Unreal Estate Game: Utah
 

Assume that you idly buy a state lottery ticket while getting a doughnut at 7/11, and voila! You're a winner! You win your choice of one the five houses that will be shown.

I'll give you five houses in a state, and you vote on the house you would take.

Background rules:

Assume that your job situation won't need to change - you can find an identical job or work from home or whatever, so jobs don't matter.

Consider the house itself and the location and anything else that's important to you (schools, restaurants, lot size, etc.). Feel free to do a google map search to check out the neighborhood and the area.

You cannot sell the home. You can live in it as long as you like, but when you move out, it reverts back to the state as a prize for a future winner.

All houses will generally be in the $900,000 to $1 million price range.

All maintenance and utilities and taxes are cost-neutral compared to your current home.

If you wouldn't move into any of these homes, you can instead accept a cash prize of $50,000 (tax free).

Today's state is Utah. Here are your five houses:

Castle Valley - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...1-37010#photo0

Logan - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...4-57767#photo0

Provo - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...4_M25877-36304

Saint George - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...403788#photo32

Salt Lake City - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...3-31485#photo0

1) Saint George - I'm surprised I liked that house as much as I did

2) SLC - Not bad, and I hear the city is beautiful

3) Logan - I love the house, but here's another place with interior decorating I'd spend a mint on redoing.

4) 50K

Saint George.

1. Saint George is a beautiful area of Utah. I could live there.

2. SLC is a decent city, so long as you don't mind Mormons.

3. Pass on rest of choices.

anything but provo

Gotta go Logan.

Having been to all these areas, and also lived in Park City, I would take a shack in Park City. Of course, that shack may well cost $1MM. :)

Saint George

Castle Valley..10 acres, a house, a barn with a work shop garage and office, solar panels that makes electric bills $9 a month, river to fish in, out in the middle of nowhere

Salt Lake City due to location.

Actually, I mixed up my links. Castle Valley was choice. I hope this doesn't impact outcomes too much.

My rankings:

#1 - Saint George - It's not very big for the money, and it's in a pretty isolated city. But I really like the design and the details of this house, and I have a good impression of Saint George. The house location requires you to drive everywhere, which I'm not crazy about, but it's sure pretty.

#2 - Logan - I'm not generally a fan of the Mediterranean style, and the interior trim gives me the impression that it's more about style than quality. But nonetheless, the views are amazing and I like the exterior - check it out on google street view. Plus, you're reasonably close to a big metro area. However, it's not really in a walkable area.

#3 - Salt Lake City. If this house was in a more walkable neighborhood, it might be my #1. I like the interior design. But even though it's in a big city, it's not really near anything. Still a great house, though.

#4 - Provo. I really like the exterior, but the interior is pretty nondescript. I also can't figure out the neighborhood.

#5 - Castle Valley. The Moab area is amazing, but not enough to make up for the difference in housing. This house is relatively small and only so-so in design.