Wasatch Front, Utah
Buy, sell, or build wealth. Real talk, not sales talk.
I'm Cory Salisbury, a Realtor with KW Westfield. Since 2012 I've helped Utah families make clear-eyed moves, including telling them when not to move. Start with a free guide, run the Opportunity Map, or just call. No pressure, no lock-in.
Serving Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, Vineyard, American Fork, Highland, Cedar Hills, Pleasant Grove, Alpine, Lindon, Orem in Utah County, and Bluffdale, Draper, Riverton, Herriman, South Jordan, Sandy in Salt Lake County.
Which move is yours?
Buy your first home
The real order of operations, the 20 percent down myth, and the Utah programs worth asking a lender about. Start with the honest gut check, not the listings.
Start here →SellSell without the guesswork
Three ingredients decide every sale: price, marketing, and condition. Get the pricing reality, the prep that pays, and a weekly update standard in writing.
Start here →Build wealthBuild wealth with real estate
What a decade of owning does versus renting, the keep-your-home-as-a-rental play, and house hacking. Boring principles, honestly explained.
Start here →Free guides, written like I talk
No hype, no fluff. Pick the one that matches your situation and I'll send it over.
The Utah First-Time Buyer Guide
What really happens between "should we even look?" and getting the keys.
Get the free guide →7 Steps to Selling Your Utah Home
A plain-spoken guide to what actually sells a house.
Get the free guide →Building Wealth Through Utah Real Estate
A simple playbook for regular households, not flippers.
Get the free guide →Not sure which applies? Run the Homeowner Opportunity Map.
Three questions, two minutes, and a clear map of your options. Built to tell you the truth, including when staying put wins.
2012
Helping Utah families since
Through hot markets, slow markets, and everything between.
17
Wasatch Front cities served
Buyers and sellers across Utah County and Salt Lake County.
2
Pros on every file
Cory on strategy and negotiation, Jenni on coordination and deadlines. The Power Duo, one price.
And one promise in writing: no lock-in. If you are not happy with the service, you can end the listing. I earn the job every week, not once at the kitchen table.
Questions people actually ask
What areas does Cory Salisbury serve?
Cory serves 17 cities along the Wasatch Front. In Utah County: Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, Vineyard, American Fork, Highland, Cedar Hills, Pleasant Grove, Alpine, Lindon, and Orem. In Salt Lake County: Bluffdale, Draper, Riverton, Herriman, South Jordan, and Sandy. He is based in Eagle Mountain and works with buyers, sellers, and investors across both counties.
Do I need 20 percent down to buy a home in Utah?
No. The 20 percent figure is a milestone, not the price of admission. Putting 20 percent down usually lets you skip mortgage insurance, which is why the myth survives. Many first-time buyers put down far less through conventional low down payment options, FHA, VA, or USDA loans. A licensed lender determines what you are eligible for, not an agent or a calculator.
What is the first step to buying a home in Utah?
Not the listings. The first step is an honest conversation about whether buying makes sense right now, followed by a sit-down with an agent and a call with a licensed lender. A pre-approval is your ticket to tour homes. It protects you from falling for houses outside your range, and it makes your offer credible when the right home shows up.
What does a buyer consultation cost?
Nothing. A buyer consultation is a sit-down, usually about an hour, where you talk through why you are buying, what you need versus want, your timeline, and your money questions. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing. It is also the single best way to interview an agent before trusting them with the biggest purchase of your life.
Does Utah have down payment assistance programs?
Yes. The S.B. 240 First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program and Utah Housing down payment assistance are two worth knowing by name, and some cities and counties layer on their own. Terms and funding change, sometimes mid-year, so verify current eligibility with a licensed lender who actively works with these programs. Do not rule yourself out before asking. Current as of August 2026.
What are closing costs?
Closing costs are the fees that make the loan real and legally transfer the home to you. The pile includes lender fees, the appraisal, title insurance, settlement fees, recording fees, prepaid insurance, and property tax proration. They are separate from your down payment. Your lender must give you a Loan Estimate and a Closing Disclosure, and some costs can be negotiated for the seller to cover.
How long does it take to close on a home in Utah?
Contract to close commonly runs about thirty days in Utah. The timeline is driven by the deadlines in the purchase contract: earnest money, seller disclosures, due diligence, financing and appraisal, then settlement. A few days before closing you walk the home to confirm its condition. Then you sign, the loan funds, the county records the deed, and the keys are yours.
What is earnest money?
Earnest money is a deposit, often around one percent of the price, that tells the seller you are serious. The seller does not get it. It sits in a brokerage or title company trust account, and your contract deadlines protect it. Miss a deadline and rights can change, which is why your agent's job is to calendar and hit every date.
What actually sells a house?
Three ingredients: price, marketing, and condition. Price is a shared job you and your agent set from real sold data. Marketing is your agent's job, from photos to syndication to negotiation. Condition is your job, from decluttering to smell. When a home sits, sellers usually blame the marketing. It is almost never the marketing. Price and condition are.
Why is overpricing a home risky?
Your listing gets its highest attention in the first two weeks, when every buyer alert fires. Overprice and you spend those golden weeks being ignored. Days on market pile up, buyers start asking what is wrong with the house, and stale listings attract lower offers. Sellers who start high and chase the market down routinely net less than sellers who priced right on day one.
Are real estate commissions negotiable?
Yes. Commissions are not set by law and there is no standard rate. Ask any agent you interview to explain exactly what they charge and exactly what you get for it, in writing, before you sign. Also ask about an easy-exit clause. Cory puts in writing that you can end the listing if you are not happy with the service.
Should I sell my home or keep it as a rental when I move?
It depends on your rate, your equity, and your appetite for being a landlord. If your payment was locked years ago and rents have risen past it, the home may bring in more than it costs to hold. That is a run-the-numbers conversation, not a rule. The Homeowner Opportunity Map on this site walks the decision in three questions.
What is house hacking?
House hacking means buying a home that includes space someone else can rent, living in one part, and letting the rent shoulder some of your housing cost. In Utah this often looks like a basement apartment with its own entrance. Verify that the specific property can legally be rented the way you intend, and loop in a CPA on the tax side.
Should I bring my own agent to a builder's model home?
Yes, from the very first visit. The friendly salesperson at the design center works for the builder, and many builders require your agent to be registered on that first visit for the agent to represent you. In most cases the builder pays your agent. Walk in alone and sign the sheet, and your options for representation shrink fast.
Are online home value estimates accurate in Utah?
Treat them as a rough guess. Utah is a non-disclosure state, which means sold prices are not public record here. The automated estimates are guessing from incomplete data, and they are often wrong. A licensed agent can pull actual sold prices from the MLS. When your number and the internet's number disagree, ask to see the real sales.
What is the Homeowner Opportunity Map?
It is a free three-question tool on this site for homeowners and renters wondering about their next move. Answer what matters most, your current situation, and whether you would manage a rental, and it maps your options in plain English, including when staying put is the honest answer. It ends with real next steps, not a sales pitch.