Buying your first home shouldn't feel like guessing.
Just imagine knowing what a home is really worth, what it will cost to own and every step between your offer and the keys. This guide walks you through all of it, and you'll have a whole team in your corner.
You're not hiring one agent. You're getting a team.
I'm part of Real Estate Essentials, a Utah brokerage whose agents work together on every client. When you work with me, the brokerage's experience, compliance team, transaction coordinators and lender relationships come with it.
13%
Higher average sold price than the market average*
$50,242
Average increased difference per home sold*
20K+
Viewers in English and Spanish on our TV show*
3-touch
Compliance process that checks every document against state and brokerage requirements
Agents who work together
Skilled, experienced agents share what they know on every client, so you get more than one person's experience.
On TV every week
Our brokerage's show, Utah's Real Estate Essentials, airs on ABC4. Being in the room every week means we sometimes hear about homes before they hit the market.
Nothing slips
The 3-touch compliance process, transaction coordinators and a tracked calendar for every contract deadline.
*Real Estate Essentials brokerage statistics: an average sold price 13% higher and an average listing price 13.8% higher than the market average. Statistics are based on the information given, are from the brokerage's start date, may not be representative of the entire real estate market, and can vary by MLS and search features. These are brokerage-wide results, not one agent's.
The process
From first call to keys, step by step.
Most purchases take a few weeks of looking, then about 30 to 45 days from an accepted offer to closing.
01Make your wants & needs listStart here
What you need, what you'd like and what you can comfortably spend each month. Use the worksheet.
02Get pre-approvedBefore you tour
A lender checks your credit and documents so you know your range, and sellers take you seriously.
03Sign a buyer agreementBefore you tour
Required since 2024 before touring with any agent. It spells out what I do and how I'm paid, and both are negotiable.
04Search and tourA few weeks
An automatic search emails you new matches as they list. Tour in person or by live video.
05Make an offerDay 0
Your offer is a Real Estate Purchase Contract (REPC), with the price, terms and four key deadlines.
06Earnest moneyWithin 4 days
A good-faith deposit held in trust. It counts toward your costs at closing.
07DisclosuresSeller Disclosure Deadline
What the seller knows about the home, plus HOA documents if there's an HOA.
08InspectDue Diligence Deadline
Inspect, negotiate repairs or cancel in writing and get your earnest money back.
09Appraisal & loanFinancing & Appraisal Deadline
The appraisal and final underwriting. Keep your finances steady.
10Walk-through & keysSettlement Deadline
A final walk-through, then you sign at title. Once it records, it's yours.
The money
Start with a lender, not a listing.
Get pre-approved first, so you're ready to make an offer when you find the one. Pre-qualification is usually a quick estimate from what you tell a lender; pre-approval means they've checked your credit and documents. Lenders use the words differently, so ask what they verified.
Conventional
The standard loan, following Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rules. Stricter on credit and debt; mortgage insurance applies below 20% down and can come off later.
FHA
Government-insured and more forgiving on credit, with its own mortgage insurance and a county loan limit.
Utah Housing
State programs for Utah buyers through participating lenders, including down payment help. Income and price limits apply. See programs
VA
For eligible veterans, service members and some surviving spouses.
Jumbo
For loans above the conforming limit ($832,750 in Salt Lake County in 2026). Usually stricter on credit and savings.
Grants
The Salt Lake Board of REALTORS® American Dream Grant, for buyers who haven't owned in 3 years. USDA loans generally aren't available in Sandy.
Questions to ask every lender
What types of loans do you offer, and which fits me best?
What are all the costs and lender fees?
How much will I need to bring to closing?
Do you underwrite in-house? How long does processing take?
Do you work with Utah Housing programs?
Documents to gather
Pay stubs from the last 30 days
W-2s or 1099s from the last 2 years
Tax returns from the last 2 years (business returns too if you're self-employed)
Your 2 most recent bank statements
Photo ID, plus any other income (child support, pension, Social Security)
General information, not a loan offer or financial advice. Talk to a licensed lender for your numbers. Our team works with lenders we trust, and I'm happy to introduce you. There's no obligation.
Your wants & needs list
No house is perfect. Let's find your best match.
Pick what matters to you, then print it or send it to me. I'll use it to set up your search.
Making an offer
Make it strong, negotiate smart.
When you find the one, we'll set a price based on recent comparable sales, the home's condition and the current market. What makes an offer stand out:
A solid deposit
A larger earnest money deposit signals a serious buyer.
A clean timeline
A 30–45 day close, with no home-sale contingency, appeals to sellers.
Verified financing
A real pre-approval letter, or cash if that's an option for you.
You offer
Your REPC goes to the seller with a response deadline.
