Job offer in Utah...need advice

[KBennett]

At the company Christmas party a couple weeks ago the sales manager from our Murray, UT office asked me if I wanted to move to Utah and take a position there. It would have some benefits... pay increase, better position, etc. and if I were to make the move I want to get a bigger piece of property. I am in the investigation stage and need some assistance from you guys that know the Utah area and could help me with some areas that are a little more spread out. My goal is to purchase a piece of land between 5 and 20 acres with or without a house on it and within 30-60 minutes of Murray, UT. If there is anything else about Utah that I should know about please let me know.

 

[justinp20012500]

Look in Herriman, Rose Canyon area. Might be some land left there.

Maybe someone else will chime in...

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Of course I can not resist tossing my . 02 in.



I base my opinion on having attended numerous multi-day business meetings in Ogden and SLC. And one of my daughters and her family lived in Bountiful for a couple of years. In addition, I like to spend a week or two traipsing around in the hinterlands in the spring when we are still butt deep in snow and cold. So, upfront I'm far from knowledgable.



The traffic is horrendous. I-15 is funneled down the narrow valley (the main north-south route to CA). Plus I-80 intersects smack dab in the middle (main east west with 56% tractor-trailer traffic). Guess it sort of depends where you live in CO.



The smog is delightful. Great place for a massive air inversion which extends from Lehi to Tremonton. Cough... cough.



If you are not Mormon, it can be somewhat of a closed society or foreign experience. I don't have anything against Mormons, hey... they need salvation too. If you are evangelical minded you could regard it as a huge mission field waiting to happen. On the upside they are very family oriented and tend to take care of their own.



There are some fantastic skiing opportunities at your front door. And the canyonlands in the spring and fall are a sight to behold. Summary, nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. See if you can opt out for a smaller burg off the beaten path.

 

[NPloysa]

Kirk, who will Scotty get to play with if I'm not around!



If you move out there, I will have to visit and go shooting!



I can't give any advice on moving there though. Never been!



Nick

 

[RankRam]

Of course I can not resist tossing my . 02 in.



I base my opinion on having attended numerous multi-day business meetings in Ogden and SLC. And one of my daughters and her family lived in Bountiful for a couple of years. In addition, I like to spend a week or two traipsing around in the hinterlands in the spring when we are still butt deep in snow and cold. So, upfront I'm far from knowledgable.



The traffic is horrendous. I-15 is funneled down the narrow valley (the main north-south route to CA). Plus I-80 intersects smack dab in the middle (main east west with 56% tractor-trailer traffic). Guess it sort of depends where you live in CO.



The smog is delightful. Great place for a massive air inversion which extends from Lehi to Tremonton. Cough... cough.



If you are not Mormon, it can be somewhat of a closed society or foreign experience. I don't have anything against Mormons, hey... they need salvation too. If you are evangelical minded you could regard it as a huge mission field waiting to happen. On the upside they are very family oriented and tend to take care of their own.



There are some fantastic skiing opportunities at your front door. And the canyonlands in the spring and fall are a sight to behold. Summary, nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. See if you can opt out for a smaller burg off the beaten path.

Great post!! Ol'TrailDog I grew up in Utah and your post is spot on. I have family that still live there and we visit at least twice a year and I must say five days is all I can handle.



In closing I want to recommend that you go to the area that you plan to live in and spend a week or two there, just to make absolutely sure it is everything you hoped it would be.



I'm not trying to bash Utah and please don't take it that way.

 

[justinp20012500]

Being Mormon only really affects the people that try to buy beer in Provo on Sunday.

Now that sucks!!!

O ya, and you have to go to a "State Ran" Liqour store to buy boose.

All in all, its not that bad. Yes the traffice doese suck, but there are plans for the legacy highway that will eliminate 80% of the traffice problem on I-15. They did get all the lanes opened back up from 106th to the point of the mtn.


Justin- (Non Mormon Faith)

 

[DennyDay]

I Like Utah!

FIGURED OUT WHAT IT WAS----



IT'S STILL ONLY THE GIRLS IN UTAH THAT WEAR EARINGS AND THEIR HAIR LONG!





Oo.



Denny

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I remember heading north out of Ogden towards home one morning, and got to jonesing real bad for a cup of real and strong coffee (I favor coffee with a shot of expresso in it to start the day with a jolt ). . Stopped in Tremonton and the only place I could find was a coffee bar that reminded me of some kind of bar on skidrow - same caliber of clientel.



