Leeds, UT (St. George, South Salt Lake, Cedar City: real estate, renter, insurance)

[WendyW.]

Can someone tell me about it? If things go right we may consider moving there in several months.

I've looked up the demographics and they appeal to us. We are not scared of small towns or not having "things to do".

We currently live in a community of 300 so being small is not a problem. I actually really, really like it.

My husband is from Las Vegas. He has lots of family throughout NV, UT and AZ.

He has a cousin that, if everything goes right, will have a job opening for him.

I'm concerned about the cost of living as compared to the wages though.

What if he does get this job and it's all good for a while but something happens that it doesn't last? I don't want to fall into poverty or anything.

I mean, he can always fall back on his trade (he's a front end alignment technician/mechanic) and also knows flooring. I know he would never let that happen but it is still scarey to me. I assume he would have to go to St. George for that?

The dry air and beautiful mountains are so tempting though. Although, I would miss Cajun country.

Anyway, this got long. What's it like to live in Leeds??? And yes, we are LDS. LOL

What are the schools like?

I assume that you have to go to St. George for shopping, medical, etc. We're already used to having to travel for that sort of stuff.

Real estate prices seem outrageous!!! for the ones I've seen online. We're country people so we'd like to have at LEAST two acres where we can keep our farm animals. I don't care if we'd have to buy a nice double wide to put on it but we need the land.
Is this the right place for that sort of thing or should we continue to think more of the Elko, NV area for that??

[Blondie-Rabbit]

Ok, lets get the shock over with up front. Prices for land here are obscene. You will be paying for acreage on average of at least (in Leeds area) about 70k to 80K per acre or for 1/4 lot. I don't know if that includes water rights. With no water rights, forget using the land. Yes on the east side of the freeway you can get land that you can put a double wide on. On the west side, Silver reef area, forget buying anything in there that is less than 1 mil. The 1/4 acre lots are nearly 200K. As to the schools they buss them to Hurricane area. St. George is only 18 miles away. Out here that is nothing. We all drive to get to town. Hurricane if you take the back roads by Quail creek resevoir is the closest. It has a good grocery store, but not everything. It also has the best movie theatre complex in this end of the state. They keep it clean and care for their property. In Leeds itself there is one small 7-11 style grocery store. It also has one gas pump. that is it for the businesses. Everything else you have to go to either St. Geroge area, or to Hurricane. The housing prices and real estate in general is hideously expensive. The whole So. Utah area thinks that the prices are still rising. Vegas area which we are the fringe of market wise, is the #2 worst place at the momnent according to Forbes magazine to purchase real estate. That is because it is so over inflated. Here there are no good jobs. High wages are in the $12 to $15 range with most good jobs at the $8 to $10 area. A lot of jobs are only the service type, which pays minimum, and part time. so there are no benefits with the part time work.

Now for the good news. It is a great place to live. People are super freindly. It is drop dead gorgous here. It is right on I-15, so acess is easy to get anywhere you want to go. Winters are mild, and summers are hotter than hell, but as they say it is dry heat. that means you just spontanously combust without sweating. Vegas is 1 1/2 hour drive away. What you can't get here, you can always get there.

What kind fo job was your husband offered? If it construction related, I would hold off. There is a creeping bankruptcy rate going on with the construction companies locally. Also the forclosure rate is one fo the highest in the country as well. If he is in offered a job in another field that is unrelated to construction, I would jump at the chance, if it pays well. Make sure that you get a signed contract with all things spelled out completely as to benefits and length of employment (minimum) too many get people to move here, then in a few months fire them, so that is a risk, unless there is a valid signed contract. Just words of widom on that score.

I hope you move here. It would be fun to have another new person around.

[WendyW.]

Blondie Rabbit, thank you for your kind response.

I am not surprised they have a high forclosure rate. How can people afford those housing prices making only $10 per hour. Thats amazing.

Here in Louisiana we can buy an acre anywhere between $8,000 and $20,000 depending on where it's located. And most country people in our area want at the very least 3 acres to play with. Coming from here it is almost unimaginable to me that people can live on such small plots. We are renting right now but still have over two acres to use as we want.

If all this comes to pass, my SIL and her family will be going there too. They live in Vegas now, as do the inlaws.

I'm just unsure if we could have the type of lifestyle we are looking for. I mean we are very simple, country people. Laid back and low maintenance. We try to be self sufficient and raise as much as we can as far as gardening and meat.

