Iron County is enjoying unprecedented real estate market conditions right now.

Demand for great properties is sky high and there's huge competition among buyers, eager to secure a home in this ever faster growing area. It's becoming increasingly common for properties to be under contract very, very soon after they are listed.

There's no question that it's a great seller's market right now. Arguably it has never been better for those who do decide to list in this moment of astounding buyer sentiment and high pressure on inventory of available homes in every market sector.

So why, you might ask, is it still so important to make the right choice of listing agent if buyers are so eager? Isn't it just a case of listing and waiting for the offers to flood in?

Were all listing agents operating equally, then the above questions might be very valid.

However this is emphatically not the case and, in order to achieve top dollar and a sale in a time frame that's right for you, it's still essential to team up with a top producing agent.

Here are just some of the main reasons for this:

Pricing - Prices are constantly on the move at the moment and it's absolutely vital that your agent is right on the pulse with this when setting the right asking price, so that you make the most of the stunning opportunities at present. A strong current track record of success is a good sign. Make sure you ask to see it.

Marketing - Just because the market is so ignited doesn't change the basics of selling and your agent needs to be able to demonstrate a vigorous, robust and comprehensive marketing plan. This ensures that the maximum number of qualified buyers are being informed of the presence of your home, so that the pool of potential offers is optimal.

Connections - Long established close relationships with past clients, other influencers and, critically, the area's top buyer's agents, further enlarge the circle of potential qualified buyers. And as a lot of people are moving into the area, ask your agent what his/her connections are with other agents in areas, such as California, where they may be selling existing homes and networking to see what availability is like in places like here for those clients who are looking to move out of state.

Tenacity - Is your agent just concerned with selling the home at any price, or maximizing your return? It's a very valid question. Ask agents to show you how they've achieved top dollar for clients in recent weeks.

Your next home - Things often move very fast in today's market and working with a top agent helps to ensure that your key goal of seamlessly moving into your next home is realized. That's always more difficult if your agent isn't making strenuous efforts to get your current home sold as soon as possible, for the highest return.

Full service - Ensure that your agent offers an expertly staffed full service, from initial listing to completion and beyond. This helps everything to progress smoothly and efficiently, which is so important at the moment.

We would be happy to be put to all the above tests, so please reach out to us today - 435-327-2090.

It's generally estimated that between 50-60% of Americans have not made any estate plans.

This has some very serious implications and the negative effects of doing nothing about it can even begin while you're still alive!

Did you know that in the state of Utah, if you have over $100K in total assets, or if you own any real estate, regardless of its value, your estate must go through probate if you do not have a well-crafted estate plan in place prior to your death?

It's imperative to declare a person to make financial, healthcare and investment decisions, and other day to day matters, including paying bills, if you are not able to.

Without a healthcare plan and power of attorney, usually bestowed on a relative, hospitals have to follow their own protocols. It can even mean that relatives living far away are not able to obtain something as basic as a condition check without having to go through a lengthy and expensive legal proceeding.

Legally recognized power of attorney is very important in areas such as real estate and vehicle ownership, if items need to be sold, titles need to be updated or information is needed from the bank for payoffs etc.

Dying intestate without a will means that your estate will have no pre-planned structure that deals efficiently with asset distribution and its management. A correctly constructed will avoids probate, whereby courts can become involved in the process.

A well-conceived plan empowers you and your beneficiaries to exercise complete control over what will transpire, including compilation of the final tax return that needs to be filed following your death.

It's also important that your plans create a line of succession so that someone will always be there to handle the estate.

Effective estate planning avoids stress and confusion for your survivors. They could be unable to carry out your wishes without any legally recognized record.

No one knows what lies ahead in the future, so you would be well advised to act now and liaise with your legal advisor(s), not least to give everyone concerned peace of mind and a lot less worry at a distressing time.

Cedar City attorney David Westwood commented: “Nobody thinks that their family will fight after they are gone; however, it really can happen to anyone. The best of families can be torn apart if an effective estate plan is not in place.

