Comic Con 2013 invades Salt Lake City UT The first Comic Con for Salt Lake City has exceeded all expectations. By the second of three days of festivity, 40,000+ tickets had been sold, a success by any standards; and inspite of earlier naysayers voicing negativity about Salt Lake City's ability to attract comic book fans. They were there in their droves: in high summer temperature, in costume, the fans came. Extroverts willing to pose: introverts not so much. Imagine weapons checks for costume props. Age was not a requirement ~ all ages were there. All patiently in line awaiting entry. My prediction: Comic Con will be on the event calendar for Salt Lake City for time to come. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 09/07/2013

FHA Loans Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, Utah FHA Loans 100% FHA Loans in Salt Lake City, Utah A Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Loan may be right for you. Iif you're thinking about buying a home in Salt Lake City, Utah. If you: - Imperfect credit. - Are looking for a low down payment. - Think you don't qualify for a loan right now. - Are buying your first home. Then an FHA Loan is a great option for you! The FHA does not provide you the loan, rather it is your FHA-approved lender who provides the loan and the FHA simply backs it. This means your lender can offer you lower monthly payments and interest rates because of the backing of the FHA. For more information about how an FHA Loan works click here: portal.hud.gov. Requirements for an FHA Loan aren't as strict as other home loan... 09/05/2013

Don’t go and buy a unit at the Cambridge Condos before reading what I have to say about it. Seriously. Once you have read this, considered it, meditated about it several times, then you may be ready to think about buying a Cambridge Condo in the SLC Avenues. Overview: The Cambridge Condos are some of the most affordable condos in the Avenues in Salt Lake City. They are located at 31 North M Street, just north of South Temple. This puts you within walking distance of City Creek, Temple Square, and all of the other downtown SLC attractions and a quick scooter ride from the Gateway Mall. There is a lot of public transport nearby and there are several grocery stores in the vicinity of the Cambridge Condos.   Here is a list of every unit that is currently for sale at the Cambridge Condos in ... 09/04/2013

Salt Lake City Refinance Mortgage Home Refinance in Salt Lake City. Refinancing your home in Salt Lake City. Refinancing is a great option for you and your beautiful Salt Lake City home. The reason many people refinance is: - They want a lower monthly payment. - To take cash out of their home equity. - They want to throw out their Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). - They want to avoid the balloon payment in their original mortgage.   Use this Mortgage Calculator Tool to help you calculate your current mortgage. The advantages of refinancing your home can be amazing. If you've been meeting your monthly payments, your credit score probably got better! You could get a lower monthly payment and interest rate with this better credit score! You could be seeing hundreds of dollars saved. If yo... 08/28/2013

Home Loan Salt Lake City                                                                                                                                   Mortgages near Salt Lake City Want to know different mortgage options near Salt Lake City? Here's your guide. Conventional Fixed Rate Mortgages are the most popular of all the mortgages in Salt Lake City. From day one, you're paying the same interest rate and monthly payment when you use a Conventional Fixed Rate Mortgage (FRM). Usually this loan requires a 20% down payment, but it is not always required! The life of this mortgage ranges 10-40 years. Adjustable Rate Mortgages or "ARM" (cool acronym, huh?) are ever-changing. Hence the name 'adjustable rate'. As the market changes, so does your interest rate. It is recalculated on a yea... 08/26/2013

Do not buy one of the Westgate Lofts until you have read this completely. Without knowing what you are getting into, you could make a mistake. I am going to go over the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Westgate Lofts in Salt Lake City.   Overview: The Westgate Lofts are some of the newest lofts in the area in one of the older buildings in the city. As with any community, there are pros and cons to the Westgate Lofts. We’ll go over all of those things here so that you are able to decide whether or not the Westgate Lofts in downtown SLC are a good fit for you. Here is a list of every unit that is currently for sale at the Westgate Lofts in SLC   Breakdown of the Westgate Lofts in Salt Lake City: Price:$250,000 - $700,000 HOA Fee: $232 per month up to $594 per month, depending on the ... 08/23/2013

Why would anyone want to live in Yalecrest (also known as Harvard/Yale) in Salt Lake City? The houses are all old, and they are twice the price of homes that are just a few blocks away. Why then would I want to live there? Yalecrest stretches from Sunnyside Avenue to 1300 South and from 1300 East to 1800 East and is one of Salt Lake City’s most expensive neighborhoods. Why, you ask? You cannot find any other part of town, except possibly Federal Heights, that is as charming as Yalecrest. The wide, winding, sycamore lined streets, the 19th century mansions, classic style houses, and ideal location all combine to make this one of the most desirable neighborhoods in town.   The Yalecrest neighborhood began in the late 1800’s as a group of 5 acre farm plots. It was later subdivided and turn... 08/21/2013

