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"We offer people many choices for living an urban lifestyle in sustainable, convenient and enjoyable places."
SLC Bike Realtor is here! 
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Our work fills a large part of our life, and we are truly satisfied to do what we believe is great work. We love what we do. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. We know this to be true personally as a result of living and working together for the past 28 years. We look forward to working with you for all real estate needs. Learn More About Us
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FOR BUYERS
Whether you are a first time home buyer or a seasoned veteran we have all the resources you need to buy real estate in Salt Lake City.
FOR SELLERS
Find out how much your home is worth and how we can help you get top dollar for your home.
Angela- "I am a real estate professional with additional EcoBroker training on the energy and environmental issues that affect real estate transactions. There are tremendous green resources available in the market and as part of my service commitment to my clients, I help you identify and make sense of these invaluable green opportunities. I am a great facilitator in this regard. I look forward to working with you."
Urban Utah is the first E-2 certified environmentally responsible real estate brokerage in Salt Lake City and we are E-2 citizens.
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Forbes Magazine Names Utah #1 ‘Best State for Business and Careers’
State climbs from No. 4 to No. 1 in past five years
State climbs from No. 4 to No. 1 in past five years
SALT LAKE CITY – Under the leadership of Governor Gary R. Herbert, first as Lt. Governor and now as Governor, the State of Utah has climbed to the top spot in Forbes Magazine’s annual ranking of “The Best States for Business and Careers.”
Utah ranks No. 1 in the report, released Wednesday, bumping Virginia from its four-year reign in the top spot. Among the factors that placed the Beehive State at the top are:
• Annual economic expansion of 3.5% over the past five years
• Annual total employment increase of 1.5%
• Annual increase in household income of 5%
• Decrease of corporate tax rate from 7% to 5%
• Energy costs that are 35% below the national average
“While magazine rankings do not tell the whole story, they certainly create a narrative that shows Utah has all the elements that make us a successful place to start or expand a business and a desirable location to live and raise a family,” Governor Herbert said. “Several years ago, we made a conscious decision to make economic development a priority. We have since consistently climbed in the rankings and, in the past year, our leadership pushed Utah to the top of the list.”
Forbes’ “Best States” ranking measures six categories for business: costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, current economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life.
Utah’s rankings in those categories are:
• Business Costs: 8
• Labor Supply: 5
• Regulatory Environment: 6
• Economic Climate: 1
• Growth Prospects: 20
• Quality of Life: 18
In announcing this year’s results, Forbes noted that while states across the nation have suffered as a result of the national economic downturn, some states, like Utah, have weathered the downturn better than others. The magazine notes: “But some areas are doing better than others, and for many of them, it isn't an accident. Who's doing the best job when it comes to fostering growth? Utah.”
“This recognition shows that not only is the State of Utah open for business, it shows that our businesses can compete anywhere in the nation and the world,” said Jason Perry, Governor Herbert’s chief of staff and former executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
After selecting Perry to serve as his chief of staff, the Governor appointed Spencer Eccles in September 2009 to serve as GOED’s new executive director. Both appointments served as proof of the Governor’s commitment to economic development in the State.
“The Governor’s directive to me was to continue to make Utah a state where businesses not only wanted to be, but a state where they needed to be,” Eccles said. “We have succeeded in ensuring that Utah has a pro-business environment and an unparalleled quality of life. We will continue to support our existing Utah companies while attracting others to the State.”
Under Governor Herbert’s leadership, the State has announced major expansions of Utah businesses and the relocation of other notable companies to the Beehive State. Forbes notes the many businesses, such as Goldman Sachs, Oracle, eBay and Adobe, which recently acquired Utah’s own Omniture, have recognized the benefits of operating in Utah. Other homegrown companies like Merit Medical, Nelson Laboratories and Sun Products (formerly Huish) have expanded with the assistance of the State and local communities.
Along with Eccles, GOED operates under the leadership of Derek Miller and Josh Romney, also appointed by Governor Herbert in September 2009 to serve as an economic ambassador to Utah. Together, the Governor’s Office and GOED have forged partnerships between the Utah Legislature, local governments, education and the private sector through initiatives such as the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, USTAR and the Utah Cluster Acceleration Partnership.
