U.S. foreclosure activity increased more than 93 percent from July 2006 to July 2007, but at the same time, foreclosure activity in Utah actually dropped more than 58 percent, according to July 2007 data from RealtyTrac. In fact, this is the six month in a row that Utah has seen double-digit decreases in its foreclosure activity. Since January, Utah has also dropped from being the state with the 13th-highest number of foreclosures to being No. 23 in foreclosures. RealtyTrac reported that Utah was only one of seven states that had year-over-year declines in foreclosure activity. Of those seven states, Utah posted the largest decrease.

“States like Texas, South Carolina and Utah have seen slow but steady price appreciation over the past five years, making them much more attractive and affordable,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac, in a prepared statement.

In Utah, Weber County had the highest foreclosure rate in July, with Salt Lake County and Wasatch coming in at No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. Many smaller counties — Box Elder, Carbon, Garfield, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Rich, Sanpete and Sevier — actually had zero foreclosure filings for the month. County

taken from the Utah Association of Realtors newsletter.

Buying a home will probably rank as one of the biggest personal investments one can make. Being organized and in control will contribute significantly to getting the best home deal possible with the least amount of stress. It's important to anticipate the steps required to successfully achieve your housing goal and to build a plan of action that gets you there.

Before you can build a plan of action, take the time to lay the groundwork for your decision-making process.

First, ask yourself how much can you afford to pay for a home. If you're not sure on the price range, find a lender and get preapproved. Preapproval will let you know how much you can afford so that you can look for homes in your price range. Getting pre-approved helps you to alleviate some of the anxieties that come with home buying. You know exactly what you qualify for and at what rate, you know how large your monthly mortgage payments will be, and you know how much you will have for a down payment. Once you are pre-approved, you avoid the frustration of finding homes that you think are perfect, but are not in your price range.

Second, ask yourself where you want to live and what is the best location for you and/or your family. Things to consider:

*convenience for all family members
*proximity to work, school
*crime rate of neighborhood
*local transportation
*types of homes in neighborhood, for example condos, town homes, co-ops, newly constructed homes etc.