My wife and I were looking to buy our first home. We knew the area we were interested in and that was about it.
My wife read about real estate brokers and how they are able to represent the buyer which led us to Ben. Right from the start he was very helpful. Ben helped us figure out just about everything, from the beginning to the end. We looked at as many houses as we wanted. He wasn't pushy and did not try to sell us any particular home. He even found one in the area that was not listed on MLS. Looking at homes with Ben was enjoyable. He also kept a look out for anything amiss in the homes we saw.
When it came time to make an offer on a home, Ben did multiple calculations to determine the home's true value and aided in making an offer.
After we bought the home, I received multiple phone calls and a new garage door opener as a gift from Ben. I would recommend Ben to any first time home buyer.
Shad and Allyson Bracken
North Ogden, Utah
Buying a home in Salt Lake City or the Surrounding Area? Make sure you get an Agent on YOUR side of the transaction!
If you have excellent credit and will be buying a $250,000-$750,000 home in the next 90 days and would like an agent who will work exclusively for you, call us at (801) 969-8989 or contact us via the link on this page.
©2008 Homebuyer Representation, Inc. "The Real Estate Agents on the Buyer's Side" TM Exclusive Buyers Agents (EBA) - All Rights Reserved
Exclusive Buyer Brokerages do not list homes and never represent Sellers. Their agents represent Buyers ONLY on the Buyer's side of the transaction. They work to get BUYERS the Best Price and Terms when they Buy...
©2008 Homebuyer Representation, Inc. - Salt Lake City, UT
Exclusive Buyers Agents (EBA) - All Rights Reserved
Finally...

Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan.
I just downloaded a copy but haven't read it yet.
You have until the 15th to download and save your own copy (courtesy of Oprah).
Happy New Year everybody!
If you have excellent credit, and will be purchasing a $400,000-$1,500,000 home in the Salt Lake City, Utah area in the next 90 days and would like to be represented by a Certified Negotiation Expert and an Exclusive Buyer's Agent (an agent who will work exclusively for you on your side of the transaction), call us at (801) 969-8989 or contact us via the link on this page.
©2008 Homebuyer Representation, Inc. - Salt Lake City, UT
"The Real Estate Agents on the Buyer's Side" TM
Exclusive Buyers Agents (EBA) - All Rights Reserved
Finally...

We all know that the Salt Lake area real estate market (and the economy at large) is doing better than most areas of the country. Still, some things have slowed considerably.
Some things that have slowed the most:
New Construction
The good news is that less new construction actually will help slow the supply, which will help equalize the market sooner, meaning a healthier housing market.
Days on the Market
Currently, however, inventory (supply) still substantially exceeds the number of qualified Buyers (demand), which has directly impacted the length of time it takes to sell a home in today's market. That extra time helps Buyers because many Sellers who need to sell get more motivated as more time passes than they originally expected which translates into more and larger price reductions than was seen in the past as well as more success in negotiations for Buyers with excellent credit and no home to sell.
Average Sold Price
Since the Average Sold Price includes sold homes over $400,000, fewer homes selling above that mark actually artificially skews the Average Sold Price downward. (Well, not artificially, but it should be expected to be lower if very few luxury homes are selling relative to a year ago.)
This means the Salt Lake City real estate market isn't as bad off as some news headlines could lead you to believe, unless you are trying to sella home with an over 1/2 a million dollar price tag. You should expect to sell it for substantially less than you could have during the peak of Salt Lake's boom, say, 20% - 50% less. The higher the price a Seller could have commanded during the peak of the boom, the bigger the hit they will need to take to sell that home in today's market. (While it would be highly unlikely to see a home that could have sold for $400,000 at the peak of the boom selling in the $200,000 range, seeing a home that could have been sold for 1.8 Million Dollars during the boom listed at $900,000 today is conceivable.)
Now May Be the Best Time to Buy a Luxury Home in Salt Lake
The good news here is also for buyers who are able to purchase homes over $400,000. Luxury homes and homes over $400,000 are taking the biggest hit (the largest price reductions) in this market. These homes also historically give you the greatest return if you buy them in a down market and then sell during a future boom. Buyers with excellent credit and down payments over 10 or 20% have the greatest leverage in negotiations in today's market because the pool of available Buyers who can close a loan in this price range is also much smaller than normal.
So if you are thinking about buying your dream home, now would be the time to get the best deal, not after the market bounces back.
If you plan on buying your dream home in the Salt Lake City, Utah area, make sure you work with an agent who will negotiate on your behalf and not in the best interest of the Seller. Exclusive Buyer's Agents work only for Buyers in every transaction.
If you have excellent credit, and will be purchasing a $400,000-$1,500,000 home in the Salt Lake City, Utah area in the next 90 days and would like to be represented by a Certified Negotiation Expert and an Exclusive Buyer's Agent (an agent who will work exclusively for you on your side of the transaction), call us at (801) 969-8989 or contact us via the link on this page.
©2008 Homebuyer Representation, Inc. - Salt Lake City, UT
"The Real Estate Agents on the Buyer's Side" TM
Exclusive Buyers Agents (EBA) - All Rights Reserved
Finally...

According to a recent BizJournals story on MSN.com, Salt Lake City "would appear to be well situated to confront the recessionary challenges ahead."
The report looks at areas of the country that have undergone rapid growth in the past 10-20 years and are continuing to expand. It asserted population growth as a positive factor in a strong local economy in bad times, and Salt Lake appears to be doing well in that department as well.
The outlook for areas that are undergoing expansion is good because as population grows, infrastructure is needed to support the additional people, and the entire local economy benefits from that growth. Likewise, when the population of an area shrinks rapidly, the local economy usually suffers.
If moving to Salt Lake City, Utah is part of your plan to weather the economic downturn, I'd love to help you find your new home!
If you have excellent credit, and will be purchasing a $300,000-$800,000 home in the Salt Lake City, Utah area in the next 90 days and would like an agent who will work exclusively for you on your side of the transaction, call us at (801) 969-8989 or contact us via the link on this page.
©2008 Homebuyer Representation, Inc. - Salt Lake City, UT
"The Real Estate Agents on the Buyer's Side" TM
Exclusive Buyers Agents (EBA) - All Rights Reserved
Finally...

The Salt Lake City Board of Realtors published a press release on November 13, 2008 suggesting that the population of the Wasatch Front (Salt Lake Included) is expected to double by the year 2040.
The prognosis was made by Arthur C. Nelson, presidential professor of city and metropolitan planning at the University of Utah.
He suggests that the population of the United States will grow faster than any other nation during that time other than India or Pakistan.
By 2040 the population along the Wasatch Front is predicted to reach 4.2 Million as compared to approximately 2 million people today.
The full article can be downloaded from the Salt Lake Board of Realtors:
http://www.slrealtors.com/pdfs/pr_081113.pdf
The outlook is also for increased housing demand and an explosion of new jobs.
Whether the reality will match the prediction can only be seen with time. If true, we should be able to weather any economic storms that may come better than other areas of the country. (We have been particularly fortunate so far in the midst of today's national economic crisis.)
Of course, the purpose of the article is to foster excitement about the security of owning real estate in the Salt Lake City area, so...
If you have excellent credit, and will be purchasing a $300,000-$800,000 home in the Salt Lake City, Utah area in the next 90 days and would like an agent who will work exclusively for you on your side of the transaction, call us at (801) 969-8989 or contact us via the link on this page.
©2008 Homebuyer Representation, Inc. - Salt Lake City, UT
"The Real Estate Agents on the Buyer's Side" TM
Exclusive Buyers Agents (EBA) - All Rights Reserved
Finally...

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