March 27, 2009

Time to Sharpen the Saw

Posted to Steve Randall

cLast night my wife and I had the wonderful opportunity to walk the streets and suburbs of Scottsdale. The weather here was quite different that the snow we left in Northern Utah. It was fun to finally be able to smell the flowers and enjoy a short sleeve shirt experience and PF Changs is always a great place to eat. We left the snow to enjoy Arizona’s blooming flowers and wonderful resort hotels.

One of the great things I like about LRE Meetings is that it gives me time to receive the best and latest updates concerning the economy, housing, new technology, and what our clients across the country want from us. One knows that to sharpen the saw will make the work move faster and more efficiently. That is why we are here.

We also get a chance to look at markets outside of our own. Home values here in Arizona have taken a steep drop in the past two years. The market has gone through the pain of correcting itself and shows signs of new life. The country saw an increase in home sales this last month which we all need to recognize and celebrate. However, there are more foreclosures and ARMs that are resetting to replace the inventory that has been sold.

Interest rates are still the best news for buyers and sellers as they help more people qualify for a loan and help sellers move their homes in this difficult market. Now is a great time for buyers to make that purchase because interest rates have a greater probability of going up than going down much more. This market is a great place to move up into a bigger home or to add a second home. Scottsdale is certainly a great place to have a second home if you live in colder climates.

If you are interested in buying a home in Scottsdale, or any other part of the country, please contact me directly (steve@welchagency.com). We will refer you to our Affiliated Companies in that area. If you need something in Northern Utah, we will help you find that perfect home or to sell your current home and move to that next experience. Client service is the center of our training and we want you to have a great experience.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 26, 2009

Property Spot: 2353 E. Summerwood Drive, Layton Utah

Posted to Steve Randall

After a week warm spring-like weather, today is another blessed winter day for skiers! Not far from the resorts, is a prime east Layton area neighborhood near the mountains on the east side of Layton. There are not only beautiful views of the mountains, but also great views of the Great Salt Lake and the valley view out the back windows. This property built in 1988 and located on Summerwood Drive, has 3,286 sf.; 5 bedrooms and 2.75 baths. For the buyer who want to add equity in a move-up buyer’s market, this is the perfect property. The basement is 50% finished and new carpet has just been laid on the main floor.

The back yard looks over the valley to the north down into the valley and creek below. The deck off the back allows one to sit and ponder about the beauties of nature while enjoying a grilled hamburger! Within a fifteen minute drive you will find the Layton Hills Mall, scores of restaurants, movie theaters, and great skiing at Snow Basin and Powder Mountain.

The best thing about this property is that it is price to sell in the current market conditions. The $275,000 listing price makes is one of the most competitive homes on the market. With an $8000 dollar tax credit, a prime Layton location, and access to major transportation hubs and entertainment locations. This is a must see property. Please take a look at the Virtual Tour.

For more information please contact me directly (steve@welchagency.com).

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 24, 2009

Tired of Bad Real Estate News?

Posted to Steve Randall

If you are tired of bad real estate new like most of us, then here is a great website for areas of the country where some good things are happening. You will need to register but the information is free! Look up your city and see where unit sales are increasing or prices have gone up in the past month. Click here to get your good news.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 20, 2009

Mortgage Rates to be Impacted by Trillion Dollar Infusion of Cash

Posted to Steve Randall

While the country’s attention has been focused on the executive bonuses paid to AIG officials, an unprecedented injection of one trillion dollars has been authorized by the Federal Reserve in order to assist a national housing market that continues to languish. While political pundits argue of the overall effect of this huge injection of funds, the intent is clearly aimed at lowering mortgage rates so that more people can afford to buy homes with monthly payments they can afford.

Fannie Mae has reported that rates last week have already dropped from 5.03% to 4.98% which is approaching the low this year of 4.96% on January 15, 2009.

If you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting to buy a home, then a lower interest rate would likely be of interest to you as it lowers the overall cost of purchasing a home. With the $8,000 tax credit you could add substantial equity to your purchase. Others who are watching rates to see how much lower they can go predict that we are now close to the bottom and future drops will be small with the probability that rates could go higher when the pent up demand for homes hits the market in the months ahead.

Unemployment, job security, the general economy are still impacting consumer confidence and keeping some on the sidelines. The fact remains, however, that real estate purchased now is greatly discounted from its highest values in 2006. We also know that real estate purchased now will make buyers look like geniuses in the future when property values again begin rise.

