During our conference stay in Boston, Massachusetts, we had the opportunity to explore the city.  Part of the challenge that Boston faced as it grew was deciding what to do with all its historic structures.  Certainly, leveling them all to make room for steel and glass would do a disservice to the city’s character.  So, we were pleasantly surprised to see how Boston has honored its historic past while finding ways to grow into a modern city. Here is a photo gallery of the amazing structures we found as […]

We recently visited Boston, Massachusetts for a conference.  While we were there, we took some time to visit some of the great historical sites of the region.  One of our segues took us to Salem where we immersed ourselves in one of America’s oldest communities and visited some of the oldest homes in America. The architecture and stories behind the homes were remarkable.   The Pickering House Along the McIntyre Historic District  were many comes constructed between 1660 and 1910.  The most striking was the Pickering House which boasts a construction […]

I had the opportunity to present to the Northern Utah Real Estate Investors Association to discuss current market conditions and how investors can find investment opportunities now and in the future.    The presentation started at 6:30 and ended at 8pm.  We had a crowd of about 20 people and mingled for another hour after the presentation.  It was a great place to network and meet like minded individuals.   If you are interested in a copy of the presentation slide show .pdf, CONTACT ME, and I will email a […]

We just closed on the sale of this cute victorian cottage located near the Jefferson Ave. Historic district in downtown Ogden.  The home was listed on May 23rd for $119,900.  We immediately had 6 offers on the property and asked for a highest and best from the competing offers.  The winning offer was for $120,000 with a $3,900 concession for buyer closing costs. Unfortunately, the buyer didn’t pay their bills and their credit score tanked during the loan process.  The contract had to be scrapped on June 12th and we started […]

The dramatic increase in house prices over the past five years is something we haven’t seen since the 1990’s.  This remarkable momentum upward has created expectations in the minds of real estate investors of big returns with minimal effort.   A recent example comes from an owner who purchased a home I listed last year.  That transaction closed in November for $137,000.  After just eight months, the new owner wanted to sell the property and break even on the sale.  In order to do that we would need to account […]

We just listed this cute 1921 bungalow for sale at 3460 Grant Ave. in Ogden.  The home is quaint with 4 bedrooms and a freshly updated bathroom.  The kitchen has been completely renovated with new cabinets and granite countertops. The home is about 1500 SQFT divided between the main level and a basement.  Utilities, storage, and laundry can be found in the basement. Here is a video of the home. If you are interested in viewing this property, CONTACT ME, and lets set up a time for you to see […]

We just closed on the sale of this lot located at 2809 Jackson Ave. in Ogden.  The lot was listed in January of this year for $19,000.  It sat on the market through June until a client contacted us with some interest in it.  We offered full price with cash and the seller accepted the offer.   The buyer utilized a real estate IRA which required some additional time to process.  However, the process went very smoothly and we were able to close early.  The buyer is now exploring constructing […]

We just closed on the sale of this amazing historic Victorian home located at 2002 Jackson Ave. in Ogden.  The property was listed May 9th for $264,900.  Our clients had recently renovated the property with top of the line finishes.  We wanted to test the market and see where buyer’s interest level was at a superior price point.   We immediately had several showings and the promise of an offer.  However, the offer never materialized.  After a week, the sellers felt we were a bit too aggressive on our list […]

I just closed on the sale of this historic property located at 2561 Van Buren Ave. in the coveted Eccles Historic District neighborhood of Ogden.  The duplex was listed on May 16 for $164,900.  The property was listed with instructions for buyers to make an offer subject to inspection due to the presence of tenants.  Around the end of May two offers came in at the same time.  One was an agent looking for an investment property for himself and the other was  an owner occupant.  After a round of […]

I just listed this amazing craftsman home for sale.  Built in 1912, this home saw its young adult residents serve in World War I.  The home is rich in history and charm.  The original woodwork is preserved throughout the home.  A cozy fireplace adorns the living room.  Plus the home has central AC, stainless steel appliances, light fixtures, and fresh paint. The floorplan is spacious with over 2800 SQFT split between the main level and an unfinished basement of the same size.  County records report a lot size of .20 acres. […]

  Performing evictions is one of the necessary duties of a property manager.  For many landlords, this is the most gut-wrenching part of the job.  To invoke the law to forcibly remove a person from a property can become a very adversarial experience if handled improperly.   Fortunately, for our property management business, evictions are a rare thing.  However, they do sometimes occur and typically with existing tenants of a property that we begin managing.  Most of the time, owners hire us to handle this unpleasant part of the job […]

Our 110 year-old home has an enormous front porch that is great for enjoying summer evenings outside.  It has been painted several times over the decades and by the time we purchased the home, the surface was downright distressed.  Recently, we set out to protect and preserve the surface for years to come. We have spent a lot of time and energy on other parts of the house.  I took to priming the porch a couple of times in anticipation of finishing the deck surface but we never got around […]

  I just listed this classic brick Victorian Era cottage located next to the coveted Jefferson Historic District in Ogden.  The home was constructed around 1907 and has over 1500 SQFT on the main level of the home. The interior boasts original woodwork, fireplace, decorative lead glass, tall ceilings, and recently refinished fir floors.  There are 3 beds and 1 bath in the home. The kitchen and bath have both been updated recently.  Both spaces have travertine floors. The property is located at 2516 Orchard Ave. across the street from […]

  I just listed this classic Craftsman home that sits in the highly coveted Eccles Historic District neighborhood. Found at 2561 Van Buren Ave., this home was subdivided into a duplex some time in the 1920’s. It has original craftsman era features with some art deco and mission stylings that adorn the improvements made during the subdivision of the home.  It has  a lot of original woodwork, a fireplace, hardwood floors, a private back yard, and 2 car garage. The home could easily be converted back to a single family […]

Remodeling a home is tough but rewarding work.  Our most recent example is the conversion of the original bathroom of our historic  home into a master bath for our bedroom. When our home was built in 1908, the designers included only one bathroom on the main floor.   We did a quick and simple rehab of the bathroom when we purchased the home 12 years ago and it was time for us to do some updates.  So, we got to work with a plan. The bedroom had a long closet […]