our teenager made dinner last night, so good and pretty simple

Heath is a fabulous cook. He makes the most incredible mouth-watering, tasty dinners. I, on the other hand like to bake. I like to bake cookies, brownies, pies, rolls, bread sticks, cheesecakes, all the bad-for-us stuff. By 3 pm I usually know what we are having for dessert, but I have no idea what's for dinner. Thank goodness for Heath.
Just like you, we are trying to eat more healthy in January. Yesterday I was thinking about dinner and I decided we'd eat the pork loin I bought the other day at Ridley's Market, along with some brown rice and steamed veggies. When dinner time rolled around, Heath was busy writing up contracts and so it was up to me and my 15 year old, who despises cooking, to turn the pork loin into something tasty.

The recipe we quickly found on my phone looked delicious, simple, fast, and required simple ingredients and it can be found here.

It WAS delicious and my cooking-challenged self and daughter totally impressed Heath and ourselves. It was so easy and packed full of flavor. We even felt good about ourselves when dinner was over because it was pretty much a perfect meal. You are probably going to want to try it.

Even though the pork loin isn't on sale now, Ridley's Market on Midway's main street has a MEGA MEAT SALE going on this week, head on over and check it out. I love that place.
-Rachel

Just one more thought - I wouldn't normally have fresh ginger in my house but Heath loves it and he bought it. He keeps it in the freezer and when we need a little bit for a recipe, we just grab it out, cut off a chunk and put the rest back in the freezer.  Ginger root is not expensive so just go grab a bit and have it on hand for delicious recipes like this one.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

This could be your chance at a Park City investment property

You thought Park City was untouchable? Not true.

Here is a great investment property for under $150,000.

It is currently used as a nightly rental. There are over $8000 of bookings through March that are fully transferable on this property.

 This vacation/investment property is located in Prospector Square in Park City. It is centrally located on the bus route and the Rail Trail with great amenities.

Click here for more details.

This could be your chance at a great opportunity.

Give me a call 801-631-3430.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

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What to expect throughout the home loan process

Do you have questions about the loan process for purchasing a home? Our friends at VanDyk Mortgage have helped both you and I out by simplifying the process into a handful of simple steps so you'll know what to expect.

1. APPLICATION

There are generally 3 ways to apply. You can apply online, over the phone with the loan originator, or in person.  I've enjoyed working with TJ, Leith, and Adam at VanDyk. Some documents are requested in this first step.

2. PRE-APPROVAL

Once you are pre-approved, you are ready to search for homes with me. The pre-approval step lets you and I know what price range of homes you should be looking at and dreaming about so we can walk through the homes that are a good fit for you.

3. LOAN SUBMISSION

Once the offer you and I proposed for your desired new home is accepted, your loan package will be sent to you for signatures. After that all documents are submitted to underwriting for approval. The underwriting process is when your creditworthiness is assessed by determining your assets and your ability to repay the loan. An appraisal will be ordered on the home and employment verification will be needed.

4. CONDITIONAL APPROVED

Congratulations, underwriting has reviewed and conditionally approved your loan based on the receipt of additional documentation.

5. FINAL APPROVAL

The mortgage closing department reviews all the materials for settlement and sends them to the title company.

6.CLOSING

A title company prepares your documents. You review and sign all of them to finalize the transaction and you become a home owner.

There you go, just like that. The folks at VanDyk Mortgage have worked many of my loans. They have made amazing things happen for quite a few of my clients. I have been so impressed with their professionalism, communication, success rate, and their friendly personal interactions with both myself and the clients we are helping. I enjoy working with them and I think you will as well. Let us work together to help you get into the home of your dreams. Give me a call at 801-631-3430 or TJ at 801-381-7513.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

The most recent home sales statistics for Heber City and Charleston

The Wasatch Front Regional MLS just released their most recent statistics report for the Heber City and Charleston area. This report does not include Midway. To see that report, click here.

There are three different entries reported for the previous three years on this graph. The green line entry is the total number of homes listed by quarter. The black line is the total number of homes sold by quarter, and the blue line is the median sale price by quarter.

Buying or selling your home is a big deal and I would like to help you become the most educated buyer or seller.

If you would like to discuss the real estate market in the Heber Valley or have any questions about buying or selling your home, please feel free to give me a call. I'd love to help you become the most educated and prepared client. 801-631-3430

I can also email you additional informative graphs and statistics if you would like more information about our valley's real estate trends.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

Midway's most recent home sales report

The Wasatch Front Regional MLS just released the most recent statistics report for Midway, Utah home sales.

This graph shows the previous three years of three different entries.

The green line is the total number of homes listed by quarter.

The black line is the total number of homes sold by quarter.

The blue line is the median sales price by quarter.

Buying or selling your home is a big deal and I would like to help you become the most educated buyer or seller.

Please feel free to give me a call to discuss Midway's unique real estate market or if I can help you answer any questions you may have about buying or selling here in the valley.

I can also email you additional informative graphs if you would like to take a closer look at the previous market's trends.

801-631-3430

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

Home sales and prices predicted to rise in 2018

Salt Lake City was named #6 in the Top 10 Housing Markets for the upcoming 2018 year by the National Housing Forecast. The list was made up of markets based on the largest sales and price gains. The report also predicts that 2018 home prices will be up from 2017's prices by 3.2%. To put that in perspective, 2017's prices were up 5.5% from 2016. We can expect more manageable home price increases as well as a modest acceleration of home sales for the upcoming year.

