Our area suffers from a winter inversion, but there are a few tips you can follow to protect yourself from it.
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If you’re feeling the effects of the winter inversion in our area, I have a few tips to share with you that will help you feel better and keep your family safe.

First, let’s recap what the winter inversion is. You see, air quality is often best in the wintertime when the weather works to clean the air, trapping ozone and other pollutants in precipitation or blowing them off with sharp, gusty winds. As the inversion goes on, this trapped air begins to stagnate, and the concentration of fine particle pollutants in the air, emitted by the consumption of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants, and factories, increases. An extended period of inversion sometimes results in the formation of a brownish fog.

The first thing you can do to minimize the effects of the winter inversion is visit www.air.utah.gov to check the air quality in your area on any given day. 

“ If you can physically feel the air affecting you in your day-to-day life, invest in an air purifier for your household.
”
Second, if you’re like me and you prefer to exercise outside, try doing it during hours with low traffic activity. You can also exercise in high-altitude areas above the fog.

There are several tips you can try that will also help the environment at large, including:

• Not burning trash 
• Recycling
• Carpooling
• Turning off your car when you’re waiting to pick up your kids from school

Lastly, if you can physically feel the air affecting you in your day-to-day life, invest in an air purifier for your household. My family did this, and although it was expensive, it’s made a big difference for us.

If you have any more questions about this topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be glad to help you.

Make 2019 your best year yet by setting and reaching your goals.
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2018 is quickly coming to an end, and next year will be here before we know it. We want to wish you a happy new year, and we hope midnight on the 31st kicks off a great 2019 for you and your loved ones. Now’s the time where people start to think about what they want to change in their lives throughout the coming year, and I’d like to help everyone do so.

One of my favorite recently discovered quotes comes from G.K. Chesterton, who said, “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”

“ We can put ourselves in a place where we can bless the lives of others.
”
We’re so fortunate to be where we are, but we also need to have goals so we can put ourselves in a place where we can bless the lives of others. To do this, we need to improve. Here are a few things that have worked for me when it comes to self-improvement:

• I write down my goals. Along with my children, I come up with things I want to accomplish in the future. After some decoration, we put up our lists and are able to keep track of our progress throughout the year.
• I make SMART goals. This acronym is about how to structure your goals and stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Following these criteria will ensure that you reach the goals you wish to accomplish.

I would also like to share Tony Robbins’ rapid planning method with you.

• What is the item that you’re looking for?
• What is the purpose?
• What are the actions you can take today?

I hope some of these methods can help you accomplish your own goals in 2019. If you have any questions or real estate needs I can help you with, reach out to me. Until then, have a great new year! I look forward to hearing from you.

Our market is undergoing a bit of a shift, but this is normal and nothing to be alarmed about.
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For the past several years, we’ve seen our real estate market go up and up and up, but lately, things have cooled off a bit.  Prices are softening—not as many buyers are inquiring about our listings, and we’re not seeing as many showings happening.

The good news is that this is nothing to worry about. The housing market goes in cycles that typically last seven to 10 years. When interest rates rise and prices go up, these factors essentially make the housing market adjust.

“ Unlike other parts of the country, our job rate isn’t going down, and we still have a lot of people moving here.
”
In our case, it’s not a housing availability issue—it’s an affordability issue. Home prices and interest rates have risen so quickly that it’s made homes unaffordable for many people. We’ve also heard new construction builders say they won’t be building as many homes above $500,000.

Our local economy, however, is still doing fantastic. Unlike other parts of the country, our job rate isn’t going down, and we still have a lot of people moving here. This shift is nothing to be scared of, but it’s still something to keep in mind moving forward.

If you have any more questions about our Salt Lake City market or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Considering investing in property? Here are four things to keep in mind.
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How do we know when a property is a good investment deal? There are four major things we need to look at to before we decide to buy:

1. Pricing. Is the property price in line with the market, as well as features of the home? We need to pull values and look at criteria, such as curb appeal, bathrooms, and amenities. We want the price to make sense with what we’re getting.

