Micah Olson - Effective Agent

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Micah Olson - Effective Agent 29 years in Utah new construction & relocation. Helping buyers choose the right home, city & builder. No regrets.

Builder incentives, rate buydowns & relocation strategy — because a pretty kitchen shouldn't choose your commute.

10/01/2026

I talked to buyers relocating to Utah who know they'll likely move again in about 5 years, and they were debating renting instead of buying. My take: sell in 3-5 years and you'll probably land close to breakeven — or keep the home as a rental, keep your locked-in rate, and let renters pay down your mortgage.

Comment GUIDE and I'll send you my Utah relocation guide.

10/01/2026

If mortgage rates are pushing toward 7%, here's the math worth running before you pay for a rate buydown. On a $600,000 loan, a permanent buydown to 6.25% runs about $18,000. A 2-1 buydown (5% year one, 6% year two, then 7%) runs about $14,000 — and if you refinance before the two years are up, whatever's unused gets refunded to you.

Comment PAYMENT and I'll send you my payment comparison worksheet.

09/28/2026

I live in Salem, Utah — and most buyers relocating to Utah County have never even heard of it. It still feels like a small town (my boys grew up jumping off the bridge at the pond), but the Viridian community here has multiple pools, clubhouses, frisbee golf, a beach-entry lake on the way, and a huge city park with pickleball courts, soccer fields, and trails — all just 10-15 minutes from shopping and restaurants.

Comment SALEM and I'll send you my Salem, Utah moving guide.

09/26/2026

My seller had a great offer on her house — then, two days after the Fed's rate hike, the buyer backed out. The timing couldn't have been worse: she'd just gotten a counter offer she loved on her next home, and had to turn it down because she no longer knew if her own house would sell.

It's a real look at what rising rates are doing to Utah sellers and buyers right now — and there are still ways to sell in this market with the right price and plan.

Comment SELL and I'll send you my checklist for buying and selling without getting stuck in the middle.

09/24/2026

Perry Homes, EDGEhomes, and DR Horton are all offering incentives on Utah new construction — but they're not the same kind of deal. Here's which type is actually winning now that rates have moved.

09/24/2026

Buying new construction in Utah? Before you sign anything, here are the five questions that actually protect you — starting with whether your own agent costs you anything (it doesn't) and the deposit question almost nobody asks.

Comment BUILDER and I'll send you the New Construction Buyer Checklist with all of these written out.

Micah Olson - Effective Agent helps buyers, sellers, and relocating families make smarter real estate decisions throughout Utah.

09/24/2026

Rates just hit a 1-year high, and inventory's climbing fast. I pulled Utah County's real MLS numbers instead of guessing — here's where things actually stand, and what I'm watching next.

09/23/2026

Utah new construction closing dates rarely slip — but when they do, it's almost always one of two things: a winter dig delay, or something rare. I'll tell you about the time a house across the street from me burned down mid-framing.

09/21/2026

Santaquin looks farther out on a map than it actually is. Because it sits right on I-15, your real commute to Provo, Silicon Slopes, or Salt Lake can beat Salem, Elk Ridge, Woodland Hills — even Spanish Fork. Here's what's driving new construction there right now.

09/19/2026

One thing worth adding: the reason a builder buydown is so hard to beat dollar-for-dollar is that the builder is subsidizing it past what they add to the price. On my own purchase, about $20K added to the price bought roughly $35K worth of rate buydown at retail pricing. A resale seller isn't doing that — but the right resale home can still win when it already has the finished basement and yard you were going to pay for anyway, and the house doesn't need a renovation. It really comes down to seller motivation, the incentives available on the exact new home you want, and how much work each home needs. If you want to run your own numbers side by side, comment PAYMENT and I'll send you the Payment Comparison Worksheet. Or if you'd rather just talk it through: https://calendly.com/micaholson/30-minute-meeting

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Orem, UT

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+18018054900

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