4 Easy Things To Do That Prep Your House For Sale
The hot sellers market over the past few years is cooling off back to normal levels. That means home buyers have more time and more options when house hunting, and we’re starting to hear homeowners ask what they can do to get their house ready to sell, and sell quicker.

Selling a home entails a whole lot more than just planting a “For Sale” sign on your front lawn or uploading a few photos of your place. If you’re considering putting your house on the market, here are 4 easy things you can do today to help prepare your home:

Consider Your Curb Appeal
You never get a second chance to make that first impression. Wow them right away, and inspire the undecided to put your house on their list, visit an open house, or make a phone call to schedule a tour. This means keeping your landscaping in good order and touching up any weather worn areas like shutters, eaves, beams, and door trims. Consider adding water wise flowers, painting the front door, and keep that porch swept and sidewalk cracks weed-free.

Declutter Living Areas
Less is definitely more when it comes to getting your house ready to show. First, start by getting rid of anything that isn’t moving with you, then pack up some of your less essential items that you’re planning to take with you like countertop appliances, extra furniture, or less frequently used gadgets. Not only will clearing clutter help your house look more appealing (and bigger) to buyers, but you’ll have a headstart on your move once an offer is inked.

Depersonalize Your Space
Look, you are beautiful and so is your family but let’s remove any distractions so potential buyers can visualize themselves and their own family living in the property. Remove personal items and family photos, as well as bold artwork and distinct decor that might make the home less appealing to the average Joe. The goal here is to create a blank canvas on which buyers can project their own visions of living there, and loving it.

Clean, Clean, Clean
Once you’re done cleaning your house, clean some more. Nobody ever requests a messy house. When selling your home, it’s important to keep everything tidy. Remember to take special care with the kitchens and bathrooms – make sure the tile, counters, shower, and floors shine. Do it yourself or hire it out, but more sparkle in your house may mean more jingle in your pocket.

Our Take
Prepping your house is what sets apart smart sellers from everyone else. With the market returning to planet Earth, home prep is coming back to the forefront and it’s becoming more and more important to know how to be ready to sell. Where should you focus your time? Besides the items on our list, what should you do to make repairs, upgrades, or renovations? Is it worth it? Do some research to find a real estate agent who is knowledgeable about your specific market. You likely wouldn’t hire a doctor because they make funny videos online or a financial planner without any experience. Find an expert who knows the market and knows exactly what to do to help you get ready to sell. Like always, we’d love to help. Whether you’re first choice or a second opinion we’d love to help you gameplan if you’re in the market to buy or sell.

What a party! Nearly 400 plates of food served up Justin Manikowski, amazing steel drum beats by @steelworks_steelband, awesome hula and fire dancing, and countless smiles created by the exotic birds, dunk tank, and the always entertaining inflatables. Thank you SunCrest Owners Association for the amazing event and letting us participate in such a great annual tradition! ICYMI, be sure to check out our video recap below.

John Wheatley, representing IKON Development, is requesting for approval of a Site Plan and Plat Amendment to develop the vacant property with 152 townhomes. The hearing will be held July 28, 2022 at 6:30 PM 1020 E. Pioneer Rd. Draper, UT 84020.

Agenda link here.

From Draper City:
This application is a request for approval of a Site Plan and Plat Amendment for approximately 19.37 acres located on corner of Brookings Dr. and Suncrest Dr., at 2142 East Brookings Dr. (Exhibit B & C). The property is currently zoned RR-22, RR-43, and RM. The applicant is requesting that a Site Plan be approved to allow the property to be developed with 152 townhomes and a Plat Amendment to consolidate the six lots that encompass the property into one single lot.

The property was originally part of the Suncrest development area and was recorded as Lots 1301-1306 of the Maple Hollow Phases 10, 11, and 13 at Suncrest plat. The Suncrest Master Plan for these properties was for them to be developed with commercial uses. The Suncrest development is vested under the 1999 Draper City Municipal Code (1999 DCMC) and properties in this area still contain zoning designations from the 1999 DCMC, like The
Trailside Townhomes App. # SPR-58-2022, SUBD-111-2022 Site Plan and Plat Amendment Request RR-22, RR-43, and RM zones.

In 2015 the then property owner and Draper City entered into a Development Agreement that removed the property from the Suncrest Development Agreement Area and allowed the property to be developed with up to 160 townhomes. While the property was not rezoned to modern Draper City Municipal Code (DCMC) zoning designations, it is now vested to the current zoning code regulations.

Information courtesy of Draper City.

