Utah, the ONLY State to get an A on this Report Card

Digital Learning Now! conducts an annual study to measure states on their level of digital learning. For the 2012 postcard Utah was the only state in the entire nation that received an A.

The report card is divided into 10 elements they have identified as important for providing high-quality digital education. You can read more about these 10 elements here: Elements of High Quality Digital Learning. Click the map to access the interactive report card map.

This is Utah's Report card (click the link to see full report card):

1. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY: All Students are digital learners (Utah Grade - 63% D)

• Utah received a D because it does not requiring students to take a high-quality college prep online course to graduate from High School.…

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VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan

I want to make sure all our wonderful Veterans are aware of these opportunities associated with their VA loans. Since 1944, over 20 million Veterans and Service Members have purchased a home through the VA Home Loan program. Over the past 5 years VA home loans have had the lowest foreclosure rate than any other type of home loan.

The VA's Home Loan Program Benefit is not a one-time benefit. It can be reused. Veterans may reuse their VA benefit to purchase another residence, or to refinance to a lower rate. Refinancing a VA loan is referred to as an Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL). No appraisal or credit underwriting is required.

One average, Veterans saved more that $200 a month after an IRRRL. You can read more about the program…

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Congratulations Realtor® of the Year!

Congratulations to Craig Hawker, the Draper Expert. He is the 2012 Realtor® of the Year!

The Salt Lake Board of REALTORS® recognized Craig's accomplishments and drive by awarding him the Realtor® of the Year Award. The yearly event, honors Salt Lake's top real estate professionals based on sales volume and service.

What is Realtor® of the Year?

The Realtor® of the Year award honors Realtors® who are committed to diligently serving the public as well as improving in their real estate profession. Craig demonstrates his service to the public by applying his years of knowledge and experience during their purchase. He continually improves his skills by participating in more than 70 hours of education each year. That is nearly 10 times the educational…

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Charming Short Sale in American Fork For Sale

If you are a first time buyer looking for a short sale in American Fork, then I found the home for you. This is a fantastic starter home for an affordable price in the perfect location. You will live within walking distance to shopping, entertainment, and if you commute, there is easy freeway access. What more could you want in a home? This home will not last, especially at this price, so hurry in and see it today!

This charming 2-bedroom 1-bath home has 777 square feet of warmth and comfort that would make the perfect home for a small family, or an individual looking for a starter home. With the real estate market where it is at now, it is much cheaper to own your own home than pay rent. Stop wasting your money on rent and buy your own home now!…

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Inside Scoop: Businesses May Inflate Market

I want to let you in on a secret. In the real estate market, we are seeing something that happened in 2005 that had a big impact on the housing market.

I recently found out about several companies outside of Utah that are buying a lot of homes in Utah. There is one company buying as many as 60 homes a month right now. Another company is planning on buying 30 a month. This is just 2 of the companies coming to Utah. These companies may have a huge impact on the Utah market.

What does that mean for the housing market in Utah? All of these homes being purchased are under $300,000. That means that suddenly 10% of home purchases will be investors. If you've looked at the market you've seen that supply is already limited. This new surge of investor…

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Happy Seller, Sad Buyer.

3 buyers lost up to $5,000 this month.  PROTECT YOURSELF.

Just within the last couple of weeks we have had 3 REALTOR®s call us on the phone and ask us to breach contract for their buyers. They each said something similar to, "I know that we are past the deadlines to keep our earnest money. Will you let us keep our money?" What is the point of earnest money if people feel like the buyers should keep it no matter what? It would all be pointless.

Earnest money is to protect the seller of the property. They are agreeing to take their home off the market while the potential buyer investigates the option of buying the home. The truth is we only collect earnest money when buyers, their agent, or their lender, don't fulfill their responsibilities in the…

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Style and Affordability

Buying a Home in Daybreak

Buying a home in Daybreak is the best decision you have made this year. Now that you know your location, finding the exact home you want can be a difficult task. All of the homes in Daybreak are beautiful, well built, and stylish, so it can be a daunting decision trying to choose one. Look at this lovely home and maybe it will help you narrow down your choices. Who know, this may be the home you have been searching for. I wouldn’t be surprised because this home has amazing features.

The Hadley model could please even the fussiest buyer because of how gorgeous it is inside and out. From the moment you lay your eyes on this home, you will fall in love. It has great curb-appeal, a very trendy and chic exterior color, and…

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Numero Uno Rule for Selling a Home Online!

Just this morning I saw about 4 new properties hit the market. All 4 of them broke the new digital age rule of marketing homes for sale.

What happened?  I got an email of a new listing and went to click on the details and it had 0 photos.

What usually happens? My buyers tell me they skip over it, don't even put it on their list of homes to see. Others try to save it for later in case photos are posted in a few days. Then it gets lost through the shuffle of other homes just listed.

The Numero uno rule for marketing a home online is to have professional photos taken before you list the home. These photos need to be posted right when the home is listed. Most emails, alerts, and notifications go out to buyers immediately. If there are no photos,…

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Short Sale in Ogden: Affordable and Adorable

This is a very cute short sale in Ogden that would make a great starter home for a first time buyer, or an investment property. The price has been drastically reduced and it can close quickly, so make an offer now. This darling home is in great condition with a vibrant color scheme, and a lot to offer the right family. You may be asking yourself, "What is a short sale?" A short sale is when you sell your house at a price that is lower than the balance you owe on the home. So it is very likely that you can get a really good deal on a short sale because lenders take these homes on because it costs less than going into foreclosure.

This cute little house is in a great location near schools, parks, the freeway, restaurants, shopping, and theaters. You…

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Strategic Pricing to Maximize Internet Visibility

The top priority of the seller is pricing your home appropriately. Approximately 90% of home buyers search for homes online. What is the first thing they search for? Price! There are a few important things to consider when pricing the home to maximize visibility and result: 

• You want the home to show up in as many searches as possible
• You want to get the highest price possible for your home
• You want the price to be appealing to buyers 
• You do NOT want to eliminate potential buyers by pricing too high
• You do NOT want to start too high and have your home sit on the market forever. This would cause your final sales price to fall

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