Eagle Mountain Is a Buyer's Playground Right Now
Eagle Mountain has over 50 square miles of buildable land and a dozen competing builders: Richmond American, Ivory Homes, Edge Homes, Garbett, D.R. Horton. That competition creates real incentives — but it also puts pressure on resale homeowners, who now have to compete against brand-new homes. Motivated resale sellers are negotiating like never before.
The Builder Rate Buydown Math
A 2-1 rate buydown drops your rate by 2% in year one, 1% in year two, then returns to the note rate. On a $450,000 loan, you save ~$625/month initially. Cost to the builder: $8,000-$12,000 baked into the home price.
That is great — for the first two years. After that, you are paying the full rate.
The Resale Alternative: Permanent Buydowns
On a resale home listed 30+ days, you can often negotiate 3-5% seller concessions. Direct those concessions to permanent discount points that lower your rate for the entire 30 years.
Example
- $475,000 resale home, 3% concessions = $14,250
- Buys 1.5 discount points, dropping rate from 7% to 6.625%
- Savings: approximately $190/month for 30 years
- Lifetime savings: nearly $70,000 vs a temporary builder buydown
Hidden New Construction Costs
Model homes include roughly $60,000 in upgrades not in the base price. After closing, you spend:
- Yard and landscaping: $8,000-$15,000
- Fencing: $6,000-$10,000
- Window coverings: $2,000-$4,000
- Basement finishing: $35,000-$50,000
Total additional spend: $50,000-$80,000. Resale homes typically arrive move-in ready.
The Equity Angle
Eagle Mountain currently sells at $150-$175/sqft. Lehi and Saratoga Springs run $225-$250/sqft. As infrastructure improves and job centers expand, that price gap is real equity upside.
So Which Is Better?
Neither option wins universally. Compare total ownership cost, not sticker price. Contact us and we will run both scenarios for your specific deal.
