Where to live in SLC?

[skibarbie]

Good luck with the arrival process! If your temp house is falling through, s check out one of the extended stay places like Residence Inn just for a week or so to unload the stress factor.
The Spring skiin has been great-but very soft. It is what I like to refer to the 10 til 1 days!
Safe travels...

[SWFL_Native]

Originally Posted by skibarbie

Good luck with the arrival process! If your temp house is falling through, s check out one of the extended stay places like Residence Inn just for a week or so to unload the stress factor.
The Spring skiin has been great-but very soft. It is what I like to refer to the 10 til 1 days!
Safe travels...

Thx barbie... I'm going to do just that, already got my corporate rate for Residence Inn @ 65/night + tax so that isn't bad.

I was planning to do Saturday @ Alta and Sunday at Deer Valley/Park City. We're Floridians and haven't skiied in about 4 years so will need lessons to get the rust off. Would you suggest a different location for us to go?

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by SWFL_Native

Thx barbie... I'm going to do just that, already got my corporate rate for Residence Inn @ 65/night + tax so that isn't bad.

I was planning to do Saturday @ Alta and Sunday at Deer Valley/Park City. We're Floridians and haven't skiied in about 4 years so will need lessons to get the rust off. Would you suggest a different location for us to go?

If you go to Alta, ask for Nic Nichol. He's the assistant director of the Alta Ski School. Tell him his sister-in-law recommended him and that he can buy me dinner as a thank you.

[skibarbie]

Call ahead for DV ski school-435-649-1000- as this is the busiest week of the never ending spring break. If you can get a lesson with Emily Elliot, you will enjoy that a lot. Eric Janes is another great instructor. Bring your sun screen and have a ball..

[SWFL_Native]

Just ended up doing 1 day at Alta and took a group class instead of individual. Boy skiing for two with lessons, equipment, lunch, and ski passes add up quickly. Thankfully our calves/thighs were done in so we had to take Sunday off.

We spent all day today looking for housing and are somewhat disappointed. We've tried KSL, Craigslist, and a Property Management firm searching for places. I think we saw 11 places today and found 2 maybes (if that).

A 3rd place was up in North Salt Lake (Foxboro North) but not quite sure on the surrounding area. Seems quite desolate and most of the houses on the block seemed vacant/for sale. Any input from you guys on this area would be helpful!

We really did like the Avenues neighborhoods the best but both places were a bit small for us. Didn't find any decently priced units with the squarefootage in East Millcreek / Sugarhouse area, everything was pretty much West along I-15. You can definately see a big difference in the neighborhoods the further east you go.

[kaytidid]

Foxboro is a pretty nice area, actually. I think what happened there is most of the homes were built and purchased at the height of the real estate boom. Home values crashed and most likely, most of those homes are ready to be foreclosed on or short sales.

If you are up to moving west (Tooele County) a little bit, there are several homes for rent in my neighborhood (Stansbury Park)

[SWFL_Native]

Ok... So now that my "soon to be wife" and I have been able to get situated here in SLC I think we're zeroing in on the Avenues.

We've looked at several different locations and see even a big difference between 1st Ave / A St to 3rd Ave / F St and even more to 10th Ave / U St.

Generally as I understand it the further up the hill (1st -> 10th+) and further away from downtown (A st -> T st ) the prices go up substantially. You also go from more of a mix of college students/renters/transients to more stable/older people/families. I guess there is a correlation between demographics and pricing.

What I'm trying to understand is sort of the local or insider perspective on this greater area or neighborhood?

Specifically what I've seen are older homes; beautiful turn of the century Victorian style (former polygamist?) homes sliced and diced into multi-tenant rentals. I'm trying to stay away from that and have looked at houses that are still intact as a single entity.

I've actually looked at 3 such units just out of my price range between 3rd-5th ave and F st - N st. They all have similar initial asking prices but I'm sure there is 10%+ on the down side for negotiation. They all even have lease to own options where we would stay in the home for 2 years w/option to purchase at the end as well as locking in a price now.

Any input on this specific section of the neighborhood in terms of crime/safety, future price expectations or trends, and general quality of life would be greatly appreciated!

[dmorris]

SWFL
I think for your specific interests and where you will be working, the avenues makes a ton of sense. Given the proximity to the downtown area, you can't go wrong on resale. I imagine you have a realtor so you have gotten their input which is valuable? I have lived in various parts of the avenues during different periods of my life and I have only watched the real estate go up up up.
I know SLC is hurting like other places but in the long run, I would guess the avenues will always hold its own in regards to an investment. What you have described in your last post regarding students/transient populations being on the lower aves is exactly what I have observed over the last 20 plus years I have known SLC. That is exactly where I lived as a student (Third Avenue). Upper avenues are seen as very desireable real estate - just like many east side benches that provide a close proximity to SL and a view of the valley. Run a crime search and I bet there is a bit more crime in the lower avenues BUT it is still likely lower than many neighborhoods close to a downtown area. I used to walk my dog all the time and sometimes pretty late all over the avenues and never felt unsafe.
The splitting of those beautiful Victorian are more likely due to catering to the poor student population than polygamy but that was pretty funny.

I would do exactly what you are doing - go as far up as you can afford and stay closer to the U as you have suggested. Although, pretty much once you get above 11th, it is smooth sailing and how great would it be to ride your bike up city creek in a blink of any eye? I think you need to work it given you are buying/negotiating at an excellent time. I would guess if you could hold on for 5 years, you would probably do okay based on past results. Like I have said, I can't believe the price increases in SLC over the last 20 years and the avenues has always done well given the variations in population it attracts. Zillow some of the homes you are looking at and I bet you would be amazed over the last 10 years of increased value despite the last two year dip in property values.
Good luck. I am jealous you get to negotiate in such a buyer's market.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by SWFL_Native

Any input on this specific section of the neighborhood in terms of crime/safety, future price expectations or trends, and general quality of life would be greatly appreciated!

In general, it would be safe to say that the higher on the Avenues you go, the better. In other words, a home on 16th Ave would probably be a better choice than a home on 6th Ave. Of course, if you really like the older homes and are into the whole renovating thing, that's another matter. For years, the lower Aves were the home of Salt Lake City's hippy culture (yeah, I know... I'm old). That's changed over the years, but they would still attract younger people, students, singles, etc. while the higher Aves would appeal to the people making the big bucks, established business people, doctors, lawyers, etc. And then there is also the middle ground -- and the Middle Avenues. (I'm kind of guessing on this part, but I'd say 9th to 14th Avenue. Maybe someone who has lived in that area would be a better judge than I.) Overall, the Avenues is a good pick. Also, I'd personally suggest that you focus further east on the Avenues (closer to the University of Utah) unless you're looking right near the Capitol Building. In other words, go for the higher letters in the alphabet (i.e. 'L' as opposed to 'C'.) Anywhere in the Avenues would put you close to downtown.