Category Archives: Southern Utah News

St. George Area Parade of Homes 2017

The 2017 St. George Area Parade of Homes is no ordinary Parade. It is the largest Parade in the state featuring 28 new homes full of the extraordinary.

This event has a long-standing tradition of displaying a variety of spectacular homes and introducing exciting new trends to attendees across the state. The homes are set among breathtaking landscapes only found in Southern Utah.

General Information

  • Parade of Homes Dates February 17 – 26, 2017
  • 28 New Homes Open 10 am to 7 pm daily. Closes at 5 pm on February 26, 2017
  • Scattered home site event throughout Washington County, Utah
  • Self-guided tour. Take up to all 10 days to view homes.
  • Wear comfortable easy to remove shoes. You will need to remove your shoes. Please wear socks and carry your shoes with you.
  • Presented by the Southern Utah Home Builders Association and Zions Bank
  • For questions, call 435-674-1400 or send email to suhba@suhba.com

Tickets & Map

Tickets are $15 each, no discounts for children or seniors. You can purchase tickets through this website or beginning February 16th at 5 pm at the Red Cliffs Mall (1750 E. Red Cliffs Drive, St. George in center court) or Lin’s Markets (St. George, Hurricane, Washington & Cedar City).  NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE HOMES. When you purchase a ticket on-line, a map with home addresses will be emailed to you on Thursday, February 16, 2017. We do not release the map or addresses earlier because the contractors are working hard to finish the homes. A magazine with the map included will be available at the homes (must show proof of purchased ticket).  Red Cliffs Mall ticket hours are 9 am to 8 pm, except Sundays 10 am to 5 pm.

Ticket entitles visitor admittance to each of the homes once during the 10-day event. The ticket has an additional benefit allowing two repeat admittances to two of your favorite Parade homes. Visitors must purchase a new ticket if re-entry exceeds more than two homes.

Etiquette

Please do not bring large bags into the homes. If booties are provided by the contractors, please do not wear them outside. Some contractors prefer not to use booties in their homes. If a room is roped off, please stay outside that area. Please do not sit on the furniture or turn on any water faucets or shower heads.

Lodging & Relocation

Hurry and reserve your lodging accommodations as early as possible. The Parade of Homes begins on President’s Day Weekend and rooms sell out quickly. For lodging accommodations, see https://utah.com/hotels/st-george. Now is a great time to purchase a home in beautiful Washington County. Search for SUHBA members to find qualified Builders and Realtors to meet your needs.

 

Experts tackle growth, regulation in 2017 St. George real estate preview

St. George City as seen from the Dixie Rock/Sugarload formation at Pioneer Park, St. George, Utah, July 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

ST. GEORGE Real estate development in Washington County is trending toward positive growth but still faces challenges such as rising construction costs and prohibitive impact fees.

Thursday’s St. George Area Economic Summit included breakout sessions previewing residential and commercial real estate development in Southern Utah. The presentations highlighted how population growth, vacancy, regulation, construction costs and inventory are shaping the area’s real estate landscape.

Population and inventory

As Utah leads the nation in population growth, Southwestern Utah leads the state in growth, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. Since 2010, the county has grown by 22,000 people and is projected by the Governor’s Office to reach a population of 200,000 by 2020.

Southern Utah Home Builders Association Executive Officer Mari Krashowetz speaks at the 2017 St. George Area Economic Summit, St. George, Utah, Jan. 13, 2017 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News

“I will tell you it’s been my experience looking at some of the population projections provided by the state, they’re almost always less than what reality is,” Washington County Board of Realtors Vardell Curtis said.

With the spike in population growth, housing vacancy rates have shrunk to their lowest numbers in decades, with rental vacancy at less than 1 percent and single family homes at around 3 percent for the St. George area, according to research by NAI Excel.

The vacancy rates are exacerbated by a relatively low supply of inventory. As of the third quarter of 2016, housing supply was projected to last only 36 months.

“We definitely are running into a shortage, and that can bring up the price of homes,” Southern Utah Home Builders Association Executive Officer Mari Krashowetz said.