“This is a great day for the State of Utah, but I also understand there are still businesses and families in the State that continue to struggle as we emerge from the national recession,” Governor Herbert said. “As Governor, my promise to all Utahns is that I will continue to foster economic growth throughout the State. Expanding our tax base is the single best way to fully fund public education and to pay for other critical state services such as public safety and human services.”
Over the past year, the State has seen the addition of 19,000 new jobs and, as noted by Forbes, now showing positive job growth. Also, preliminary data indicate that statewide sales tax collections are significantly up over this time last year and the State is expected to see revenue growth for the first time in several years – all encouraging factors that point to economic growth in Utah.
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Salt Lake City,Warsaw and Stockholm Oh My!
Salt Lake City joins Austin, Texas, and thirteen other cities including Warsaw, Poland, and Stockholm, Sweden, in the list of cities that are emerging as hot spots for business.
Fortune says they looked at economic data, talked to business leaders about where they plan to open new offices and factories and talked to local business leaders. Utah Governor Gary Herbert was among those local leaders touting Salt Lake City as a great new location for business.
"This was an opportunity to showcase how Utah is business-friendly, with low taxes and low energy costs, an impressive workforce and one of the strongest local economies," the Governor said in a statement released Wednesday. "I was thrilled to see Salt Lake City get this well-deserved and timely recognition."
Fortune cites low tax rates and low-cost utilities as prime reasons for Salt Lake City's desirability, plus the numerous start-ups coming out of the University of Utah, who claims to produce the most successful start-up companies in the nation. A recent study also determined that Salt Lake City's workforce is the most productive in the nation.
With top companies like eBay, Electronic Arts and Twitter opening up offices in Utah, the business world is recognizing Salt Lake City's emerging importance in the business world.
BYU graduate and Salt Lake City resident Josh James is listed as one of four CEOs on the frontiers of global business for Omniture, a company he started in the early 1990s and sold to Adobe for $1.8 billion cash.
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By SIMON CONSTABLE- Wall Street Journal
There might finally be some good news this year about the nation's dismal housing market. Or, at least, the bad news could stop.
Either way, it will be welcome relief for current homeowners as well as for potential real-estate investors. Reasons to be optimistic have been sadly lacking since the housing bubble burst in 2006.
For sure, last week we learned the widely watched S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index fell 1% in December, its fifth straight decline. The index tracks 20 major markets.
But that figure belies real reasons to be optimistic, according to some experts. If they are right, it might make sense to jump into real estate. The trick is avoiding getting burned again, and it doesn't necessarily mean owning a home.
First, let's recap the economic signs a bottom is close.
* Houses Are a Good Deal
Housing is the most affordable it has been in decades, according to analysts at Moody's Analytics. They don't just look at house prices. They also look at incomes.
* Nationally, the cost of a house is the equivalent of about 19 months of total pay for an average family, the lowest level in 35 years. Prices usually average close to two years' pay, although that varies nationally.
* At the peak, midway through the last decade, a home in Los Angeles cost the equivalent of 4.5 years' pay. The average price has since fallen to just over two years' income now. That's well below its pre-bubble average of 2.6 years. This means average Los Angeles homes are cheaper in "real terms" than they were typically during the period 1989 through 2003.
The opposite is true around the Washington beltway, where it will take 26 months of pay to buy a home, versus the historical norm of 22 months.
In the end, it will be affordability that will drive people to buy homes.
"Pricing is down so much in some markets that when you analyze renting versus owning it makes much more sense to own,"
"Housing prices will probably bottom in 2011," says Scott Simon, a managing director at money-management firm Pimco in Newport Beach, Calif. He foresaw the housing crash, helping his firm dodge losses that plagued Wall Street.
Mr. Simon says prices might dip another 5%. Still, in the scheme of things, that's small. Consider this: In some markets, home prices have fallen by half or more since 2006.
There might finally be some good news this year about the nation's dismal housing market. Or, at least, the bad news could stop.
Either way, it will be welcome relief for current homeowners as well as for potential real-estate investors. Reasons to be optimistic have been sadly lacking since the housing bubble burst in 2006.
For sure, last week we learned the widely watched S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index fell 1% in December, its fifth straight decline. The index tracks 20 major markets.
But that figure belies real reasons to be optimistic, according to some experts. If they are right, it might make sense to jump into real estate. The trick is avoiding getting burned again, and it doesn't necessarily mean owning a home.
First, let's recap the economic signs a bottom is close.
