Don’t Miss These 5 Holiday Events in Utah

Want to enjoy some holiday festivities without spending your brains out this Christmas? I have five ideas that are both fun and budget-friendly for families to do this season.

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Today I wanted to give you five cool ideas for things you can do this Christmas in Utah that don't involve spending a ton a money. Here are some alternatives that won't leave you waking up on December 26th with a spending hangover:

1. Sledding at Big Cottonwood Canyon. In my opinion, this is the number one sledding hill in the state. It's a ton of fun.
2. The Midway Ice Castle, a short drive outside of Salt Lake City. The ice castle looks simply amazing, and it has a light show and ice skating. It will be up and running again this year.
3. The Heber North Pole Express. This is another close drive just outside of Salt Lake City. You can ride this really cool train with your kids and taste hot chocolate and all kinds of treats. Santa usually makes an appearance, too.
4. Visit Temple Square downtown. It's becoming world famous because of how gorgeous it is during Christmas. Do yourself a favor and take TRAX down because parking gets crazy down there.
5. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Your whole family can take some time to help out for a good cause. You'll feel better about yourself and the holiday season.

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I promise you'll have a great time without breaking the bank.

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If you and your family check out any of these fun things to do in Utah, I promise that you'll have an awesome time this season without breaking the bank. If you have any other questions about these activities or about Utah area real estate, you can always give me a call or message me through my website. I look forward to talking with you soon!

Why Sell Your Home During the Holidays?

Selling your home during the holidays here in Utah is a great idea. Buyers are more motivated now than they are at any other time of year.

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Why should you list your home right before the holidays here in Utah?

Most people think that they should wait until spring to list their home, but this is a mistake. In Utah, our housing inventory levels will fall by as much 30% starting right now. As we know, supply and demand drive prices. Listing now means you will be competing with far fewer homes.

The other factor most people forget about is that the buyers in Utah from November through February are by far the most motivated buyers you will see all year. If you think about it for a moment, it makes perfect sense: it’s cold, dark, and snowy, and they’re still out there hunting desperately for a house. These are buyers that are ready and willing to write offers.

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We have a great crop of motivated buyers hitting the market.

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The third thing to remember is that many relocation buyers hit the market in December, which means they have to be moved into their new place come January. So, again, we get this great crop of motivated buyers that only come out during this time of year.

As an added bonus, your home will probably look better during the holidays than it will all year. If you don’t like the idea of having to work around all your family plans, you don’t have to. All you have to do is let your Realtor know what dates and times you want blocked out, and they won’t let anyone show the home at those times.

If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I hope you have a great day, and I look forward to hearing from you!

What Does the Future Hold for the Utah Market?

Halloween may be over, but that doesn't mean I can't take advantage of this fortune teller costume to cast some predictions about the future of the Utah housing market.

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Since I dressed up as a fortune teller for Halloween, I thought it was all too fitting to give you a psychic prediction of what will happen in the Utah real estate market in the fourth quarter and beyond!

So what's in the cards for the Utah market? To me, it looks like Utah still has one of the strongest job economies in the nation. We're currently below 4% for unemployment, which essentially means we're fully employed. If you couple that with our affordability, you can see that housing prices are still well in line with the median income.

This all means that we are in great shape.

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Low unemployment and housing affordability are making our economy strong.

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At the moment, we're experiencing very low inventory levels. If you're a seller at this time, this means you're going to have your pick of the crop when it comes to buyers making offers on your home. We're also experiencing historically low interest rates, meaning that affordability has never been better.

Halloween may be over, but our market is seeing all treats and no tricks. I predict that it's still a great time to be either a buyer or seller in the Utah real estate market. If you have any questions for me or you're thinking about buying or selling a home in this fantastic market, give me a call. I'd love to speak with you!

Are You Living in a Haunted House?

Home sellers don’t have to disclose whether their home is haunted under the Stigmatized State Property Act. What can you do if you encounter unwanted visitors?

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There is a funny state law that most folks aren’t aware of. It’s called the Utah Stigmatized State Property Act, and it states that home sellers do not have to disclose whether their house is haunted. What should you do if you think that you’ve accidentally bought a haunted house? Fortunately, Rita Morgan from Crone's Hollow has a few answers.

One thing that Rita encourages home buyers to do in this situation is to try and speak with the spirit of the house to let it know that they are the new owner of the home. Because the spirit may think that the house belongs to them, it’s important to let the spirit know that you are the new owner and that your rules are the ones that apply.

