Don’t Get Caught in This Wire Fraud Scheme

A wire fraud scam has taken our market by storm. We don’t want you to lose any money, so we’ve got some tips to share with you to keep yourself protected.

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search

Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

There have been cases of wire fraud lately in our industry, and we wanted to address this scary topic with you today.

There have been issues with scammers hacking emails and changing wiring instructions. The FDC and the NAR have put out an official warning against this wire scam. In fact, a good friend of mine who actually works in our office had it happen in her own personal transaction. It was a very simple email from a very sophisticated hacker. Her down payment, over $40,000, ended up being wired away overseas.

The other shocking thing I learned through this is that the FDIC does not insure wire transfers—they only insure deposits. How do we handle this, knowing that the federal government requires us to send any amount over $10,000 in wire form?

“

The FDIC does not insure wire transfers.

”

We are cautious, we take an old-school approach, and we double and triple check information we are given. We also don’t email wiring instructions under any circumstance. For those of you in a real estate transaction, be aware that this is something that might delay your transaction a bit, but ensuring your money is safe and sound in the right hands is more important than anything else. If someone sends you wiring instructions without any verification, be very wary and cautious.

If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

What You Need to Know About Interest Rates

Don’t wait to buy a home or refinance your mortgage—interest rates are on the move. How do interest rates work? How will interest rates impact you? I’ll go over everything today.

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search

Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

You might not want to wait to buy a home or refinance your mortgage. Why? It all boils down to interest rates.

Here is a little interest rates 101. Mortgage rates are tied to the bond market, and are mostly pooled into one big bond called Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS for short). The MBS bond is highly sensitive to inflation and the fear of inflation. Since there has been little to no inflation during the crash, we have seen historically low rates.

After the election, the bond market overreacted to the risk of inflation under the upcoming president. It’s clear that it was an overreaction because the bond market has started to settle down a bit. However, experts say that the bond market will not settle down all the way. Those historically low rates are a thing of the past. 

“

Interest rates will not be as low as they were before the election.

”

There are a few other factors at play here. For example, the Fed really wants to raise short-term mortgage rates in December, provided that the economy can withstand an increase. Not only that, but OPEC, a major oil company, has decided to slow down its production, which the bond market does not like either.

Ultimately, you have to do what’s best for you. If you wait to time the market, that’s like waiting for a crystal ball and complete control of the global economy, and you’re not going to get either one.

When you’re ready to make a move, get with a good professional. Get information from the professional and not the Internet. Do what’s best for you and your family. You can’t put your plans on hold forever and wait for interest rates to go back down; rates will not go back down to where they were.

However, keep in mind that, historically speaking, anything under an 8% interest rate is a good rate. Anything under 6% is phenomenal.

If you have any other questions about interest rates or the real estate market, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Join Us for Cookies & Cocoa With Santa

Join us on December 7th for our third annual Cookies & Cocoa with Santa event! 

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search

Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

It is almost time for our third annual Cookies & Cocoa with Santa event!

Join us on December 7th for an evening of fun! There will be professional photographers there to take pictures of the kids with Santa that you can use for your holiday cards. We will also decorate some sugar cookies and spend some time coloring with Santa.

“

Mark your calendars for December 7th!

”

Mark your calendars and keep an eye on your mail for your invitation. Please RSVP so that I know how many cookies to bring. 

This is just one way to thank you, our clients, for your support. In the meantime, if you have any real estate questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I look forward to seeing you soon!

What’s Happening in the Salt Lake City Market?

I recently attended a broker town hall meeting and learned some interesting statistics about the Utah economy. To sum it up, we have a very good report card.

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search

Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

Today I’d like to give you a quick snapshot of the Salt Lake City market and go over some of the numbers with you so that you have a better understanding of where we are and where we’re going.

Earlier this week, I attended a broker town hall meeting at the Salt Lake Board of Realtors and learned a few interesting things about our current market.

Overall, Utah is doing spectacularly, especially when we look at the statistics for job growth and unemployment. Utah’s unemployment rate is 3.7% as of the end of September, while the national average is 5%. When it comes to job growth, income growth, and a number of other factors, Utah’s report card is showing straight A’s as well; we’re among the top three states for everything across the board economically.

Another interesting thing I learned at the meeting was the fact that Utah ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for exporting. This is a major industry for us as a state. I also learned that the five major areas that we export to are the UK, Hong Kong, Canada, Mexico, and China. Our dollar is super strong right now all around.

“

Interest rates are likely to rise in December.

