Utah Real Estate Podcast

As a seller, you can not only feature your home on multiple listing services (MLS) for free, you can guarantee that it will be under contract in just two weeks. Does this sound too good to be true? Curtis Pons and Ron Stoker, agents at eXp Realty, reassure our listeners that online offers aren't just for million dollar properties. They also give buyers a competitive advantage in getting the home o...

As the economy remains gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic, mortgage rates are at a record low and are expected to fall even more – possibly below 3% before year's end. Not surprisingly, many homeowners are considering refinancing. Austin Ingersoll, the Branch Manager of SecurityNational Mortgage Company in Lehi, Utah offers our listeners in-depth advice about the entire refinancing process. In parti...

According to a recent Forbes article, "A good credit score can be worth its weight in gold." Among other things, it will save you a lot of money when it comes time to negotiate a mortgage. This episode is jam-packed with everything you need to know about establishing and maintaining credit, as well as the main factors that hurt your credit score. Bree Motta, the manager of Goldenwest Credit Union,...

Military personnel often have short windows of time to sell their homes and relocate when they are given a new assignment. Hunter Casey is a military relocation professional with Century 21 Everest. After completing a certification program, he began helping United States service members and veterans to find appropriate housing solutions and to take full advantage of government-funded benefits and...

Home staging accentuates the features of a home so that it is presented at its very best. Erin Mehler, with Century 21 Everest, says most people struggle to have a vision when walking into a home. They aren't buying their future house they are buying your house as it is. They cant picture their stuff in a home. They picture moving in with your things if you can make it look beautiful from top to b...

For many Latinos, owning a home is part of the American dream and a marker of success. Roberto Acuña became passionate about the mortgage industry in 2001, after he realized that his community required more assistance than what was available to them at the time. As a loan officer with Security Home Mortgage, Roberto is passionate about educating Latinos on how to overcome barriers that would other...

What are the design features that make a home autism-friendly? Realty ONE Group’s Lifestyle Agent, Natalie Castro coaches parents on how to adapt their homes to foster their child's development and promote a positive family dynamic. In particular, Natalie discusses several areas of the home that you may not have thought about that can be customized to help those with autism to thrive.

In large metropolitan cities, a seven-figure property isn't necessarily considered high-end real estate. So, at what point is a home considered "luxurious"? As the owner of Presidio Real Estate, Jennifer Yeo explains why luxury properties in Utah's market are those that fall within the top 10 percent of houses listed, or those in the top 20 percent of homes sold in the past 12 years. Steve Perry –...

Now that you've secured a house for your home, how do you keep it clean? What does a professional cleaner’s routine include that you need to incorporate into your own? Brittany Barton, the president and owner of Quality Cleaning Solutions, shares her tips to help you clean like a pro. In this episode, she also explores the added benefit of why maintaining an orderly and clean home helps to elimina...

Do you know what's dragging down the value of your home? Molly Jones and Joey Sutorius discuss the areas most buyers and sellers are missing out on profit. Molly has her Masters in Real Estate Development, and Joey has a background in construction and design. Together they make up the MOJO Real Estate Group, and they discuss ideas to attract serious buyers and prevent long days on market.

An African Proverb states, "No one is without knowledge except he who asks no questions." Mona Alhamdani, with Keller Williams, shares the importance of asking the right questions before buying and selling a home. Three deep is questioning why multiple times to discover what is truly important. Why do you want a four-bedroom house? Why do you want to live in this location? Why is having a three-ca...

For most people, their home is the most valuable asset they possess. So how do you protect such a valuable asset from fire, theft, and other accidents? Chris Stange has almost 20 years in the insurance industry and is a Realtor with Utah Real Estate and Insurance Broker with Valley Insurance. In this episode, Chris chats in-depth about homeowner insurance policies and what they cover.

Why is a home inspection necessary? In Utah, radon gas is a big concern. According to the University of Utah Healthcare, 1 in 3 homes in Utah have high radon levels. Radon gas is just one thing that a home inspector can discover during the inspection process. Todd Wake with TW Home Inspections shares how a home inspection is one of the most useful indicators when deciding to purchase a home. It co...

What is an Energy Efficient Loan? It is a program that helps current or potential home buyers add energy-efficient improvements that will drastically lower their monthly utility bills. Travis Pickett is a loan officer with Security Home Mortgage and shares his wisdom of how refinancing with the energy-efficient program can help homeowners pay off their solar system or purchase and lower their mort...

What's the Difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval? Gaby Castillo, with Primary Residential Mortgage shares, that pre-qualified is a projection of what mortgage payment you may be able to manage, which provides a more realistic price range when looking at homes. Whereas a pre-approval is what the bank or credit union will allow you actually to borrow.

If you think prices are too high in Utah, Robin Perry, with Aubrey and Associates, will put things into perspective. Robin has 22 years of experience with renovating and flipping homes. She discusses how Utah is now on the map with Silicon Slope, which is why businesses and their employees are relocating to the beehive state. Also, hear what Robin believes to be the pockets of Utah that will be bo...

What is earnest money? How much earnest money is required? Can you lose your earnest money? These are just a few questions to ponder before putting down a deposit on a home. Justin Crane, with Century 21 Everest, shares his knowledge about earnest money and how putting down a higher percentage might be the thing to help your offer stand out.

There are lots of programs to help "first-time buyers," but what about "first-time sellers"? In Utah's market, most sellers have equity in their home, and Kody Sheffield with United First Mortgage specializes in helping these "first-time sellers" explore their options of how to invest their newfound capital.

What can you do to spruce up your home before putting it on the market? Dallin Dickerson from Presidio Real Estate Company states the importance of depersonalizing a home by taking down pictures and other personal memorabilia because buyers want to picture themselves in the house.

What is an escalation clause? And how can it help you secure a home in this competitive market? Becky Jensen, with Tollstrup Group, discusses this useful tool and how it can give buyers an edge on properties with multiple offers.

How can you tell if you are purchasing a home that has "good bones"? How old is the furnace? What does that crack in the foundation mean? How is the electrical system wired? These are just a few questions to ask before purchasing a home. Just because a place might be pleasing to the eye doesn't always mean the structure is built to last. Chris Hoffman from Gurr Real Estate has a background in cons...

What is a 1031 exchange? What are your options for 1031 replacement Properties? Spencer Taylor, with Millcreek Commercial, shares his knowledge about 1031 exchanges. If you are a landlord that is looking for another investment property, then this is the episode for you.

Is it possible to live rent-free? You read that right, RENT FREE! Alyssa Atkinson has a background in property management and is currently an Agent with RANLife Real Estate. In this episode, Alyssa discusses how rental options can pay your mortgage payment.

Buying a first home can be overwhelming. According to a study of 2,000 people commissioned by Homes.com, 44% of home buyers felt nervous throughout the process, and two out of five described it as the “most stressful event in modern life.” Realtor Charlie Perry, with Blue Roof Real Estate Company and Loan officer Todd Hatfield with Granite Credit Union, discusses the process of purchasing a home t...

What is a Seller's Disclosure? The Disclosure contains the issues with the property during the time the seller has owned the house. Kennedy Cox, with Signature Real Estate Utah, discussed the importance of a Seller's Disclosure and stressed that the seller needs to take time to complete the report thoroughly.