Our website will give you a complete list of all homes for sale in Northern Utah - here you can search for the most recent listings on the MLS.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 19, 2009

Utah Offers $6,000 Grant to Purchase Never Lived in Homes

Posted to Steve Randall

In just a few days, Governor Huntsman will authorize a $6,000 grant with some of the Stimulus Package Money for the purchase of new homes that have never been lived in. This is not a loan that needs to be paid back and can be used with the $8,000 tax credit the Federal Government has established for new home owners as well.

If you are a first time buyer in Northern Utah this new grant has just qualified more buyers and made more homes affordable to more people. There has been $10,000,000 set aside for new construction purchase. If you look at the chart to the right, you can see that exiting sales are down -8.6% from this time last year. This obviously is not a good economic sign for recovery just yet. Pending sales, or home currently in escrow or under contract are up 5.3% when compared to last year at this time. This means we are seeing more buyers in the market right now caused by low interest rates and more affordable housing.

If you look at the New Construction numbers you can see why Governor Huntsman is helping this side of the industry. Sales this year vs. last year are down 48.2%. This new $6,000 grant will help many new buyers with a down payment or closing cost and more buyers will be able to qualify for a loan if they buy a new home that has never been lived in.

For more details or a list of homes that would qualify, please send me an e-mail.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 18, 2009

Community Information - Kaysville City

Posted to Northern Utah Recreation & Attractions, Steve Randall

Barnes Park is a great family place and heavily used during the summer. It has baseball parks, volleyball sand pits, BBQ grills and a large bowery for seating of larger family groups. At Barnes park, Kaysville City is sponsoring an Easter Egg hunt on April 11, 2009 (Saturday) at 10:00 am. For more information you can contact Cristin Smith (444-1068).

Here is the April 2009 Kaysville City Newsletter with other community information.

To find all the new listings in Kaysville try this link on my website. Just click on Kaysville and the number of days back you want to look for new listings.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 16, 2009

FAQ from First-Time Home Buyers

Posted to Steve Randall

Questions from First Time Home Buyers: What is the difference between being “Pre-Qualified” and “Pre-Approved” and does it matter when I make and offer?

Even in today’s buyer market, Sellers are more apt to negotiate with a Buyer who has a lender’s letter stating that they are a qualified buyer. Having a lender’s letter prepared and attached to the offer can save a buyer hundreds, if not, thousands, of dollars because Sellers know they are working with a buyer who really can purchase their home and therefore are more willing to negotiate on price and terms.

Pre-Qualify: When you meet the first time with a lender, you normally “pre-qualify” for a loan amount. This allows you to know what you can comfortably afford based on your income and credit scores. A Pre-Qualification Letter is more informal and allows the lender to review your current financial status so the lender can tell you the spending limits for any offers you make. This is an important first step that every buyer should do before they make their first visit to any home.

For all of us, getting pre-qualified makes us a little nervous because it is a little like judgment day! We often wonder if that car payment we missed two years ago will show up? Will my income be sufficient to buy a home I would like? How much paperwork will they need to see? The fact of the matter is that most lenders can do most of this work with the Buyer over the phone in 30 minutes or less! They may ask you to drop off certain paperwork but within a few days they can present you with a Pre-Qualification Letter so that you are now ready to really start looking at homes and able to make offers.

Pre-Approval: With the pre-qualification process done, you can now start to look for homes. As you spend time looking for homes the lender will continue to put together your financial information, verifying data that you have presented to them, and finalizing your loan so that they can present you with a “Pre-Approval” Letter. The Pre-Approval letter is the lender’s guarantee in writing that they can give you a loan. The Pre-Approval letter is a stronger signal to the Seller that you are a qualified buyer and is preferable to a pre-qualification letter when submitting offers. From the Seller’s point of view, if you have a pre-approval letter then you are considered a stronger buyer because you have already qualified and the Seller knows that you can close on the date you say you will close because the lender has said that they would give you a loan.

One last thing, you may qualify for more than you want to spend. Let’s say that you qualify for $175,000 home but the home you want is only $150,000. The lender would then prepare a letter that would attach to your offer for the $150,000 amount. As the Buyer, you don’t want to show all your cards - you are negotiating with the Seller so the lender may have to give you several letters over time as you make various offers on various properties.

Here are samples of two lender forms with the questions and information most lenders will need to know in order to approve your loan:

Sample Pre-Qual Form #1
Sample Pre-Qual Form #2

As always, we have lenders who our buyers have worked with and recommend. For a list of those lenders please e-mail me directly.

