Techie Texans Looking To Move to Utah (Sandy, South Jordan: fit in, real estate market)

[MLOS]

1. Budget? 375k
2. House/Condo/Townhome? House
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home WFH)? I WFH 100%. The wife will most likely work in the Silicon Slopes area (not sure where else the tech jobs are - please educate me )
4. Children(public school vs. private) N/A
5. Suburban, or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of them together (or even Rural)? Not too picky
6. Must-haves? Newer construction or recently updated, move-in ready or minimum work needed, under 30-minute commute to Silicon Slopes (during rush hour), under 30 minutes to DT/airport, fully fenced backyard (for a small dog), 2-3 car garage (car nut), 3+ bedrooms, boat storage would be nice, close to a big grocery store, bike-friendly (bike nut too)
7. Preferable demographics of the desired neighborhood? Not in the early stages of gentrification, We have no bias about religion and whatnot - we're pretty accepting of all people...just hope that's reciprocated.


Hello friends! My wife and I have been in Austin, TX for the past 8-10 years... We've had the opportunity to watch it grow...and grow...and grow to the point where it's too crowded and expensive. My job is 100% remote, but I will look into tech company employment at some point. My wife is also in the tech industry and has actually already started applying to places in the SLC area. We're in our early 30's if that means anything.

We were originally looking at Denver - as my wife has some family out there, we have some friends out there too. But after visiting a few neighborhoods, we were shocked at how little our dollar gets.

I visited SLC last year for the first time for the Ford Performance Racing School and was pleasantly surprised how awesome SLC is. People were friendly, the views were stunning, had some good food and got some good hiking in too.

From window shopping on Redfin, it seems that the Draper, Riverton, North Lehi, and South Jordan areas fit the bill pretty well. Just seeing if there are any other places yall would recommend looking into.

FYI - she's originally from Chicago and I'm originally from Canada - so we're cool with cold weather (pun intended). But this inversion stuff I'm reading about sounds intense. Anything else I should know about? I
know about the alcohol thing - no biggie for us as we rarely drink.

Thanks in advance

[Coffeequeen]

Are you seeing tolerable listings in that price range? I think you are asking a lot for 375, even in Draper/Riverton. IMO don't live in Lehi. Personally I still think the east side is nicer. The real estate market IMO is overheated in the valley. I would seriously consider renting for a year. I don't think you are going to get both commutes to a half hour in your budget with your likes unless your DT/airport commute is outside of rush hour. I would say pick somewhere halfway. like Sandy but preferably Cottonwood heights, but your budget and likes don't match. I would say to consider townhouses though.
Are kids in the future?

[MLOS]

Originally Posted by Coffeequeen

Are you seeing tolerable listings in that price range? I think you are asking a lot for 375, even in Draper/Riverton. IMO don't live in Lehi. Personally I still think the east side is nicer. The real estate market IMO is overheated in the valley. I would seriously consider renting for a year. I don't think you are going to get both commutes to a half hour in your budget with your likes unless your DT/airport commute is outside of rush hour. I would say pick somewhere halfway. like Sandy but preferably Cottonwood heights, but your budget and likes don't match. I would say to consider townhouses though.
Are kids in the future?

Thanks for the response - I have seen about 8-ish houses in the aforementioned areas that are within the budget that also meet most of the requirements. 400k is my stretch if need be.

The DT/airport 30-minute requirements are not during rush hour if that helps.

I've read mixed things about Lehi - but haven't read anything about it within the past 2 years or so. I heard it was very traditional - not sure if that's still the case.

I'm cool with sharing walls if I'm renting (townhomes) - but if I'm buying, I'd prefer to not share a wall.

I've read that SLC is like Austin or Denver a decade ago where you can buy low and watch your investment grow. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that.

Kids - eventually...but no imminent plans.

[Katzpur]

I would second the suggestion that you not move to Lehi. Even though you will likely be working in Utah County, it's very, very LDS. I just feel as if it would be difficult for a non-LDS person to fit in and make friends there. I'd check out both Sandy and Cottonwood Heights, and think you'd probably be happier there than in Draper. Like Coffeequeen, I prefer the East Side to the West, but if you do look on the West Side, South Jordan would be your best option, IMO.

