Judy and I have been a part of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties team for many years and we wanted to share a recent article on Stephen Roney, the CEO and owner.

Stephen C. Roney: Service and Marketing Expertise Make the Difference - As the former president and CEO of the First American Corporation’s Residential Group and its subsidiary, MarketLinx, Stephen C. Roney was responsible for building one of the largest residential real estate platforms to provide transaction management, MLS and CRM software and services to more than 500,000 agents and brokers. Today he serves as CEO and owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties, one of the state’s largest brokerage firms.

What are you seeing in the Utah market this year?

Stephen Roney: Along the Wasatch Back (Park City area), there continues to be significant development activity throughout our market area coupled with enhancements to both Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain. We believe this, in conjunction with anticipated inventory increases and low interest rates, will continue to drive our markets in a positive direction. As the market begins to stabilize, we see increased buying opportunities in Summit and Wasatch counties, especially with the continued growth around the Jordanelle Reservoir and Heber Valley. Along the Wasatch Front (Salt Lake Valley through Ogden), strong demand and low inventory levels persist. We expect appreciation to continue, sales to remain strong, and a variety of development options to emerge across all sectors of the Wasatch Front. We anticipate mortgage rates will reduce slightly in the near term and also expect increased buyer activity, especially at or below median prices. With a strong regional economy in Utah, we see little sign of a market downturn in the foreseeable future.

Are you planning to grow your firm in the next 12 months? If so, in what capacity…increasing agent count, new offices, new markets, mergers/acquisitions, etc.?

SR: In short, yes. We have recently opened an office in St. George, which has seen rapid growth as retirement, warm weather and business expansion bring more and more buyers to the area. We are also actively evaluating entry possibilities in other markets in Utah and nearby states.

What most sets your firm apart in the marketplace?

SR: In one word, culture. We have great agents and employees who demonstrate knowledge, services, integrity and teamwork every day. Additionally, we have unparalleled experience in development marketing, sales and advisory services in our markets. We also have an in-house marketing department that includes marketing strategy/planning, graphic design, digital and social media marketing, and print and public relations capabilities.

How are you updating your technology and training to provide the resources agents need to succeed?

SR: Our chief technology officer and executive leadership team are constantly evaluating new technology and maintaining alignment with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ existing platforms and future initiatives.

How are you attracting new agents to your firm and retaining top producers?

SR: We have a very selective recruiting process for new agents. We look for strong-producing agents or other individuals with significant sales and service backgrounds who will fit our culture and benefit from the strength of our marketing capabilities, development experience, and leadership team. We also place great value on collaboration and collegiality. Retaining top-producing agents requires building and maintaining the “best in market” leadership team and support capabilities.

What do you look for in someone new coming into the company?

SR: A successful and sustainable business will flourish in a culture that honors service, knowledge and a strong work ethic. Preserving the trust of our agents and their clients is our No. 1 priority.

Vitals: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties - Years in Business: 43

Size: 30 offices, 475 agents - Regions Served: Northern Utah: Wasatch Back (Park City, Heber Valley, East Summit County, Jordanelle), Wasatch Front (Utah, Salt Lake, Davis and Weber Counties); and moving into Southern Utah: St. George

2018 Sales Volume: $2.195 billion - 2018 Transactions: 3,556 - www.bhhsutah.com

We will wrap up this blog with 4 Tips for Home-Buying During the Colder Months. Here are four ideas to help make the home search process faster and more convenient during the colder months:

Attend cozy open houses - Use the time you're looking for a home to mingle and fight the winter blues. Go see what's open in your area, check out a new location or inspect a home you really want. Open houses provide many opportunities including the chance to mingle and network. Even if you don't like the house you visit, you may hear of others nearby. You'll find many houses for sale in the winter that have open houses, and checking them out in person can show you exactly what the house will be like during the colder months.

Read the home inspection reports - While it's chilly outside, pull up a comfy chair and a mug of hot chocolate or coffee and do some research. With the bad weather and cold air that come with the season in some areas of the country, it's easier to sit inside and get the monotonous part of moving out of the way first. Plus, getting some of the boring stuff done early gives you more time to spend on the fun things like getting open house gifts.

Look for drafts and other leaks - There's no better time than winter to check out houses for sale. With the home working at the highest level, potential buyers can easily check out windows and doors for air leaks. Gaps are easier to find because drafts are often present when the winter wind is blowing hard outside. Plus, going to showings in the winter lets you see the property during the drab months of the year, allowing you to envision it in the nicer weather.

Check out the parking in bad weather - When you need a parking spot close to home in the winter, it's best to go for showings during this season. Looking at houses when there's snow on the ground lets you see where the problems occur in the area. You can avoid houses that have access problems, drainage issues or are last on the list for the snowplow.

Many people think winter is a bad time to look for a new home; however, several advantages make this season better than most. For example, if you don't want to go out in the cold weather, then chances are neither will your neighbors. Second, a home will show all its problems in the winter because the systems have to work extremely hard to keep up with frigid temperatures.