Posted By Steve Randall





March 13, 2009

Community Update -Moving From Winter To Spring in Kaysville, Utah 84037

Posted to Steve Randall

One the great things about living in Utah is the change of seasons. The months of March and April are two months where you can do so many things. If you live in Kaysville, you are only 45 minutes away from some of the best ski resorts in the world. While some skiers are bemoaning the coming of warm weather, some resorts stay open until almost the end of June. March and April are still great ski months is you live in Kaysville.

What you also see is the die-hard marathon trainers who run miles and miles starting at 4:00 am (still dark) as they run on the wider roads of Highway 89 down to Lagoon, out west towards the Great Salt Lake, and then back to Kaysville. It is easy to get 12 to 18 training miles in a day to get ready for the spring marathons.

Finally, those of us who are road bikers begin to move from our home spin bikes to the actual road with sunlight! Temperatures for morning rides start in the 40s and end in the 50s this time of year. We occasionally are forced back into the basement with a spring snow storm but it melts quickly and gives those new found muscles a chance to rest. It is always great to have the new Legacy Parkway that starts at the Front Runner Station in Farmington (right next door to Kaysville) and runs 17 or 18 miles into Salt Lake County. These are flat, easy rides and good to get the stamina built back up.

Here is a good website to use when you want to find some great out-of-door, family oriented, things to do when living in Kaysville. There are currently a 198 homes in Kaysville for sale. To see all of those properties, please click here or send me an e-mail.

Now is a great time to come and enjoy all the activities that can be done when you live in Kaysville.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 11, 2009

What's Ahead? Mortgage Rates Are the Reasons Buyers Should Buy Now

Posted to Steve Randall

In today’s post we want our Buyers to take a look ahead to see what is likely to be coming in the future as it relates to mortgage rates. One of the best ways to look ahead is to look back for an historical view of what happened to interest rates when they saw a prolonged drop over a period of weeks. We thank Steve Harney, with SteveHarney.com, for these graphs showing the history of interest rates beginning in January of 2008 and ending in January of 2009.

As you look at this graph you can see the range of interest rates from a high of almost 6.7% to a low of 4.75%. You can see where twice the Government stepped in to take over Fannie and Freddie and later to add $500 billion dollars of money to bail them out. The reason for this bailout was to make sure that the market didn’t get worse and to aid the market by moving interest rates downward making homes more affordable for buyers.

Since October 31 of 2008 you can see almost sixteen weeks of interest rate declines with mortgage rates almost at the historic lows in the US.

In looking ahead, one only has to look back to 2003 when interest rates dropped below 5.75% only to see that each of the four times it dropped there were fast rebounds to higher interest rates. In other words, when the rates hit their lows, the rates increased rapidly back as new buyers entered the market.

This market data shows buyers that if they are waiting for interest rates to go down a few more basis points before they buy, the chances are greater that the rates will increase rapidly more than the chances they will go down much further. An educated forecast would show the probability of rates increasing is more likely than rates declining much further.

So if you have family, friends or work associates waiting to buy for the best of the best interest rates let them know that they are taking a greater risk by waiting than by buying now even if rates do go down a little more. The trends tell us that now is the time to buy. Here is a place to search for all the listings in Utah and don’t forget our free Buyers’ webinar every month.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 10, 2009

Finding a Home for Katy Marquardt!

Posted to Steve Randall

This past week has been one filled with meetings and webinars relating to real estate. At Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, I perused the news stands for something interesting to read as I was preparing to fly back to Salt Lake City. Reading off line is getting to be a bit of a novelty as I walked through the airport witnessing the many travelers with their laptops and Blackberrys in hand.

As we flew over the Houston area I began to read about how the current economic down turn is changing our savings plans, stock investments, and retirement plans. I was curious to read the various articles on the stocks to pick in order to recover the losses of the past year. I quickly grabbed my real estate calculator to run some numbers.

If a person had invested $100,000 in the stock market at its peak, they would have a little less than 50%, or $50,000 remaining today. I began to look at the projections of future stock growth once we hit bottom and begin to build again. These prognosticators reviewed the historical 10% growth rate for the stock market over many years. Since I was invested in stocks since 2000, the stock market has gone don 19.8%, the S&P down by 35.2%, and the NASDAQ, down by 59.9%.