SunCrest Midyear Market Update
The first six months of 2022 are behind us. We’ve been highlighting changes along the way, but here are 4 things you need to know about the SunCrest real estate market right now.

Home Affordability is a Rising Challenge
With nearly 45M Americans between the ages of 25 and 34 now aspiring to buy a home, home ownership simply isn’t attainable for many. Massive home price appreciation combined with rising interest rates are putting a “starter home” out of reach for many. Expect to see city leaders grapple with more creative (and affordable) higher-density projects such as townhomes, multiplexes, and live-work buildings as they grapple with addressing smart, sustainable, and affordable growth.

Home Price Appreciation is Slowing
If you’re in the market to buy this year, don’t expect a drop in prices. Why? Supply and demand. Even with more homes coming to the SunCrest market, we are still in a housing shortage. It’s not just about the total number of homes, but the type of homes that are available. After the crash in the 2000’s, home builders have built less entry-level homes, which is where most of the demand exists now that Millenials make up the largest group of homebuyers. Starter homes remain in high demand, so prices are still holding strong.

Inventory is Increasing, But it’s Still Very Low
Even though the market is shifting to have a little more balance between the number of homes for sale and the number of buyers who want them, the real estate market is still tremendously active and we’re still well below what many economists consider a “balanced market.” Today, SunCrest stands just under a 2 month supply of homes for sale. In other words, this means that if not one more home was listed for sale, it would only take 2 months to sell out of what’s listed. A more balanced inventory would be 4-6 months.

Price it Right
We’re seeing sellers get less than their original asking price—in some cases by 20%. In other words, they overshot the market and had to decrease their price in order to sell. This is a stark difference compared to the highly competitive market we’ve seen over the past few years, where stacks of offers came in far above asking price. While these homes still sold for a tidy profit, there can be huge risk in setting your original sales price too high. If you’re hiring a real estate agent, work with an experienced and knowledgeable one to set the price right the first time. Bottom line: Price it right and when you do so, most homes are still selling quickly.

Our Take
There’s no shortage of opinions on social media: “Buy now! Don’t sell! Wait for rates to come back down! The market is crashing. The market is just taking off!” We see it too, and it can all be a bit confusing to follow. For the best advice, reach out and work with an experienced agent. People love this neighborhood and demand for homes in SunCrest remains strong even as housing supply catches up and price appreciation settles. We’d love to help you make all the right moves when buying or selling in this new, but not uncharted market.

What is the Hottest Word In Real Estate Right Now?
We’re hearing one particular word a lot right now: shift. Just like “pivot” “the new normal” and “pre-COVID” were big buzzwords, we’re getting asked about the market shift a lot right now. Here are three shifts we’ve got our eyes on.

Shifting Expectations
For much of 2020 and 2021, it was not uncommon to put your house on the market and have multiple offers in the first few days. Some buyers would line up at the doors of an open house and make an offer in the first few hours, often above the asking price. That kind of toilet paper-esque craze was not normal then, and it’s not nearly as prevalent today. While sellers can expect their home to be on the market a little longer, it’s only a slight so far in 2022, with homes staying on the market an average fo 13 days versus just 9 in the same period in 2021.

Shifting Inventory
In real estate, we talk about a “balanced market,” which basically means there are enough buyers, and enough homes for sale. Many real estate economists will tell you a healthy real estate market is when we have a 4-6 month supply of homes given the amount of buyers. In other words, if not one more house went up for sale starting tomorrow, it would take 4-6 months to sell all the homes already on the market. Today, SunCrest stands at a 1.25 month supply. We’re watching this number very closely to see if the inventory starts to shift.

Shifting Affordability
Earlier this year, we took a deep dive in at what impact the shift in interest rates is having. In our example, we used a sales price of $750,000 and found that buyers would pay more due to higher interest rates – $406 more a month – versus what they would have paid with 2021’s rates. Interest rates were never intended to remain at those historical low levels from last year. The biggest shift we’re seeing as a result is that buyers who are in the market now have shifted their expectations and taken into acount how new interest rates impact which homes are affordable.

Our Take
Rewind to ten years ago when homeowners were facing foreclosures, there were lots of “short sales” (homes selling for less than what was owed on them), and many felt it was a crazy time to sell. Today, it’s a total shift and we hear a lot of people say it’s a crazy time to buy. One thing is constant: the market will always shift. The shifting market currently is welcoming back buyers from last year who were turned off from the intense competition as competition and prices stabilize. For sellers, current inventory levels remain at their lowest levels on record and as affordability tightens with rising interest rates, so they’re shifting their selling tactics from instant money to longer-term appreciation calculations. With all these shifting pieces, we think sitting down, reviewing all the facts, and walking through your goals and timing will help best prepare you for your next move.

