Home inspections will vary depending on the type of property you are purchasing. A large historic home, for example, will require a more specialized inspection than a small condo. However, the following are the basic elements that a home inspector will check. You can also use this list to help you evaluate properties you might purchase.  

For more information, try the virtual home inspection at www.ASHI.org, the Web site of the American Society of Home Inspectors.

  Structure: A home’s skeleton impacts how the property stands up to weather, gravity, and the earth. Structural components, including the foundation and the framing, should be inspected.

  Exterior: The inspector should look at sidewalks, driveways, steps, windows, and doors. A home’s

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Here are just a few more thoughts about buying a new home in a tough market. Use these simple tips to increase your chances of getting your dream house in a competitive housing market and lower your chances of losing out to another buyer.

  1. Get prequalified for a mortgage. You’ll be able to make a firm commitment to buy and your offer will be more desirable to the seller.  

2. Stay in close contact with your real estate agent to find out about the newest listings. Be ready to see a house as soon as it goes on the market — if it’s a great home, it will go fast.  

3. Scout out new listings yourself. Look at Web sites such as REALTOR.com, browse your local newspaper’s real estate section, and drive through the neighborhood to spot For Sale signs.

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Your neighborhood has a big impact on your lifestyle. Follow these steps to find the perfect community to call home.  

• Is it close to your favorite spots? Make a list of the activities — movies, health club, church, etc. — you engage in regularly and stores you visit frequently. See how far you would have to travel from each neighborhood you’re considering to engage in your most common activities.

 

• Check out the school district. This is especially important if you have children, but it also can affect resale value. The Department of Education in your town can probably provide information on test scores, class size, percentage of students who attend college, and special enrichment programs. If you have school-age children, visit schools

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One thing to take into consideration when buying a home is your appliances. Whether you are looking to reduce your impact on the environment or just trying to save money on your utility bill, energy efficient appliances can make a huge difference. One engineer took water conservation to a whole new level with his OrbSys closed-loop shower.

Did you know that when you shower you use 7 gallons of water every minute! Not only that but the water has to be continuously heated because the warm water is pouring down the drain. Swedish industrial designer, Mehrdad Mahdjoubi, designed a shower that conserves water and energy with the same efficiency as the space station. The shower is on a closed-loop so the water goes into the drain, through a filtration…

*Updated 1/8/2014*

For years, South Jordan residents and city officials have been petitioning for a COSTCO store in South Jordan.

There is even a Facebook page (created in October of 2010) for gathering interest in the project. By the end of that month they already had 1000 followers! They also posted that, "today we heard a little rumor of not "if" but "when"..." Three years later there is still no COSTCO, but the Facebook page has gathered over 1900 followers. There was also a petition started which has accumulated over 200 signatures.

 

Recently, the newly elected Mayor of South Jordan promised on his website: "I will close the deal with COSTCO and give them just enough incentive to finally open in South Jordan."

Then this news was

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Here are a few more tips on how to take the stress out of buying a new home.

Buying a home should be fun, not stressful. As you look for your dream home, keep in mind these tips for making the process as peaceful as possible.  

1. Find a real estate agent who you connect with. Home buying is not only a big financial commitment, but also an emotional one. It’s critical that the Realtor you chose is both highly skilled and a good fit with your personality.

2. Remember, there’s no “right” time to buy, just as there’s no perfect time to sell. If you find a home now, don’t try to second-guess interest rates or the housing market by waiting longer — you risk losing out on the home of your dreams. The housing market usually doesn’t change fast enough to

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Deck the Homes! is UtahDave.com's 2013 Christmas light contest.

UtahDave.com is giving away over $1500 in cash and prizes this Christmas season! We're looking for the best Christmas lights and decorations in the area. Photos of the homes are posted on Facebook for you to vote for your favorite. The home with the most likes will win a cash prize!

That's not the only way to win however. You can be entered into a drawing for additional prizes for sending a photo of a home and sharing the contest on Facebook. If you want to drive around and enjoy the lights in person we have a map of the best Christmas lights.

[caption id="attachment_3972" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Click for map of Christmas Lights"][/caption]

3 Ways to Win!

(You

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A great opportunity has arrived in Holladay.

This property is magnificent for those who are looking for a low maintenance and high quality home. As part of the Spring Lane Condominiums you can enjoy the freedom of a maintenance free yard!

 

This home looks fresh and modern with new exterior paint and has a new roof.

The hardwood floors add to the open and relaxing layout of the home. All your guests will notice the nice and cozy family-oriented living room as a great place to sit down and relax.

You'll love this library bookshelf located on the stairs.

This cozy dining nook provides an ideal location to enjoy a meal and enjoy the view.

The home is a perfect size with 3 spacious bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

 

You'll

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An important part of buying or selling a home is picking a Realtor who can provide you with the service you need. Here is a list of considerations you should make before you decide on a Realtor. Make sure you choose a Realtor who will provide top-notch service and meet your unique needs.

1. How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job? While experience is no guarantee of skill, real estate — like many other professions — is mostly learned on the job.

2. What designations do you hold? Designations such as GRI and CRS® — which require that agents take additional, specialized real estate training — are held by only about one-quarter of real estate practitioners.

3. How many homes did you and your real estate

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When you buy a home you want to make sure that you are moving to an economically stable or thriving. Our neighborhood experts live in the communities where they sell homes; this way they can provide a good understanding of the local economic stability. As a whole Utah's economy is thriving! Especially when it comes to job growth.

In Utah, we have had more than 33,000 new jobs created over the past year. That's almost 3,000 new jobs every month! This astonishing job creation has placed Utah as the No. 2 state in the nation for job growth. There are approximately 1.3 million people employed and the unemployment rate is at 4.7% (5th lowest in the nation).

Where are all of these jobs being created? The largest increases are in the following

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