I am still looking for the 10% growth rate of the early 90s. During this same time period, real estate was up 72% at its peak and at the end of 2008 it had dropped to 69.2% since 2000. Most estimate the stock market will take awhile to come back and at a slower 7% rate rather than 10%. At a 10% rate it will take eight years to get back to where we started. At the 7% rate it will take us 11 years. Remember, that is just back to where we were!

As I continued to read I came across an article by Katy Marquardt, entitled “Time to Buy Stocks or a House?” (US News & World Report, pg. 57). Katy muses about her current one-bedroom apartment life and if she should continue to invest in stocks now they are cheaper; or in a house now that they are more affordable. She is worried that she might have missed her best chance to buy a home.

After some deep pondering she quotes Carmen Wong Ulrich: “A House is not only a symbol of financial strength and stability. It serves you with a roof over your head and a place to have family and friends. Priceless!” She concludes in her own words, “Stocks seem like the simpler choice, but buying a house guarantees a huge return for me— even if it’s not financial.”

Katy, let us help find you a home! This is the time for Buyers to make their move! Homes are plentiful and more affordable. Interest rates are still very low. Government incentives are set to help first time home buyers make that first purchase. Katy, you haven’t missed your window! Call or e-mail our office and we will get the process started. With our 4,700 Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® offices scattered across the nation, we can help you find a home this week!

For the rest of the world you can search for home easily on this website! Don’t miss your window of opportunity. If you run into Katy, please have her give us a call!

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 09, 2009

Is the Internet Changing Your Life Too?

Posted to Steve Randall

There is probably no more recognized word in today’s English language than the word “Internet.” This new technology has changed the way we interface with each other, how we do business, and how we do commerce. I was at a meeting with over 500 Realtors when the presenter asked us how many leads we had received from our postal mailings recently? A few hands went up which represented a very small percentage of the total group. The next question was how many in the group had used the telephone book recently to look up a phone number? A few more hands were raised, especially those who were older, but not everyone who was older. As I thought back on how I looked up numbers my mind went straight to Google! I couldn’t even remember where my phone book was! Each question the presenter asked found its way back to the Internet.

The way we search for homes has changed because of the Internet too! Statistics may vary a few percentage points in these surveys but almost 90% of the general public begin their search for homes online, some as much as 18 months before they really start looking for homes. The Internet will offer all the information a Seller or Buyer could ever want or need. Because of the Internet, information will not be the end product desired by the client, the interpretation of the information will be how Realtors will service their clients.

For example, in the medical field, the technician takes the x-ray but the technician doesn’t interpret the information. The interpretation of the information is left to the trained eye of the doctor. In the Realtor world, it will not be the information that our client will desire because they can get that on the Internet. What they will want from us as Realtors will be the interpretation of the data. What does all this information about real estate mean and how can it be used to sell a home faster, find and purchase a home with real value? Information will not be what our clients want from us, it will be helping them to put all this information into a useable form that will benefit and bless their lives.

As I was writing this blog I was seated with my daughter and son-in-law watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. My wife thought it looked funny for us to be seated to watch a great movie but all three of us were on computers and on the Internet searching for information, checking bank balances, and downloading images for use in a presentation. What better proof of the current and future power of the Internet than this?

This is a great site on the Internet for information about home sales and rental properties. Here is a great site to find homes and agents across the United States if you need to relocate. On the Internet, if you want specific information about buying real estate for use as part of your retirement plan, this site is great. If you want local information about lifestyles, local real estate values and trends in Northern Utah then try this blog as a good resource for market data. Pardon the personal ties to all of these websites.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 07, 2009

All Real Estate is Local-Northern Ogden

Posted to Steve Randall

You might be interested to know what happened to the house at 1275 N. Willard Peak Drive, in Ogden when the seller added a third bedroom. This is the house with great street appeal and a very comfortable floor plan and a few extra upgrades. It was listed at $172,000 and is now under contract for more than the listing price even in a buyer’s market. Miracles happened for both the buyer and the seller in this case. We had so many offers but one buyer loved it so much to pay a few extra dollars. That third bedroom was all that was needed to cement the transaction.

No matter what the media reports as national or regional trends, people are most interested in what is happening in their local neighborhood and city. The “All Real Estate is Local” section of this blog is intended to give you local market information. If you can’t find your city or want a specific neighborhood report, please contact me directly.