Reminds me of when I was a pup and had a paper route in Helena, MT up Last Chance Gulch, the longest route in town, and it included a number of low class bars and Big Dorothys - the local madame's place, if you get my drift. )(What evil thoughts use to run through my innocent young mind).



Anyway the Tremonton coffee bar felt like I was sneaking in a speak-easy just for a cup of coffee Folks smoking cigs and drinking coffee with the young kids in tow.



Couple of additional good points about the Mormon folks. Utah is almost as conservative as WY - got to love it. And the women folk can make excellent wifes, i. e. have excellent family/hubby values - almost as good as the "old school" Korean gal I married - treats me like the king that I am :-laf BUT they don't call them the "Irish of the Orient" for nothing, whew. :-laf

 

[crobertson1]

I wouldn't leave Colorado! But that's just me. Hit your current boss up for a raise and promotion. Then buy some piece of over priced land here. Problem solved. Although, maybe Utah has better access to Dale Jr light switch plates :-laf . Seriously, good luck trying to decide. I hope you don't leave.



Craig

 

[drawson]

I live in a small town out side the wasatch front in Morgan County(other side of mountain east of Ogden). I face no traffic until right before I get to work in Kaysville(30 mile north of SLC).



To find the land your looking for I would suggest you look out west in Tooele county the traffic isn't bad getting into the valley from there you just have to deal with it after you get in the Salt lake valley. To the east is Park City area and it is really spendy.



BTW I am Morman, we don't have multible wife, horns, or any other strang things. Yes I don't drink or smoke. I believe in family. I believe in god and celebrate Christmas not the winter holidays. I want GOD on our money, in our schools, and beleive in prayer.



I Love fast trucks, guns, and the great outdoors.



Dee

 

[KBennett]

Thanks everybody for all the input. Smoking and drinking are not a big concern for me. Except for the occasional cigar 1-2 times a year that's as close as I get to the stuff. I am a conservative Christian but I don't belong to any denomination. I know there are different things that Mormon's believe than me and my new boss was raised Mormon but is not practicing now. I think for the most part I think we can all get along.



I have been to our Salt Lake office twice and both times were in the winter so I don't have a good idea of the weather. Is the Salt Lake valley the only area that has smog problems? Are there any other areas you would recommend?

 

[drawson]

They get an inversion all along the wastch front when the weather is just right. The cold air gets stuck in the lower valleys and there can be days when there is the smog and it's actually colder down there than it is up here in the mountains. Out in Tooele valley they don't have the invertion problems. It's usially only 10-15 days a winter that the inversion sets in they have only had twos days this year. In the summer we have 10-15 days of 100+ temps but it is a dry heat.



This is a great place to live and we have some of the best diesel performance stuff around also. In Ogden is the Edge and in SLC Hi Tech turbo.

 

[KBennett]

From KBennett's Wife-

I want to thank you guys for all of your input. What are the property and sales taxes like? Health care/Medical insurance premiums (I realize that they are bad everywhere!) Also, in Colorado, they charge for plates by the value of your vehicle, how does Utah handle it?



Thanks again! Patty

 

[jkeyes]

I am from a small town down the road from drawson called Coalville. It is in Summit Cnty. The property taxes are outrageous there. Vehicles are taxed based on value. By the way I work in Murray. (home of Ken Jennings). I too am Morman (LDS). I have lived all over the world and still choose to call Utah home. Who do you work for? By the way with that last name you will do well in Utah, especially around Provo.....



Jason

 

[EBottema]

I've been to Utah twice, It is a very wide open place but you could not make me live there. Granted California sucks, but Utah, I don't know how to describe it, ugly perhaps? I don't mean to offend anyone. If the money is important to you, take the job. Just don't get stuck in a place you don't want to be since money can't make you happy. Plus, if you not mormon, I can't fathom how many door to door mormon religion sellers would be coming to your house on a weekly basis, I already get enough in California. LOL

 

[tractorseller]

My brother got married up in Logan, Utah a few years ago. I thought the place was beautiful. It's ugly around St. George, but SLC, Ogden, Logan, etc. were all very pretty. I'm not LDS, and I don't know about living there being non-LDS??? I do have a buddy who lives up in Snowville and he likes it there (he's not LDS either).



Big decision, especially if you have children. Hope all goes well for you.