“The last thing you should be worrying about when you are in poor health or on your death bed is about money and/or material possessions. An effective estate plan gives you the peace of mind in knowing that your family is protected so that you can focus on what is most important in life.

“An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Putting together a solid estate plan is less expensive than you may think and is certainly a lot less expensive that putting your family through a litigated probate.

“Your house is often the most valuable asset in an estate. Why not put together an estate plan to ensure that the wealth in your estate passes on your terms and to the people you feel would benefit most? It’s not something that should be left for the government to decide.”

David Westwood can be contacted at:

Westwood Law, P.C.
98 W. Harding Ave.
Cedar City, UT 84720
Ph:  435-267-2145
Fax: 866-627-3433
david@westwoodlawfirm.com
https://www.westwoodlawfirm.com/

Smart device technology around the home can provide simple solutions to these problems and much, much more.

So what is a smart device?

It's basically any electronic device that can be connected to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi etc., so that it can be operated interactively and autonomously.

Control of these devices is generally via smartphone apps and/or voice operated systems such as Amazon's Echo and Google Home.

The range of smart solutions now available to us is truly remarkable.

Here are just some of the things you can control via smart technology:

• Opening and shutting garage doors.
• Doorbells with built-in high resolution security cameras that can alert you whenever someone approaches your home and record this.
• Internal and external lighting.
• Ceiling fans.
• Window blinds and shades.
• Security alarms.
• Closed circuit camera systems.
• Complete control of your TV and many other home entertainment systems.
• Switching almost any electronic device on or off, indoors or outdoors, via smart plugs.
• Setting up speakers around the home as an intercom and "public address" system, announcing meal times, for example.
• Controlling lawn sprinklers.
• Heaters and air conditioning via smart thermostats.
• Baby monitoring.
• Door locks.
• Washing machines and dryers.
• Cookers that can start cooking your meal so it's ready when you arrive home.

The above list is just a selection of what's possible and the range of smart solutions is constantly expanding.

In most cases, you can exercise complete control of your home no matter where you are in the world. Astonishing technology and peace of mind.

If you're not yet using any smart technology around your home, we hope that you'll be inspired to look further at the many possibilities to make life at home easier, more enjoyable and far more secure.

As ever, please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns related to real estate.

We've been enjoying amazing current real estate market conditions here in Iron County for some time and they just seem to get better and better.

Inevitably, of course, at some point this will all begin to reverse to an extent.

So the obvious question is exactly when that might be?

While giving advice on timing your home sale is never an exact science, here are some key considerations that might influence your decision:

Mortgage rates - While there has recently been some easing of rates, their general direction so far in 2021 has been upward and this is a broad trend that is expected to continue. While rates are still very close to historic lows, the higher they climb, the more likely that we will see some cooling of buyer sentiment.

Inventory - Low inventory at the moment, combined with exceptional buyer demand, creates a perfect storm for sellers.

However, here in Iron County we are likely to see literally thousands of homes going live in the next year or so.

And here's why.

There are over 30 new subdivisions expected to go live here in the next 12 to 18 months! That is no exaggeration and, believe it or not, there could be even more in the pipeline!

This has the potential to transform the dynamics of the market, injecting a huge number of new homes into the mix.

So there is a strong chance that upward pressure on mortgage rates and a far more abundant supply of homes could create a significant shift, with more choice for the buyer and a generally less strong position for sellers.

Therefore, if you are considering listing your property, doing so now means that you won't have to factor in what might happen to our local market in the not so distant future.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to us to discuss how to best optimize the situation to your advantage.

We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very happy Easter weekend.

Although it's quite early this year, the Easter holiday is usually the point in the calendar when thoughts start to turn to the warmer months everyone always looks forward to so much.

Luckily we have a good amount of sunshine already, even though it can still freeze in the evenings. There are some promising temperatures being forecast in the next few days, with maximum temperatures approaching the high 70s over the weekend!

