Real Estate Information

Sorry to be a little morbid here, but when you think about all of the different ways you could leave this old planet, this sounds like a pretty fair method, doesn't it? 

​What: Keller Williams Realty St. George "Death By Chocolate" Grand Opening and Silent Auction Event. Chocolate beyond your wildest dreams and a KILLER silent auction to benefit the "Dove Center". I'm still reeling from missing out on a Cannondale Mountain Bike that went SUPER cheap!

​Where: ​Keller Williams Realty St. George - 1624 S. Convention Center Dr. St. George, Utah

Who: Friends and Clients - you know who you are!

RSVP: larkin@gostgeorge.com.  See you there! (or here?) 

Ironman St. George 2012 Video. Volunteers and Highlights!

Want to sell your home for more money? Stage it!

Staging is setting up the house to put its best foot forward. The goal is to create a welcoming, universally appealing experience that encourages buyers to picture themselves at home. Most buyers view the home for the first time online, and staged properties make the best impression.

• ​Staged homes result in more showings and sell faster
   
• ​Half of stagers got the job done in 3 hours or less.
   
• The cost of staging is about $250 for items purchased and to do it yourself, or  around $300 if you hire a professional.

At The Larkin Group we have had unbelievable success at selling our staged homes. In fact, its step number two in what we like to call our magic home selling "recipe". 

For more information on whether or not staging if right for your home, just give us a call.

Ironman St. George….70.3 St. George?!?! Yes, I know it’s all very confusing if you haven’t been in or around the sport of Triathlon, so here’s the long (and 50% shorter) version.

After this week’s 3^rd annual Ironman St. George race, Ironman International has decided to convert the race from a full 140.6 mile Ironman event to a shorter, 70.3 mile ½ Ironman. “70.3” is the official branding amongst Triathlon enthusiasts…it just sounds better than ½. Who wants to do, or be…1/2 of anything?!?!? Not many, but the 70.3 event will be KILLER I assure you.

The Ironman St. George course is TOUGH. Arguably the toughest on the planet. This has been part of the event’s Achilles heel. Add to that the fact that they added another full Ironman event last year in Woodlands, Texas…that falls just 14 days after this one, and they essentially cannibalized the St. George race!

Politics aside, St. George can be very successful with the Ironman 70.3 event. They draw more athletes, are easier to complete for said athletes, and create less of an impact on local traffic.

Personally, as a lifetime St. George local who has ridden or run every section of the course, and as an Ironman St. George Volunteer Captain who’s seen the pain up close for 2 years, I might actually attempt the 70.3 whereas I had told my group of local buddies that Ironman St. George may not be in the cards for me with a heavy workload, small kids, etc, etc, blah, blah. I can wrap my mind around 70.3….140.6? OUCH!

Let me close with these thoughts for those naysayers who think this race has “failed.”

•   Ironman St. George has been known as one of the most scenic, if not the MOST scenic in the international circuit.
   
•  The local volunteer group has been widely heralded by both Ironman Officials and athletes alike as the finest they’ve ever seen. We have a tradition of giving back in St. George and Utah as a whole. This change certainly didn’t have anything to do with a lack of community support.
   
• The Ironman St. George course is just plain tough, AND it happens to fall in early May which gives athletes very little time to prepare after colds of winter.
   
•   This decision was made at the Ironman CORPORATE level, not any local level. Our community has embraced it, and will continue to embrace it in the new Ironman 70.3 format. I guarantee it.

In honor of the final year of the full 140.6 mile Ironman St. George, check out this classic video we shot year 1 about the Ironman St. George course showcasing St. George’s Historic District. If you’re still interested in volunteering, (which is a TOTAL BLAST), reach out to me via email: larkin@gostgeorge.com and we’ll have you join us for the 2012 Ironman St. George.

Why does one of my finest team members have to move to Phoenix!?!? Family calls, and I applaud those who follow the Keller Williams mantra of "God, Family, THEN Business" ​so I guess we'll let her go. But now we need your help to find a new Superstar for our team!

This successful candidate will be a highly flexible, highly systematic and detailed person with a strong work ethic and the ability and desire to lead a skilled Administrative Team. A Utah Real Estate license or prior industry (Title, Mortgage, etc.) experience is preferred.

This individual will be involved in both building and overseeing team systems for Buyers, Sellers, and Transaction Coordination. This person must have outstanding communication skills; REO/Short Sale experience is helpful.

Criteria:

• A “Servant’s Heart” and the “Will of a Bulldog”
• Interest in being a Leader
• Computer savvy, proficient in all Microsoft Office applications, specifically Outlook, Word and Excel. Experience in “Top Producer” or similar contact management systems helpful
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Passion and “knack” for information management, data entry
• Exceptional organizational and project management abilities
• Great ability to focus
• Detail oriented and thorough
• High Integrity: concerned about doing things the right way
• Calm under pressure
• Learning-based with proven ability to succeed
• Ability to collaborate with peers, all levels of staff, and a variety of personalities
• Utah Real Estate License or real estate industry experience (Title, Mortgage, etc.) experience preferred

As you can see from this cheesy image to the left, "​COMPUTER WIZARDRY" is essential! 

