Erika Rogers
Stout & Associates Realty
1173 South 250 West
Suite 108
St. George, UT 84770
435-229-8801 Cell
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St. George City Down Payment Assistance Program Returns
Are you or so meone you know looking to purchase a home in St. George Utah but just can't come up with the down payment or perhaps need help with the closing costs? Well I've got great news for them! St. George City is excited to announce that its FY2010-11 funding allocation for the Down Payment Assistance Program (DPAP) will be in place this July. The program offers a non-interest bearing loan payable when the home is sold or refinanced. If the home is not sold or refinanced within 15 years then the loan becomes a grant and is forgiven. The program provides up to $10,000 toward down payment/ closing costs and is available for homes located within St. George City limits. To qualify, you must be a first time home buyer or have not owned a home in the past 3 years. You must meet household income limits and have a gross household annual income that does not exceed 80%of median income adjusted for household size. The maximum home price allowed is $247,368 for single family homes and $131,955 for attached townhome/condos. Five County Association of Governments has partnered with the City to administer the program. To receive additional information visit www.southernutahhousing.com/about/programs
Welcome to St. George Utah
Welcome to St. George, Utah. Why do people choose St. George for their home? It could be because it is surrounded by nature’s beauty. Red sandstone cliffs are a majestic view over the city, Zion National Park is located just minutes from St. George and Bryce Canyon National Park is a short drive away.
While many people choose St. George as a place to retire, it is far from a sleepy town. The City plays host to many sports events throughout the year, including the St. George Marathon and the Huntsman World Senior Games. Also, it was recenty chosen to become the Ford Ironman Triathlon Series’ homethroughout the next five years. If you love to hike, bicycle, go mountain climbing, rafting or skiing,there is somewhere nearby for you to dojust that. The new St. George Airport being built inthe cityhas brought hundreds of jobs to St. George residents and has the potential to bring millions of dollars in revenue to the city for years to come.
St. George schools are some of the best around. Washington County School District consistently ranks as one of the strongest school districts in the entire state. Dixie State College is now a fully-accredited four-year college offering liberal arts, natural sciences and businessdegrees amongst others.
St. George is dedicated to preserving as much of the natural wildlife that makes the city so beautiful as possible. The Red Cliffs Desert Reserve Habitat Conservation Plan was created in cooperating with the City and various other agencies to preserve the natural habitat of the Mojave Desert Tortoise. The City has set aside 60,000 acres adjacent to St. George for this very purpose.
The skies above St. George tend to be clean, blue and sunny for most of the year. Thereare two rainfall seasons annually; one early on in the spring and one towards the end of summer. This all helps contribute to the beautiful flora surrounding the city of St. George and keeps everyone in a sunny mood throughout the year. Come see what St. George real estate is all about and own your own little piece of the American dream. Let St. George welcome you!
St. George Utah Housing Market Shows Signs of Recovery-Salt Lake Tribune
St. George » The housing market in this southwestern Utah city, which collapsed spectacularly with the recent economic slump, appears to be on the mend.
Sales of existing homes in one of the country's fastest growing regions are growing. New home construction is also rebounding, but less vigorously.
"We're still in the woods, but can see the end," said Vardell Curtis, CEO of the Washington County Board of Realtors. "Through April of this year, we've had 277 closings, the highest in the past two years. We're obviously trending in the right direction."
The average home price at the end of April was $180,184, down from $217,677 in March."It [average price] has been hovering around $200,000," Curtis said.
He suspects part of the uptick is fueled by pent up demand among buyers who were apprehensive in a sour economy. While home prices have eroded, consumer confidence has grown, a key factor in an economic recovery, along with jobs.
Read the full article in the Salt Lake Tribune
Finally, Some Good News about the St. George Utah Real Estate Market
This is an article that was published on the front page of The Spectrum- our local newspaper in St. George- on Wednesday, April 21, 2010.
ST. GEORGE - Washington County's residential real estate sector is showing strong signs of recovery after posting a 41 percent surge in year-over-year sales during the first quarter.
With an ample selection of low-priced distressed properties enticing buyers and driving sales upward, Allan Carter, the manager of developer services for Southern Utah Title Company, said affordable pricing is a primary factor in the market's renewed activity.
"It's being driven entirely by distressed properties," Carter said. "Everybody likes a good deal."
The recent sales boost likely serves as the first indication of the market's inevitable resurgence from the depths of the sub-prime lending crisis, said St. George real estate agent Jeremy Larkin, of Keller Williams Realty.
The surge in consumer activity has proven lucrative for Larkin's business, he said, as the Realtor's sales have doubled since the first quarter of 2009.
Larkin described the region's housing situation as "the tale of two markets," with prospective buyers flocking to distressed properties and other residential units boasting impressive savings opportunities, but little activity occurring in the overpriced and high-end segments of the market.
"It's as though they don't exist," Larkin said of the overpriced homes in competition with an influx of foreclosures and other distressed properties.
Carter said it is not uncommon to see several offers on the same foreclosure property in Washington County, and with increased demand for housing, prices are on the rise.
From January to March, the average price of a dwelling in Washington County increased by about $11,000 to $173,673. The slight increase is an encouraging indication of recovery, Carter said.
Read the complete article in The Spectrum
Avoid 3 common pitfalls of purchasing real estate in St. George
If you're a homebuyer in St. George Utah, or anywhere else in the country for that matter, trying to take advantage of the Federal Housing Tax Credit, you don't have a lot of time left to make your deal-you must sign a binding contract by the end of April. Most buyers look around over two months, and being careless over such an important investment can offset the advantages of the tax credit. Here are a few mistakes that first time home buyers like yourself make; learn from them when you're getting ready to set out on your home buying journey.
- Not getting it in writing: the real estate market is a competitive business, and you never know when someone else may be waiting to outbid you. Once you've finally hammered out your agreement, all your hard work could be wasted if you wait to sign the contract. Only signed contracts are binding-verbal agreements are not. You don't have time to spare if you want to finish by April, so don't make this mistake!
- Don't forget the home inspection: don't leave things to chance. In a perfect world you could trust realtors to thoroughly inspect the property and report their conditions accurately, but if you assume this to be the case then you're the real sucker. Even honest realtors aren't paid to be property assessors; they simply don't have the home construction experience of a home inspector. If you're not careful you could face stiff repair costs in addition to all the fees associated with buying the home. It's always better to know up front what additional repairs and expenses may be involved.
- Committing to the first house you see. This is easier to do than it sounds. The rush of finally owning a home can color your perspective. You may also be feeling pressure because the Federal Housing Tax Credit deadline is looming, but don't make a decision that will effect you for the next 30 years in haste. The whole buying process is a trying process-more so if you're rushing it. Be sure to give yourself some time to consider all of the pros and cons regarding the property.
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