Rounding Out the Top 10 Trends at Salt Lake Creative Homes

Today I’ll go over the second part of my top 10 housing trends list from Salt Lake Creative Homes.

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I noticed so many great trends at Salt Lake Creative Homes that I couldn’t fit them all into one discussion, so here’s the second half of my top 10: 

6. Light fixtures with Edison bulbs. This was a really big one—I don’t know if there was a single home without at least one fixture with an Edison bulb in it. If you’re considering redoing your lighting, keep this in mind. 

7. Open shelving in the kitchen. This is a neat concept if you’re really clean and don’t have a lot of clutter in your cupboard. 

If you’re considering redoing your lighting, keep Edison bulbs in mind.

8. A free-standing tub in the master bathroom. This has been a hot trend for the last three or four years. This wasn’t in just the high-end homes—it was in several other homes in the master suite as well.

9. Pendant lights in the bathroom vanity. This was a new trend this year. Instead of just the light bar, they had pendant lights that hung down in front of the mirror. 

10. Crystal resin doorknobs. Door hardware was a big thing. It was very rare that I saw a traditional lever or doorknob. Everyone had their own take on door hardware, and I love it because I myself was searching for hardware because we’re redoing our doors this month!

If you noticed any trends I missed or have any questions about any of these trends and applying them to your current or future home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to speak with you.

This Organization Is Doing Great Things to Feed Hungry Children

Over 55,000 children in the Salt Lake Valley qualify for free lunch, but don’t get meals on the weekend. Lynda Smart Brown is trying to change that.

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I want to spread the word as much as possible about a great organization here in Salt Lake City that is helping our most vulnerable people: kids.

I’m excited to be joined today by Lynda Smart Brown, the CEO/President of KidsEat! here in Salt Lake City. To me, she is simply an angel for what she does. She steps up to help the alarming number of children in our backyard who don't have enough to eat.

Did you know that there are 55,000 children in the Salt Lake Valley that qualify for a free lunch from the state every day? Lynda figures that at least half of those kids could benefit from food on the weekend and their numbers are proving that to be true.

What they do is pretty simple. They take backpacks and fill them up with seven balanced meals consisting of everything from fruit cups to graham crackers to macaroni and cheese. They then take these backpacks and distribute them to places like The Boys and Girls Club and elementary schools.

This is such an important organization.

Even with all the work Lynda has done, she still hasn’t been able to feed all of these hungry kids. She needs our help to do this. I’m a big believer in this cause, and I’m proud to support it.

They go through a whopping $4,000 per month in food and distribute anywhere from 100 to 150 backpacks. If you’d like to support KidsEat!, you can do so right on their website. Whether you can donate time, money, or food, just know that you are helping to give a lot of these kids what so many of us take for granted.

KidsEat! also has a charity golf tournament coming up on September 15th at Murray Parkway. You don’t need to be an expert player by any means. They are looking for more female golfers in particular, but everyone is welcome to attend.

If you have any questions for us about KidsEat! or anything about real estate, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.

Our Favorite Holiday Lights in Salt Lake City

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There are wonderful holiday lights you can find around Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Front this winter. While there are many great events, we'll highlight a few of our favorites!

1. Midway Ice Castles: Located in the Soldier Hollow area, the Midway Ice Castles tend to run a bit later in the season to make sure the weather is cold enough. You can visit the Midway Ice Castles from the end of December through early March. It's a fun time for the whole family. Click here to learn more.

2. Christmas in Color: Created by Richard Holdman, this brand new Christmas light drive-thru is incredible! Drive your family through a mile-long tunnel and admire the lights set to holiday music. You do have to buy tickets for this one, but you get to see the whole show from your nice warm car. To learn more, click here.

3. The Christmas House: This is my family's little secret, but the last couple of years, a train of cars has found this house. Go to 1731 E. Hidden Valley Club Drive in Sandy, Utah. Every evening during the holiday season, my daughters beg me to drive them past this house. There are lights and music, and Santa makes an appearance in the window! The whole cul-de-sac participates, and it's a fun time for the kids.

Any one of these light shows is a great way to celebrate the holiday season. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

The Market in the Salt Lake Area Today

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In Salt Lake County, the average four-bedroom home was on the market for 38 days in September 2014. This year, it was on the market for only 22 days in September, a significant decline in a just a year!

Last year, the average price a house sold for was $232,000. This year, September’s average price increased to $250,000.

Interest rates are currently below 4 percent. While rates are expected to increase next year, this motivates buyers to start the buying process now. Our busiest times happen to be before rates go up.

Today, over 50 percent of buyers in the market are first-time home buyers. We deal with millennials now, which are different buyers than the last generation.

If you know someone who's been thinking about selling or are curious about millennials, give me a call! I’ve done the research. I look forward to hearing from you soon.