Author: Jesse

Even though homes are pricier in Utah than nearly anywhere else in the country, buyers do have some advantages, said Jeremy Holmgren, mortgage manager for Zions Bank.

More available homes, longer times on the market and more moderate increases in housing prices, Holmgren explained, are giving homebuyers more power in the market.

There’s a lot of motivation for sellers to offer buyers concessions, he said, often in the realm of $10,000 to $15,000 they can use to pay closing costs or buy down their interest rate.

“Most of the contracts we see have some sort of a seller concession,” Holmgren said.

He clarified the market hasn’t fully shifted toward buyers, and is “still, in some ways, a seller’s market,” but recommended people buy now if they can while competition is low.

Here are three reasons Holmgren said the market is shifting and how buyers can use that knowledge to act.

More inventory

As of February, there were 14,084 homes on the market in Utah, according to data from Redfin, an online real estate brokerage that posts data from multiple listing services.

That’s 1,898 more homes than were on the market statewide last February and almost double the number of homes available three years ago.

Inventory is crucial as Utah faces a shortage, but the increase also means more options for buyers and less competition.

New construction permits are also down, Holmgren said, and that could point to “maybe a little bit less appetite to buy a new build.”

That means builders and owners who are selling are having to give concessions, he said, and builders are sitting on a lot of inventory.

More days on market

When Utah’s growth was still close to its peak three years ago, homes typically stayed on the market for less than two weeks, based on Redfin data.

The median days homes stayed on the market in Feb. 2022 was 14, and that dropped to nine in April 22.

Homes now stay on the market about 4 1/2 times as long. The median days on market in February was 64.

How long a home stays on the market indicates how competitive the market is, according to the brokerage service.

The quicker homes go under contract, the more competitive the market is, and the faster buyers need to act in order to compete. The longer homes spend on the market, the more time and control buyers have.

Sellers are incentivized to get homes off the market the longer they stay on, Holmgren said, and more likely to offer concessions.

More moderate price increases

Though housing prices are still high, the growth in cost has slowed since the pandemic-driven boom.

Between February of 2020 and May of 2022, the median housing price increased 64% – an average of about $8,500 a month.

Utah’s typical — or median — home price dropped to around $500,000 two years ago and has mostly stayed steady since.

Statewide, the median home price was $547,700 in February, a 2.3% increase compared to last year at that time.

Previous years saw price jumps as large as 29%.

And fewer homes are selling for more than the listing price – about 21% of homes last month compared to more than half of homes in February 2022 and 22% of homes last February.

Holmgren said less demand from buyers amid higher mortgage rates and economic uncertainties has led to a slower inflation rate for housing prices.

How to take advantage

Though people likely are waiting for interest rates, values or purchase prices to come down, there’s “no reason to wait,” Holmgren said.

“Homes are continuing to go up in value over time, and you don’t want to be in a competitive situation where you may not get the home,” he said.

He always encourages people to buy and start getting equity now rather than face the risks of waiting. People who have the down payment and the needed income can always refinance later, he said.

“You date the rate, and you marry the home,” Holmgren said.

He encouraged people to learn about home-buying programs like down payment assistance and to spend time figuring out what it takes to qualify. They may be able to adjust their debt and get a game plan, he said.

“It’s just education,” he said. “A lot of times, it’s easier than you may think.”

Megan Banta is The Salt Lake Tribune’s data enterprise reporter, a philanthropically supported position. The Tribune retains control over all editorial decisions.

KEARNS, Utah (ABC4) — The USA Water Polo’s 2025 Girls Olympic Development Program (ODP) National Championship came to Utah Sunday for the first time in its history.

“The Olympic Development Program is about producing future Olympians but also future great players and great people,” said Brad Peercy, aquatics director at Kearns Recreation Center.

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According to Peercy, the ODP is a pipeline for young players to eventually compete at the highest level, while also being discovered by both college and Olympic coaches.

The tournament brought in 18 teams from across the country representing 13 different regions. Players from Utah also competed on the Mountain Zone team, coached by Mitchell Walker.

Utah woman receives 100 cancer treatments, living far beyond doctors’ expectations

“These athletes have been working incredibly hard for the last several months to progress through the pipeline for this ODP cycle,” Walker told ABC4.com.

According to Walker, one or two athletes from each team will likely be selected to participate in a USA Water Polo camp with a chance to represent Team USA globally by competing in tournaments.

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USA Water Polo says the championship is centered on competition but still focuses on athlete development and experience.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.

A handful of players who starred on the diamond in Utah made Opening Day major league rosters for the 2025 season that started this past week.

But what would an all-time starting lineup of big leaguers who played high school or college baseball in Utah look like?

We scoured baseball sources, including Baseball Reference and Baseball Almanac, to come up with an all-time MLB team consisting of players who prepped or played college ball in the Beehive State. The nine position players include a Hall of Famer, All-Stars, World Series champions and even Lou Gehrig’s roommate. We also threw in a manager, designated hitter and closer for good measure.

It’s a well-traveled bunch. All but two played for at least four teams and one played for seven. They’re strong on pitching, a little weak on hitting, though there are a couple of big bats, at least early in their careers.

For this all-time team, we included only players who played high school or college baseball in Utah. We excluded Utah-born players who didn’t actually take an at-bat or throw a pitch in the state. We also left out players with obvious ties to Utah but who never played the game here.

For example, Atlanta Braves legend and Utah resident Dale Murphy attended BYU in the offseason during his career but didn’t play baseball there. Danny Ainge, a Toronto Blue Jays infielder before joining the Boston Celtics, played basketball at BYU, but not baseball. Another, 12-year major leaguer Duke Sims, was born in Salt Lake City but played high school and college ball in Idaho.