Why is Federal Heights is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City? The houses are old, it is far from freeway access, it is right next to the University, and it’s filled with frat houses. Why then does everyone want to live there? Federal Heights was given its name back in the late 1800’s when officers from Fort Douglas began to build their homesteads in this area due to its proximity to the base. These homes tended to be large, well constructed, and classy. They were also built on much larger lots than the adjacent Avenues neighborhood. Today, Federal Heights is one of Utah’s most affluent neighborhoods. People love the classic style homes, large lots, and the iconic sycamore lined streets. Walking through Federal Heights gives you the impression that you are dreaming... 08/20/2013

Don’t jump in and buy a condo at Forest Glen in Sugarhouse until you have read this. You need to hear a few things first...seriously. I wish you could see my face right now because you would see  how serious I am about this. I am going to give you unbiased information about the Forest Glen Condos that no one else wants you to know.   The Forest Glen Condos in Sugarhouse are located 2550 S Elizabeth St (1140 E) in Salt Lake City. They are just south of I-80 and the Sugarhouse Park. Here is a link to every condo that is currently for sale at the Forest Glen Condos   Summary: Price: $220,000 to $320,000 HOA Fee: $298 per month HOA Pays for: All common area maintenance, liability on buildings, sewer and water Amenities: Swimming pool, clubhouse, garage parking Do they hate pets? Yes, unless... 08/14/2013

West High School has quickly become one of the State of Utah’s most desirable schools. There was once a time when people avoided West High. Their motto “Home of scholars and champions” was often ridiculed (I won’t say any of the variations of this motto that were used). Today, people are clamoring to get their kids into Salt Lake City’s West High School. Why has West High School become so popular? Maybe because “High School Musical” was filmed there, or because of their amazing after school and extracurricular activities. Their Baccalaureate Program has become so popular, I honestly think that they should make a reality TV show about getting it. Call it “The Baccalaureate”. They could have a rose ceremony to announce who gets in. All the kids line up and the director picks up a rose fro... 08/13/2013

Salt Lake City Car Wash Fundraiser.    Studio56 Dance is working hard to raise money for new studio equipment.  If you happen to be out on Tuesday the 13th, stop by and see all of us.  The girls would love help raising money for ballet bars, mirrors and all that great dance stuff.  The details are below in the picture. Super easy to find location, we will be there all day.  Please stop by and help us out.   Cost is donations!   08/09/2013

So you are looking for a house under $200k in Sugarhouse? Let me tell you a few things that will help you on your way. Sugarhouse can be a great place to live and, despite what you’ve heard, there are still houses for sale for less than $200,000 in the area. Here is a list of every house that is currently for sale in Sugarhouse for under $200k   The first thing that you need to consider when looking for a house in Sugarhouse under $200,000 is whether it is important to you to be specifically in Sugarhouse or whether you would be just as happy in South Salt Lake, Rose Park, or Millcreek. Some of these areas are going to be less expensive and easier to find a house in this price range.   South Salt Lake can be a good alternative if you are not happy with the selection in Sugarhouse Here i... 08/09/2013

Salt Lake City Home Loans, Your guide to various mortgages and loans offered in the Salt Lake City area.   The most popular of all Mortgages near Salt Lake City are Conventional Fixed Rate Mortgages. Conventional Fixed Rate Mortgages (or "FRM" for short) offer constant interest rate for the entire life of the loan and monthly payments remain constant. Usually this loan requires a 20% down payment, but it is not always required! Terms of this mortgage range from 10-40 years. Adjustable Rate Mortgages or "ARM" (cool acronym, huh?) are ever-changing. Hence the name 'adjustable rate'. The interest rate you pay changes as the market changes. It is recalculated on a yearly basis. This means your monthly payment changes with the interest rate. Usually, the interest rate is lower than what you'... 08/09/2013

