Solving The East Side Dilemma
By Justin @ Feb 2, 2010
I love living on the East side of the Salt Lake Valley. I love being close to the canyons and my wife loves being close to Gateway. The city is close, and the mountains are closer. The freeway is easily accessible and traffic is rarely a problem. I am what many might call an “East Side Snob.” I admit it.
I also love new homes, and I love building them. Unfortunately, there aren’t many places on the “east side” to build a new home. Getting a good east side lot in the neighborhood of your choice, for a price you can afford can be difficult, to say the least. For years I’ve been talking about my dream of building a new home on the east side and consistantly I am shot down by my brother, a west-sider, on the grounds that “financially it doesn’t make sense.” So, my love for east-side living and new construction is paradoxical and I’m resigned to either my old home, or moving west…
Enter the economic crisis of 2008 and drastic reductions in existing home prices – about 26% on average according to Spencer Jenke of Sotheby’s International Realty (http://utahcribs.com/.) Coupled with a sharp decline in the cost of construction, it seems my idealism may be a reality. While east side lots may still be hard to find, affordable houses that can be effectively remodeled are not.
Take for example this Bountiful Residence, a home remodel we have nearly completed. The original house was 1200 square feet. The finished home is now 4200 square feet! And the remodel cost? Right around $170,000 or $57 per square foot.
Exteriors:
Kitchen:
Master Bedroom and Bath:
Stairwell and Basement Family Room:
www.lakecitycustomhomes.com