We also asked ChatGPT how this all-Utah team would fare on the field. Here’s the (artificial) intelligence report:

“This team would likely perform as a middle-of-the-pack squad in today’s MLB. They have a strong pitcher in Jack Morris, a few key contributors like Wally Joyner, Cory Snyder and Rick Aguilera, and some clutch performers who could shine in postseason moments. However, their offensive inconsistency, lack of elite power, and potential pitching depth issues would make it difficult for them to compete against more well-rounded teams. They’d need to rely heavily on their defense, clutch moments and managing matchups effectively. A solid manager like Herman Franks could help keep the team competitive, but they’d need to find ways to maximize the strengths of their roster in a modern context.”

Several pitchers who just missed the cut, including Bruce Hurst (Dixie High School) and Jeremy Guthrie (BYU), would have brought depth to the starting rotation, while Utah high school and colleges have produced some effective relievers that would have shored up the bullpen.

So, without further ado, let’s play ball. Here’s the all-Utah, all-time, all-MLB team:

Pitcher

Jack Morris (BYU), 1977-94

Morris won the World Series with the Tigers, Twins and Blue Jays, made five American League All-Star appearances and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. He was the World Series MVP after going 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA for the Twins in 1991, including a masterful 1-0 complete-game shutout of the Braves in Game 7. Morris, who played 14 of his 18 big league seasons with the Tigers, had a career 254-186 win-loss record and a 3.90 ERA.

Catcher

John Buck (Taylorsville High), 2004-14

Buck played for seven major league teams during an 11-year career, his longest stint being six years with the Kansas City Royals. He made the American League All-Star team in 2010 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He played much of his last pro season with the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. He hit .234 with 134 home runs and 491 RBIs in his major league career.

First base

Wally Joyner (BYU), 1986-2001

Joyner captivated fans in his rookie season with the California Angels, earning Anaheim Stadium the nickname “Wally World.” He made his only All-Star Game appearance that year and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. He had even better stats his second year but could never duplicate those 34 home runs and 117 RBIs again. He returned to the Angels for his final season after stops in Kansas City, San Diego and Atlanta. He amassed 2,060 career hits with 204 home runs, 1,106 RBIs and a .289 batting average.

Second base

Glenn Hubbard (Ben Lomond High), 1978-89

Hubbard spent 10 years of his 12-year career with the Atlanta Braves, anchoring the right side of the infield with first baseman Dale Murphy for two years before Murphy moved to center field. Hubbard was a National League All-Star in 1983. He is pictured in a 1984 Fleer baseball card with a large python draped around his neck. He played his final two seasons with the Oakland A’s, retiring with a .244 batting average, 70 home runs and 448 RBIs.

Third base

Vance Law (BYU), 1980-89, 1991

Law played 10 years in the majors, including three each with the Montreal Expos and Chicago White Sox. He made the 1998 National League All-Star team as a member of the Chicago Cubs. He holds the American League record for the longest errorless game by a third baseman, playing all 25 innings of the longest game by time — 8 hours, six minutes — in MLB history in 1984. Law retired hitting .256 with 71 home runs and 442 RBIs during his career.

Shortstop

Spencer Adams (Utah, Ogden High), 1923-27

Adams only had 395 at-bats in 180 career games with four teams but he gets the nod mostly because options at short are few and he has an interesting history. He played in two World Series with the Washington Senators in 1925 and on a New York Yankees team in 1926 that featured his roommate Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. Both Series were losses. For his career, Adams hit .261 with zero home runs and 38 RBIs.

Outfielders

Cory Snyder (BYU), 1986-94

Snyder hit 24 or more home runs in his first three seasons with the Cleveland Indians, accounting for more than half his major league total. He finished fourth in Rookie-of-the-Year voting in 1986. He played at every position but pitcher and catcher with five teams, the majority of time in right field. He batted .247 with 149 home runs and 488 RBIs in his career.

Dane Iorg (BYU), 1977-86

Iorg was a two-time World Series champion, first with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982, where he batted .529 as a designated hitter. He won a title again with the Kansas City Royals in 1985, including the game-winning hit as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the ninth in Game 6. He had stops with the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies. Iorg retired hitting .276 with 14 home runs and 216 RBIs.

Billy Cowan (Utah), 1963-72

Cowan played for six teams, including four years with the California Angels. He finished his career hitting .236 with 40 home runs and 125 RBIs. His lone season with the New York Mets earned him this entry in “The Amazin’ Mets 1962-1969″ by William Ryczek: “I understand that he’s faster than (Lou) Brock. Cowan had the potential to be a star if he could learn to make consistent contact, for his major weakness was the strikeout.”

Designated hitter

C.J. Cron (Utah), 2014-23

Cron has played half his 10 major league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. He made the National League All-Star team with the Colorado Rockies in 2022, finishing the year with a career-best in RBIs and one home run shy of his career best. Currently a free agent, Cron has hit 187 home runs with 604 RBIs to go along with a .260 batting average.

Closer

Rick Aguilera (BYU), 1985-2000

Aguilera played 19 seasons in the majors, including 11 with the Minnesota Twins. He won the World Series as a reliever with the Twins in 1991 and a starter with the New York Mets in 1986. He made three consecutive All-Star appearances from 1991-93. He amassed 318 career saves, ranking 24th on the all-time list.

Manager

Herman Franks (Utah, East High School)

Franks played six years in the majors with four teams, missing four seasons for military service during WWII. He turned to coaching shortly after retiring as a player in 1949. He managed the San Francisco Giants from 1965-69, teams that featured future Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry. He managed the Chicago Cubs from 1977-79. He compiled a combined 605-521 won-loss record.