 

[MADDOG2]

I've been to Utah twice, It is a very wide open place but you could not make me live there. Granted California sucks, but Utah, I don't know how to describe it, ugly perhaps? I don't mean to offend anyone. LOL

Now that comment is just plain funny :-laf I guess the two times you came to Utah were spent in a phone booth cause I could go on and on about all the awesome beauty in Utah. Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Cedar Breaks, Canyon Lands, Moab, Lake Powell, Arches National Park, The Uintas, Flaming Gorge, The Boulder Mountains, Brian Head, and all the other great ski resorts. You will not find this much beauty and variety in any other state period!!! And being one of them there Utah Mormons I can say I have many non-mormon friends that I get along with great. There are a lot of great people in Utah and it's not just the Mormons.

 

[drawson]

EBottema You must have been to apart of this state that I have never been to if you think Utah is ugly compared to calif?



This is a great state to raise kids and to be free in, the taxes are higher than some states, the housing is about in the middle for the western states.



Us good old Utah Mormans aren't bad at all we can take a ribbing and keep a smile on our face. Our good buddy Nowel(HVAC) used to give Richard(Maddog2) some ribbin' on keeping the rootbeer on ice for us.

 

[EBottema]

I guess you both did not read my thread close enough. I said, California sucks, it is a horrible and ugly place. I know I live here. There are nice places though just like in Utah. The two times i went there, I traveled through bryce and zion, nice very nice places. However, many suburban areas of Utah feels like the death valley and looks like it too, mostly the city areas such as SLC. I think the cities in Utah and not very welcoming. And yes, most of Utah is mormon, there are a lot of non mormons there I am sure. Kind of like how California is a minority breeding ground however there is still a lot of white folks here. Well, anyways, good luck wherever you decide, my choice would be stay in colorado

 

[EricBu12]

Bennett,



I moved here about 7 yrs ago and the changes have been dramatic. 2 lane roads going to 4 lane, lots of new stores and malls and such.

I live in the south west corner of the valley. around 6200 south and 4500 west. This area used to be very open and now is filling up especially to the west of me to the foothills. An area that is still relativley open is further south and west. Off bangerter hwy and 125 th south to 135th south. Some big homes building there but not very big lots. That area is about 20 minutes from Murray on a good day. Maybe close to 30-40 min. in traffic.



My 01 dodge is based on Age and is very reasonable. I think like $150/yr. Insurance is reasonable through state farm. Diesel right now is 1. 96/gal. and might jump up soon. (always does here... . jumps up . 10 then works down gradually). Gas is 1. 79/gal. There is a grocery store here that if you buy the stor brand stuff, on some things you get cents off of fuel. I buy 2 things in there and get . 12 cent off... (max 15 gal. though) but you can do it over and over. so my las added of fuel was at $1. 87/gal.



Property taxes are very good here. We moved from california to here and this was alot lower than there. The sales tax rate here is 6. 6% BUT, that includes everything even food so when you go get groceries, you pay tax... .



In the area I live in, I have only had 2 times in 7 yrs. where a missionary came to my door. I call that good. I guess all the missionaries are out in the other towns spreading the word since the ratio of mormons last I heard was like 50-60% mormon.



We get our beer in the grocery store and in the liquer store, you can get like Lowenbrow from germany 5. 2% 'DAS GOOT BIER' Grocery items are good priced. 1/2 gal milk is $1. 66 at walmart. (there are several superstores around). go to a costco for better savings.....



from the Olympics we had here, we got a whole new interstate freeway and new bridges... . A new "Speggetti Bowl" ... . Some areas still need work and widening but the main run into downton is 4-5 lanes. some places are 7 lanes with merger ramps and SPUIS... . (Single Point Uurban Interchanges) ... Curving, big, wide bridges for off-ramps over freeways that make traffic flow smoother.



Overall, I am glad I am here, sure we have a little haze and inversion once in a while but mostly it is nice. All the St. parks mentioned above is our playground. you can go to the desert, ski on mountains or lakes or take a hike in the parks. So much to do here. Right now it is 34 degrees (jan 2) records get down to like -11 deg. 10 yrs ago, our summers are a little warm but didn't get to 100 last year. mosly it stays around 70-90 deg. We get them [100's] for a few days but the thing is, it is a high desert here... 4300 ft. so it is dry (yeah, dry heat... . ) but mostly it is a pleasant city. nice people, Now a good College Team (Utah Utes 12 and 0..... and won the fiesta bowl). So come on down we need some more Utahns Dodge fans.



Eric