COMMENT BY
Wes from Ogden, UT
COMMENT ABOUT PLACE
Ogden, UT
COMMENT
The Land of OG (Ogden) is Just Right!
~~Me = Utahn, 44, College Graduate, Homeowner, Father~~
Fact...Just 40 miles north of Salt Lake City, Ogden was named the 6th best place to raise a family by Forbes. ~~
Housing prices are surging (he Ogden real estate market saw a double digit appreciation as the home prices have risen by 14.6% over the last year. And looking forward into the coming year). ~~
I moved from SLC to OG in November 2016 to take advantage of the more affordable housing. I was able to purchase a town home at a really great price and over the last 3 years of home ownership I have experienced an approximate 45% increase home equity. That's a phenomenal rate of growth; but that's only the tip of the iceberg of why the Land of OG is a great place to live. ~~
I expect home prices to stabilize or drop due to Covid. So be ready to pounce in the next 12-24 months. I for one am staying put and have no interest in leaving Ogden as its simply a better pace of living and freedom than most places I've lived (Salt Lake City, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, San Francisco, Raleigh). ~~
Bonus tip is to purchase a residence NORTH of the I-15 exit of Milepost 341 (31st Street) as this will allow you access to I-84. I-84 Southbound access is key to circumventing rush hour traffic and traffic accidents that always happen on I-15 Southbound. There have been so many instances that I'm planning my hour commute from OG to SLC and then I see the traffic backing up and I take the I-84 off ramp to navigate to SLC either via US HWY 89 back to I-15 S/Legacy HWY or if you want a scenic longer, more enjoyable, without any top and go; simply take the scenic loop route of I-84 to Park City then come back down Parleys Canyon into Salt Lake that way. Multiple options for you to navigate this thing called the Wasatch front. ~~
~Commute~
Frontrunner is centrally located right off of 23rd & Wall and runs regularly and on time, even on Sundays (Worst thing about living in Utah overall is that so many businesses close on Sunday). Additionally; UTA (Utah Transit Authority) has a major operating hub right off of 19th & Wall; so commuting around town via bus is available and timely and affordable.~~
Trust me on the commute, as I take it on 3x a week and work from home the other 2x as my office is in Draper which is approximately 55 miles from my house via the way the crow flies. Yes...about an hour each way and 100 mile round trip. When I take frontrunner from Ogden to the Draper station; it's usually 90 minutes; but I get a load of work done on the train via my WiFI hotspot and or you can use the local Wifi on the train as well. The trains are good; they are refurbished units from New Jersey and are warm in the winter and very cool w/AC in the summer. ~~
Suggesting a vehicle with good gas mileage if you regularly have to commute to SLC Valley and Front Runner doesn't drop you off near your office. BONUS; is that the portion of I-15 between Layton and Riverdale, is getting a huge freeway overhaul and expansion of lanes allowing for a smoother commute.~~
Lastly on this topic; with the pandemic; more WFH (Work from home opportunities) will and are arising; making the commute factor in living become a bit more irrelevant over time.~~
FUN Stuff!...~~
My daughter & I frequent the Ogden River Trail quite often to ride mountain bikes or our EV's (Scooter & Onewheel). I'm a snowboarder so I love the quick access to Snowbasin (25 mins) and Powder Mountain (35 mins) from our residence near downtown Ogden. Also; I golf a lot (Maybe that's why I'm divorced); I took lessons when I was 12 at Riverside Golf Course located in Riverdale (Basically South Ogden) and I play that course often. BONUS...Right next is MOTOR VU Drive Inn. We love Drive Inns; support them as they are a dying breed and OG has one for you to make memories! Golf is also very affordable overall in Utah...it's so cheap compared to other states. We go hiking all the fantastic trails and mountain bike and camp and flyfish the multiple streams, rivers, etc... If you are an outdoor enthusiast, OG is a no brainer!~~
Diverse people; good food on Historic 25th Street and just a very chill vibe.~~
I love Ogden...so will you!~~