One Week Special

How would you like to own a brand new home, without having to wait for it to be built?

Now you can have that chance and save a bunch of money too!

Gold Medallion Homes is offering a one week special on selected new homes.

$10,000 of listed price
$6,000 in lender incentives
Priced from the high $200s

What's the catch? You have to close by the end of this month and use our preferred lender Countrywide. Garden Cottages at Daybreak are excluded. That's it!

Take a look at the great homes and great communities we have available for this promotion at the Gold Medallion Homes website.

Pineae Gardens Set To Open

Pineae Gardens, a new community in Centerville, UT is set to open May 16th. The Tuscan Village features three types of homes including townhouses, patio homes and our Tuscan Terrace condominiums. At this time, Gold Medallion will be selling the first phase of the Tuscan Terraces which start in the low $180's.

The Salt Lake Tribune pointed out today affordable housing when it comes to new construction is very difficult to find. At Gold Medallion, we're pleased to offer affordable luxury and spaciousness at Pinea Gardens. The Tuscan Terraces are 1400 square feet and include granite counter tops standard. Following the Tuscan Terraces will be our Villa patio homes and townhouses.

Tuscan Terraces will become available for purchase this Saturday, May 5th. Come early for best selection.

Pineae Gardens, a Tuscan Village is located at 675 N. Main St. in Centerville. Call 801-298-9900 for details.

Traverse Mountain Open to the Public

We had a great time showing off our new homes available at Traverse Mountain a couple weeks ago. Thanks to everyone who came up to the top of the mountain to enjoy the view and the new house.

We'll be open again to the public this Saturday from noon to 5 pm. Please join us for a truly unique experience at the top of Traverse Mountain.

There are only eight lots available, each with a different floor plan and architectural style. Essentially, you'll be getting a one of a kind house with a one of a kind view, with personalized finishes that you select.

The kitchen is ready for entertaining.

A view of the living room from the top of the staircase.

The best view of the valley from Traverse Mountain.

Sales Agent: Scott Erskine 801-706-5602

Are Utah Home Builders Desperate?

That’s the implication a recent article in the Salt Lake Tribune wants to imply. It begins rather benignly with a title of Home builders offering incentives, but it's not a sign of a market crash.

The article quickly goes to the jugular by saying:

As expected, Utah's red-hot housing market is cooling off, and builders are offering up goodies such as free appliances and luxury vehicles in a bid to reel in buyers.
The freebies represent an abrupt change from the past two years, when builders along the Wasatch Front have not had to offer much of anything to entice buyers. Utah's economy has been among the strongest in the nation, with stellar job growth and population gains, both of which bode well for builders.

One example cited in the article is from another local builder:

To spur sales, Hawkins Homes & Communities in North Salt Lake said it began advertising a "free" Lexus IS250 on two billboards in Davis and Salt Lake counties earlier this month.

The fine print says that buyers who meet certain criteria get a free one-year lease on the luxury sedan. (They can also elect instead to get a $10,000 kitchen or bathroom upgrade.)

The builder, which has subdivisions in Draper, Herriman and Fruit Heights, said it will offer the incentive through end of the month.

But, the other example cited isn’t really indicative of special incentives.

Sage Builders, which is building in south Salt Lake County and Utah County, was offering $5,000 off closing costs to buyers who use a "preferred lender."

Many local builders, Gold Medallion included, offer incentives for using our preferred lender. It helps speed up the financing process, assures customer satisfaction and insures a timely close for our clients. This is a common practice among builders and certainly doesn’t indicate a market slowdown.

In fact, the market outlook for new homes in Utah is quite good according to the latest report from real estate data provider NewReach.

Complete unoccupied homes, or standing inventory, remains exceptionally low in most of the counties within the Wasatch Front. Salt Lake County, however, has seen an increase from 1Q06, as standing inventory along the western corridor has increased. Currently, this is not a serious concern as new home closings within the entire county remain extremely robust.

Salt Lake continues to be a great place to work and live with plenty of jobs available. Both housing appreciation and demand remain strong and we expect a consistent growth rate over the coming years.

Traverse Mountain Open House - For People Moving Up

Gold Medallion Homes is pleased to offer our newest community at Traverse Mountain. Our model home is complete and ready to tour. Saturday is the Grand Opening from 2 pm - 5 pm.