* Houses Are a Good Deal
Housing is the most affordable it has been in decades, according to analysts at Moody's Analytics. They don't just look at house prices. They also look at incomes.
* Nationally, the cost of a house is the equivalent of about 19 months of total pay for an average family, the lowest level in 35 years. Prices usually average close to two years' pay, although that varies nationally.
* At the peak, midway through the last decade, a home in Los Angeles cost the equivalent of 4.5 years' pay. The average price has since fallen to just over two years' income now. That's well below its pre-bubble average of 2.6 years. This means average Los Angeles homes are cheaper in "real terms" than they were typically during the period 1989 through 2003.
The opposite is true around the Washington beltway, where it will take 26 months of pay to buy a home, versus the historical norm of 22 months.
In the end, it will be affordability that will drive people to buy homes.
"Pricing is down so much in some markets that when you analyze renting versus owning it makes much more sense to own,"
"Housing prices will probably bottom in 2011," says Scott Simon, a managing director at money-management firm Pimco in Newport Beach, Calif. He foresaw the housing crash, helping his firm dodge losses that plagued Wall Street.
Mr. Simon says prices might dip another 5%. Still, in the scheme of things, that's small. Consider this: In some markets, home prices have fallen by half or more since 2006.
Investors Stepping Up
Here's another sign the market is nearing a bottom: Investors have started to buy up houses and condos, in some instances paying entirely in cash. That's a far cry from the heady bubble days when borrowed money seemed the key to riches. The bubble-era speculators who got burned tended to buy at the peak and borrowed heavily to do so. When the crash came, they quickly saw their wealth erased.
Take Miami again. Last year, more than half of all transactions were made entirely in cash, according to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal. That compares with 13% of deals in the last quarter of 2006, the height of the bubble. Similarly, in Phoenix 42% of sales in 2010 went to all-cash buyers, up threefold since 2008.
It's a sign that these investors are betting on a rebound. Investors buying at current prices are looking for deals, or so-called bottom fishing. They typically like to pay entirely in cash (or with a relatively small loan) to speed up transactions. That can be vital for an investor wishing to lock in a deal fast.
If this is a turn in the market, then it might make sense to go out and buy a home. But, warns Pimco's Mr. Simon, "buy in areas you really know."
Plan to Stay Put
Buy and hold. While the good news is that the worst of the housing crash might be over, the bad news is that the fast gains of the glory days of 2005 and 2006 won't be back any time soon. So to cover the costs of buying and selling, and what could be a prolonged recovery, plan to own for more than 10 years, explains Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Chicago-based Harris Bank.
—Simon Constable is author of the forthcoming book "The WSJ Guide to the Fifty Economic Indicators That Really Matter: From Big Macs to 'Zombie Banks,' the Indicators Smart Investors Watch to Beat the Market." simon.constable@dowjones.com online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748703796504576168822497423738-lMyQjAxMTAxMDAwNDEwNDQyWj.html
Here's another sign the market is nearing a bottom: Investors have started to buy up houses and condos, in some instances paying entirely in cash. That's a far cry from the heady bubble days when borrowed money seemed the key to riches. The bubble-era speculators who got burned tended to buy at the peak and borrowed heavily to do so. When the crash came, they quickly saw their wealth erased.
Take Miami again. Last year, more than half of all transactions were made entirely in cash, according to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal. That compares with 13% of deals in the last quarter of 2006, the height of the bubble. Similarly, in Phoenix 42% of sales in 2010 went to all-cash buyers, up threefold since 2008.
It's a sign that these investors are betting on a rebound. Investors buying at current prices are looking for deals, or so-called bottom fishing. They typically like to pay entirely in cash (or with a relatively small loan) to speed up transactions. That can be vital for an investor wishing to lock in a deal fast.
If this is a turn in the market, then it might make sense to go out and buy a home. But, warns Pimco's Mr. Simon, "buy in areas you really know."
Plan to Stay Put
Buy and hold. While the good news is that the worst of the housing crash might be over, the bad news is that the fast gains of the glory days of 2005 and 2006 won't be back any time soon. So to cover the costs of buying and selling, and what could be a prolonged recovery, plan to own for more than 10 years, explains Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Chicago-based Harris Bank.
