Housing condition and landscaping (Millcreek, South Jordan: for sale, rental homes, houses)

[High Altitude]

I was in SLC for a week and spent one day looking at houses in Holladay, Millcreek, and Cottonwood, but drove around in the area quite a bit during that week.

I got the overall impression that a lot of houses weren't that well cared for and I was surprised how many people didn't take all that good care of their landscaping.

Is this pretty common for this area?

I am not saying I didn't like the area, I did, I am just wondering if I look at a house and it has been unkept with lots of deferred maintenance and the yard isn't maintained that well, should I expect the price of the house to be on the lower range for its size or is it just so common in the area that it doesn't mean that much?

I don't know what to think since where I live now, everyone keeps tip top landscaping and their houses are pretty well maintained, even in the older neighborhoods.

I am trying to make sure I have realistic expectations, but since I don't live there, I am not sure what to think.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by High Altitude

I was in SLC for a week and spent one day looking at houses in Holladay, Millcreek, and Cottonwood, but drove around in the area quite a bit during that week.

I got the overall impression that a lot of houses weren't that well cared for and I was surprised how many people didn't take all that good care of their landscaping.

Is this pretty common for this area?

I am not saying I didn't like the area, I did, I am just wondering if I look at a house and it has been unkept with lots of deferred maintenance and the yard isn't maintained that well, should I expect the price of the house to be on the lower range for its size or is it just so common in the area that it doesn't mean that much?

I don't know what to think since where I live now, everyone keeps tip top landscaping and their houses are pretty well maintained, even in the older neighborhoods.

I am trying to make sure I have realistic expectations, but since I don't live there, I am not sure what to think.

I'm kind of surprised that you had the experience you did. We live in Cottonwood Heights, and my sister and brother-in-law live in Holladay. For the most part, I think our particular neighborhoods are quite well-kept. Every so often, you will run into a property where the owner just doesn't give a damn, and it seems to wreck the appearance of the whole street, but for the most part, I think people in the neighborhoods you looked at seem to have a fair amount of pride in their homes and yards.

My guess is that if the yard looks kind of unkempt, the condition of the home (particularly the interior) will also reflect a lack of care. I'm wondering if the homes that looked run-down were perhaps rentals. There aren't a lot of rental homes in the areas you looked at, but rentals do seem to be conspicuously run-down, particularly if the owner lives out of the area and never really bothers to check up on the place.

Were you just randomly driving around or were you looking specifically at homes for sale?

[kavm]

Not entirely certain what exactly you are referring to in terms of poor landscaping. We do live in area where water is in short supply, and my personal observation on landscaping here is that it is very often poorly suited for the environment.

[High Altitude]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I'm kind of surprised that you had the experience you did. We live in Cottonwood Heights, and my sister and brother-in-law live in Holladay. For the most part, I think our particular neighborhoods are quite well-kept. Every so often, you will run into a property where the owner just doesn't give a damn, and it seems to wreck the appearance of the whole street, but for the most part, I think people in the neighborhoods you looked at seem to have a fair amount of pride in their homes and yards.

My guess is that if the yard looks kind of unkempt, the condition of the home (particularly the interior) will also reflect a lack of care. I'm wondering if the homes that looked run-down were perhaps rentals. There aren't a lot of rental homes in the areas you looked at, but rentals do seem to be conspicuously run-down, particularly if the owner lives out of the area and never really bothers to check up on the place.

Were you just randomly driving around or were you looking specifically at homes for sale?

We did look at about 6 homes and drove around the area.

I know we were looking at the lower prices, 400-450k, so it wasn't like we were looking at the higher priced homes.

I just did a search right now and the first thing that came to my mind was, where were these houses when we were looking, they seem so much better than the ones we looked at, lol.

Originally Posted by kavm

Not entirely certain what exactly you are referring to in terms of poor landscaping. We do live in area where water is in short supply, and my personal observation on landscaping here is that it is very often poorly suited for the environment.

I was thinking about this. It is such an arid climate, maybe the grasses and other landscaping they try to use aren't the right way to go.

It was also middle of summer, so hot. I am sure that didn't help any.

I really do like the area. I miss the west so much and want to get back. I can see why these parts of the SLC area are desired. The locations offer a lot.

Hopefully we can get the job transfer.

It was just a huge shock compared to where we live now. You can't compare though, pricing, sizes and age of the houses are so different here.

We are going to rent first, we always do when we move to a new place, so we will have plenty of time to look around.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by High Altitude

I know we were looking at the lower prices, 400-450k, so it wasn't like we were looking at the higher priced homes.

That price point is below the average for Holladay. That might be why you are finding homes in need of improvement. That being stated, much of Holladay is a wooded area. The naturalized and woodsy landscape is intentional and part of the neighborhood ambiance.