The other real estate markets to make the Top 10 list are; 

1. Las Vegas/Henderson/Paradise, NV

2. Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington, TX

3. Deltona/Daytona Beach, FL

4. Stockton/Lodi, CA

5. Lakeland/Winter Haven, FL

7. Charlotte/Concord/Gastonia, NC, SC

8. Colorado Springs, CO

9. Nashville/Davidson/Murfreesboro/Franklin, TN

10. Tulsa, OK

What does this mean for Wasatch County?

Nationally, the low inventory of homes in 2017 drove prices high and made it difficult for buyers to purchase a home due to intense competition with other buyers. Even though that will subside in 2018 with builders catching up to the housing demand, it may take a little more time for that trend to be witnessed in Wasatch County. We live in a desirable location with talented and skilled craftsmen and contractors and my prediction is that their skills will still remain in demand in our valley for quite some time. Although the overall increase in the inventory of homes is expected everywhere else, it may take a bit longer to feel the effects here in Wasatch County.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

The home buying process in 10 simple steps

It can seem like such a confusing procedure, but we can break the home buying process down into 10 major steps.

1. Find the right real estate agent
Having a savvy real estate agent on your side makes the whole process so much more simple. Working with a professional who knows the market, the process, and how to get the best home for you takes much of the stress out of buying a home.  Plus, it doesn't cost you a dime.  An agent's commissions are paid by the home's seller. Real estate agents have access to important information not available elsewhere that helps you become a more knowledgeable buyer. Finding an agent that works well with you and your personality is critical.

2. Get prequalified
Getting prequalified is a simple task that lets you know exactly what price range to seriously look at and it also gives you the upper edge when it comes to multiple offers on the same home. Having a prequalification letter to present when you do put in an offer on a home gives you the upper hand over someone who hasn't been prequalified.  It lets the seller and their agent know you are capable and able to purchase the home without any foreseeable hiccups in the process. If yours is one of a few offers, a letter gives you strength in the negotiating. 
To get prequalified, you need to provide basic financial information to your lender. They will crunch some numbers and let you know how much they can lend you. Your real estate agent will also be able to help you find a good lender if you don't have one yet.

3. Figure out how much house you can afford
Some lenders give out general guidelines such as, you should look for homes that are 3 to 4 times your annual household income if you plan to make a 20% down payment. Others suggest the 28/36% rule - purchasing a home that is no more than 28% of your gross monthly income, and keeping your total debt below 36% of your gross monthly income. Your agent works with lenders every day and knows which ones are the best. Take their advice if you can and your lender will know exactly what will work best for you.

4. Start your research

There are so many houses to see! You probably already have a few neighborhoods, a certain style of home, bedroom requirements, and price range in mind, so just tell your agent what you are looking for and get busy. Your agent will give you current information on homes listed and available for you to view that meet your specifications and needs. They also know the housing trends and how to help you find the perfect new home.   

5. Shop for your home and make an offer
This is the fun part. You get to go look at homes that you and your real estate agent have found that meet your specifications. Taking a few snapshots of each home will help you keep track of your favorite aspects of each home. You will find yourself imagining where you will put your furniture in each house, your car parked in the garages, how friend and family get-togethers will work in each home, and what bedroom will work the best for each child. You'll figure out which house is the perfect home. Then you and your agent will make an offer on that home. Your agent will have already completed a lot of research about the current market trends in your area so you can be confident you are getting the best deal possible. When you and the seller agree on terms, you can then put your favorite house under contract.  

6. Get an inspection and research your due diligence
Part of the due diligence process is getting an inspection done on the home. Let your agent make these arrangements. An inspection lets you know if anything in the home is in need of repair or if there is structural damage that must be addressed. The due diligence period protects you because if anything is found to be of any concern at all, you can renegotiate your offer or completely withdraw your offer without penalty. Both the buyer and the seller receive copies of the inspection and it can be decided who will take care of any repairs that need to be made. You will get a final walk through to make sure all agreed upon terms have been met.

7. Work with your lender and determine your best loan option
Staying in contact with your lender through the home buying process is necessary. Your agent will also be involved and helpful as well. There are all kinds of loans available. When you let your lender know what is most important to you, they will be able to find a loan that fits your needs. 

8. Get an appraisal on the home
Your lender will arrange for an appraisal of the home to get an estimated current value of the home. The appraisal lets you and your lender know if you are paying a fair price for the home. If the appraisal comes back lower than your current offer price, negotiations will usually have to be made and the price of your offer lowered. That usually means a better home price for you. 

9. Let your agent coordinate paperwork

There is a great deal of paperwork that goes into purchasing your home.  Let your agent take care of it. Your agent and lender will arrange for a title company to take care of the paperwork as well as you await to move into your new home. 

10. Close on the home and get the keys
At closing, you sign all the paperwork that is required for your new home ownership. Loan documents are also included. It usually takes a few days for the loan to fund and all the paperwork handled. Once the seller receives their payment, the home is yours and you get to move in!

I hope this information has helped you get a clearer picture of the home buying process. I would be glad to answer any questions you may have about purchasing a new home, 801-631-3430. 
P.S. Here is another post explaining due diligence you may want to have a look at.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com