Our homes at Traverse Mountain set on the most choice sites at the top of the community. These locations offer panoramic views of the valley and Utah Lake.


Only eight sites are available at Eagle Summit and each features a different architectural style. Prices start in the high $600s and each home can be personalized to the owner's specifications.


Come take a look for yourself this Saturday from 2 to 5 pm. If you can't make it this Saturday, call Scott Erskine to schedule a personal tour.



Directions: Take the Highland-Alpine Highway to Triumph Blvd. Head North to Traverse Mountain Blvd. Make a left on Traverse Mountain Blvd and follow it to Homestead Dr. until you reach the roundabout. Follow the roundabout and make a right on Gray Hawk Dr, then your next left on Ravencrest Ln. Make a left on the next road which is Eagles View Dr. and follow it to the end.


Sales Agent: Scott Erskine 801-706-5602

Carnival of Real Estate Investing

That prescient groundhog from Pennsylvania got it right this year, at least in Utah, and the temperatures have risen, the snow has melted and construction on new homes is at full swing.

Welcome to this week's edition of the Carnival of Real Estate Investing. We have six entries worthy of comment.

Starting out, Brian Brady presents BAD LOANS: Buried In The Back Of The BreadBox posted at BloodhoundBlog. Quite frankly, it's not fair to "judge" entries when Brian is submitting because he is in a league of his own. If we had to call a winner, Brian would be it. Brian's article discusses the real impact of failed subprime loans to financial investors.

Please take a look at the other excellent entries this week -

Dan Harris presents Foreign Ownership Of Real Estate In China/China's New Forex Rules posted at China Law Blog. If buying property in the U.S. is getting too costly, take a look at China. Dan Harris explains how to buy investment property there the legal way.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents The Unconvential Way To Buy Or Sell A House: Online Auctions posted at The Digerati Life. SV Blogger writes about online auction sites as a way to sell a house. Builders across the country are using auctions with little or no success, but online auction sites might be a way to attract more eyeballs.

Victor Emeli presents Getting Money Out of a 1031 Exchange posted at Financial Freedom Through Real Estate. Victor's blurb states a way to get cash back from a 1031 exchange, the method investors use to defer taxes on investment properties.

Paul presents Housing Slump - Crisis or Opportunity? posted at ExtremePerspective. Paul's blurb suggests rising foreclosures present opportunities for real estate investors.

Nigel Swaby presents Real Estate Investing - A Wholesale Perspective posted at Salt Lake Real Estate Blog. Nigel's guest blogger, Byron Goates, writes about his personal real estate investing experience and strategy...some successful, some not.

That's it for this week's Carnival of Real Estate Investing. We hope you enjoy this spring. If spring hasn't struck where you live, we hope you'll see it soon. The next Carnival will be hosted at Bigger Pockets.

Carnival of Real Estate Investing

Pick up a funnel cake and grab some cotton candy because the Carnival of Real Estate Investing is coming to Utah.

Gold Medallion Homes Blog is proud to host the upcoming edition on Monday and there's still time to submit your entry.

If you don't know what a blog carnival is, check out this week's edition hosted by The Real Estate Guide.

We're look forward to our hosting duties and hope you enjoy the presentation on Monday.

Step right up!

Gold Medallion Homes Sponsors Riverton Lacrosse

Part of being a member of the community as a home builder is being a good citizen. In that spirit, we'd like to announce our sponsorship of the Riverton High School lacrosse team.

Riverton High School is one of the schools represented by our Daybreak community and we're happy to help them this year.

The lacrosse season began on Tuesday and Riverton won their first game two games against Skyline and Clearfield. You can check out all the high school lacrosse schedules and results here.

Good luck this season!

Grey Hawk - Is A Spray Can Really A Marketing Campaign?

It's hard to believe the marketing campaign for our new development named Grey Hawk is beginning with just a few swaths of orange spray paint.

The orange paint actually represents where our sign will go, the first marketing and awareness building we'll do as construction starts.

Grey Hawk will be a nice development in East Layton with tremendous views and large new homes.

Three car garages will be standard and four floor plans will be offered. Grey Hawk is close to schools, shopping and both Highway 89 and I-15.

We're very excited about this new project. Building won't start until the fall of 2007. Right now, the earth is being leveled and retaining walls are being built.

We'll keep you updated on construction details as they progress.