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Claim the home as your own.

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If the spirit is still being destructive or difficult, there are a few things that you can do to help cleanse the house. Though burning sage is a good way to begin the cleanse, it creates a vacuum, and Nature abhors a vacuum. If you’re going to use sage, you’ll need to replace the energy that you’re getting rid of with something else—like incense or Florida Water—so that the spirit doesn’t come back in.  Once you have replaced the energy, Rita suggests following up with some kind of sound, like a bell, in order to create a vibrational energy and ensure that the spirit cannot re-enter.

The most important thing you can do as a homeowner in a haunted house is to claim the home as your own. If you have things going bump in the night in your home and need advice about getting rid of or living with spirits, give Rita a call at (801) 906-0470 or visit her at Crone’s Hollow at 3834 South Main Street in Salt Lake City, just north of the intersection. She’s got the tools necessary to handle your every ghostly need.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about buying or selling a home in the Salt Lake City area, give me a call, shoot me an email or reach out to me via Ouija board. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Add Pre-Sale Value to Your Home in 5 Easy Steps

When you prepare to sell your house, there are a lot of positive changes you can make without spending a lot of money. Today, I'm going over five things that will improve your home before you sell.

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Today I wanted to give you some really great things you can do to your home to prepare it for the market. By spending as little as $500, you can pick up an extra $5,000 on your sale. That's not a bad return!

In the video above, you can also see some examples of photos that really illustrate these five points.

1. Declutter. Box up all personal items and the things you don't need for your day-to-day life.
2. Give the house a deep clean. Yes, this includes all those things we don't get to normally, like grout lines, baseboards, and blinds. If you're like me, I say forget doing it yourself. Hire a one-time maid service because it's well worth the cost. 
3. Take care of the little fix-up projects. We're all guilty of letting these things slide over time. Who has the time? Well, now is the time! Before your home hits the market, take care of leaky faucets, loose handrails, and everything in between. Take care of everything maintenance-related. Another service that's worth its weight in gold is to call a furnace guy to tune up the furnace, clean it, and put in a new air filter. You will impress the heck out of the home inspector with this step.
4. Paint. Dollar for dollar, this is the best investment you can make in your property. Go through your home and paint in a light, neutral color, and I promise you your home will look bright, open, and modern. It will make a great impression on buyers.
5. Curb appeal. This is the one everybody talks about because there are some amazing things you can do to pump up your home's curb appeal. Consider painting your front door, and possibly your garage door if it really needs it. I also recommend getting a cute door knocker or wreath, placing some potted plants on either side of the door, a bright welcome mat, and some light sconces. I promise that you'll love what this does to your bottom line.

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Paint is the best dollar-for-dollar investment you can make.

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Again, these are the kinds of fixes that I've seen sellers spend $500 on and get an extra $5,000 for on their bottom line.

Before we go, remember that Halloween season is right around the corner. Stay tuned for my next video that will feature an interview with a spooky and cool little shop here in Salt Lake City. We'll talk about what to do if you honestly think you're living in a haunted house.

Until then, if you have questions or topics you'd like to see me cover, give me a call, send me an email, or contact me through the website. I hope to hear from you soon!

Home Security Tips from a Former SWAT Team Member

I’m excited to be joined today by Loran Brumley who worked as a SWAT officer and in corrections for more than 20 years. He’s here to give us some tips for keeping your home safe.

For starters, Loran says, criminals aren’t as smart as we think they are! Most burglars don’t have elaborate plans like you see in the movies, but rather knock on doors, and if no one answers, see it as a sign that they can break in. One of the best things you can do to keep people away is getting a dog. Believe it or not, you don't need a giant Rottweiler; small dogs that yap and make lots of noise are actually preferable. A “Beware of Dog” sign is a good option if you don’t have a dog.

After that, you can invest in a security system, which does work. A lot of people simply stick a security system sign on the property, which works well too. Dummy cameras on your house work the same way in keeping people away.

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Small dogs are a better deterrent because they’re noisy.

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Simple things like extra lighting and motion sensor lights are deterrents as well. Lock your doors of course, and if you leave the house, consider leaving a radio on to make people think you’re home. The TV works too, but it’s cheaper to run a radio, and your TV will burn out faster. They both tell people that somebody might be home.

