What do Warren Buffet, and Vyrle Hanson, know about investing?

Warren Buffet is seen by many as the greatest investor of our time. He recently advised his secretary of 37 years, Debbie Bosanek (you know, the one who pays a higher tax rate than her boss?) to purchase a second home. He told her it would be the best opportunity in her lifetime, since mortgage interest rates are at historical lows, and home prices have fallen dramatically. So, Ms. Bosanek reportedly purchased a second home in Surprise, Arizona.

If Mr. Buffet is advising those people close to him to invest in real estate – do you think it might be good advice?

My father, Vyrle Hanson, advised me to do the same when I started my first “real” job. You see, he was a REALTOR® and believed in the value of homeownership. It has served my mom (widowed, sadly, 29 years ago). Now 87 years old, she doesn’t have to worry about how to pay for medical care, decent care and housing. She draws a nice rental income from properties purchased in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

I believe that this is the time of our lives that we’ll look back on and either think “wow, am I glad I bought a home/investment property when I did!” or “boy, did I miss an opportunity of a lifetime!”

Which of these will YOU be thinking 20 years from now?

Think about it. Think about your family.

Fourth Quarter, 2011, Salt Lake County Home Sales Rise 18% over 2010

Sales of previously-owned single-family homes in Salt Lake County in the fourth quarter were up 18 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2010, according to the Salt Lake Board of REALTORS®. The number of single-family homes sold in Salt Lake County in the October-November-December period totaled 2,330 sales compared to 1,972 home sales during the same period a year ago.

More people purchased single-family homes in the Kearns/Taylorsville area (ZIP code 84118) in the fourth quarter than any other ZIP code along the Wasatch Front. Lehi (84043) ranked No. 2 in the most single-family homes sold at 148 sales. South Jordan ranked No. 3 at 133 sales. Farr West (131 sales) and Clearfield (119 sales) rounded out the top five highest sales areas.“Seven in 10 homes in Salt Lake County are now affordable when measured against Utah’s median householdincome of $57,000 ,” said Donna Pozzuoli, President of the Salt Lake Board of REALTORS®. “We project home sales this year to rise another 15 percent to 20 percent over 2011 levels.”
Source: Salt Lake Board of REALTORS®

Salt Lake County Real Estate Inventory Dropping

Is Salt Lake City moving to a Seller’s Market?

A year ago Salt Lake County had a housing inventory of a nine-month supply. Today, that inventory has dropped to less than a seven-month supply. This is a good indication that Salt Lake County could be moving to a Seller’s Market, since industry experts consider it to be a Seller’s Market when inventory dips below a six-month supply.

November was the sixth consecutive month of increasing home sales in Salt Lake County. Home sales in November were up 15 percent compared to the same month in November 2010.

Rocky Mountain Power Rate Increase

Rocky Mountain Power has requested an 11% rate increase (if approved, this would add about $4.50/month or $54.00/year to our electric bills). While this is down from their original request of a 13.7% increase, it’s still just the first of many, annual rate increases RMP says they’ll need to keep up with our growing demand for electricity.

Utah enjoys one of the lowest rates in the country (8.51 cents/kilowatt hour compared to a national average of 11.93 cents). And, for those who care about air quality and environmental issues, 82% of Utah’s electricity comes from coal.  What if RMP put the rate increases towards renewable energy sources such as solar and wind?

This increase is just one more reason for homeowners to consider making their homes more energy efficient. With most homes “leaking” air to the outside by a rate of more than 50% per hour, homeowners are paying to cool (and heat) their neighborhoods! And, for at least a few more months, homeowners can take advantage of a $2,000 rebate the state of Utah is offering for energy efficient upgrades (Utah Home Performance with Energy Star program).

 

Salt Lake City – #7 for Real Estate Investors

In a recent Inman News study, Salt Lake City, Utah ranked #7 in the nation for real estate investors. The rankings were based on data such as local unemployment, home sales, affordability and percentage of distressed properties.

According to SmartZip data, homes in Salt Lake City are expected to appreciate 41.1 percent in the next 10 years. In part due to the anticipated increase in population and the fact that housing starts aren’t keeping up with this increase (we’re expecting to add 1.5 million people by 2040).

Programmable Thermostats – A Simple Way to Save

You can save up to 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for eight hours. You can do this automatically by installing an automatic setback or programmable thermostat.

Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning according to a preset schedule. As a result, the equipment doesn’t operate as much when you are asleep or when the house, or a part of it, is not occupied.

Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day) that you can manually override without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program. When shopping for a programmable thermostat, be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR label.

Excerpted from U.S. Department of Energy.

Some Salt Lake City Neighborhoods Show Home Price Gains

The Salt Lake Tribune reported on Jan. 28 that there are signs of improvement in Salt Lake Valley’s residential real estate market, which has been mired in one of the worst downturns ever.

Although single-family home prices in Salt Lake County were down 4 percent in the fourth quarter, there were a number of cities that saw house price gains. They included: Draper (84020) up 7 percent; West Jordan (84081) up 6 percent; Sandy (84092) up 12 percent; Herriman (84096) up 10 percent; Salt Lake City (84103) up 18 percent; Murray (84107) up 7 percent.

If you are interested in knowing how your neighborhood is doing, contact me and I’ll put together a customized report.

Home Energy Audit – Save Money, Be More Comfortable

As an Energy Consultant with DwellTek Home Energy Solutions, I’m often asked about the process of having an Energy Audit performed on a home. This video showing what goes on during a  Home Energy Performance Assessment does a great job of summing it all up. It’s 3 1/2 minutes long, but well worth the time.

After watching, please contact me to find out how YOUR home can be made more comfortable, and start saving money today!

Utah Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®

Who doesn’t want to save money AND be more comfortable?

Your home may qualify for a $2,000 grant, as well as other rebates and tax incentives.

If you’ve considered replacing, now or in the future, any of the following:

  • Windows
  • Insulation
  • Roof
  • Furnace
  • Air Conditioner
  • Water Heater

…then this grant may help pay for your upgrades!

Utah Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Participation Requirements:

  • Your home must be built prior to 2000
  • Your home must be owner-occupied
  • A 20% energy savings must be achievable in your home

Why Participate?

  • Save money on energy costs
  • Improve the comfort level of your home by eliminating drafts
  • Increase the value of your home by investing in energy efficiency upgrades

FACT: The average home in the U.S. spends more than $2,300 in home energy costs and emits an average of 14,500 lb. of carbon dioxide per year.

FACT: The Department of Energy reports that residential building energy use represents 36% of U.S. electricity consumption, and is the nation’s largest source of carbon emissions.

Contact me today to learn more about the program, and to begin saving money while feeling more comfortable in your home. This grant money won’t be around for long.

Beverly Hanson: 801 680-4325 or e-mail: Beverly@SLCGreenHomes.com

2011 Housing Forecast for Salt Lake City

After attending the annual Board of REALTORS® forecast breakfast, there is cautious optimism for our local real estate market. Prices are expected to stabilize by the end of the 2nd quarter, and sales are anticipated to increase by end-of-year.

So, buyers who have been waiting for the bottom of the market before making a purchase, might not want to wait much longer. With interest rates still near or below 5%, this is the perfect time to buy.

Check out this video, featuring the president of the Board of REALTORS®, DeAnna Dipo:

Salt Lake City Housing Forecast