Utah Ranks #5 Safest State: Here's How Sellers Can Cash In on This News


A row of modern, single-family homes in a suburban Utah neighborhood, each featuring landscaped yards, front porches, and a scenic pond with reflections in the foreground.


Big news just dropped. Utah landed the #5 spot on WalletHub's latest ranking of America's safest states. This isn't just bragging rights: it's money in your pocket if you're selling your home.


The study analyzed 52 indicators across personal safety, financial stability, workplace protections, and emergency preparedness. Here's what matters: Safety drives demand. Demand drives prices. Your listing just got more valuable.


The Numbers Don't Lie


Utah's median home list price sits at $595,000. That's $180,000 higher than the national median of $415,000. Coincidence? Not even close.


Buyers pay premium prices for safety and security. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo…

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Is Utah's housing marketing starting to mirror that of San Francisco and the Bay Area?  According to Bankrate.com, Utah has been deemed the "king of its national housing heat index".  Why is Utah such a desirable place to live amidst a world wide pandemic?  Utah boasts the nation's strongest pace of job growth, near rock-bottom unemployment rate, low mortgage rates, and low state and local taxes. When Covid-19 began, and working from home started to look more like a permanent solution to stopping the spread of the virus, many Bay Area residents started searching for a new place to live.  The East Bay Times reported that nearly 115,000 residents moved out of the Bay Area.  The situation was quite opposite for the state of Utah; people flocked here, but for…

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At Daybreak Living, we’re proud to provide a comprehensive real estate experience for all our clients. Not only will we assist you with locating the ideal community and home for sale to meet your every need and desire, our dedicated realtors will also work with you on moving through the varying steps of the homebuying process, ensuring you sidestep any pitfalls and check the appropriate boxes.

One particular group we’ve assisted with numerous such processes is those looking to move into one of our Daybreak villages from out-of-state. Moving from another state can present a few additional challenges on top of the normal needs that come with a major home move, but our real estate agents are here to work with you throughout this process. This two-part…

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For virtually anyone preparing to buy a new home, a primary consideration will be a mortgage loan to help finance the purchase. Buyers will have to consider not only the price of the home they desire and their general budget, but also areas like taxes, insurance, closing fees and others when determining how much to borrow from a lender.

At Daybreak Living, our real estate agents are here to not only help you locate and buy homes for sale in our numerous communities, but also to offer expertise and advice on numerous areas, including mortgages and borrowing. Today’s blog will focus on some general rules of thumb when it comes to how much you should be borrowing and how this compares to your overall financial picture, plus how these factors connect to…

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FHA loan limits have increased! The FHA loan limits went from $304,500 to $312,800 in Salt Lake County. What dose this mean to buyers and sellers? If you buy in Salt Lake County with an FHA loan purchase price (typically putting down 3.5%) this makes your ​purchase power increase from last year approximately $8,000.

Something for Sellers to keep in mind: if you list your home for $325,000-$440,000 you are only making your home available to buyers that are able to put 5% down (this price range is above the 3.5% down FHA limit). However;  if you list at $325,000 you then add a plethora of buyers to your purchasing pool by including 5% down buyers AND 3.5% down buyers. This makes your home an option for many more buyers and your ability to sell that…

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It is expected that Utah's population will double within the next 35 years increasing to nearly 5.4 million residents. Most Utahn's will be living in the concentrated area of the Wasatch Front. More people means more houses and more cars with a limited area of land. When it comes to housing most Utahns feel like high density housing is the solution.

Community Aerial Photo

Tomorrow's population issues are already being addressed today and the market is reacting. We are seeing smaller lots for single family homes and more apartment complexes developing with low vacancies. There has also been a demand for more dense neighborhoods designed for walk-ability and public transit. Residents have stated that these features are essential in keeping future housing and transportation…

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When you are ready to purchase a home there are some important questions that you should have answered by your lender to ensure that your mortgage is right for you. Here is a list of 10 key questions you should have answered by your lender before you buy.  

10 Questions to Ask Your Lender

1. What are the most popular mortgages you offer? Why are they so popular?

2. Which type of mortgage plan do you think would be best for me? Why?

3. Are your rates, terms, fees, and closing costs negotiable?

4. Will I have to buy private mortgage insurance? If so, how much will it cost, and how long will it be required? (NOTE: Private mortgage insurance is usually required if your down payment is less than 20 percent. However, most lenders will let you…

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I get asked this question a lot. "What do I need to get a mortgage?" To help others who may be wondering the same thing, I've compiled this list of items you need to get a mortgage. It is important to gather this paperwork before you being looking at homes. I've seen hopeful buyers miss the house of their dreams because they weren't prepared. It takes time to gather your paperwork and get qualified. If you find the home you want first, it may be gone by the time you get everything you need for the mortgage. In today's market homes can sell quick, and those who are prepared and pre-qualified are able to act fast.

What do you Need for a Mortgage?

W-2 Forms for the past 2-3 years for every person signing on the loan (if you are self employed use…

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Utah Housing Corporation launches Equity Now a program to monetize the home-buyer tax credit!

Home buyers who use a Utah Housing Corporation loan can now use the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit to help with their down payment and closing costs. This is done through a new monetization program called Equity Now. Under the program, home buyers will take out a second mortgage, which can be up to 6 percent of the first mortgage amount. Because the first-time home buyer tax credit funds are not available before a home purchase, this second mortgage will be used to help pay the down payment and closing costs. This second mortgage can then be paid off with the funds from the tax credit when it becomes available.

After closing, qualified buyers will…

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Utah Housing Corporation launches Equity Now a program to monetize the home-buyer tax credit!

Home buyers who use a Utah Housing Corporation loan can now use the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit to help with their down payment and closing costs. This is done through a new monetization program called Equity Now. Under the program, home buyers will take out a second mortgage, which can be up to 6 percent of the first mortgage amount. Because the first-time home buyer tax credit funds are not available before a home purchase, this second mortgage will be used to help pay the down payment and closing costs. This second mortgage can then be paid off with the funds from the tax credit when it becomes available.

After closing, qualified buyers will…

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