It is time for our Spring market update.  In this episode we talk about house prices and the gap between owning and renting.   If you want to know what you can afford to buy in today’s market, give me a call. 801-390-1480

We just listed this beautiful little cottage for sale at 599 8th St.  It is 1650 SQFT, 3 Beds, 2.5 Bath with a big shaded .17 lot.  You might remember this property from a few years ago when we renovated it.  Listed for $364,900. If you are interested in this property, please contact me at 801-390-1480 (Owner/Agent)

Mortgage lenders lately have been wondering how they are going to survive in a low refinance and purchase transaction environment.  This creative thinking process has spawned a host of ideas.  While 2/1 and 3/1 buydown programs have been promoted for purchases, other lending products are targeting existing equity.  At a recent symposium, lenders gathered to learn about reverse mortgage programs, and rallied to make HELOCs and 2nd mortgages a larger portion of their loan business.   Since I have been around a while, this 2nd mortgage and HELOC talk rang […]

We recently closed on this great starter home opportunity on Ogden’s east bench tucked away behind Fresh Market and 20th Street.  It was quite a journey with these clients as we navigated the HOA’s in this sector of the housing market.  You can hear our story and see the home in the video below: If you need to buy or sell a home, give me a call. 801-390-1480

With building material costs high and labor scarce, the cost to build a home is higher than it has been historically.  This increased cost is hampering construction which in turn limits supply and thus increases the cost of existing housing.  Add to this situation historically high interest rates, 40% higher hazard insurance premiums, and record high property taxes.  Has the market had enough yet?  Well, apparently not.   Just last week, April 25th, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that any new construction using HUD backed financing (think […]

We recently closed on this triplex in the historic center of Ogden.  Racoons gave us trouble.  Watch to learn more about how the transaction came together and what kind of trouble racoons can cause if you aren’t careful. If you need an experienced agent to help you with your next real estate transaction, give me a call. 801-390-1480

The real estate market appears to be finding its footing after a disorienting adjustment to the high interest rates prevailing for mortgages.  While everyone has been waiting for interest rates to drop, those who know seem to indicate we aren’t going to see much change in the near future.  We will have to learn to live in a market as it is rather than as we wish it to be.  So, lets take a moment and see what is.   Sales volumes appears to be stabilizing after more than a […]

We recently took over management of a property in Ogden and quickly discovered a wild “shed” constructed behind the building. The shed lacked sewer and power services but was borrowing power from the building. Apparently the guy living here had been doing so under the radar on and off for years. We gave him 30 days to vacate as a courtesy. He delayed and deferred for days after and finally vacated after some stern words were offered. This is what he left. If you have a troublesome rental, give us […]

The relatively recent rise in interest rates created an ice storm over the multi-unit real estate market here in Weber County.  Our latest chart shows just how significant the impact has been on sales volume over the past year. The last time Weber County saw multi-unit sales this low was during the dysfunctional mortgage lender meltdown of the Great Financial Crisis.  But unlike last time, when mortgage companies performed hari-kari and disappeared into the scrapbooks of banking history, the current drought in business is strictly related to pricing.  With interest […]

We recently listed this unique investment opportunity at 718 21st Street in Ogden.  The property consists of a .31 acre lot with a 1250 SQFT home on one half of the lot.  The home has been used as a legal non-conforming triplex since the 1920’s.     Each unit has been rented for about $1000/mo. to Section 8 tenants.  One tenant has been there for years and would like to stay.  Each unit is 1 bedroom.   Given the lot size, it is possible to subdivide the lot in order […]

We just closed on the sale of this unique fourplex located on Jefferson Ave. in Ogden.  The building, located at 2364 Jefferson Ave, was once a magnificent historic home that had been converted into a fourplex property.  Sadly, in 2002, some neighborhood kids lit the building on fire and it gutted the building.  The home sold that year for about $35,000 and the owner completely rebuilt the structure around the old shell.   There are many hints of the original home still left.   We listed this property just a few […]

The recent slump in sales volume has discouraged many in the real estate industry.  However, there are powerful demographic forces lying under the surface that have the potential to kick the market back into overdrive.   To begin our discussion, let’s look at Weber County’s population growth vs. sales volume growth.     In a perfect homogenous world, we would expect sales volume to increase in lockstep with population growth.  Of course, interest rates would never change, the ratio of homeowners to renters would be fixed, people would move-up at fixed […]

After a prolonged staring contest, the real estate market is entering a new phase as interest rates have reached a recent peak and market participants acclimate to the new reality of the cost of money. The next chapter will be written in a year promising political, geo-political, and yet-to-be-known fireworks.  Before we prognosticate on what the future holds, let’s take a look at where we left off.   Our inflation adjusted house price chart shows that we ended 2023 just a little above where we started.  A choppy mid-year bump […]

Progress on the Matson House project continues, albeit slowly.  Here are the videos that will catch you up: Enjoy!

We closed on the sale of a wholesale grade property in Ogden recently.  It was very interesting to see all the different offers that came in for the property and how they stacked up.  Here is a walk through tour of the home, the sales story, some insights, and the end result. If you have a difficult property and need to get it sold, give me a call. 801-390-1480