North Ogden Market Data as of today:

County Unit Sales Avg. Price Median Price New Listings Total Listings Months of Inventory DOM
No. Ogden 20 $184,056 $185,000 73 144 7.2 92
  • Unit Sales = # of units sold in the last 30 days
  • Average Price = The Average price of homes “sold” in this area
  • Median Price = is the midpoint between the lowest price home and the highest price home sold in the last 30 days
  • New Listings= the number of new homes listed in the last 30 days
  • Total Listing = the total number of homes listed in this area currently
  • Months of Inventory is based on the number of months it will take to sell current inventory based on the current sales rate. A balanced market of buyers and sellers is considered to be a number between 5 & 6. We are currently in a buyer’s market.
  • DOM is the average number of days it takes to sell a home in this area.

Here is the latest market data for the five most populated counties of Northern Utah as of the end of February, 2009.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 06, 2009

Five Mistakes New Home Buyers Make on the Internet

Posted to Steve Randall

One of the joys of riding my stationery bike in the morning is listening to the news. I always pump faster when I hear the latest news on real estate sales and new government spending. I don’t know what that really means but it always catches my attention and focuses my efforts. One of the blessings I have is working with first time buyers who are just at the start of the whole home buying process.

It used to be where home buyers would just work with the Seller’s agent. That has all changed in the last 10 years. Now, home buyers get to have their own agent, called a “Buyer’s Agent,” that looks out specifically for their interests. Specially, trained Buyers’ Agents work with new buyers to help make the buying process more enjoyable, and save the buyer time, money, and worry.

This home in Houston was purchased by one of our clients in Utah who needed to move. It was referred from our office in Ogden to our affiliate in Texas. The Buyer’s Rep took our clients to see many homes but ended up finding this perfect home in the Woodlands! The buyers love this house, the area, and all the wonderful weather. They also survived their first hurricane!

The buyers spent a lot of time on the Internet searching for homes but found that it really helped to use an ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) to take them on tours and help them interpret the market data. We all start looking for homes on the Internet but we have to be careful to be sure we are understanding all the data that is now available. Here is USNews.com report on some pitfalls of relying on Internet searches only.

We love representing first time home buyers because there is so much excitement when they finally find the right home for them. We have a free Home Buyer’s Guide for all who are looking for a new home. It contains the following topics:

  1. Find a Qualified Buyers Representative
  2. Assess Your Credit and Finances
  3. Assess Your Wants and Needs
  4. Shop for a Home
  5. Negotiate Terms
  6. Obtain a Mortgage
  7. Prepare for the Close (Transfer Ownership)
  8. Close
  9. Move
  10. Celebrate

Please contact me directly to have one mailed to your home address.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 04, 2009

First Time Buyers! Now is the Time to Prequalify!

Posted to Steve Randall

This week I have been working on funding more real estate purchases for my own portfolio.  It took me back to our very first qualification process when we bought our first home my wife and I purchased in 1974 for $35,000.  We were self-employed and had been taking sufficient money out of our new and growing company to qualify for a mortgage.  We came prepared with tax returns, W-2, and an armful of paperwork as documentation for our income.  We had our down payment in the bank seasoning as an asset and we were excited to move forward.  We worked with the contractor to get some “sweat equity” to lower the price of the house so we could afford the monthly payments.  Having never owned a home before, and as the sole breadwinner, I was worried if I would be able to make the payments on time each month.  As a safety net, I would write the check for the mortgage a month in advance so it came out of the checkbook register and wouldn’t be spent.  We were a little tight that first year but after that it never seemed to be a problem.  We sold the home 15 years later for $90,000 or more than 157% increase over our original costs.  This equals an appreciation rate of about 10% per year during that period.

What is even more important, we used the equity in the home to fund a small business loan to start our own company which we sold later for many millions of dollars.  With that business came some office real estate which we still own and have expanded our real estate ownership to add cash flow to our income now. 

The point is this, it all begin with qualifying for the first mortgage.  For some that is a scary process…but it will be worth it in the end.  We love working with first time homebuyers and helping them through this process.  We have lenders we can refer our clients to and they can help most get pre-qualified for a loan on the phone.

There are still some standards to be met to obtain a loan.  Here are some web articles that help with the education process.  Here is a pre-qualification form that you can fill out and send to us and we will have some “friendly” lenders contact you with several quotes.  Here is a website explaining FHA Qualification Requirements.

