October 2013

Found 8 blog entries for October 2013.

One of the most stressful aspects of buying a new home is the actual move itself. That's why when you buy or sell a home with UtahDave.com we offer one of our moving trucks to make your move easier.

Here are a few other tips that can make the move as painless as possible!  

1. Plan ahead by organizing and budgeting. Develop a master “to do” list so you won’t forget something critical on moving day. If you plan to use professional movers you can use this moving calculator  to estimate your moving costs.

2. Sort and get rid of things you no longer want or need. Have a garage sale, donate to a charity, or recycle.

3. But don’t throw out everything. If your inclination is to just toss it, you're probably right. However, it's possible to go

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Here are a few important questions you may want to ask if you are interested in buying a condo!

Before you buy, contact the condo board with the following questions. In the process, you’ll learn how responsive — and organized — its members are. You’ll also be alerted to potential problems with the property.

1. What percentage of units is owner-occupied? What percentage is tenant-occupied? Generally, the higher the percentage of owner-occupied units, the more marketable each unit will be at resale.

2. What covenants, bylaws, and restrictions govern the property? What grandfather clauses are in place? You may find, for instance, that those who buy a property after a certain date can’t rent out their units, but buyers who bought earlier can. Ask for

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Here are some tips about home inspections that can help relieve some of the stress about buying or selling a home!

Before you make your final buying or selling decision, have the home inspected by a professional. An inspection can alert you to potential problems with a property and allow you to make an informed decision.

Ask these questions to prospective home inspectors:

1. Will your inspection meet recognized standards? Ask whether the inspection and the inspection report will meet all state requirements and comply with a well-recognized standard of practice and code of ethics, like those used by the American Society of Home Inspectors or the National Association of Home Inspectors.You can view each group’s standards of practice and code of

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You’ve seen my pictures of the sneak peek from a few weeks ago; well now it is your turn to see the new village in Daybreak.

LakeVillageInviteInfo

This Saturday (Oct 12) from 1 pm – 4 pm is the Grand Opening of the brand new Lake Village!

This is an event that you do not want to miss. You will be able to see 7 beautiful homes along Oquirrh Lake. Each of them will host a lake-inspired activity including: fly-casting clinics, live music, fire-side cappuccinos, cooking demonstrations, and more.

You’ll notice how the entire neighborhood highlights its prime location along the Oquirrh lake. Each of the homes are thoughtfully positioned to take advantage of the beautiful lake views and water access. These homes include single-family homes (starting in the $300s) as

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There are many advantages to owning your own home. I want to take an opportunity to spread the word about just a few.

1. Tax breaks. When you own a home, the U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes, as well as some of the costs involved in buying your home.

2. Appreciation. Real estate has long-term, stable growth in value. While it is normal for prices to fluctuate some from year to year, average existing-home sale prices have increased on average 6.5 percent each year from 1972 through 2005, and increased 88.5 percent over the last 10 years, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.  The number of U.S. households is also expected to rise 15 percent over the next decade which means there

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Would you like an extra $5,000 to help with the purchase of your fist home? There is a new $5,000 GRANT available to first time home buyers in Utah. Before you think you aren't a first time home buyer remember that a first time home buyer is anyone who has not owned a home in the past three years. That means if you had to sell you home before 2010 and have been renting since, you could qualify as a first time home buyer!

The great thing about a grant (versus a loan) is that is doesn't have to be paid back. This is free money! Just like the Tax Credit of 2010 there is one stipulation: You need to stay in your home for 5 years. Each year you are in the home you are forgiven 20% or the grant (or $1,000) a year. This grant money can be used for a down

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I recently did an article about the importance of, and benefits from, winterizing your home. An important part of preparing for winter is having your air ducts cleaned. A Groupon just became available to make that cleaning a lot more affordable! In fact, you can save over $200!

Indoor of America Whole-House Air Duct and Dryer Vent Cleaning

The original cost for this service is $279

The 82% off Groupon takes that down to $49 for a $230 savings.

There are a limited number available and they are going fast. The deal expires Sunday (Oct 6th), but that's only if they don't sell out first.

What you'll get: Technicians use powerful vacuums to clean all ducts and dryer vents in a single HVAC unit. This is a very important part of getting your home

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This summer we had a bubble in the housing market. Prices were rising, buyers were coming out of the woodwork, and interest rates started to rise. We were in housing Nirvana! Where are we now? How has the bubble impacted today's market? Lets look at the home prices of a builder to see how this summer played out.

Here are the numbers for new construction homes in Bluffdale for the $300K - $400K price range.  In May home prices jumped almost 10% from what they were at the beginning of the year. That's an increase of $30K - $40K. Today those home prices have dipped back down 12.5% lower than it was in May. That means the pricing is now $7500 - $10,000 lower than the original pricing from the beginning of the year. Was this bubble localized to

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