St George Utah Blog - Utah News & Real Estate Information

A Closer Look Into the Strong Economy in Utah-Despite the Pandemic

When you turn on the news each day, it's hard to battle back the wave of bad news. It's unemployment this and pandemic that. 

Sure, no place on earth is exempt from the perils of a worldwide pandemic, but certain corners of the country are more immune than others from a tanking economy and hopeless joblessness. 

Here in the great state of Utah, we're holding our footing on low unemployment rates and high economic strength. In layman's terms, we're going to outline why Utah was just named #1 in the US economy.

Then, we're going to take a short walk through three of our favorite communities that you just might want to call home. Put on your sunscreen; we're going to show you what this wild desert oasis has to offer.

#1 In the Nation

In the…

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Utah Parks Set to Break Records as Year Ends

With 2017 coming to a close, parks across Utah are set to break attendance records.

The Spectrum reported, attendance was up 5 percent from last year at Zion with 4.4 million visitors as of the end of November. Bryce Canyon was at 2.5million visitors up from the 2.4 million visitors last year. Capital Reef has already seen 1.1 million visitors. Both Bryce Canyon and Capital Reef have doubled their visitors in the past decade. Canyonlands and Arches have also past the records from last year.

Discussion about the increased visitors has focused on Zion as attendance is up 70% since 2010. The park is the fifth most visited national park in the country and is a huge part of Utah’s tourism industry.

The number of visitors in the parks has many…

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Proposed GOP Bill to Cut Home Mortgage Interest in Half, Limit Other Deductions

House Republican leaders proposed a tax bill Thursday that would reduce the popular mortgage interest deduction by 50%, for some households. Currently, homeowners can deduct interest payments for mortgage loans up to $1 million. With the newly proposed bill this deduction would be preserved for existing mortgages, but would limit new purchase loans up to $500,000.  In addition, the rule allowing homeowners to deduct property taxes from their taxable income would be capped at $10,000.  If passed, the bill will most assuredly have a negative impact on housing and real estate nationwide.  In a statement, National Association of Realtors President William Brown said, "Eliminating or nullifying the tax incentives for homeownership puts home values and…

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Mountain Biking in Utah

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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5 St George Real Estate Trends to Watch

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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Smith’s Marketplace at Dinosaur Crossing

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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Horseshoe Pitching Championship Returns to St. George

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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Make St. George Your Home

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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New Flight from St. George to Los Angeles?

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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Growth in St. George

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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