research short sales and you may be surprised what you can get. Sometimes sellers are about to face foreclosure and they need to get out of their home. This can become a golden opportunity for you if you pay attention.
Lately I’ve seen a few very nice homes being sold at bargain prices. They may need a little work such as painting, putting in a yard, etc., but they’re still great values. Don’t count yourself out just because you think you can’t get into a nice home. Do your homework, talk to your agent, and tour some of these short sale properties. Make sure you know what you’re doing, as these transactions are more complicated than others. Knowledge will save you a headache and possibly get you a steal.
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