It's therefore an ideal time to begin to turn your attention to those important seasonal tasks that, if dealt with now, will make things smoother and more enjoyable in the coming months.

Here are some key tasks that you can begin to address:

Roofs and gutters - Inspect the roof for any signs of winter damage (binoculars can help). Make sure trees are a few feet away from the roof to protect paintwork and avoid an easy path for critters to enter the home. Gutters and downpipes should be clear of leaves etc, to ensure good water flow.

Walkways - Harsh weather can damage or move pavers or bricks. It makes sense to pressure wash your walkways and look for anything that's changed in the past few months, including filling in any cracks in concrete.

Paintwork - Again an inspection for winter damage pays dividends. Wood surfaces, including decks will benefit from a pressure wash. This will also help to reveal any areas requiring fresh paint or wood stain.

Decking - Apart from checking the state of the deck finish, pay attention to the deck structure too, making sure that nothing has changed over the winter which would affect the ability to sustain additional loads in spring/summer events.

Aircon - This is the best time to get your aircon serviced, rather than waiting for something to go wrong when you most need your home to feel cool. Make sure your external aircon unit is clear of vegetation and any other airflow obstructions.

Lawn sprinkler systems - Make sure your entire irrigation system is functioning as it should and effect any necessary repairs. Adjust controllers to avoid wasteful and potentially costly excess water usage. While the possibility of a sudden freeze will recede as the weeks go by, you need to factor in weather conditions when deciding when to begin watering.

Sealing windows and doors - Making sure these building apertures are sealed in spring and summer is no less important than in fall and winter. The reasons for doing so are, of course, very different. Air leakage around windows and doors can lead to unnecessarily high air condition costs, so now is an ideal time to be inspecting for any seal damage and making appropriate repairs.

Window cleaning - Cleaning winter dirt off your windows is best carried out on a cloudy day to avoid the possibility of water streaks.

Screens - Winter can take a toll on your home's screens and they won't do their job of keeping out critters if they have degraded since you last wanted to assist airflow with open windows and doors. It therefore pays to make extensive checks now and to repair any damage.

Fencing - While big problems in fencing don't need a close inspection, now is a great time to have a detailed look for any weakened areas and to make repairs.

We hope you find at least some of these reminders useful. As ever, please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding real estate.

The answer is often very fast!

The above image shows just one recent instance where a home has gone under contract within a very short space of time after having been listed.

There are several examples of this in our area at present.

In the case of the Washington UT house above, the average price of similar homes in that area was $360k-$370k just six months ago.

With careful attention to up-to-the-minute pricing trends, we listed the property at $429k and it is now under contract over that list price!

This represents a 20% jump in prices over the past six months.

These really are remarkable conditions for sellers right now, with highly motivated buyers snapping up many properties very, very soon after they hit the market!

Contact us today if you are wondering what today's value is on your home.

We'll be happy to help and provide you with some idea of comparable current home values and do what works best for you from there.

If you just want a free instant ballpark home price valuation, please click here.

This has, inevitably, led to us often being asked two important questions:

Is this price growth sustainable?

Although it now seems a long time ago, the reality is that prices were very out of synch due to the market collapse years and we are, in fact, still seeing a correction of that, to some extent.

Price growth is, of course, a reflection of demand and, here in Iron County, we are seeing tremendous interest from areas such as California, where residents are cashing out and moving out of state in high numbers. There is no reason to believe that this trend will change significantly, other than it is likely to become even more apparent.

More generally, ultra-low mortgage rates remain a fantastic opportunity for buyers, who are highly motivated to purchase in circumstances where they can lock in very low monthly payments for the life of a home loan.

The situation we are in right now means that sellers can derive huge benefits from these arguably unprecedented market conditions.

Is this the right time to buy a home?

The fact that the market is still correcting itself suggests that prices aren't likely to fall and all the signs are that the trend for growth will continue, for all the reasons outlined above.