—Simon Constable is author of the forthcoming book "The WSJ Guide to the Fifty Economic Indicators That Really Matter: From Big Macs to 'Zombie Banks,' the Indicators Smart Investors Watch to Beat the Market." simon.constable@dowjones.com online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748703796504576168822497423738-lMyQjAxMTAxMDAwNDEwNDQyWj.html
UTAH PROMISES ECONOMIC SALVATION AS THE NEW LAND OF OPPORTUNITY
By Dave Anderton
Salt Lake REALTOR® Magazine
December 2010
All Rights Reserved
Forbes magazine said it best: Companies are getting the message that Utah is the right place for business.
You don’t have to look far to see the proof. Adobe, Twitter, eBay, Microsoft, and Janicki Industries have all announced plans to expand to Utah. Goldman Sachs, which made Salt Lake City its regional headquarters a decade ago, announced earlier this year it would hire nearly 400 more employees at salaries averaging $75,000 a year. In national surveys, the accolades keep coming.Jeff Edwards, president and CEO of EDCU, said out-of-state businesses comment most about Utah’s quality workforce. “A majority of companies say Utah has been a great experience,” Edwards said. “The workforce is reliable. They’re smart. They show up to work on time and they don’t have hangovers on Monday.” In November, The Wall Street Journal profiled Salt Lake City in a story that focused on the state’s economic incentives, quoting out-of-state employers who praised Utah for its pro-business strategy.
Last summer Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranked Salt Lake City as one of its “10 Best Cities For The Next Decade.” It was the first time Salt Lake made the list. Two years ago, Jenney Nalevanko, who helped produce the Kiplinger story, moved with her fiancé to Salt Lake City from Washington, D.C. She told Salt Lake REALTOR magazine that the state’s recreation opportunities and its economic energy played a big role in deciding to live in Salt Lake City. “Salt Lake had great appeal to me, since I snowboard and enjoy hiking as well,” Nalevanko said. “We’ve found a great work/life balance here. Utah has a very attractive climate for businesses.” What about Utah’s misconceptions? Nalevanko said the state continues to suffer from three stereotypes: One, only Mormons live in Utah. Two, you can’t get a beer in the state. And three, the state is covered in snow all the time. Those mistaken impressions were erased for Nalevanko once she moved to Utah. “Salt Lake City proper is extremely liberal in my opinion,” she said. “Although Salt Lake is considered the epicenter of the Mormon faith, it’s fast becoming the epicenter of the outdoor industry.”
In October, Forbes Magazine placed Utah at the No. 1 spot in its annual ranking of “Best States for Business,” a first for the state.
The rankings are a product of an intensive effort by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert to spread the news that Utah is a friend to business. While many states are reeling from a recession refusing to loosen its grip, it appears Utah offers economic salvation. In the past year, the state’s economic team contacted nearly 300 West Coast companies, according to Derek Miller, deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Each month a delegation sits down with out-of-state executives as part of a campaign wrapped in low taxes, less government intrusion and educated workers. “What we tell companies on the West Coast is ‘Go east young man,’” Miller said “If you are looking to expand, this is where you need to look.” Simply put, when times were good Utah didn’t spend all of its money. Instead, Miller said, the state saved.
Translation – Utah is not raising taxes and is not cutting services. In addition, Utah companies are once again hiring. In October, the state added 16,500 new jobs, a 1.4 percent increase from a year earlier and nearly three times the national job growth rate of 0.5 percent, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services. According to the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, a public/private partnership working with local government to attract and grow companies, 18 companies in fiscal year 2009-2010 made the decision to come to or expand in Utah, adding 4,000 jobs to the state.
In November, Newsweek heralded Utah as the “Promised Land” in a story titled “How Utah Became the New Economic Zion.” “Defining itself against the liberal left coast is an act of jujitsu,” Newsweek said. “Utah’s biggest potential liability—its conservative, religious populous—becomes an indisputable strength. Utah’s people are, indeed, an employer’s dream. They are healthy, hard workers (pouring in 48 hours a week on average), and exceedingly stable, with the highest birthrates in the nation.”
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Best Cities 2010: Salt Lake City, Utah
The talent pool is deep and costs are low in our number-five pick for Best Cities for the Next Decade.
http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/best-cities-2010-salt-lake-city-utah.html
Take a video tour of Salt Lake City - see where you want to live.
http://www.kiplinger.com/video/index.html?bcpid=35148674001&bclid=1571610693&bctid=87688563001
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