2. Features and benefits. You need to decide if it’s worth paying potentially tens of thousands more for a good view or a pool. Is there an exit strategy for us if we need out? These are things to keep in mind.

“ We want the price to make sense with what we’re getting.
”
3. Location. Sometimes the best deals aren’t actually places we ourselves would want to live. We have to think of it from the perspective of, “Could I see myself living here? Would I want to stay here for years? Would I be happy here long term?”

4. Condition. You may love a property, but it could become a money pit if it’s in bad condition. We purchased an investment property and had to renovate it for $250,000. With properties such as this, it doesn’t matter what the details, location, and benefits are—a place in bad condition needs a long, hard look.

If you have any questions, need information, or have video topics you’d like covered in the future, we’d love to help you out. Please call, email, or message us; we look forward to hearing from you.

There are five primary reasons why fall presents a great opportunity to sell your home quickly and for top dollar.
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Here are the top five reasons the fall is actually a great time to sell your home.

First, there’s less competition on the market. During this time, a lot of other home sellers end up taking their homes off the market because their kids are busy with school, they have work obligations, or selling at the end of the year just doesn’t make sense for them.

Second, buyers are more motivated to buy. They want to get into a home before the holidays arrive or before the end of the year. It’s possible that some have been searching since the summer, and they’re ready to become homeowners now.

“ During this time, a lot of other home sellers end up taking their homes off the market.
”
Third, interest rates are still phenomenal. Interest rates have adjusted, and sometimes when that happens, affordability becomes an issue. If you sell now, though, you can still lock a buyer into a low rate.

Fourth, homes show beautifully during the fall. 92% of all buyers start their home search online, and 64% will pay more for a home that looks move-in ready. This is why a lot of folks who plan on putting their home on the market in December or January are taking photos of it now.

Lastly, it’s a lot easier to move now than when there’s snow on the ground.

If you’d like to put your home on the market now or you have any questions about our market, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Are you thinking of selling your home or investing in real estate? My recent Facebook Live interview discusses both of these topics in depth.
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I recently sat down for a Facebook Live interview where I discussed how to maximize your home’s value before putting it on the market and the key concepts you need to know if you’re thinking about investing in real estate.

For your convenience, I’ve attached the timestamps of this interview so you can jump ahead to the section(s) that interest you the most:

0:12 - The four areas you need to focus on to maximize your property’s value when listing it.
0:55 - How we can assist sellers in improving your property’s curb appeal.
2:04 - How to get over the fear of getting into investing.
“ Don’t wait to buy real estate—buy real estate and wait.
”
5:19 - The factors I take into consideration when I look at an investment property.
8:19 - One of the biggest problems people face with investment properties.
8:53 - How I can help you get started with buying an investment property.
9:52 - The advantages of buying an investment property right now.

If you have any questions about any of the topics I discussed in this interview, don’t hesitate to call or email me anytime. I’d be happy to help you.

What is happening in our Utah Market? Today I am going to look at it with you.

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Today I want to give you a quick market update and tell you what you need to know about real estate in Utah. When comparing this quarter to last quarter, we are down 4.6% in home sales. In fact, the Board of Realtors said that, if we looked at listings, they are down 1.6%. While we are seeing less homes on the market, our home values have increased dramatically. Since last year, the median home price in Salt Lake County has increased 7.8% from $327,000 to $352,000. Of course, different markets and areas are seeing different trends. However, this market has been fantastic with 10 years of growth. Now, though, interest rates are increasing which affects affordability. Recently, we had a buyer looking for a $440,000 home, but interest rates increased and reduced his affordability to $410,000. If you are selling a home, this changes the number of people that can buy your home.