Crofter's Cove - Where the Heck Is It?

One of the big challenges with a community like Crofter's Cove is finding it for the first time. Located next to the Glen Eagle golf course in Syracuse, Crofter's Cove is one of several new communities in the subdivision.

What sets our homes apart at Crofter's Cove is the design and layout. The homes are designed pretty much for one floor living, with the possibility of finishing the basements. Two car garages are standard with plenty of room for grown up toys. Add the proximity to the golf course and you've got a very nice house for a great price. They start in the low $200s!

Because of signage restrictions, Crofter's Cove is a little difficult to find the first time. So we're trying to make it easy. Look to the sky on a clear day and this:

will lead you to this:

We hope you'll join us to tour our model, our available inventory or even select a lot to build new. Take Antelope Drive west past the new Wal-Mart. Take a right on Doral Dr. and follow the blimp to the model home.

Gold Medallion Homes Company Song

And a one and a two...

We establish targeted closing dates about the time of your Pre-drywall Tour.

We do this so you can plan the details of your move.

However, since we depend on many different trades, suppliers, and inspectors, and build out in the elements, there are things beyond our control that may affect these dates; for example: labor and material shortages, back-ordered components, city inspection backlogs, and inclement weather.

In the event of a delay, we will notify you as soon as we become informed.

This isn't a tired motto, or a half-hearted attempt. It's more than a mission statement, more than a goal. This is our song.

EnergyStar Homes Begin at the Foundation

Most people who hear the name EnergyStar don't really understand what it means. The name turns up on electronic appliances like fridges, microwaves and ovens, but it also turns up on computers, TVs and video monitors.

EnergyStar denotes devices that use less energy to operate by using technological improvements to save energy and money.

EnergyStar also refers to high efficiency construction of homes and buildings. At Gold Medallion Homes, we're proud to be part of the EnergyStar program in constructing all of our houses.

What does an EnergyStar home mean to the owner?

1. The home has been designed from the ground up with energy savings in mind.

2. Framing and insulation are installed to exacting standards to create a tight thermal shell.

3. Proper HVAC components are used to match the house and provide a consistent temperature level instead of "blasts" that ebb and flow in traditional systems.

4. All ductwork and tubing is sealed to prevent leakage in crawlspaces, attics and basements.

5. Low-emittance windows are used to prevent warm air from going out in the winter and cold air from coming in. In the summer, the reverse is true. Low-E windows also protect the home's interior from sun damage.

6. All of this careful construction results in energy savings of 30-50% off a non-EnergyStar home, higher resale value and higher debt to income qualifications when using an FHA energy efficient mortgage.

EnergyStar homes also reduce energy drain on power grids which means less consumption and less pollution for the environment. With EnergyStar and a Gold Medallion home, you can be assured of lower energy costs and a better environment for future generations.

Find out more about EnergyStar and how it works with Utah's Rocky Mountain Power here.

The Right Kitchen Can Really Make a New Home

CNN Money had an interesting photo article about various types of kitchens being placed in new homes. The styles range from lofts with tight spaces to open, spacious kitchens.

At Gold Medallion Homes, we believe the kitchen is the cornerstone to a home. We engineer functionality into every kitchen we build.

By studying traffic patterns within a room, to eliminating wasted space, our kitchens stand out. Add high quality cabinetry where no detail is missed and we think you'll be as pleased with our kitchens as much as our new houses.

The photos used for this post are available at our Daybreak community. Come see them for yourself.

Daybreak Model Home:
4574 W. Kestrel Ridge Rd.
South Jordan, Utah
Call 801-302-0692 for a personal tour.

Gold Medallion Homes in the News

Gold Medallion Homes co-president Kristin Nilssen is filling two roles this year. In addition to her duties at Gold Medallion, she is also serving as President of the Salt Lake Home Builders Association.

Kristin was recently asked about the pricing of new homes in Salt Lake by KUTV News. Here are some excerpts.

According to a newly released report, just 21 percent of new homes sold in the region sold for under $200,000. In 2002, 70 percent sold for less.

“It's still a good market,” said Kristen Nilssen of the Salt Lake Home Builder’s Association. “Anything under 200, if it's decent at all, sometimes will be gone within hours.”

There are a few reasons the cost of housing has risen dramatically. The cost of building materials is more expensive now, along with labor expenses. But the biggest factor is the land along the Wasatch front.