Whatever the process, it is important to find out what you need to do because owning your own home will provide you the same blessings it has for us.  First Time Home Buyers now have more advantages than ever before.  Housing is more affordable now than in past years.  Mortgage interest rates are low… very low.  Housing inventory is high and there is a lot to choose from.  Having a prequalification letter from a lender will get you the house you want and likely save you several thousands of dollars in negotiations process because the Seller wants to work with a buyer who they know can buy the home.  Take the first step today and ask for a list of lenders to call to prequalify for your first home. 

Click here to see what Suzie Orman said on Oprah about owning a home.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 03, 2009

February 2009- Northern Utah Market Data

Posted to Steve Randall

ALL REAL ESTATE IS LOCAL

With national attention still being drawn to the real estate market as the first step to improve the economy, we thought you would like to know what is happening locally with home sales, home prices, as well as the time it takes to sell a home in the various Northern Utah Counties.

In order to determine when the housing rebound will occur, we need to keep track of the unit sales data, new listing, and monitor the price of homes to see when they begin to move up again. We will try and give you this information in the first week of the following months. Here are February, 2009 results.

  • Unit Sales are the number of properties closed in the month.
  • Median Price is the middle number of the range of homes sales.
  • Average Price is the just that, the average of all homes sold.
  • DOM is the Days on the Market needed to sell the home.
  • New Listings are the number of new listings added in the month
  • Total Listings are the aggregate of all the listing currently on the market.
  • Month of Inventory is the number of months it will take to clear the current inventory based on the current sales rate.

It is also interesting to compare the January 2009 Market Data Report to see what trends are happening in the market place.

Buyer’s will be happy to know that prices are very affordable in all counties with more inventory being added to the market than are selling. This will continue to put pressure on Sellers for price adjustments to meet the current market conditions. Most sellers are lowering prices slightly and paying much, if not all of the buyer’s closing costs in order to attract buyers. Buyer’s have an advantage of very low interest rates that will save them thousands of dollars over the length of the loan.

For Sellers, the good news is that the number of sales increased in February when compared with January in most counties. Davis and Weber Counties actually saw an increase in the average prices of homes; the other counties saw small decreases in values which matches the national trend. Even with more buyers entering the market place, the number of new listings still exceeds the number of sales meaning that pressure will continue on sellers to price to the current market. Predictions are that there will be many more homes entering the market in the spring. This Shadow Inventory will further push prices down for Sellers. The message is now is the time to sell and not wait for a market to improve when so much Shadow Inventory is coming on the market. The Absorption rate for the first two months of 2009 is still very much a buyer’s market.

For information on how your own neighborhood is doing please contact me directly. There is no cost or obligation for this information. Also, if you would like to receive a free report on “How to Avoid the Ten Biggest Seller Mistakes that Could Cost You Thousands” then please send me an e-mail.

Click here to sign up to receive a list of new listings in your area sent to you automatically.

Posted By: Steve Randall





March 02, 2009

Single Mom Knows Now is the Time to Buy!

Posted to Ogden, Steve Randall

One of my regular Saturday activities is showing buyers homes! It is one of the best parts of my job, especially when I get to work with a single Mom and two cute children like I did yesterday. A home on Harrison Blvd in northern Ogden had caught their eye. The Seller had gone to a lot of work to add a marble Jacuzzi bathroom, new tile, and some creative landscaping. The view of the mountains from the living room was clearly a plus. The draw-back for my clients was that the backyard was not fully fenced and it was on busy Harrison Blvd. Here is more property information and a virtual tour of this home. It is priced to sell at $170K but that busy street will cause some to think before paying that price.

The second house we saw was just to get some comparison for the same area. This home, located at 1275 N. Willard Peak Drive in Ogden is listed at $172,000. This home has a newly finished third bedroom, a fully fenced backyard, and safely off the busy road of the first home. After our little family toured both homes, they eliminated the first from their list because they liked the floor plan and the amenities of this home over the first. I love this neighborhood too because of the good schools and recreational activities in this part of Ogden. If you like road or mountain biking you will like the gentle hills. If you like seeing mountains go straight up from you front window you will like this area as well. Here are the full details on the Willard Peak home. Like this little family, you’ll like the open floor plan, upgraded kitchen, and triple garage. The rock front and high showing rate make this home one of the most popular in the neighborhood.

One thing for sure, I am excited to do more showings with this single mom family until we find just the right place for them to put down roots in Ogden.

For information on how to qualify for an FHA loan contact me directly or review this post on my blog.

Posted By: Steve Randall