When we have less homes on the market, people become afraid of where they are going to go and buyers think that they can't afford a home. Statistically, property values have increased by an average of 3.3%over the last 26 years. What you need to know is this: Interest rates are still great, but they are going up. It is affecting the affordability and is starting to squeeze the value and the affordability of homes. You are going to start seeing more and more townhome projects that come to your city planning meetings as well as smaller micro units. Also, according to economists at the University of Utah, we are seeing an increase in the number of multi-generational families that are living in the same habitation due to affordability concerns. If you need anything such as a home value or a new home, now is a great time to look at different options. For sellers, it's a good time to decide whether to sell or keep your home. Meanwhile, if you are looking at buying, you can look at the interest rates to see if it's a good time to buy. I will say this: Never wait to buy real estate. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Today I am sharing five decorating and staging tips to help maximize the value of your home.
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Did you know that 63% of buyers will actually pay more for a move-in ready home? Decorating and staging your home can improve its look and feel. To help you maximize the value of your property, I am going to share five home decorating and staging tips for you to think about.

1. Make repairs to the home. There are always a couple of repairs that need to be made. I love to say “pick five.” Sometimes there’s a baseboard missing, a light is missing, or a window is cracked. Find five things that need to be fixed, because fixing them will make your home look well-maintained.

2. Make sure your home is white-glove clean. Your property should be spotless, both inside and out, and free of odors, as well.

3. Look at the colors in your home. People love neutral colors. Paint over the large red wall that was once a great look with a neutral color. It is going to make it feel bright and will help modernize your home. Fresh coats of paint can also help your home smell like it's brand new.
“ You need to make sure that your property is spotless both inside and out as well as eliminate all odors.
”
4. Declutter your home. After we have already done some work and added color, you need to declutter. You either want to toss it, give it, or prioritize it. If there are things that you haven't touched in the last two years, you probably aren't going to use them again and can instead get rid of them.

Less is more, and the more belongings you have, the more cluttered your home will feel. When you do stage your home, think about the buyer. If your home is in an area where 90% of the buyers are going to have kids and potentially a baby, consider putting a cradle in a room. If it is going to be a business executive that might buy the home, make a room an office.

5. Depersonalize the home. Get rid of the religious photos and the collections. I also think that you should get rid of the personal photographs. The reason that this is important is that while you may worship Dale Earnhardt, not everybody does. You want to make it so that every consumer that goes in there can see what the home is and not what you love.

If you have any additional questions about staging or would like a full list of staging recommendations, please feel free to contact us and we can get that to you. And, as always, if you are looking to buy or sell, reach out to us by phone or email. We would be happy to help.

When you are purchasing a home, you want to have the smoothest transaction possible. There are five roadblocks that can prevent that smooth transaction from happening. 
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Whenever you purchase a home, there are five major things that can happen that can stop our sales. Today I am going to share those five roadblocks, so you can know what to avoid if you are buying a new home.
1. Damage. Damages can occur when the seller moves out, or from a contractor who has caused additional damage. To remedy this, you must always do a walk-through inspection. This can help you avoid discovering that things are missing, such as light bulbs, fixtures, or—even worse—appliances and cabinetry.
2. Due diligence.  During the home inspection, ensure that all the repairs requested by the inspection are completed. Also, make sure that your insurance is active the day that you close—accidents happen, and you do not want to accidentally cause a fire. If your insurance is not set up at closing, it could cause a delay.
3. Survey. Survey the land to find out where proper property lines are. This is something a lot of agents push to the side, but do not let them. Surveys are very important.
I personally purchased a duplex as an investment property and noticed something was strange about the lines. I had a survey completed and found that the neighbor had encroached 15 feet into the property that I was purchasing. I ended up giving him notice and putting up a fence. Now I have an entire parking spot for my tenant.
“ I completed a survey of a property that I had purchased, only to discover that the neighbor had encroached nearly 15 feet into my new property.
”
4. Major purchases. Refrain from big dollar purchases. Buying a car will affect your credit score, which may affect your mortgage rate and eventually affect your ability to even purchase the home.
5. Loan approval. If a person unknowingly does something to impact their credit, they may be unable to secure a loan. Leaving a job or making an expensive purchase are just two of the ways someone may accidentally damage their score
A loan company verifies your employment the day before closing. If you quit or lose your job the day before, you may end up unqualified for the loan because of lack of income.
Having the money in the location it needs to be is also crucial. If you are receiving the money as a gift, it needs to be wired to your account before closing to verify that you have the sufficient funds. Very few people will let you have the keys to your new place if they are waiting for money to be approved for one reason or another—make sure that the funds are ready.
If you have any questions about this or are interested in buying or selling, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to speaking to you soon.

