It's a GREEN Ski World!

Our ski resorts here in Utah are doing their part to reduce the carbon footprint! Last year, Park City Mountain Resort commissioned a study prepared by researchers and scientists out of Boulder, CO, that looked at the impacts that climate change will have on the area, and it's surrounding community in 25, 50, and 75 years. There were presentations all over, called "save our snow" which highlighted the results. If nothing is done and business continues as usual, the snowline in Park City will start at 9500 feet in the year 2075!!! When you consider the highest elevation at PCMR, Jupiter Peak is 10,000 feet, it leaves only 500 feet of snow cover - not exactly the greatest snow on earth!! Utah ski areas aren't taking the news lightly - The following article is GREAT, and shows what all of the resorts here in Utah are doing.

I found this article in Sports Guide Magazine - CLICK HERE to download article in PDF, and view a larger version of it! Definitely worth a read!

As always, feel free to comment with questions, or if you have anything to add!

Utah marks fifth quarter in row as nation's home-price increase leader

This was in the Salt Lake Tribune today - It's a great article about Utah Real Estate! Forget the "doom and gloom" reports we keep hearing from the media - The sky really is NOT falling! This article is great, and shows that we truly do have a STEADY economy here in Utah, despite the fact that some other areas are feeling the downturn a bit.

Article Last Updated: 02/26/2008 01:33:16 PM MST

Posted: 11:12 AM- Utah still leads the country in home-price appreciation, a new report shows.
Prices rose 9.27 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, compared with the October-November-December period a year earlier, according to the report released today by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.
In the report, Wyoming was No. 2 with a 8.27 percent gain. North Dakota was third, with a 7.87 percent increase, followed by Montana at 6.90 percent and Alaska at 5.97 percent.
Among metropolitan areas, Wenatchee, Wash., was No. 1 with a 13.67 percent increase in home values over that one-year period. The Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux area in Louisiana was No. 2 with a 12.15 percent gain, followed by Grand Junction, Colo., up 12.03 percent.
Ogden-Clearfield was No. 4, with a 10.8 percent increase. Provo-Orem ranked sixth among all metro areas, with a 10.46 percent gain, followed by Salt Lake City, up 9.68 percent, and Logan, up 8.75 percent.
The only other Utah city on the list, St. George, however, logged a 1.91 percent decline in home values, placing it at No. 220. St. George's real estate market began a home-price run-up more than a year earlier than much of the Wasatch Front and began its downturn in 2006. The Wasatch Front's real estate market began to slow in the summer of last year.
Nationally, prices were up only 0.84 percent in the year that ended Dec. 31.
In the earlier part of this decade, Utah's home-price appreciation was the worst in the country, while Utah's neighbors and other states were racking up impressive home-price gains. Then, a few years ago, the state's real estate market took off, too.
But while Utah's market took off, its Western neighbors began a downturn that continues today. Nevada's home prices, for example, fell by 5.86 percent in the year that ended in December. Prices also are down 2.4 percent in Arizona. The lowest-ranked state in terms of appreciation is California, with a decline of 6.65 percent.
Utah's ranking marks its fifth consecutive quarter in the top spot, but rising inventories and declining sales of new and resale homes along the Wasatch Front that started several months ago point to more moderate price increases, most likely in the single digits, over the next year. Some even are predicting home values may decline at some point.

As always, Please comment with questions, or if you have anything to add!

Water Due Diligence!

Do you live in a house with a well? Are you thinking about buying one? Have you ever considered that the water might not be good enough quality to drink? That it might be contaminated? That the water right with the well might not be valid?

If you are currently considering buying a house with a well, or if you're concerned at all about your water quality, It's definitely worth a look to visit this website: http://www.cascadewaterresources.com/news.htm. John files of Cascade Water Resources can help you verify that the well is in good condition, the water is safe to drink and shower, and the water right is in place to give you legal rights to use the water from the well!

As always, Please feel free to comment with any questions or if you have anything to add!

IGNORE the headlines! Don't Wait to buy Real Estate!

I came across a great article in TIME magazine. CLICK HERE to view this article. There's also a link here to download a PDF of this great article!

This article really highlights a lot of great reasons that you should buy NOW instead of waiting. It highlights how the "wait and see" mentality can really cost you! It's definitely a factual read worth your time, so please check it out!

As always, feel free to comment with questions!

Water Works

Water is a BIG DEAL here in Utah! Some facts about the water situation here are below - and if you aren't already taking measures to CONSERVE water, please follow my BLOG for the next few days for some great water conservation suggestions!

1. Utah is the 13th Driest State in the US

2. Utah is ranked #2 in use of water per capita

3. 67% of water from public water systems is used for outside watering.

4. By the year 2012 an average precipitation year will not be enough water without going after other supplies such as Bear River and Lake Powell.

5. By the year 2050 ALL water in the state including Lake Powell and Bear River will not be enough if the population increases as expected.

6. Poaching of water from other States has already started, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (Las Vegas) is currently drilling wells on the Utah / Nevada border south of Wendover and plans to pipe the water to Vegas. Interestingly Utah has plans to poach surface water that would end up in Southern states or Mexico as well. http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=15778

Links to useful Utah Water Facts.

http://www.water.utah.gov/waterplan/uwrpff/Chp-04b.htm#F11

http://www.water.utah.gov/waterplan/uwrpff/Chp-03b.htm

http://www.water.utah.gov/waterplan/uwrpff/Chp-02a.htm#F2

Thanks to John Files of Cascade Water Resources for his contribution to this post. John specializes in water rights, and water quality. If you are buying a home with a well, John can help you insure that the water quality is good, and that the water right is valid.

As always, please feel free to comment with questions!

Foods to Buy Organic Whenever Possible!

A Friend sent me this article, and I thought it was interesting. We all know that it's healthier to eat organic foods... and that there's a LOT of benefit to doing so, including but not limited to the use of pesticides on non-organics. But let's face it - Buying organic IS more expensive - and sometimes it's A LOT more expensive. But some foods are worse than others, so if you're on a budget, the top foods to make sure you buy organic whenever possible are: Meat, Milk, Coffee, Peaches, Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Strawberries, Lettuces, Grapes, Potatoes, and Tomatoes.

The MSN article that points all this out, and explains the reasons that these 12 culprits are the worst, can be found HERE. Take a look, it's worth it!

As always, feel free to comment with any additional info, or if you have anything to add!

The Sky REALLY is NOT FALLING!

The media is screaming "recession, recession" and people are FREAKING out. Everyone seems to be under the impression that the market is "TANKING".

Yes, it's true that in some previously over-inflated markets, prices are down, and the market is coming back to reasonable. But here in Utah, prices are holding steady, and in fact, we are slightly UP on the year-to-year comparison! Yes, there is a lot for sale, and yes, the supposed "deals" are getting better, but people are NOT losing money now!

For Park City specifically, I just had a luncheon with RMRA statistics (Rocky Mountain Resort Alliance) and it seems that resort markets are much more steady through the "downs" in the market. Park City is still a GREAT value for a resort town! There is some real opportunity here, ESPECIALLY with the historic low interest rates! Park City, all in all, is still a killer deal!