If you are one of the seeming few who have stopped by Rockwell Square in Draper lately, you might be wondering where all the other buildings are that were supposed to be built. I wondered the same thing until I dropped in the other day and took a look at the place.

First, let me say that I really like Rockwell Square. I live nearby and drive past them everyday. I love the location, the building, and especially the future plans for the adjacent land. It was thought to be rumor at first, but now I hear it is actually true that all the land east of Rockwell Square will be turned into a large Draper park, possibly eventually serving as the main park for the city. There is just one spot of the land that will not be set aside for park and that is the part where the old houses currently sit. One of the local homebuilders has purchased that land and will be putting a few homes there.

As for the rest of the development, it will still happen. It might not happen this year, but they claim it will still happen. That pesky little thing called the economy got in the way the last time they tried to build out the entire development. Then as if that wasn’t bad enough, there was trouble with their bank when they wouldn’t allow financing unless a certain portion of the building could be filled. Well they weren’t selling so they couldn’t move forward. But now things should be moving since they switched banks, and FHA lending has been approved.

With that knowledge, I encourage y’all to stop by and take a look at the inside. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how upgraded and spacious they are. For the price, there really is no reason these condos haven’t been filled already. You’ll notice the sign outside says they start at $189,900, which is really incredible considering what they started at back when the economy was good.

So check them out at the corner of Bangerter Highway and 13800 South.

Tags: Rockwell Square, luxury condos, home buying, real estate

So what do I do with this blog? Well, I have thought a little bit and I think I will keep it. It’s been a nice blog to have and I rather liked posting to it. Though I am not working in real estate anymore, I think I will still post about things happening in the city. It was kind of turning into a community blog anyway, so I’ll keep with that path and write occasionally about the happenings I see or hear. I suppose I’ll keep the title just for fun.

So feel free to check back regularly as I hope to have more content in the future than I have had in the recent past. Maybe I’ll write about Utah homes I like, maybe about events, or maybe about whatever I want. I guess you’ll have to come back and see.

Just today I was out visiting Terrace Homes in Daybreak, built by Garbett Homes. Lots of first-timers think they can’t afford Daybreak anymore, but thanks to Garbett Homes (and they are not the only ones by any means), you can now buy these luxury condos for prices starting in the high 150′s. These days in Daybreak, that’s almost unheard of.

Like in any condo or town-home development, you will get a basic model at the base price of $159,900, and prices will go up as you increase square footage and add upgrades. The upper floor will be more expensive than the lower floors, for example, since you get a nice balcony that offers a great view of Daybreak and the valley if you are facing that way. Expect to pay more for what you see in the model. They’ve decked out the model to the tune of about $192,000, for which you’ll get hardwood, tile, carpet, granite countertops, staggered cabinets, etc. If that’s your style then go for it, but just know that your price will be up there. If you don’t need all the upgrades, then you could just choose a few of your favorites and still keep the price down in the $170′s.

I’d encourage anyone to head out and take a look at these before you buy anything else. You get a lot for your money, and Daybreak is now an official fan favorite among homeowners. There is a pride of ownership there that few communities can match.

The condos are located at 11754 South Grandville Ave. (4960 West). If you need help or you will be buying soon, I’d be more than happy to go out there with you – just shoot me an email at nbbblair@yahoo.com.

Tags: Daybreak South Jordan Utah, Daybreak Utah real estate, South Jordan Homes, homes, real estate

I’ve been watching a TV program lately that I can now endorse as a good guide to improving your landscape. Desperate Landscapes on DIY Network, hosted by Jason Cameron, is a show about taking bad yards and fixing them up. Jason Cameron is a carpenter by profession, so I wondered how good he would be at hosting this show, but he’s done a good job from what I’ve seen so far.

So if you are a home seller, I encourage you to not just watch the show, but take careful notes on what they do. The fixer-upper yard and your own yard might be very different, but if you pay attention to how they use space and what they plant, you will be able to apply the same principles to any landscape regardless of shape or size.

I like how Jason isn’t afraid to take out old trees that don’t do anything for the landscape, and he isn’t afraid to bring in new things that may make the homeowners a little nervous at first. That’s why he is good – he changes it up so much that you don’t even recognize the place when they’re done with it.

If you are more into having a professional do it, then I can promise it will be a good investment if you hire someone good. Many people would much rather do it themselves, which is fine too. Just make sure you have looked at plenty of good examples and plan exactly what you will do before you do it.

If all other factors are right, such as price, marketing, etc, then a transformed landscape will take your home to the next level.

Tags: Desperate Landscapes, DIY Network, landscaping, Salt Lake City landscaping, real estate

It is true that our unemployment rates have gone up to 3.1%, but we are still below the national average of 5.1%. And our housing prices rose 2.5% while most of the nation was dropping. The other promising number, according to Forbes, is a 5.5% expected growth percentage in education and health services.

I’ve always thought that it is important to publicize this kind of news in addition to all the bad news swimming around out there. It’s too easy to get caught up in the gloom of the national media, so I make sure to point out good news when I see it.

Salt Lake City residents are in a relatively good position right now. Jobs are still being created, people are buying homes (although there needs to be more of that happening), and health services and education is growing. I know people here are feeling the rise in prices, but it could be a lot worse for our city. I don’t think it will be too many months before we start to come out of this, especially in the Salt Lake housing market.

Tags: Salt Lake City economy, Salt Lake City real estate, Forbes, business, real estate