”

I also wanted to address concerns that everyone seems to have about the election. Remember that, although there is an election every four years, the real estate market does not crash every four years. Please keep this in mind when you’re making decisions about buying or selling a home.

At this town hall meeting, one thing that they kept hammering on was the fact that interest rates are still so low right now. The Fed wants desperately to raise those rates again and it’s likely that they will do so in December, so if you’re thinking about refinancing or purchasing a house in the future, now is definitely the time to consider doing so.

If you have any other questions about what our market looks like economically or about Salt Lake City real estate in general, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help you!

Buy What Fits Your Lifestyle

Price isn’t the only thing that matters when buying a home. A home that is a good investment doesn't necessarily mean that it's the right home for you.

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search

Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

When you’re looking to purchase a home, you can’t only be concerned about what the smartest financial investment is. That’s not to say that you should ignore the price, but you should take your lifestyle into consideration, too.

I have had clients before that made the “smart” purchase and ended up not being happy long term. If you don’t stay in the home long enough to build equity and move on to the next property, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. It’s important to take into consideration what you do in your spare time, what your lifestyle looks like, and which rooms you utilize the most.

Really think about that lifestyle and consider whether it might fit better in a condo or townhome than a traditional single-family home. Also consider the home’s proximity to activities you enjoy with friends and family.

“

There’s much more to consider about a home than its price.

”

These are all things to keep in mind when you’re looking to buy a home. I would love for people to think about that a little bit deeper than just the surface level questions of whether it is a smart investment or not.

If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear from you. Just give us a call or send us an email.

7 Things That Don’t Increase the Value of Your Home

There are certain upgrades you can make to your home that may improve your living situation but will not improve the home’s value.

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

We talk a lot about what does help the value of your home, but here are seven things that do not help the value of your home:

1. Extensive professional landscaping. There’s a difference between getting your home’s landscaping up to snuff for a future sale and doing extensive rock walls and water features. You will not see that money back when you sell your home.
2. Upgrading electrical or plumbing in an old home. While this might have great value to those who live there and improve the overall cost of ownership by making these upgrades, you won’t see this money back in an appraisal.
3. New home necessities. Having a new roof, gutters, HVAC system, etc. can be a plus for a buyer, but they won’t necessarily give you extra value for those items.



“

You will almost never see extra money in an offer for a pool.

”




4. Swimming pools and personal spas. You will pretty much never see extra money in an offer for a pool, especially here in Utah where our climate only allows for the use of a pool for three to four months out of the year.
5. Making dated improvements. You don’t want to update your home with brass fixtures, even if they may be to your taste. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you don’t want to do anything too trendy either.  
6. Painting your home. Your home does need to be painted from time to time, but you’re not going to get all your money back from any paint job.
7. Solar panels. Although this is a nice, earth-friendly thing to do, we haven’t seen solar panels increase value on homes or make any impact on appraisals here in Utah.

If you have any questions about these tips, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d love to talk further with you.

5 Home Selling Regrets and How to Avoid Them

What are some of the biggest regrets that homeowners have when selling a house? Today I'm discussing the five most common regrets I see, and how you can avoid them.
Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

Today I wanted to talk about the biggest real-life regrets that home sellers have.

1. Not preparing the home before going on the market. When we as Realtors get in the picture, we're excited to get the home on the market and get going to sell the home as quickly as possible to maximize the dollar for the seller. Sometimes, though, Realtors aren't the best at helping sellers pump the brakes and realize that the home isn't ready for the market. In the last few years, we've found that as buyers scroll through homes online, if the home doesn't have pictures that are lit well and professionally done, they become disinterested, even if it's the deal of the century. Having the home look right and present well online is crucial, so you have to do some back end work.
2. Trying to sell without an agent. There are so many different ways I could prove that, with the biggest being when it hits your pocket as a seller. You don't net as much money as you could by hiring an agent.




“

When dealing with multiple offers, don't just look at the dollar amount.

”




3. Skipping the staging. Like I mentioned with photos, staging is crucial. Thanks to HGTV, we all expect homes to look like model homes as buyers when we look online. Getting your home as close to that as possible will help maximize your dollar.  
4. Jumping at the first offer. The first offer can sometimes come from an over-reactive buyer. Many times, these buyers aren't prepared or qualified to buy a home. They aren't as knowledgeable, so as quickly as they over-offer on your house, they can back out and walk away, too. Having an experienced agent to guide you through the offers is important.
5. Picking a buyer based on money only. We've been dealing with multiple offers a lot this summer in the Salt Lake City area. When you have multiple offers, you tend to want to only look at the highest dollar net. The highest net offer isn't always your strongest buyer, however, and I have seen a lot more deals fall through this year due to flaky and unqualified buyers compared to recent years. You want to vet those offers and the qualifications of the buyer.

