Park City Real Estate Trends

            Real estate prices in Park City, Utah show a wide array of ownership possibilities. Single family home prices start in the mid $300K range and top out at over $50M. While there are homes that may be considered reasonably attainable for the average buyer, the influences of the luxury resort community impact averages and median pricing. Of the nearly 600 homes currently listed for sale across the Park City MLS, more than one third presently are priced above 2 million dollars. Over sixty percent of the homes on the market are priced at $1M and above. These offerings bring the average asking price to well over $2 million.             Many agents in the Park City area have considered these multi-million dollar homes and their Buyers and Sellers to be somewhat insulated from the effects of the national economy. There is without a doubt a certain air among Sellers that the price they paid or believed the home was worth a few years ago is still the current value. Other Sellers however are aggressively making price reductions in an effort to move their property. It would almost appear as if these Sellers are living in different worlds. Here are some examples of each:

            In the Glenwild subdivision - a 200 unit private development of custom luxury homes situated around Utah's best rated golf course - a showcase home finished and offered for sale in the middle of 2008 has seen price reductions of over $2M since its first offering. The price reductions and aggressive changes make for a nearly 40% off sale price.             In the Deer Crest community of 144 homesites and the new St. Regis luxury hotel, the "Ski Magazine Dream Home" with its 6 bedrooms, 10 baths, 15 fireplaces, fantastic view and ski-in/ski-out location has actually seen its price rise by over $2M during the 3 years that it has been offered for sale.             The Promontory golf club and resort second home community in Park City has after emerging from bankruptcy seen prices slashed in many cases by more than half of original asking price. Some homes in this area have been priced below their replacement or build costs in an effort to move them quickly.             The new Dakota Mountain Lodge at The Canyons Resort is part of the Waldorf-Astoria collection of luxury hotels. The resort condominium hotel has been open just a few months and still has over 50 contracts still waiting to close (most all were written years ago during the height of the Park City real estate boom). One owner recently closed on their 4 bedroom 4 bath top floor model and immediately offered it for sale at $300K over the price they paid.             The developers of the Silver Strike Lodge in the Empire Pass area of Deer Valley are auctioning 8 units of the development next month with opening bids set at approximately half of their original asking price. Approximately one third of the homes and condominiums that are complete in the Empire Pass area are currently offered for sale.

            Sellers in the Park City real estate market appear to have dramatically different ideas of current valuations. In the end, no matter what belief the Sellers have about the market, it is the Buyers that will set the value. Recent sales would appear to show that those Sellers willing to negotiate and/or aggressively reduce their prices are those that will sell their properties in our current market.             For more information regarding Park City sales trends, home valuation opinions, and marketing alternatives contact a YouInParkCity.com real estate professional.