Only in Salt Lake.
Labels: utah
Monday, May 05, 2008
Jaywalker Sighting
My wife and I were driving up to the University Hospital in Salt Lake City yesterday afternoon. As we were heading up South Temple street in the Avenues neighborhood, there was a man staggering lackadaisically in the middle of the road. He loosely waved to us as we changed lanes to avoid hitting him. He must have been stoned.
Only in Salt Lake.
Only in Salt Lake.
posted by Kevin | 5/05/2008
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0 comments
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tree-Lined Streets
When I visit the old neighborhoods of Salt Lake City or Farmington, I am impressed by the magnificent trees which have grown up alongside the streets. When I travel on those streets, I feel a certain kind of excitement and a connection with nature. I imagine what it would be like to live on such a street.
Besides being beautiful, tree-lined streets are shady in the summer, making for a pleasant walk or stroll. An ancient tree with its roots deep in the ground also acts as a symbol of the dignity and tradition of a neighborhood.
I wonder why more streets aren't lined with trees. I understand that sometimes, the roots of a tree can disrupt the sidewalk. However, if the homeowner selects the right kind of tree, this will not be a problem.
I suppose I am feeling sentimental not only for tree-lined streets, but for the communities they represent. Modern suburban developments tend to be devoid of trees except perhaps for tiny saplings. New developments, like the trees that are in them, lack maturity and "roots".
Perhaps with time, these new developments will also have great green trees towering gently over the quiet street, when today's new developments become tomorrow's old neighborhoods.
Besides being beautiful, tree-lined streets are shady in the summer, making for a pleasant walk or stroll. An ancient tree with its roots deep in the ground also acts as a symbol of the dignity and tradition of a neighborhood.
I wonder why more streets aren't lined with trees. I understand that sometimes, the roots of a tree can disrupt the sidewalk. However, if the homeowner selects the right kind of tree, this will not be a problem.
I suppose I am feeling sentimental not only for tree-lined streets, but for the communities they represent. Modern suburban developments tend to be devoid of trees except perhaps for tiny saplings. New developments, like the trees that are in them, lack maturity and "roots".
Perhaps with time, these new developments will also have great green trees towering gently over the quiet street, when today's new developments become tomorrow's old neighborhoods.
Labels: real estate, utah
posted by Kevin | 4/28/2008
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0 comments
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Salt Lake County House Prices
I have been watching the local real estate market a lot lately, as I am planning on moving from Kaysville further south, to be closer to my job in South Jordan. As I am trying to sell my house and find another one to buy, here are some of my observations about the Utah market (particularly the Wasatch Front:)
- Houses are still way overpriced. Home prices are dropping a lot in other parts of the country, but not in Salt Lake County. The Deseret News reported today that house prices have stayed virtually the same since the same period in 2007, but sales have gone down 42.21%.
- The median income for a family in Salt Lake County is $54,470. The median house price is about $240,000. This works out to be about 4.4 times a family's annual income, which is higher than historical norms. Traditionally, home prices have a ratio of no more than 3 times a family's annual income.
- That means that the median home price in Salt Lake County ought to be more like $164,000. That is a long way to fall before house prices reach an equilibrium based on market fundamentals.
- Many REALTORS® are lying about market conditions to trick people into paying too much for a house. I think I may have got the only sane one. One clueless REALTOR® posted the following on the Deseret News website:
The economy is fine in Utah, just not in CA, AZ, and NV. You'll see that this summer will be a big year in Utah real estate and if you don't buy a house this summer, you'll miss the perfect buying opportunity. Get in now while the gettin' is good!I think the market will correct itself with time, but that doesn't help me out much in my personal situation, since I want to move this year. It will be interesting to continue to watch the market and see how it irons out. With prices falling so sharply, a lot of people are going to get hurt if they were left holding the bag.
Labels: real estate, utah
posted by Kevin | 4/23/2008
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2 comments
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Local Limericks
Hi folks, here are some limericks I came up with the other day:
There once was a man from Salt Lake,
Who hated to shovel and rake.
His wife made him work,
But his work he did shirk,
So in kind she stopped cooking him steak.
There once was a gal from Woods Cross,
Who married the son of her boss.
She came to work tired,
And soon she was fired,
And she blamed Dad-in-Law for her loss.
There once was a man from Salt Lake,
Who hated to shovel and rake.
His wife made him work,
But his work he did shirk,
So in kind she stopped cooking him steak.
There once was a gal from Woods Cross,
Who married the son of her boss.
She came to work tired,
And soon she was fired,
And she blamed Dad-in-Law for her loss.
Labels: utah
posted by Kevin | 12/17/2005
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0 comments