Hopefully this topic was helpful for you. If you have any more questions, I'd love to sit down and chat with you. Give me a call or send me an email and let's continue this conversation soon!

Finding Accurate Real Estate Info Online in Utah

Everyone has their go-to website when they want some information, and the real estate world is no different. There is both reliable and truthful information out there, and some not-so-reliable or truthful information that’s peddled strictly for personal gain.

It’s important for you to know that Utah is a non-disclosure state. Unless someone is licensed as a Realtor or appraiser by the state, they do not have access to the same information that we do. If you’re getting your home values in Utah from sites published by these imposters, the information is not valid. They’re using different algorithms and basically using guesswork.

“

Get the right information the first time.

”

Talk to a professional and get the right information the first time. Buying a home is a big investment. If you’re looking at homes for sale on any other site besides mine or UtahRealEstate.com, I can’t guarantee you’re seeing valid homes for sale, and not just clickbait. Keep that in mind and tell your friends and family so that they’re not getting bad information, either.

If you have any other real estate questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Why You Need Professional Photography to Sell in Salt Lake City

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

Today, we’re going to discuss the importance of using professional photographs when selling your home. You only get one chance at a first impression, so if you take the photos yourself and post blurry, fish-eye, or sideways pictures, buyers won’t be drawn to your property.

In our current market, we have a new kind of curb appeal online. That’s because 95% of buyers begin their home search online. If your photos don’t shine, they will move onto the next property.

“

Online curb appeal is crucial in today's market.

”

In fact, I asked 10 buyers and each one said that if a property had poor pictures or no pictures at all, they would scroll right past it.  That’s 100% of 95% of buyers that won’t even look at your home if the pictures are no good. Imagine what that does to your showings!

If you’re competing with a property nearby and you have higher-quality photos online, you are more likely to get the showing. Buyers will be more motivated to see your home first.

If you have any questions about today’s video or need to be put in touch with a professional photographer for your home, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

DIY Advice for Your Salt Lake Home

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

Quickly before we talk about DIY advice, we’ve just completed our first year in the Charity Challenge, and I want to thank everyone for contributing and coming out and supporting us. I also want to thank all of my sponsors for supporting us, although I’m sure you weren’t exactly aware of what you’re getting yourself into. I saw a lot of opportunities for improvement and I’m excited to continue on into next year.

But now for our topic….

Those of you that know me probably realize that I’m not the craftiest person. However, we had a ceiling fan that was in need of a little modern touch. It worked well, it just didn’t match the look of the home. I found a great article on Pinterest that showed me how to repaint a ceiling fan, so I took it down, painted it, and it looked great.

“

Be careful with your DIY repairs.

”

However, when I put the ceiling fan back on it wobbled quite a bit. It turns out that when I took it off or when I put it back on, I broke a very expensive piece on the fan that made it wobble.

The moral of the story is that I now have to buy a new ceiling fan, so an inexpensive repair turned into a very expensive one. Be careful with your DIY repairs!

In the future, I would love to hear about your DIY successes so I can talk about them on this blog. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about real estate in Salt Lake.

Let’s Work Together to Win the Charity Challenge

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

I’m excited to talk a bit today about the Salt Lake Board of Realtors Charity Challenge. I’m lucky enough to be part this year, and we’re excited to do a fundraiser to benefit Habitat for Humanity! I’ve learned a lot about it lately and I’m so impressed. The more I learn the more I love them, and it’s become near and dear to my heart very quickly. 

We’ll be doing weekly challenges, and the week of June 6th through June 10th, we’re collecting paint trays and paint tray liners for Habitat. I’m issuing you a challenge - be the best by bringing me the most paint trays and liners. There will be prizes on June 16th for the winners!

“

I want to issue this challenge to help me beat all the other Realtors out there.

”

Whether you’re a Realtor, a Facebook friend, or a client, I want to issue this challenge to help me beat all the other Realtors out there. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Before I go, though, I wanted to issue one more quick challenge. On June 16th, we’re also going to have a dunking booth! If you’re seeing this video and can help raise $6,000 by June 16th, I’ll get in the dunking booth!

Let’s see if you can do it! I look forward to hearing from you!

Help Salt Lake City Realtors Support Habitat for Humanity

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

Charity work is close to my heart. Last year, I was elected onto the board of directors for the Salt Lake Board of Realtors. I want to help give back to our community, so I helped create this year’s Charity Challenge. 