May I PM you about this job to see if you've heard anything about it? I don't want to put anyone's business out there.

[Blondie-Rabbit]

Your sure can Pm me. Give me your phone number and I will call. We have unlimited long distance paid by my hubby's company. I can also show your SIL around the area if she wants to come up for the day. I hate to be a wet blanket on things, but I like people to know what is happening so they are not surprised when they get here. If you can get the place you want, and make a good living, it is absolutel fabulous to live here.

[jbkmam]

I have some family in Leeds. they have lived there for years. of anywhere in southern Utah leeds has old times vs newbies. there is a divide for sure between the older homes and the new homes. Leeds is one fo the few places restricting new construction. I think 75k is cheap for a lot in leeds. I have seen price closer to 100k and I watch lot prices daily.

As for school leeds buses to st george. the schools the kids get bused to changes yearly, it was west , then standstone? but the schools are not very good. Overcrwoded and with the raise in housing , many classrooms are without teachers. My son had a sub for the entire year!

I totally agree about the wages. Five years ago I lived in the area and we lived very well. My husband made $25 an hour and that is good money in this area. We moved for medical care. Yes st george has a good hosiptal but alot of medical conditions are sent to salt lake or vegas still (deending on insurance). When we came back to the area 2 years later $25 ahour makes you a renter of a small home when before we owned a 3200 sq ft home on a .50 acre lot, no way we could buy anything.

I am curious what thenext few years brings to this area.

[Steadykat]

"Leeds is one fo the few places restricting new construction". Sorry, but you are mistaken. There are a couple of "big-time" developers that want to add several hundred homes to the area in two different developments (even though Leeds is awash in unsold "spec" homes and several failed "developments"). Unfortunately, our City Council never met a "deal" that they could refuse.

It appears that our cities "leaders" believe that Leeds is poised to be the next Manhattan or Orange County. Tax revenues dance in their heads as they sleep at night (or during Council mettings). Unfortunately, they are slowly destroying the very "qualities of life" that many of us moved here to enjoy. The "city" has also figured out how to get State money for projects. They received over $100,000.00. to "beautify" mainstreet. However, if the recent rock project is any example, they should give the money back.

One other thing, it may have shown good faith to impose some restrictions on things like the number of vehicles parked (I have counted up to 14 in some yards) in one's yard or the amount of trash allowed to accumulate on one's property along Main street before taking the (taxpayer's) cash.

Actually, it may have helped the beauty of Main street considerably if someone from our Town had overseen the sidewalk reinstall (after the irrigation water was diverted/taken). The sidewalks look like something out of the X-games.

Wages in this County aren't very good. Most people that I have met here sold their homes in other States (for a profit) and used the earnings to buy here. Home prices are tanking all over Washington County. Leeds will be toast. You'll get a good price. However, it will probably take a couple of years for the price to fall "big" and you'll be buying your property from the Bank.

With the influx of Doctors into our area over the last few years Dixie Regional Medical center is now equal (or in some cases, better) to the Health providers in Salt Lake when it comes to most Medical treatments.

[ccgypsy]

We are thinking of moving to Leeds or New Harmony so looking at the weather conditions for winter and summer. Also, what is the water situation there in watering during the summer we want to have a garden.
Any information would be appreciated

[Blondie-Rabbit]

New Harmony is up the Black Ridge and another 2000 ft higher in elevation. It has a temperature environment similar to the midwest. The water issue in that area is one that you might want to research out more. There are larger farms that grow hay, but there is pressure to up their water bills if not resind their water rights out right. Leeds is in the climate zone that St. George is in. You will get cold in the winter, and it can snow, but it melts by noon if it snows at all during the winter. Summers get hotter than hell in the summer. Water is an issue, but if you work hard at it and amend the soil heavily use shade cloths on some veggies and fruits, you can grow a garden in the area. It is just not easy.

[cottonwood2420]

Originally Posted by WendyW.

Can someone tell me about it? If things go right we may consider moving there in several months.

I've looked up the demographics and they appeal to us. We are not scared of small towns or not having "things to do".

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Deseret Morning News | Prime for crime?

Low crime rates

The extreme opposite of South Salt Lake is tiny Leeds, population 613, between Cedar City and St. George. It has almost no crime.

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