Do you know this person? Is this person YOU? 

Send introductory email and resume to:  reo@gostgeorge.com

PLEASE NO PHONE CALLS, even if we already know you! 

Warren Buffet says we should buy Real Estate. Now. 

If you haven't already watched the video, I'll tell you something that you probably already know, that they shared in this video: A really great way to learn how to build wealth, or become a professional rugby player, or maybe a world-class tight rope walker....is to listen to those who have already done it. Well. 

I can't comment on the national markets, but I can say without any hesitation that St. George Real Estate is turning the corner. Let's take luxury home enclave Stone Cliff for example: 3 years ago there were 50 or more properties for sale, you couldn't give em' away. Fast forward to 2012. I was told by an inside source that in the past 3 weeks, including the 2 weeks of the 2012 St. George Parade of Homes, that the Stone Cliff Developers ALONE (not including private Sellers), sold 10 lots, 3 custom home build jobs, the model home, and the actual Parade home was sold prior to the parade. That's a MAJOR shift!

St. George housing has never been more affordable...EVER. Nor has national housing. In a CNBC interview this week Buffett said, "​If I had a way to buy a couple of hundred thousand (THOUSAND!) single family homes right now, I would load up on em'."

​​He went on to say, that buying a home is a way to actually "short" the market, also explaining that there are more households being created that HOUSES, and that the balance will come back into alignment in the future. Not only that, leaving your money doing NOTHING does NOTHING. It just, well "sits." 

Well there you have it. ​You didn't hear it from me, you heard it from Warren Buffett. And of course we'll make it easy for you to find that home in St. George. Link: FANTASTICALLY fantastic St. George Home Home Search.

The Boulders St. George is upscale, but not stuffy, classy, but not over the top. The area offers high appeal to families, but Grandma would be equally at home. The location feels private and somewhat rural, but sits just 5 minutes from all major retail, Regional Medical Center,  restaurants and big-box stores. The Boulders St. George is, quite simply, one of the great real estate locales of Southern Utah.    Boulders St. George

“Custom homes” would be the best descriptor of the style of the Boulders St. George. This gorgeous, all-brick, family-style home is no exception. Some folks may prefer to be in a community of in-line production-style homes where the Buyer gets to choose their carpet, paint and perhaps roof tile. Not for me, and if you’re reading this – probably not for you! I’ve always loved the upscale communities where a 2-story Tudor can comfortably sit side by side with a walkout Tuscan. The Boulders St. George is that place.

This home on 1541 S. Boulder Cove Circle sits in a quiet, low, make that NO traffic cul-de-sac and affords fantastic views north toward Snow Canyon and the heart of St. George City. You’ll love two kitchens and the flexibility it provides for guests, parties, or a separate living are for family or friends. The color palette of this Boulders St. George beauty is neutral, meaning that: a. all of your stuff probably matches, and b. you won’t have a hard time customizing to your own tastes. The home of course offers granite kitchen, alder cabinets, and something that seems to have been lost on most new-home builders: STORAGE! The large craft/laundry room will are a great final touch – my wife would KILLER for that! (So don’t tell her..please.)

Full Boulders St. George View Home Virtual Tour

Is recreation your thing? Don’t worry, you don’t have to worry about installing your own indoor/outdoor pool, Jacuzzi, tennis courts, and basketball courts – The Boulders St. George did it for you! Amazingly, monthly association dues are just a paltry $40 per month! If you’re looking for even more facilities, local Summit Athletic Club is just 2 minutes away, as are City Parks, hiking/biking trails, and more.

The Boulders St. George may be one of the greatest places to reside in St. George, Utah, and 1541 S. Boulder Cove Circle is truly a great home.

1541 Boulder Cove Circle Specs:

·         6 beds, 4.5 baths

·         3867 SF of living space

·         .35 Acre lot

·         3-Car Garage

·         Full access to Boulders St. George amenities for $40.00/month.

Looking for more info? Photos? St. George Real Estate Guidance? Just ask! Email michelle@gostgeorge.com , or call the Larkin Group at 435-674-1442.  With just a few hours’ notice we can schedule a private tour of this beautiful custom home in the Boulders St. George. 

St. George Real Estate is always trending…up, down, buyer’s market, seller’s market, distress market…always moving in some direction.

Depending on the situation you're in, the 2011 St. George Real Estate market was either:

A.     Fantastic - ​People in the "fantastic" class may have purchased their first home at a sub 4% interest rate, refinanced their current mortgage to a sub 4% interest rate, picked up an investment property at a FRACTION of 2005 prices or perhaps even narrowly avoided a foreclosure by way of a successful short sale of their home.

B.     Painful - ​Those in the "painful" category may have lost a home(s) to foreclosure,  built and "sat" on a spec home that wouldn't sell, or, depending on their perspective, short-sold a family home that they originally dreamt of staying in forever.