[MLOS]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I would second the suggestion that you not move to Lehi. Even though you will likely be working in Utah County, it's very, very LDS. I just feel as if it would be difficult for a non-LDS person to fit in and make friends there. I'd check out both Sandy and Cottonwood Heights, and think you'd probably be happier there than in Draper. Like Coffeequeen, I prefer the East Side to the West, but if you do look on the West Side, South Jordan would be your best option, IMO.

Thanks for your honesty about Lehi. Unfortunately, nothing in my budget/needs is coming up in Cottonwood Heights - but a few in Sandy look nice.

To be honest, I did find my favorite houses in the Draper area. Is there anything particularly wrong with that area?

[ut new]

"Not in the early stages of gentrification"

Murry, and upper Midvale, might work, esp for the biking. Just reasearched all this myself recently. As you move east from there, the hills increase a lot. It's equidistant from downtown SLC and UT county, and very very pre-yuppy or pre-gentrification right now... an almost old West feel.

It's also in the middle of the valley, so you get less clouds and rain, which might affect biking; the clouds increase towards the east as the air moves up the mountain. You can watch it hourly here https://weather.com/weather/radar/in...ive/l/SLC:9:US

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by MLOS

Thanks for your honesty about Lehi. Unfortunately, nothing in my budget/needs is coming up in Cottonwood Heights - but a few in Sandy look nice.

To be honest, I did find my favorite houses in the Draper area. Is there anything particularly wrong with that area?

No, no at all. Some parts of Draper are filled with McMansions that are so close together and ostentatious you wouldn't believe it. But those are probably out of your price range, too. And seriously, you couldn't pay me enough to live there. Draper is actually a city with many different neighborhoods, some pricey, some run-down and some right in-between. You'd definitely be closer to where you'd be working if you were to move there.

[MLOS]

Oh yea - forgot to ask, Is there anything in Utah that will be a "sticker shock" to me in your opinion? Car registration?

[Coffeequeen]

Draper is great if you like the exurbs, like the LDS family vibe, like the countryside, love to bike (road biking is terrific IMO, you can jump on your bike and ride terrific roads) and mountain bike (excellent trails). But you don't need any social life/bars/real restaurant, don't care about eating out proper, It is great if you are outdoorsy misanthropes. I think if you looked close to trax there is more condo/townhome building for younger couples. Draper is definitely going to change but the prices are already high.
ITA with Midvale as above (east as you can afford though) because that is one diamond in the rough that seems to just be waiting for some love. Lovely little older homes, great access to transit, roads, canyons. You just have to take it almost street by street though.
IMO if you like road biking, hills are a feature, not a bug, right?

[MLOS]

Originally Posted by Coffeequeen

Draper is great if you like the exurbs, like the LDS family vibe, like the countryside, love to bike (road biking is terrific IMO, you can jump on your bike and ride terrific roads) and mountain bike (excellent trails). But you don't need any social life/bars/real restaurant, don't care about eating out proper, It is great if you are outdoorsy misanthropes. I think if you looked close to trax there is more condo/townhome building for younger couples. Draper is definitely going to change but the prices are already high.
ITA with Midvale as above (east as you can afford though) because that is one diamond in the rough that seems to just be waiting for some love. Lovely little older homes, great access to transit, roads, canyons. You just have to take it almost street by street though.
IMO if you like road biking, hills are a feature, not a bug, right?

Yea we're currently in the east side post gentrification burbs' in Austin and like the mix of folks living around us - younger, older, musicians, young professionals, etc. We're cool with 20ish minute drives to go DT or other areas for fun food and whatnot.

I am a fan of metrorails - we have a pretty basic one (literally one line) here in Austin that served me well. Is it a faux pas to take your bike on the UTA TRAX?

I do remember seeing a lot of wide roads with good bike lanes when I visited last year. Huge plus for me.
These days, I mostly ride my fixed gear road bikes around. Austin is pretty hilly and it's a fun challenge...getting called crazy for doing so is a motivating factor. I do also have a road bike and downhill 29er that will come with. Austin has made me a bike nut.