Get the latest news from the Utah real estate and mortgage scene.

A recent National Geographic article named two Utah towns on its list of “America’s 20 Best Mountain Biking Towns”. For adventure seekers, this may come as no surprise. Between all of Utah’s national parks and wild landscape, Utah is a great place to find outdoor adventure.

Moab made number one on the list. The red rock landscape makes for an otherworldly view. Some of Moab’s best trails include Porcupine Rim, Slickrock, and Whole Enchilada. The location of Moab makes traveling to other beautiful areas such as Arches and Canyonlands also makes the trip worth it.

Park City made the list at number four. The International Mountain Biking Association awarded Park City its first gold-level status of its 37 designated “ride centers’. Park City…

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Whether you're buying, selling, or a first-time home buyer, you need to know the pulse of the St. George Real Estate Market. Here are 5 big trends to watch!

Are you looking to buy or sell a home in the St. George, Utah area? If so, you're in luck! The real estate market is booming in this scenic southwestern city and for good reason. Sometimes referred to as "Utah's Florida," St George offers great weather including over 300 days of sunshine per year, world-class golf, and close proximity to Zion National Park and many other state and national parks and monuments.

Today, we're breaking down St George real estate trends to watch, so you'll know what to look for when making your next move.

Ready to learn more? Let's dive in!

1. The Market is…

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The GRAND OPENING of the new Smith’s Marketplace on the corner of Mall Drive and Riverside Drive is August 2, 3 and 4.  The new Smith’s Marketplace will be 123,000 square feet in size and the address is 565 South Mall Drive.  The store will offer a complete grocery store, pharmacy, apparel, household items, jewelry, Starbucks, sushi, made to order pizzas, salads and sandwiches.  There will be a fuel center, an online grocery pick up and a two-lane drive through pharmacy.   

A Utah Business Press Release states that the $21 million Smith’s Marketplace will anchor the first phase of the 25-acre shopping project in the area.  It is in a prime location for area residents.

Some online information for the Smith’s Marketplace at Dinosaur Crossing in…

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The World Horseshoe Pitching Championships return to Utah for the 15th time.  The championships take place July 17-29, at the Dixie Convention Center.  No other state has hosted this even as many times as the state of Utah.   

The National Horseshoe Pitching Association posts pages and pages of playing rules, guidelines and specifications for the sport of horseshoe pitching.   There are innings, rotations, court assignments, preparation of the pit and painting of the stakes.  I like that the rules talk about the horseshoe in terms like:  Value of the Shoe, Pitched Shoes, LiveShoe, DeadShoe, Shoes in Count, Shoe out of Count, Delivery of Shoes, Spare Shoes, Wrong Shoe, Moving the Shoe,  Broken Shoes and Cracked Shoes. 

The St. George News (July…

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St. George is among the fastest growing cities in the United States.  People relocate to Southern Utah for various reasons.  According to the St. George Chamber of Commerce, “the excellent quality of life, the many breathtaking scenic areas, the temperate climate, the healthy lifestyles, the variety of beautiful gold courses, our outstanding school system, the Dixie State College education opportunities for all ages, and the growing business opportunities” are just a few of the reasons. 

St. George is a great area to live, play and work.  St. George is located within the Mojave Desert.  The desert climate contributes to generally clear skies, relatively mild winters and hot summers.  Residents and visitors to St. George enjoy over 300 days of…

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The St. George Spectrum announced that a direct flight from St. George, Utah to Los Angeles, California may be coming this fall.  The article published on June 7, 2017, talks about how St. George and Washington City officials just agreed to “split the costs on an interlocal agreement promising to cover up to $450,000 in startup-cost losses if SkyWest Airlines gives the new destination at try.”  St. George Mayor Jon Pike was quoted in the article saying “We think that’s a good, responsible use of funds.” 

Thea article goes on to tell about how a similar move in Phoenix last year helped attract a new flight to that area.  The government funds in the Phoenix agreement helped “mitigate the risk for the airline.”

Right now several major airlines fly…

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According to the Salt Lake Tribune (June 1, 2017), St. George enjoyed the third-fastest growth rate for jobs among the nation’s 388 metro areas over a one-year period that ended in April.  The data was released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.   According to the statistics, the number of jobs in St. George grew by 5.2 percent in that period, up by 3,200.   Other information about the state of Utah talks about how the growth rate was 3.3 percent, adding 46,700 jobs statewide.  Also, the unemployment rate in Utah in April was 3.2 percent – down from 3.5 percent a year earlier.  Click here to read the entire article. 

In March, The Spectrum, published an article (March 23, 2107) that talks about how St. George is among the fastest growing…

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Reports from the first quarter of 2017 show now is the best time to sell a home in 10 years. Housing markets have recovered from the recession, home prices are up, and home builders are having a hard time keeping up with demand. If you've ever considered selling, now is the perfect time to place your home on the market.

By the Numbers

Nationally, sellers are seeing an average of $44,000 in gains right now and home prices are up 13%. In Utah, median sale prices also reached an all time high of $295,000. Homes are on the market for shorter amounts of time, in some of the fastest-selling areas around the country they're only on the market for about 3 weeks. While these are statistics and not guarantees, they show much growing home values are…

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According to a report that came out at the end of May, home prices rose in March, especially in the western US, for an average of 4.1% year-over gains. 20 cities in particular experienced growth. This data comes from a survey of the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. San Francisco and Denver reporter 10% and higher year over gains from 2014.

A report by the United States Census Bureau that came out around the same time said that single-family home sales rose 6.8% in April.

Home prices have gained for 35 month in a row. Reports such as these are beginning to remind people of the housing bubble from 2007.Home rates are currently rising faster than wages and per capita income. Reuters reports isn’t a bad thing, however, and probably a rebound…

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The cost of living in St. George Utah is 91.8% of the national average according to a new report on the first quarter of 2015. The report published by Site Select Plus shows an improvement over 93.8% that was reported at the end of 2014. St. George, Utah is a relatively inexpensive place to live.

Housing was especially low, at 86.6% of the national average.The Spectrum noted that housing costs were over 90% last year. This may be due to more houses being built and for sale.

“We know that the housing market here is robust,” said Scott Hirschi, Site Select Plus Director, in his interview with The Spectrum.  “Contractors are building and people are buying homes, but apparently at a pretty balanced rate.”

This means that home buyers can buy a…

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