Housing and employment

“Unemployment has dropped to 3.2 percent in Washington County. That is pretty much full employment. Anybody that wanted a job has a job,” Curtis said.

Residential real estate is currently ripe with buyers, creating an ideal seller’s market.

Housing is key to continued economic development,” Krashowetz said. “When we build a thousand average single family homes in our community that creates just under 3,000 jobs and generates about $111 million for government – local, state and national.”

Housing will need to keep pace with some of the major economic developments in the area, including the expansion of Dixie Regional Medical Center and Dixie State University. Thousands of jobs are expected to be added to the economy as a result of these developments.

Regulation and construction costs

“When the 115th Congress convenes, there are some things that need to happen specific to real estate,” Curtis said. “Specifically, policy makers need to reform the regulatory process.”

Chief among regulations that create prohibitive real estate development conditions are impact fees.

Such fees range from $8 to $10 per square foot for commercial real estate projects.

It feels like a tax on the landowners … they can’t sell the land for the price they really want to sell for because new construction doesn’t pencil when you fill in that big chunk of impact fees,” Andrew Sorensen, director for Cushman & Wakefield Commerce, said.

Getting these fees reduced will require legislative action.

Krashowetz mentioned President-elect Donald Trump’s claim that 25 percent of home building costs are due to regulation, a number he said he’d like to see reduced to 2 percent.

Construction costs are projected to go up as worker’s wages increase and immigration laws tighten.

“Those considering new construction, again, be aware that there may be some additional costs, especially if ‘the wall’ gets built and so the trades go back,” Curtis said in reference to Trump’s proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Projects in the works

Despite looming challenges, several major commercial and residential real estate projects are already under construction or slated to begin this year.

On the residential end, some of the bigger projects include:

  • St. George Downtown City View, a $30 million mixed-use development, including a hotel, 100-unit apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail.
  • 300 new twin homes and new Hampton Hotel at SunRiver.
  • 120-140 condos and 30-40 homes by Bloomington Country Club.
  • 244 multi-family apartment units in Rivers Edge at 501 S. 2200 E.

Some large commercial projects are already in the works.

  • 3,600-acre area off of Interstate 15 exit 2. This is a 20-year State Institutional Trust Lands Administration project that includes residential, resort, commercial and education developments.
  • Dixie State University expansion.
  • Dixie Regional Medical Center expansion.
  • Ridge Top Complex.

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Southern Utah Key Developments to watch in 2017

Southern Utah is Changing Fast….. Major new multi million dollar projects are either underway or about to break ground across the region, including the largest construction project in St. George’s history, a massive new hospital expansion.

New housing developments are pegged across the St. George region, with more move-ins expected to join the already fast-growing local population in developments downtown, in the Little Valley and Washington Fields areas, near Tonaquint and Green Valley and elsewhere.

New commercial development is expected to give residents and visitors alike more places to stay, shop and recreate, with large-scale shopping centers moving in at places like the new Mall Drive Bridge in St. George and along south River Road, with multiple new hotels and permits taken for new buildings along Red Hills Parkway.

Real estate experts anticipate more of the same in 2017, with new commercial space in the works along south River Road, along State route 9, in the Sun River area and elsewhere.

In Cedar City, a new Deseret Industries is set to open this spring on Providence Center Drive. Other major commercial projects include a Sportsman’s Warehouse on south Main Street and a Ross Dress for Less also on south Main.

Lines of Transportation……A series of new projects are planned to both accommodate more vehicles and encourage more residents to use bikes, buses and other forms of transportation.

The Utah Department of Transportation is nearing completion of a mile-long road widening along Interstate 15 through St. George, including a new underpass near Mall Drive that should ease congestion at two nearby interchanges when it opens later this month. Once that is complete, the agency will turn its attention further south, with additional I-15 lanes scheduled to be built between the Dixie Drive and Bloomington freeway exits. The City of St. George is also looking to add lanes to ease congestion around the I-15 corridor, with a widening project scheduled to go in between 900 East and 1000 East along St. George Blvd to ease traffic along the nearby freeway interchange and intersection with River Road and Red Cliffs Drive.