There is only so much room to build new homes, with mountains on three sides of the Salt Lake Valley and the Great Salt Lake to the north. Because of the limited area, the cost of land is more valuable. Compare the amount of land available to home builders now compared to that of 15-years ago, when many current-day developments were nothing but empty lots.

“We predict a very strong housing market for our economy over the next 12 months,” Nilssen said.

Salt Lake Housing Market Doing Great

The Salt Lake housing market has one of the brightest outlooks in the country. A new report out today shows the Salt Lake metro area was number two in the nation for appreciation.

Median prices in Salt Lake surged at the end of 2006 to reach a new high of $223,600. This was a 22.7% increase over the previous year.

Gold Medallion homes can attest to the strength of the Salt Lake market since last year we built and sold more homes than ever before. We continue to be optimistic about the Salt Lake housing market because of plentiful jobs and enjoyable living.

We're excited about the prospects of 2007 as we start building in Centerville at Pineae Village. DayBreak in South Jordan continues to attract people who appreciate its self-contained lifestyle, mountain views and retro architecture.

Stay tuned to our website and blog to see what else Gold Medallion has in store this year. Better yet, come take a look at one of our model homes in the community closest to you.

SunCrest New Home - 1834 E. Longbranch Dr.

For Sale
SunCrest Builder Inventory

1834 East Longbranch Dr, Draper, UT

$340,900

Homesite: 236
Floor Plan: Lone Peak
Finished Square Ft: 1772
Unfinished Square Ft: 768
Details: Two stories, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths with 2 car garage.

This is the second of three remaining houses still available at SunCrest.

Views
(Click to enlarge)

Floor Plans
(Click to enlarge)

Kitchen
(Click to enlarge)

Call Jen at 801-766-2015 for showing information and additional details.

SunCrest New Home - 1851 E. Longbranch Dr.

For Sale

SunCrest Builder Inventory

1851 East Longbranch Dr, Draper, UT

$299,000

Homesite: 356

Floor Plan: Redrock

Finished Square Ft: 1877

Unfinished Square Ft: 654

Details: Two stories, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths with 2 car garage.

This is one of three remaining houses still available at SunCrest.

View
(Click to enlarge)

Floor Plans
(Click to enlarge)

Kitchen
(Click to enlarge)

Call Jen at 801-766-2015 to schedule a showing or for additional details.

South Mountain Homes - Searching Can Be Tricky

In the foothills of Draper are a number of communities that have been developed over the years. While there are many different subdivisions present, people generally consider this area to be South Mountain. At the top of these foothills are several new developments including SunCrest, EagleCrest and Eagle Summit.

This area of the valley is a crossroads. Driving from one side to the other will take you through two counties and three municipalities. This is causing havoc for our real estate listings! You see, at our SunCrest community, we have four homes for sale, but only one shows up on the consumer version of the Multiple Listing Service. We have three others for sale just a few blocks away. Even though they're in the same zip code, they're in different counties, so the online search doesn't show up.

The MLS real estate agents use gives a little more flexibility, but we still have similar problems getting all our houses to show up. Fortunately, we've realized this problem and can now get the news out in different ways. In the coming days, we'll be putting up all our South Mountain new homes for sale on this blog. Meanwhile, you can see what we have for sale on our main website.

Obviously our current offerings may not suit everyone's tastes. So, take a drive out to the South Mountain area and take a look at what's for sale. Take note of the property's address so you can ask your real estate agent for the details later. If you're not working with an agent, most houses for sale have contact information on them.

If you're looking for houses in the South Mountain area, you may want to keep going a bit and look at what Gold Medallion has available in Traverse Mountain and Thanksgiving Village.

New Homes in Utah - The Blog From Gold Medallion Homes

Welcome to the New Homes in Utah blog presented by Gold Medallion Homes. You’ll find a lot of different information about buying a new home in Utah including the buying process, how to secure financing, timelines, community profiles and special deals.

We've been building homes in Northern Utah for about fourteen years now. The communities we build in are innovative and rich in amenities, yet we offer competitive prices and high quality workmanship.

Our goals for this blog is to offer a peek into the communities we build in, explain the new home buying process and showcase our homes. Your questions and feedback are welcome. Be sure to visit the Gold Medallion Homes website to find out more.