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I'm kind of surprised that you had the experience you did. We live in Cottonwood Heights, and my sister and brother-in-law live in Holladay. For the most part, I think our particular neighborhoods are quite well-kept. Every so often, you will run into a property where the owner just doesn't give a damn, and it seems to wreck the appearance of the whole street, but for the most part, I think people in the neighborhoods you looked at seem to have a fair amount of pride in their homes and yards.
My guess is that if the yard looks kind of unkempt, the condition of the home (particularly the interior) will also reflect a lack of care. I'm wondering if the homes that looked run-down were perhaps rentals. There aren't a lot of rental homes in the areas you looked at, but rentals do seem to be conspicuously run-down, particularly if the owner lives out of the area and never really bothers to check up on the place.
Were you just randomly driving around or were you looking specifically at homes for sale?

When I first visited SLC I notices the same thing as the OP. This stuff is pretty common here. I think your comment may be the key.



The street I live on (Holladay) is a reasonably upmarket neighborhood and very well kept up EXCEPT for 2 houses. One has a front yard and driveway full of crap and the house is a mess. It's not very visible cause it's so overgrown. A couple houses down from that was occupied by an old widow, probably the original owner, and very neglected. Eventually flippers bought it and remodeled it. Both houses are utterly out of character with everybody else, yet there they are. The next street up is similar. It's a short street, not many houses, and one of them is completely packed with ancient, destroyed boats, jet skis and other crap. Looks awful. You see this same thing all over, including Olympus Cove. It becomes more common farther west towards the valley.



What's differs here from other upscale neighborhoods I've seen elsewhere is that these dilapidated places simply don't exist in other places. They aren't 'every so often,' they're never. One thing that contributes, I think, is that many (most?) neighborhoods here just aren't that old. Many are occupied by the original owners, or their kids who haven't kept them up, maybe for financial reasons (unable to keep up with taxes, cost of living, etc). I've also concluded that the tolerance here is very high for that stuff. In many communities it simply isn't tolerated. The town would force a cleanup or taxes would eventually drive out somebody just living on the edge.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by kletter1mann

I've also concluded that the tolerance here is very high for that stuff. In many communities it simply isn't tolerated. The town would force a cleanup or taxes would eventually drive out somebody just living on the edge.

You have no idea how badly I wish that would be the case here.

[SWFL_Native]

Originally Posted by High Altitude

I was in SLC for a week and spent one day looking at houses in Holladay, Millcreek, and Cottonwood, but drove around in the area quite a bit during that week.

I got the overall impression that a lot of houses weren't that well cared for and I was surprised how many people didn't take all that good care of their landscaping.

Is this pretty common for this area?

I am not saying I didn't like the area, I did, I am just wondering if I look at a house and it has been unkept with lots of deferred maintenance and the yard isn't maintained that well, should I expect the price of the house to be on the lower range for its size or is it just so common in the area that it doesn't mean that much?

I don't know what to think since where I live now, everyone keeps tip top landscaping and their houses are pretty well maintained, even in the older neighborhoods.

I am trying to make sure I have realistic expectations, but since I don't live there, I am not sure what to think.

I can't say I agree with your take but I also don't disagree. I can say that based upon my limited home-ownership experience here are the following:

- In the areas we lived at in Davis Co and South Jordan the soil has not been optimal for growing.
- This year has been very dry so keeping a water green is very difficult if not impossible as well as expensive and not water conservatory appropriate.
- The areas yo looked at are a bit older with pockets of real wealth. You'll find in some of these older neighborhoods that the landscaping is taken care of but older growth trees and maybe not the latest in terms of species and landscaping construction/trends.

[High Altitude]

Originally Posted by kletter1mann

What's differs here from other upscale neighborhoods I've seen elsewhere is that these dilapidated places simply don't exist in other places. They aren't 'every so often,' they're never. One thing that contributes, I think, is that many (most?) neighborhoods here just aren't that old. Many are occupied by the original owners, or their kids who haven't kept them up, maybe for financial reasons (unable to keep up with taxes, cost of living, etc). I've also concluded that the tolerance here is very high for that stuff. In many communities it simply isn't tolerated. The town would force a cleanup or taxes would eventually drive out somebody just living on the edge.

Here, people keep their houses and yards kept up. Age definitely contributes, oldest houses where built in the 60s and 70s for the most part. There are some older here and there, but not that common. Lots of homes built are newer.

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-400000-550000

Even subdivisions where homes cost in the 300s are kept up.
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...300000-400000/

[cedarite]

Those areas in TN also have abundant water. Lush green southern style landscaping would be extremely difficult and expensive to keep up in much of the southwest. Utah has the issues of drought and freeze when it comes to landscaping. I'm in southern Utah in an area that freezes... even the local cactus expels water and shrivels up for winter.