This year, we are raising money for Habitat for Humanity. We have an event coming up on June 16th from 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM at the Realtor Campus that will be a ton of fun for the whole family, and all the money will benefit Habitat. Click here to learn more details. 

“

Help us give back to the community.

”

If you are interested in donating or becoming a sponsor for this event, give us a call or send us an email. You can also visit my fundraising page to donate. Habitat for Humanity is a 501(c)(3) organization, so all donations are tax deductible. 

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I look forward to seeing you at our event! 


Realtor Campus Address:

230 W Town Ridge Parkway 
Sandy, UT 84070

The Most Affordable Place to Own a Home in the U.S.

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

Today, I’m going to talk some exciting news I read recently. Salt Lake City was ranked the number one trendiest city where you can afford a home!

The National Association of Realtors conducted a survey and the results favored our area. The research tracked 500 different metropolitan areas in the United States. They were then analyzed through the following categories.

• Number of foodie hotspots
• Number of bike shops
• Number of yoga studios
• Number of cultural outlets
• Increased population of 25 to 34 years
• Housing affordability

Particularly, the study noted some of our city’s hipster areas. There’s a new Eccles Theater, a 2500 broadway-style performance center scheduled to open in October. There’s the Sugar House in Liberty Park neighborhoods, where small businesses and restaurants sell locally-sourced foods. Because of these thriving and booming areas, we were named top in the nation for housing affordability.

“

We’re the top in the nation for housing affordability.

”

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Salt Lake City area, give me a call or send me an email! I’d be happy to answer your questions.

What Does the Prison Relocation Plan Look Like?

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

Today, we’re talking about the prison relocation in our community. Locally, this has been a pretty hot topic. I’m sure you’ve talked about it with a few people by now.

I attended a town hall meeting recently with the board of Realtors, and I can confirm the prison definitely is relocating. It’s been approved to move from the Bluffdale Draper location to the northwest quadrant of the valley. It’ll be between I-80 and 7200 West. Although the water table is high there, there are plans for the building. They’ve researched it and know they can build something long-lasting and durable. The current building had only lasted sixty years, which was due to lack of maintenance by the state.

It’s relocating because rebuilding in the same location is too difficult. That real estate is too valuable as it sits. They don’t know what the plans are to do with the current site. They’re going to wait a few years and see what the area demands, with all the commercial growth that’s been going on. We have more office space, but we’re not sure if that demand will grow. It’s too early to tell what will replace the current space.

“

The new facility will be a 4,000-bed prison.

”

The new facility will be a 4,000-bed prison. Other states have done a better job with the type of prisoner rehabilitation, so they’re not returning to prison after their first term. Utah hasn’t been successful with this, so this new facility will focus on prison rehabilitation primarily. There will be quite a few changes because of this, but it’s expected to benefit the community financially.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Salt Lake City area, contact me by phone or email. Let’s find your dream home together!

Five Ways to Add Value to Your Salt Lake City Home

Looking to buy in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a full Home Search 
Looking to sell in the Salt Lake City Area? Get a free Home Equity Report

If you're looking to make top dollar for your home, you've probably looked into different home improvement projects that will add value to your home. Today, I want share a few inexpensive, but effective, upgrades anyone can do to their Salt Lake City home.

Traditionally, homeowners are told that the greatest return on investment comes with upgrading kitchens and bathrooms. The problem is that these are expensive renovations, and not everyone has the cash on hand to make it happen. If you want to increase your home’s value on a budget, here are some cheap and easy renovation projects:

1. Fresh paint: Paint goes a long way, not just in color, but in cleanliness, smell, and the overall feel of the home. Go out, get some neutral paint colors, and add some fresh trends and colors into your home.
2. Lighting: This is a very inexpensive way to update your home and make it feel a bit more customized. Don’t be afraid to replace those old light fixtures with newer, more energy efficient ones!
3. Switch and outlet plates: If you have an older home, these might be yellowing or cracked and broken, so you want to be sure to replace them before you show your home. Switch plate covers are typically very cheap. Heating grates and vent covers are also really inexpensive. Nice, clean vents really go a long way in making your home look fresh and unlived in.
4. Plumbing fixtures: You can replace these yourselves. This will ensure you have no leaks and that your bathrooms and kitchens look as modern as possible without having to spend much money.
5. Window treatments: These go through a lot of trends and looks, so updating them is crucial if you don’t want to turn buyers off!

If you would like additional help when selling your home, give us a call or shoot us an email.

We’re always available to help you!