Utah Real Estate by Carol Sancho

New homeowners holding their house key. Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels (free to use under the Pexels License). By Carol Sancho, Utah Real Estate Advisor & Relocation Guide | November 10, 2026 Leia em português: É hora de comprar casa em Utah?  |  Lea en español: ¿Es buen momento para comprar casa en Utah? Is now a good time to buy a house in Utah, now that mortgage rates have fallen three weeks in a row? Short answer: For many prepared buyers, yes. Freddie Mac’s 30-year fixed rate fell to 7.18% on November 5, 2026, down from 7.40% in October, while Utah inventory is up, pending sales are down 26.8% and sellers are accepting below their original list price. Rates are still about a point higher than a year ago, so the right move depends on your payment comfort, how long you plan to stay and how well you negotiate. If you have been waiting on the sidelines, this is the question I am hearing most this month: is now a good tim...

By Carol Sancho , Utah real estate advisor · Homes Now – Presidio Real Estate · November 6, 2026 Mortgage rates have fallen three weeks in a row. Is now a good time to buy a home in Utah? It can be, for buyers who are ready. Freddie Mac's 30-year average fell to 7.18% on November 5, down from 7.40% in early October, and Utah home sales have slowed sharply. That combination gives buyers more negotiating room than they've had all year. The risk is timing: the Federal Reserve meets again December 8–9, and rates could move either way before then. What changed this week Rates eased for a third straight week. Freddie Mac's 30-year fixed average was 7.18% for the week ending November 5, down from 7.24% the week before. The 15-year averaged 6.57%. Daily rates dipped below 7%. Zillow's daily 30-year purchase average was 6.99% on November 5, which Yahoo Finance reported as the first time below 7% since September. Daily and weekly averages come from different source...

By Carol Sancho , Utah real estate advisor · Homes Now – Presidio Real Estate · Updated November 4, 2026 Do the November 3, 2026 election results change whether you should buy or sell a home in Utah? Not directly. Elections don't set mortgage rates; inflation, Treasury yields and global events do. What changed this week is mostly policy direction for 2027. What matters for your move right now hasn't changed: rates near 7.2%, fewer Utah homes going under contract, and a Salt Lake County property tax bill due November 30. For prepared buyers, that combination means more room to negotiate this winter. What happened on November 3 In Utah: Voters rejected Amendment B , which would have required 60% voter approval for citizen initiatives that raise taxes. The Associated Press projected the result on election night, with about 62% voting no in early returns. Amendment A , which changes how proposed constitutional amendments are published, appeared headed to pass with ab...

Reviewing a purchase contract before signing. Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels (free to use under the Pexels License). By Carol Sancho, Utah Real Estate Advisor & Relocation Guide | November 2, 2026 Leia em português: Novo REPC de Utah  |  Lea en español: Nuevo REPC de Utah What changed in Utah’s new Real Estate Purchase Contract (REPC), and when do buyers and sellers have to use it? Short answer: A new version of the Utah Real Estate Purchase Contract became available on November 1, 2026 , and agents can no longer use the old version for new offers starting January 1, 2027 . The biggest changes are separate appraisal and financing deadlines, a 50% default for earnest money released to the seller if a buyer cancels for financing, a requirement to deliver the full appraisal to cancel, smart home devices included by default, and a $300-per-day minimum holdover fee for sellers who stay past possession. If you are getting ready to buy o...

South Jordan, Utah. Photo by Liz Lauren on Pexels (free to use under the Pexels License). By Carol Sancho, Utah Real Estate Agent & Advisor | November 2, 2026 What does the November 2, 2026 appraisal change (UAD 3.6) mean for buyers and sellers in Utah? Short answer: Starting November 2, 2026, new conventional-loan appraisals sent to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must use UAD 3.6 and the redesigned Uniform Residential Appraisal Report. It changes how appraisal data is reported, not how value is determined, so it will not automatically raise or lower your Utah home’s value, but accurate property details now matter more than ever. Today, November 2, 2026 , the biggest change to home appraisals in more than a decade becomes mandatory. Every new appraisal submitted to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s Uniform Collateral Data Portal must now follow UAD 3.6 and use the redesigned Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) . If you are buying or selling a home in Utah w...