This Week Around Utah

Young Utahns still out-own the nation, but the gap is narrowing

About 50.1% of Utah households headed by 25- to 34-year-olds owned a home in 2024, down from 54.3% in 2010 but well above 40.4% nationally. The Salt Lake Board of Realtors' advice for first-time buyers: work with a real estate professional, save at least $15,000, build your credit, and consider condos and townhomes.

Dallin's take Ownership is still within reach for many first-time buyers. It usually starts with a realistic plan and the right first property. A 15-minute call will show you your real numbers.

Source: Deseret News (opens in a new tab) ↗

Groundbreaking set for the Lehi Utah Temple

Groundbreaking is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026, on a 22.48-acre site northwest of 3950 North and Center Street in north Lehi.

Source: ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org (opens in a new tab) ↗

Starter-home goal reaches its halfway point with under 25% built

Gov. Cox's goal is 35,000 starter homes priced at or below $450,000 by the end of 2028. About 7,909 were built by mid-2026, most of them in Utah County. Lawmakers have set aside $250 million for city infrastructure, and the state is selecting developers for unused UDOT land.

Dallin's take For landowners in growing Utah County cities, demand for entitled, buildable lots isn't slowing down. If you own ground that could be lots, it's worth finding out what it could yield.

Source: KUER (opens in a new tab) ↗

Children's mental health center opens on the Lehi hospital campus

The Children's Center Utah has opened its Kahlert Children's Mental Health Center on the Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital campus in Lehi. It is the nonprofit's first location outside Salt Lake County and serves children from birth to age six. A therapeutic preschool there begins in January 2027.

Source: Utah Business · Children's Center Utah press release (opens in a new tab) ↗

Housing affordability ranks last in Utah's quality-of-life index

In the 2026 Utah Community Quality of Life Index, housing affordability scored 2.1 out of 5, last of 20 factors. The report puts the median single-family home at $544,000, with a home-price-to-income ratio of 5.2. Researchers point to a shortage of 'in-between' housing such as townhomes and duplexes.

Source: Deseret News · Utah Foundation, Utah Chamber & Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute (opens in a new tab) ↗