In the end, [name] says, it’s all pretty basic stuff. If you have any more questions about home security, or you’re thinking about buying or selling a Salt Lake City home, give me a call!

5 Tips to Beat the Competition in Multiple Offer Situations

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I wanted to talk today about the topic of winning a bidding war and competing against multiple other offers on a home. I have five tips to offer to help you win, because the competition right now is fierce.

1. Come in with the right mindset. Treat the list price like it's the minimum bid on eBay; that’s the least amount of money that the home is going to sell for. Odds are the price will only go up from list price.
2. Come in with the strongest possible pre-approval letter that your lender can possibly write for you.
3. Come in with 1% earnest money if at all possible. It's going to make your offer look more serious and desirable.
4. Use an escalation clause. This is my secret weapon. The biggest challenge is that none of us know what the top sales price on these homes is going to be. While I want you to win the bidding war, I don't want you to spend $10,000 more than the next closest offer. The escalation clause states that we will beat the highest offer that the seller has in writing by $1,000 or $2,000, but we won't exceed a maximum capped sales price that you decide on before submitting the offer.
5. Offer the seller the best possible terms. We ask in advance if the seller wants to keep possession for 48 hours after the close. If so, we'll insert that into the offer to stand out from the crowd.

Finally, my request to you is this: Don't get too attached to any one home in this market! Even if you follow all five tips, you might have to write several offers to finally get one to go through. No matter how much you fall in love with one home, there is another one out there that you'll love just as much.

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These tips will give you the edge over other offers.

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I hope you find these tips helpful if you're looking to buy in the Salt Lake City area. For more tips or elaboration on how to compete in this market, give me a call today! I'd love to work with you.

How Utah State Law Treats Home Meth Contamination

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Meth labs in Utah have been a hot topic here for many years, but there’s a lot of misinformation out there regarding this. People have thought for a long time that Utah continually tops the nation for meth labs. While that might’ve been the case a decade ago, it just isn’t true anymore.

According to a 2014 DEA study, only one confirmed meth lab was busted in the state of Utah that year. If you compare that to a state like Indiana, which had 1,471 such cases, that’s making us look pretty darn good! Despite this low count, however, we’re still 7th in the nation for meth use. What a lot of people don’t know is that just having someone use meth in your home will significantly contaminate your property well above the Utah state limits, and you’ll be stuck cleaning up that mess. It’s hard to overlook someone setting up an illegal lab in your home, but it can be quite easy to overlook someone simply using the drug behind a closed door. Properties that you’d never guess would test positive for methamphetamine do indeed come back “hot.”

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You’re not obligated to disclose a past positive test if the home’s been remediated.

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What happens then? State law requires that if your home tests positive, you must use a state-approved decontamination company to clean it up. The good news is this process isn’t as destructive as it used to be. It is, however, still costly. Even a moderate cleanup can be around $5,000, and that doesn’t include the fact that, typically, the carpet, drapes, furniture, and anything else that can absorb that chemical have to be removed.

If there’s any good news here, it’s that there are laws that protect you if you have had to clean up a property. As long as it’s been decontaminated by a certified expert, you do not have to disclose that you ever had methamphetamine present in that property. If they don’t ask, you don’t have to tell just as long as it’s been professionally remediated. If they do ask though, the owner can’t lie in response to a direct question.

If you have any more real estate questions, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me a message right here on the website.

How We Helped Lee Buy a Home by Taking Care of the Details and Going the Extra Mile

“Belladonna met every expectation and fought through any obstacles in the way to get us the price we needed. She worked tirelessly on all of the details that needed to be taken care of in order to make the sale happen at the right time and the right terms. It was excellent. She contacted the appraiser and worked hard to provide additional houses in order to get them to reconsider the initial valuation of our home.”

Does Your Utah Home Have Radon Gas?

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Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that naturally percolates upwards from the ground. This gas is radioactive and nine times heavier than air. That means if you live in an area with radon, it will settle in the basement of your home and stay there.

According to the Surgeon General, radon gas is the second-leading cause for lung cancer in our country, right behind smoking cigarettes. What can you do to protect yourself and your family from radon?

The first thing you need to do is get a radon test. You can buy a test kit for $10 at Lowes or Home Depot, or you can buy a radon detection monitor, which works like a carbon monoxide detector.

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Radon is the #2 cause of lung cancer in the United States.