The past few days have seen an upward trend in mortgage rates, though they are still close to record low levels even so. Many experts believe that rates will begin to climb more rapidly and, while it must be said that they have been wrong many times in recent years, such low rates as we've been enjoying for some time cannot continue forever, so right now there's still a fabulous opportunity to borrow cheaply, whether you're moving upscale or a first-time buyer.

While nothing can ever be guaranteed in future, Iron County real estate has been a rock solid investment over time. Many people who bought homes just a few years ago have seen their property values more than double! Click here to instantly discover what your home is currently worth.

To summarize, this really is a win-win situation for buyers and sellers right now. Contact us today if you'd like to discuss the possibilities in more detail. We're always here to help.

Today we'd like to show you lots of evidence that demonstrates the dramatic improvement in the Iron County Real Estate market during the past year.

The market was doing great 12 months ago, but as you will see, equity increases since then have been truly phenomenal.

If you'd like to know what your home is currently worth, click here for a free instant home evaluation as a rough guide, or email/contact us on 435-327-2020 to arrange a more detailed assessment and/or to talk about your best real estate options right now.

Iron County Median Home List Price:
February 2020: $287,000
February 2021: $325,000

Iron County Median Sold Price:
February 2020: $253,000
February 2021: $291,000

Iron County - Months Of Inventory of Available Homes For Sale:
February 2020: Four months
February 2021: One month and dropping...

This week's news headlines have been dominated by the somewhat bizarre circumstances that have led to stock market volatility.

While this doesn't have an immediate effect on real estate, it is perhaps a timely reminder that nothing stays the same for ever.

Bringing things more close to home, we should all acknowledge that this statement very much applies to mortgage rates.

Right now they remain around record lows; a situation we've been enjoying for some time now. But it is wrong to think this can last forever.

Rates are partially being held at low levels due to a decline in inflation as a result of the pandemic. However some investors believe that the trend in inflation may be reversing.

With a new Presidential administration now in office there are inevitable uncertainties over the direction of future policy that may influence financial markets and the housing market in general.

So, while nothing is ever definite in terms of predicting which way rates might go during 2021, what we can say right now is that there has rarely, if ever, been a better time to buy a home. This was of course reflected in the amazing year for real estate in 2020, despite what initially looked like overwhelming odds.

Selling and buying at the moment means that you're very likely to see a lot of qualified interest in your existing property, with the possibility of multiple offers, and a chance to buy the next one at virtually unprecedented low borrowing rates. Putting things off until later in the year introduces the risk that this golden opportunity may have passed, possibly never to return.

We'd be delighted to talk with you to discuss what's best in your specific circumstances, so please don't hesitate to message us or call us on 435-327-2090. We look forward to speaking with you.

We hope you've made a great start to the year. We're fired up as there is every sign that our Iron County real estate market will have a great 2021, building on last year's amazing results.

It's just a great time to sell your home. Inventory of available homes is always in short supply, due to such high demand and continuing low mortgage rates.

Given that it's such a strong seller's market, you might be forgiven for thinking that every sale is realizing the maximum possible returns.

Unfortunately nothing is ever that simple.

The process of selling your home in a busy conditions is, in many respects, quite similar to when things are slower.

And one of the key aspects of optimizing the sale is to ensure that you've linked up with a great agent.

The simple truth is that not all agents make the same efforts for their clients. And not all agents are working at real estate full time...

Maximizing opportunities for our clients means that we work tirelessly every day to identify qualified buyers, through hundreds of weekly interactions with the area's top buyer's agents and our extensive network of contacts, including a vast portfolio of past clients.

We also vigorously promote homes in a wide variety of ways, including our popular website and the various social media channels.

The result of all this is to get as many qualified buyers to view your home as possible, encouraging competitive bidding that has the potential to either meet or exceed your asking price.

It's not a question of merely selling your home. The emphasis needs to be on selling your home the right way, with no stone unturned. Only then will you achieve the best possible outcome.

We'd be happy to explain more about our unique approach, so please contact us and find out more.

We look forward to having the privilege of helping you meet your real estate goals in 2021.