The summer season is finally here! To celebrate the beginning of a great season the SunCrest OA will be hosting a fun pool party with music, food, games, and prizes at the pool from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Saturday June 4th*.

We’re excited to provide complimentary Hokulia Shave Ice at the Village Green beginning at 12:30. Enjoy a sweet treat on us while you mingle with the local police and fire department. Be sure to explore a mobile command unit and even help put out a fire with a fire extinguisher! Pool party, music, games, and local heroes – we’re excited to help kick off summer!

*For SunCrest OA residents only

SunCrest Photo Contest and Garth Brooks Giveaway

Garth Brooks. You read that right. As you know, we’re on a mission to design a SunCrest calendar that is made from photos of SunCrest, by SunCrest residents. We’ve received some great entries so far, but we still need more help! For any entry received before June 15th, you’ll be entered into a raffle drawing giveaway for a pair of tickets to see Garth Brooks on Saturday June 18th at Rice Eccles Stadium. Grab your camera and send us your favorite photo from the neighborhood.  Spring flowers, summer sunsets, or scenes around the neighborhood; we’d love to feature you and your photos. 

Here’s how to participate

Step 1
Snap a pic and send us your favorite photo from the neighborhood or send us one you’ve taken in the past. Be sure it falls in an approved category: landscape, nature, lifestyle, family, events, or recreation.

Step 2
Submit your photo at suncrestlifestyle.com/calendars where you can also find official details, rules, and requirements.

Step 3
Be sure to get any current or future entries by August 31, 2022. Remember, any entry received by June 15th, comes with a special giveaway for a pair of Garth Brooks tickets on June 18th at Rice Eccles stadium.

Step 4
Like and follow @suncrestlifestyle on Instagram and Facebook for updates, reminders, and inspiration along the way.

We’ll be selecting 12 winners and in addtion to a prize and a print of your photo, you’ll be featured in the 2023 calendar that we produce and deliver to every resident of SunCrest.

Quarter 1 Review and an Update on Interest Rates
The first quarter of 2022 is in the books! So far, things look quite different than they did a year ago. In the first three months of 2022, 21 SunCrest homes were listed and 16 sold. Compare that to the same time period in 2021 when we saw 60 SunCrest home listed and 30 sold. Buyers are still feeling like there is a shortage of available homes to see and ultimately buy. This has led to double digit percentage price appreciation and in many cases, multiple offers for sellers with many homes selling above a seller’s asking price. So far in April, we’re seeing an anticipated seasonal increase in the number of homes coming to the market, which has been welcomed by eager home buyers.

Interest Rates
Recently, we discussed some reasons why rates are rising. This month we wanted to explore what impact the recent rise in interest rates is having on buyers. For the sake of illustration, we ran a hypothetical scenario of a home buyer purchasing a $750,000 home using the average interest rate in the first quarter of 2021, and then that same buyer purchasing that home in the first quarter of this year. As you can see, a buyer would expect to pay $406.91 per month more now, versus in 2021, due to the rise in rates. Of course this is a very simplistic way to look at it, and it does not take into account things like debt payments, or home appreciation, but we think that it demonstrates the impact of interest rates on a mortgage payment. Interest rates were never intended to remain at those historical low levels from last year, so those in the market will need to adjust to the fact that rates are indeed trending higher.

Our Take
The SunCrest real estate market is fluid and changing. March, and so far April, have brought some much needed inventory and we’re off to a steady start to 2022. For sellers, we’re monitoring what impact the rise in rates are having on home sales and price growth. For those who are looking to buy, the recent rise in rates have impacted monthly payments and we’re not seeing any signs that rates will be coming down in the near term. If you’re in the market to buy or sell, working with an agent who is keenly aware of the most accurate and up to date information can help you prepare the best plan for your needs.

We’re going to the dogs and throwing a SunCrest Poo Party! We’re getting together to clean up the Deer Ridge Off Leash Dog park. Join us Saturday April 9th at 9am. Why? Because we give a crap.

Everyone (or pup!) who attends will receive some free swag. Best of all, get your Insta-worthy pic taken with “Turdy the PartyPooper”, our crappy mascot for the day.

Humans and their furry four legged friends are welcome. Please bring your pooper scoopers, shovels, and disposable bags.