To know which upgrades you should make to your home, there are five questions you need to ask yourself.
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Here are the five questions you need to ask yourself to know which home upgrades will give you the biggest bang for your buck: 1. Does it make sense? Does it make sense for you to invest money into your property? If your home is in an area you don’t want to live in anymore and you’re ready to move, it probably doesn’t make sense to invest any money into it other than what can be put toward getting it ready for sale. 2. Does it make sense economically? Do you have the cash on-hand to put into your property in order for the renovation to be a successful investment? Sometimes in this situation, homeowners take out a home equity line of credit at a typically low interest rate. If you do something like this, the goal is to pay off debt immediately. I don’t love second mortgages, so my advice is to not use one unless you don’t have the cash on-hand, you know you’ll be in the house long-term, and you know you’ll see a return on your investment.
“
Asking these questions can help you build wealth through real estate.
”
3. Will you see a return on your investment (ROI)? To know if a renovation makes sense, you need to understand the market you’re in and the type of property you have. Do you really need marble floors installed into your $300,000 home or would hardwood or laminate floors make more sense? 4. Will your upgrade(s) be sellable? Sometimes we want to make an amazing upgrade, but it just doesn’t make sense to do so. I’ve seen people make adjustments to their home where their space was so unique that it made it difficult for anyone else to move into that space 5. Will your upgrade(s) make sense long-term? Anytime you put money into a property, it has to make sense in terms of the general market. You might want to take out three bedrooms and two bathrooms on your main level and turn them into one master bedroom and one master bathroom, but your neighborhood might not be conducive to those upgrades. That neighborhood, for instance, might be in a price point more appropriate for first-time homebuyers or those looking for a move-up property. You don’t want to make upgrades to your home that will hurt its value. One of the goals I want to help you with is to build wealth through real estate, and asking these kinds of questions can accomplish this goal. If you have any questions about this or any other real estate topic or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home soon, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

What do our current increased prices mean to you? If you are an owner, it means that you have more money without even doing anything.
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Today I want to talk to you about how the increase in pricing, interest rates, and affordability can affect you and your home. Many people have been asking about what the market is going to do and where are we going. Here are the facts. The market is growing. The prices are rising. And, interest rates are going up. These factors create an issue where someone that could previously afford a home for $1500/mo. is now looking at paying $1,700 to $1,800 per month. This is not just because the rates went up but also because the value of the home increased. People are running into the issue of how it affects them and their homes. Compared to last year, we are finding a couple of differences. One is that we have even fewer homes on the market, but we have more sales occurring in the market. This creates a supply and demand issue which pushes up prices.
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Increased prices affect your home personally because your home is now growing in equity.
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This affects your home personally because your home is now growing in equity. With that new equity, you can take it and sell your home, and buy a larger home. Also, if you are planning on upsizing, you have the amount you have paid off for your current mortgage which you can transfer to a new property. Or, you can use that new equity to get a home equity line of credit for updates. If you have the cash, I do suggest you use it. However, using this will allow you to make your home a better place for you and your family. Finally, you can keep the equity where it is and continue to own this same property. You can either continue to live there yourself, or you could also turn it into an investment property. If you can make it an investment property with a higher lease than your mortgage payment, this will create an amazing source of income. It also creates a part of a portfolio for future growth. So, just consider that when there are changes in the market and issues with affordability, it unfortunately creates a situation where some people who want to buy are pushed out of the market. They instead continue to rent. While the real estate market does go up and down over time, rents will continue to increase. Hopefully you can consider this as an opportunity to get in our growing market. In the event that it does slow, you wouldn't have an issue like you would with renting because you will already be locked in with a great rate. If you have any further questions or would like to speak to me about buying or selling, please feel free to contact me by phone or email. I look forward to speaking with you soon.