C.    Lackluster - ​Those in this category probably wished​ they could refinance their home but owed too much on the mortgage, missed out on a great investment deal, or were just generally let-down that the market didn't recover more fully in the way of appreciation to their home's value. 

Regardless of your situation, let’s talk about the top 5 pieces good news in St. George Real Estate!

1.     RECORD HOME AFFORDABILITY – The combination of prices + record low interest rates made 2011 the most affordable time to own a home…EVER!

2.     Decreased Inventory – For Buyers, this is frustrating. However, this means home values are stabilizing, unemployment is obviously improving, and our market is returning to “normal” after a ridiculous boom which was followed by a harrowing crash. In more simple terms? Too many homes for sale = falling home values. Too few = increasing home values. 

3.     The St. George Replacement Airport Opens – After years of planning, fighting with environmentalists, and a lot of community nail biting,  the new St. George municipal airport opened on January 12, 2011. We’re now “jetting” to Los Angeles and Salt Lake City on Jet aircraft instead of turboprop, and we have an airport site that will support jumbo jets in the future. This WILL be a huge benefit to our local economy; it will just take time for that impact to be felt as passenger loads increase. Our Video Blog about it: St. George Airport Grand Opening. 

4.     St. George Recognized over and over for being on the “great” places to: Live, work, retire, and vacation. Check out this article: ​St. George Among Best Places to Live - CNN.com

5.     Finally, CONTINUED Strong Real Estate Sales: ​St. George area real estate sales were higher in 2011 than they've been in nearly 5 years. The Larkin Group alone ​closed over 170 transactions. People ARE...BUYING...REAL ESTATE in Washington County!

'Every homeowner, or would-be home owner's situation is different. The question, "how's the market" should have a unique ​answer for everyone. Don't let some crazy Realtor just tell you "good" or bad." If you're seeking PERSONAL St. George Real Estate information, just confidentially ask!

Email Jeremy at larkin@gostgeorge.com or of course give us a ring – (435) 674-1442. We’d be honored, pleased and all of those other really positive descriptors to answer your questions about current conditions in St. George Real Estate.

St. George Luxury Home values have been a hot topic of many a discussion since the wild RISE, then subsequent FALL of St. George real estate values over the time period of roughly 2003 to mid-2011.

A real factor in the real estate value roller coaster ride of the St. George luxury home market has been the major pain and suffering felt in the real estate markets of other foreclosure-stricken states that were “feeders” of Buyers to the St. George luxury home market – California, Nevada, even as far away as Florida.

Those states saw similarly INSANE rises in real estate values, came out to Utah’s Dixie and said, “are you KIDDING me? These St. George luxury homes are a FRACTION of what I would have paid back home….I’m in!” And the bought…and bought, and bought and bought. When those Buyers started seeing the crash in their own markets, they just stopped coming!

St. George luxury home Buyers are no different than those anywhere else. Saavy, experienced, and slow to make a big $$ play on a home when they see the market dropping like crazy. Fortunately St. George real estate values have stabilized in the past 6-12 months and with rapidly shrinking housing inventories, we may soon see legitimate appreciation again….but be patient.

In this video shot in the St. George luxury enclave of "The Woods at Valley View", Jeremy Larkin discusses an improving St. George Luxury Home Market and the trends and home buying habits that got us to this point. Stay tuned for more on the continuing saga of the St. George luxury home market. 

Regardless of the big box retailer influence or just the plain old “commercialism” of the season, St. George still manages to maintain a “small town” feeling over the Holidays…kind of.

St. George, Utah is probably no different from most any other small city in the United States. Once you’re within oh, say….72 hours of Christmas, the St. George business district becomes a ghost town (as seen in the picture below of The Village Bank on Tabernacle St.), and shopping district becomes…..well let’s just say you’re taking your life into your hands by getting too close. Check out the stream of people below coming into Costco December 23…like a cattle drive!

Born and raised in St. George, as was my Father, I’ve always loved how things in the old St. George downtown seem to almost “go back in time” as business people take an early leave to get last minute shopping done, tidy up for the Holidays, or just play hooky.

I like it so much that I cannot resist but to call my Brother back East and tell him, “well you can see it’s Holiday time Dixie….almost everyone’s left their office for the week.”

​St. George Tabernacle St. pretty darn quiet on 12/23!

As for the Larkin Group? Well we’re kind of  working…we’re at the office at least, but of course distracted by all of the distractions. celebrated the Holidays with our real estate clients via our annual “Larkin Group Pie Day” where we give each of our fantastic Buyer, Seller or Investment clients a delicious Veyo Pie and take at least a few moments to catch up.

I’ll never forget the “good old days” when you’d drive onto St. George Boulevard from I-15 and see the big “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” strung across the Boulevard in faux garland material. Hurricane City still does it! Oh well, I’ll always have those childhood memories of St. George during the Holidays. I hope you're creating your very own too!