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If you get a test done and the radon levels are higher than the EPA approved limit, the best solution is to install a radon mitigation system. I know what you’re thinking, and no, opening the windows in your basement won’t cut it. The good news is that over the years, the pricing on these systems has fallen dramatically. You can install a mitigation system for around $1,000 and it will protect a home up to about 6,000 square feet.

Get your home tested just to be on the safe side. If you’re buying a home, most home inspectors will run this test for you. It’s only about an $80 charge, and I highly recommend you get this done.

If you have any questions for me, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

How we helped Susan deal with a difficult situation by being there every step of the way

“She sold my house as well as found a new home for me to purchase. Without her, a lot of deadlines, dates and important details would have fallen through the cracks. The seller of our house was not truthful with his disclosures, so she went back to his Realtor several times to encourage them to sell it correctly. She couldn’t get a result from them, so she went to small claims court with us and helped us through the whole procedure, which was not something she had to do."

How we helped Lani with her real estate transaction by going above and beyond

“She is an amazing Realtor! Not only did she sell our house once, but she had a backup buyer for us which was marvelous because the first buyer did fall through. We were able to close the sale and she was so helpful. We ran into some issues in the middle of listing and she was able to guide us in the right direction.”

5 Tips for Successful Negotiating in Salt Lake City

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In a competitive real estate market like ours in Salt Lake City, it’s important to understand how to negotiate well. Fortunately, I have some advice if you’re preparing to buy or sell a home to share with you today!

1. Know your margins in advance. Know the highest amount you’re willing to bid for a home or the very lowest you’d be willing to sell before. Understand those numbers well before entering a negotiation process. We don’t want you making those decisions in a stressful situation, especially during a close negotiation.
2. Consider a few concessions you would consider. Hold those in reserve just in case they’re required to keep a negotiation moving forward.
3. Never make a concession without asking for something in return. Anytime we receive something for nothing or a little too easy, we end up feeling like we should’ve asked for more. You want to nip that feeling in the bud!
4. Don’t take it personal. I know this can be difficult for some of us. I can’t name another item that can derail a negotiation faster than personal issues getting in the way of a transaction.
5. Always be willing to walk away. If you’re feeling too much pressure or giving away too much in a deal, it’s okay to say no. Thank the people for their offer, but pass. There will always be another deal out there for you, which could be much better!

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If you’re feeling too much pressure or giving away too much in a deal, it’s okay to say no.

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If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Salt Lake City area, reach out today! I’m available by phone and email. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Hire the Top-Selling Century 21 Office Worldwide

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My name is Belladonna Riso and I'm a broker here at Century 21. Thanks for taking a moment with me on my blog. 

"Why should I hire you and your team?" is the question I get asked the most. Well, we're going to sell your home for the most money the market will allow, we're going to do it faster, and we're going to provide exemplary customer service all along the way. Our goal is have you so happy at the end of your experience with us that you feel good about referring us to your family and friends.

How are we going to do this?

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I ran the largest Century 21 office in the world.

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Well, that's an answer I can't provide in a two-minute video. I can tell you that it starts with my experience; I'm in my 12th year in the business, and I ran the largest Century 21 office in the world. My team and I know what it takes to get the job done. I've even written a book called "The Secrets of Wealthy Home Sellers" and it's available for free right here on my website. 

Get your free copy, and take a moment to listen to some of our client testimonials. Thanks again for stopping by my blog. I look forward to talking with you in person!

Don't Count on Zestimates

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Ah, the infamous Zestimate.

It's Zillow's value estimate for homes. Why do people have such strong opinions on it? Well, it has to do with the accuracy of the info. We find that the Zestimate is typically off by up to 15% from the actual sales price in Salt Lake City.

To give you an example, I recently closed on a property that had a Zestimate that came in at $258,000. We listed and sold that property in just seven days for $278,000. That difference of $20,000 really mattered to my home sellers. So the question becomes, what went wrong with their Zestimate?

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That equation just can't account for all the variables.

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Zillow gets information through an algorithm that uses comparable properties to come up with the price. That equation just can't account for all the variables in a home's value like renovations or special features of the property. It also can't account for inventory level or interest rates, which both have a strong impact on price.

At the end of the day, it takes a professional who can get in there and do the in-depth research for an accurate assessment of what your home is really worth in today's market. Remember, the Zestimate is a starting point, not your listing price.

If you have any questions about this topic or about buying and selling a home, please reach out to me! Thanks again for watching.