Real Estate prices in Weber County have seen an unprecedented run since the market trough in 2012.  Indeed, 2017 has seen real estate values increase over 10% since the start of the year.  In April of this year, after looking at the charts, I surmised that we had reached a top in real estate prices.  Inflation adjusted prices had blown past our 2007 peak which signaled that we might be due for a turn.   What I didn’t fully understand at that time was the scale of the forces at work creating […]

We just closed on the sale of this property located at 3051 Porter Ave.  We originally listed this 3 bed 2 bath home on June 13th for $144,900.  We immediately received 5 offers.  We did a round of highest and best offers and accepted the highest offer.  Unfortunately, the buyers backed out two days later after their family walked through the property.  It appears the offer had been partly blind.  So, we went to our next offer who was excited to move forward.  We put the home under contract again. […]

Ogden City recently took action that will make a dramatic change in the landscape.  City officials recently concluded the purchase of the Swift Building, the monolithic edifice that dominates the west end of the 24th Street viaduct.  The former slaughter house has been neglected for decades.  Yet, the area adjacent to the building has seen intense development recently and the acquisition by the city makes room for more development to occur.     The building also sits a stones throw away from the Ogden River kayak park which is currently […]

Tenants have a tendency to leave things behind when they move.  Most of the time, the clean up is quick and easy.  But, every once in a while, they leave something that leaves you scratching your head.  We recently tackled the problem of a giant tractor tire that was left at a rental property after a tenant moved out.   Why this tire ended up on the property in the first place still baffles us.   The great news is that we know we have the personnel to handle whatever […]

  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 […]