New Schools and Education Buildings……A number of new schools buildings and other education facilities are expected this year as well. Construction continues on the new Dixie Applied Technology College building, a $45 million facility easily visible from much of St. George atop a black mesa west of the city center.

Dixie State University officials are hoping to earn state funding this year to move forward with a new health and human performance center and have additional plans for new student housing and parking facilities.

At Southern Utah University, officials plan to break ground this summer on a $17 million business building at the site of a parking lot adjacent to the Sharwan Smith Center along University Blvd.
Source: Spectrum

Global Real Estate Powerhouse, Sotheby’s International Realty Opens St. George Office in Historic Style

Saint-George-UT-v2Global Real Estate Powerhouse, Sotheby’s International Realty Opens St. George Office in Historic Style

St. George, UT – Summit Sotheby’s International Realty is pleased to announce the expansion of the premiere real estate brand to Southern Utah. With the addition of this luxury real estate brokerage in St. George, Summit Sotheby’s International Realty is putting Utah properties, state-wide, on the global stage. A Grand Opening will be held Thursday, May 12th at 3:30pm with a visit from Utah Governor Gary Herbert for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Located in the heart of St. George’s historic Ancestor Square, the freshly renovated office is nestled among North Main Street’s tree-lined sidewalks, prestigious art galleries, and fine dining establishments. The office, adorned with a trendsetting mix of historical charm and modern design, will be the home of 14 local agents serving all of Southern Utah.

“We’ve been planning and anticipating this opening for nearly two years,” said Thomas Wright, President and Principal Broker of Summit Sotheby’s International Realty. “With numerous national parks and stunning surrounding landscapes, Southern Utah has become the ‘it’ location for both full time residents and vacation home owners, which makes now the perfect time to introduce the Sotheby’s International Realty brand. Our sales associates here in St. George will truly give clients a one-of-a-kind experience that pairs our global reach with their local expertise.”

Summit Sotheby’s International Realty’s St. George office is located at 151 N. Main Street just north of George’s Corner Restaurant in Historic Ancestor Square. The new office will be the sixth location on the Summit Sotheby’s International Realty roster, with additional offices in Salt Lake City, Park City, and Deer Valley®.

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About Summit Sotheby’s International Realty: Summit Sotheby’s International Realty was organized in 2008 and became the exclusive Sotheby’s International Realty company for the state of Utah.  In our first year we produced $135 million in sales volume.  In 2015 we will produce over $1.4 billion in annual sales volume making us the market share leader in the Park City area. The firm has numerous offices and over 130 brokers and support staff associates serving some of Utah’s best-known luxury markets in Park City, Deer Valley® Resort, Heber, Midway, St. George and metropolitan Salt Lake City.

Contact:
Tiffany Fox
Marketing Director
Summit Sotheby’s International Realty
435.649.1884
tiffany.fox@sothebysrealty.com
summitsothebysrealty.com

Huntsman World Senior Games

Hunstman-World-Senior-Games2

The HUNTSMAN WORLD SENIOR GAMES, headquartered in Southern Utah, is an international sports event for men and women ages 55 and over, to depict that the golden years are better when good health and physical fitness became a way of life, not an occasional hobby.

This renowned event attracts serious athletes from Japan to Russia and from Alaska to Australia to participate in 27 athletic events over a two-week period each October. Scores of countries have participated in the GAMES, where peace among nations is fostered through friendly competition.

In addition to athletic events, the Games promote health by providing life saving health screenings for cancer.  Screenings also detect other serious health threats–glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and decreased bone density. Volunteer medical and nursing students assist with the screenings and generous sponsors provide diagnostic equipment and services.

Band concerts, dances, and awards socials for each sport are also part of the package, bringing athletes and guests together in a social atmosphere where they share in, and congratulate each other for their achievements. This important aspect of the Games emphasizes the celebration of success for all participants, whether or not they win a medal.

An overview of the Games would not be complete without mentioning the volunteers–thousands donate innumerable hours to make this two-week event a treasured experience for all. From sport directors to entertainers, each volunteer plays a valuable role in the success of the Games.

Please join us in celebrating these amazing athletes for the 2015 Huntsman World Senior Games October 5 – 17, 2015.

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