The Real Scoop on The Metro Condos in Salt Lake City   You really should read this before you buy a condo at The Metro Condos in Salt Lake City. This community has some things that you should know about first.   Overview: The Metro Condos in Salt Lake City is one of the newest condominium communities in the downtown Salt Lake City area and offer a lot of comfort and luxury for the price. Click here to see a list of all of the currently available units at The Metro Condos   Summary for The Metro Condos:   Pricing:$230,000 - $700,000 (most units are $275,000 to $350,000) HOA Fee: $194 - $354 (depending on the size of the unit) HOA Covers: full-time on-site property manager, fully landscaped and professionally maintained interior and exterior common areas (Club Room, Fitness Center, Hot Tu... 08/05/2013

Here is a list of the best condo communities near the City Creek Mall with info on each. There are several amazing condos near City Creek Mall in Salt Lake City and there are also a few not-so-great ones. Since the quality of these condos is directly related to the price, I will separate these out into price ranges.   Condos near City Creek Mall in Salt Lake City Under $200,000 Rockwell Condos Broadway Tower Belvedere   Here is a list of every condo that is currently for sale in Downtown Salt Lake City     Condos near City Creek Mall in SLC from $200,000 to $400,000 American Towers Zion Summit Regent Promontory Condos Canyon Road Condos Condos near City Creek Mall that are $400,000 and over Regent Promontory Condos American Towers   As far as proximity, the closest communities to City C... 08/05/2013

Salt Lake City Real Estate Homes 2nd Quarter Sales Info The Salt Lake City Real Estate Homes 2nd quarter sales info is in, and similar to the report on Salt Lake County, there are some real bright spots. Such as! It is taking less time to sell a house, condo or town home in SLC than it did a year ago. More homes were sold in Salt Lake this year than last during the 2nd quarter. Average sales price for a Salt Lake City home has increased substantially. More SLC homes were listed for sale during April, May and June this year than last. I think you can say that the Real Estate market in Salt Lake City is coming back. All of the numbers in this report as well as the reports  on other cities in the county are provided by the Wasatch Front MLS and takes into consideration all of the homes and... 08/04/2013

Hey ~ we're having a holiday in Utah today. It's the Utah biggie; July 24th, Pioneer Day. My driveway has a US flag fluttering in the nice breezes of a slightly cooler day, all very pleasant. It was placed at dawn by our local Boy Scouts to remind us of the Pioneer entry into the Valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1847. My wife and I have watched the "Days of 47 Parade" ~ two hours of spectacle in Salt Lake City. It's the third largest parade in the USA and a credit to overall State participation.  The day has much more to give, with events being held all over, culminating tonight with fireworks. For my photo essay I have chosen the event that has been underway at the Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, since last Friday. For me it has provided an amazing hands-on experience of Pionee... 07/24/2013

Bright sun and deep shade make up summer in Salt Lake City UT The Salt Lake Valley Utah has an average of five days each summer where temperatures exceed 100 degrees. With our temperature observations for our high altitude desert location we realize that we are parochial in attitude, and that lots of the country gets their thermometers to read much higher Today we are expecting 103 degrees, hotter even than St George UT that can barely scrape up 97 degrees because of thunder storm activity. Today is day 16 above the century so far this summer. The next few days will take the number even higher. The warmth is hardly a cause for concern ~ after all, we are only a couple of months away from the snows of Near Winter. The heat and the cold variations temper the delightful Utah spirit. The re... 07/22/2013

Salt Lake home prices continued to climb in June 2013. The median price for a single family home broke the $250,000 mark for the first time since June 2008, while the median days on market dropped to just 13 days, the lowest level since June 2006. The market remains strong especially in the lower end of the market, where there is fierce competition for starter homes. The one blot on the landscape is the recent rise in interest rates (although they have recently pulled back from there short term highs), which could force people who are on the fence to either commit and buy or give-up, only time will tell which way it goes. One thing is for sure it is a seller’s market, with new home builders going all out to keep up with demand. An example of this is Daybreak, where they are expecting to... 07/16/2013

What is a short sale, anyway?   We've all heard of them, some of us have bought them, some have even sold them, but what are they? I've said this about other topics as well and I'll probably use this line again, but I've found that when it comes to short sales, people typically fall into two categories: 1) Those who don't know what they are 2) Those who think they know what they are, but really don't Is that too harsh? Probably. Am I being overly simplistic. Definitely. But, you have to admit, you probably fall into one of those two categories. Am I right? It's time to put this mystery to rest.  Here is a list of every short sale currently available in Salt Lake City A short sale from a homebuyer's perspective: A short sale in real estate is a transaction in which the seller's proceeds ... 06/05/2013