Monica Cook Home and Lifestyles

Two national reports have recently ranked Utah in the top 10 for housing price increases. For the first quarter, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said Utah had the eighth-highest appreciation among states. The agency said Utah house prices increased about 3 percent from the same period a year earlier. Similarly, CoreLogic ranked Utah in the top four for two of its rankings. Excluding distressed sales, like short sales and foreclosures, Utah’s 5.3 percent increase in prices was the highest in the country. Including distressed sales, Utah ranked No. 4 in appreciation at 5.4 percent. If you know of anyone looking to buy or sell a home, I would love the opportunity to talk with them. Thank you for thinking of me!

Deciding to put your home on the market can bring on a wide range of emotions. You may feel excitement at the prospect of moving on or moving up. Some sellers feel anticipation about what the future holds and about what kind of deals buyers may bring to the table. On the opposite end of the spectrum you may be feeling sadness or even regret. That's because selling your house can feel a lot like selling your home . Any and all of these emotional responses are normal! In order to stick to your guns and to keep on the sunnier side of the selling process it's important to do five key things before you sell. Feeling prepared and in control of a situation is paramount in feeling good about your decision. Here are the five pre-selling tips: Organize Paperwork: You most likely have papers regarding any home warranties. Prospective buyers are going to want to have these. Having them ready for viewing is a great selling point. You might also consider putting together a list of cu...