→
The seller can
Accept
Decline
Counter with different terms
→
Then we can
Accept the counter
Counter again (as many times as it takes)
Walk away
Under contract
Inspect, appraise, and keep things steady.
The inspection
You choose and pay the inspector, usually within the first 10–14 days. It covers the roof, exterior, foundation, structure, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical, attic, windows, garage, and grading and drainage. Afterwards we can accept the home as it is, negotiate repairs or credits, or cancel by the Due Diligence Deadline.
Extra checks for Sandy homes
Radon: common in Utah, and the state recommends testing.
Sewer scope: a camera shows roots or cracks in older lines.
Plumbing and wiring from the era: polybutylene pipe (about 1978–1995) and aluminum branch wiring (about 1965–1973).
On paper: basement bedroom egress windows, owned vs. leased solar, HOA documents.
The appraisal
Your lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home is worth what you're paying.
At or above the price: you're clear to close.
Below the price: we renegotiate with the seller, cover the difference, or cancel and keep looking.
Before closing
Your lender requires homeowner's insurance; title insurance is part of closing.
You'll get a Closing Disclosure at least 3 days before closing. Review it with me and your lender.
Buyer closing costs often run 2–5% of the price.
Until you have the keys, don't…
✕Buy or lease a car
✕Change jobs
✕Miss a bill payment
✕Open new credit
✕Take a personal loan
✕Move money around
✕Make a major purchase
✕Change banks
Lenders run a final credit check right before closing, and any of these can put your loan approval at risk.
Closing day
Congratulations, you made it.
Final walk-through
Within 7 days of settlement, we check for damage since the inspection, confirm agreed repairs are done and make sure nothing included in the sale was removed.
What to bring
Government photo ID, your homeowner's insurance certificate, and certified funds or a previously arranged wire for the rest of your down payment and closing costs.
Keys
You sign at the title company. Once the loan funds and the deed records, we arrange possession with the listing agent and sellers.
Wire fraud warning: always confirm wiring instructions by phone with the title company, at a number you know is real, before sending money. Neither I nor the title company will ever change wiring instructions by email.
Sandy, Utah
Trails, a canyon, and the grocery store down the road.
Schools by address
Sandy's public schools are run by Canyons School District, and boundaries go by exact address. Sunrise Elementary is at 1542 E. 11245 South (84092), near 1300 East and 11400 South. Look up any address · Boundary map
Outdoors
Dimple Dell Regional Park: 630 acres and more than 15 miles of trails, with the Wrangler trailhead at 10350 S 1300 E. Little Cottonwood Canyon, toward Snowbird and Alta, is about 10–15 minutes away.
Everyday
Smith's at 10305 S 1300 E. TRAX at Crescent View (Blue Line, free park-and-ride). FrontRunner at Draper station.
From Sunrise Elementary to
Distance
Drive, no traffic
Downtown Salt Lake City
19 mi
about 26 min
Lehi / Silicon Slopes
12 mi
about 17 min
Crescent View TRAX
2.3 mi
about 6 min
Draper FrontRunner
6.2 mi
about 15 min
The market
Across Sandy, the September 2026 median sale price was about $705,000–$720,000, depending on the source, up from a year ago. Homes are taking roughly two months to sell, and many have cut their price, which can give a buyer room to negotiate. In 84092, four-bedroom homes run from the mid-$600,000s for 1980s homes to over $1 million for larger or newer ones. Utah doesn't publish sale prices, so I can pull the real ones from the MLS for you.
Moving here
Electricity: Rocky Mountain Power. Gas: Enbridge Gas Utah. Water and garbage: Sandy City. Utah taxes only 55% of a primary residence's value, and Salt Lake County's effective rate is roughly half a percent. Expect four seasons and about 60 inches of snow a year. Sandy's moving checklist
Sources, checked October 20, 2026: Canyons School District; Salt Lake County Parks; UTA; OpenStreetMap and OSRM routing; UtahRealEstate.com data via a brokerage site and a Movoto estimate; Sandy City; Utah State Tax Commission; SmartAsset; BestPlaces. School assignments are set by the district: confirm for any address.
Your agent
Marrott Weekes, REALTOR®
I believe buying your first home shouldn't feel like guessing. I spent eight years in private equity managing money for investors, so I look at a home the way they would: what it's really worth, what it'll cost to own and what it's likely to be worth later.
So I start by understanding your goals. Then my team and I show you the real numbers, negotiate for you and keep every deadline on track. Whatever you decide, this guide is yours to keep.
Information in this guide is from the sources named, checked October 20, 2026. It is believed reliable but not guaranteed and may change. Brokerage statistics are Real Estate Essentials' own, as noted above. School assignments are set by Canyons School District. Nothing here is a loan offer or financial, tax or legal advice. Equal Housing Opportunity.
