St. George Information

Please check out our Blog Archive on the left hand side to see other blogs about weather, lakes, parks, golf courses, and much more!! Also, Please join our followers on the left to be updated with our newest information on St. George and Real Estate news!

Tuacahn St. George, Utah

“I was awestruck,” wrote Orval Hafen, upon first seeing the area that is now home to the Tuacahn Center for the Arts. He and his wife, Ruth, bought an eighty-acre parcel in the box canyon and built a cabin below the pristine red rocks. Describing the scene at the turn of the 20th century, he stated:

“There before me lay a scene of indescribable beauty: wild, primitive, unspoiled, largely unknown, waiting to be enjoyed, waiting to inspire folks.” Within these “towering red sandstone cliffs,” he desired that “others [might one day] share this beauty and drink of the inspiration that is here.”

Orval Hafen’s vision came one step closer to reality in 1993 when Doug Stewart, noted playwright and St. George resident, stumbled upon the spot as he was searching for a location for an outdoor amphitheatre in the St. George area. “The stunning beauty and perfect surroundings stopped me in my tracks,” Stewart recalled. “I was brought to tears when I first stood there, and after taking it in for some time – envisioning an amphitheatre and a stage with an awesome backdrop of 1,500 foot red rock cliffs, and hearing the sounds of music echoing from the canyon walls – I literally flew back to town and straight to the county recorder’s office to see who the land belonged to.”

Through Stewart’s efforts, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization was established to raise funds for construction of the Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts on the 80 acre parcel at the base of Padre Canyon. The plan was more than ambitious–a 42,000 square foot facility featuring a 330 seat indoor theater, a dance studio, a black-box theater, a recital hall, a costume shop and scene shop, studios and classrooms, and a gift shop, all of which were built to complement the jewel of Tuacahn - a 1920-seat outdoor amphitheatre, which was designed as the home of the original musical UTAH!. The grounds were landscaped to compliment the magnificence of the surrounding canyon. In the spring of 1995 the 23 million dollar facility was finally completed.

From the outset, Tuacahn pursued a dual mission of providing quality arts education coupled with inspiring entertainment. The Center of the Arts provided instruction in music, dance, and drama, while the musical UTAH! debuted in the summer of 1995, rightly labeled as “America’s Most Spectacular Outdoor Musical,” complete with pyrotechnics, live animals, a massive cast, and a live re-creation of a flash flood, with over 60,000 gallons of water pouring across the stage.

Live Flood Scene From UTAH! performed onstage at Tuachan Center for the Arts AmphitheatreUTAH! recounts the story of Jacob Hamblin, who was sent by renowned colonizer and Mormon leader Brigham Young to supervise the early settlements in Southern Utah. Jacob Hamblin made peace with the native Indian population, and to this day, his treaty with the local tribes stands as the single compact between white settlers and Native Americans that has never been broken. His story was reenacted for over 250,000 patrons over the course of three years.

In the summer of 1998 Tuacahn presented a new version of UTAH! with a completely new script and in the fall of that same year Tuacahn produced an entirely new show entitled How the West Was Won featuring the acclaimed American Folk Ballet Company.

In 1999, the Tuacahn Board felt that it needed to shift its strategy and pursue a new direction. “We're proud of what we accomplished with UTAH!,” said Kevin Smith, Tuacahn's Chief Operating Officer, “but after several years of one show, it was clear that people wanted to see something new.”

Ironically, “something new” came in the form of two musicals that have been performed throughout the state for years. Instead of offering just one production for summer patrons, Tuacahn created their first “Summer Festival of Theatre,” which featured a double bill of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The shows were well received and the amphitheatre found itself in the enviable position of dealing with huge crowds and sold-out houses. Over 100,000 people from every state in the Union and twenty-five countries attended the festival's 70 performances. “I know there were some concerns about doing familiar Broadway shows, because they’ve been performed so often, ” said Kevin Warnick, Tuacahn's Managing Director. “However, we discovered that the Tuacahn Amphitheatre provides a unique setting for these Broadway favorites that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.”

Several more successful seasons of Broadway fare followed, and the audience and critical reception was overwhelmingly positive. The Las Vegas Review praised Tuacahn’s version of Joseph for being “lively” and “engaging.” In 2000 The Salt Lake Tribune wrote of another Tuacahn production: “Tuacahn’s The Music Man revels in its good old-fashioned simplicity and its Americana sound… [and] makes a strong case to spend a breezy summer night in the quaint town of River City.”

Tuacahn’s 1999 production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and the 2000 production of Fiddler on the Roof included the flash flood made famous by UTAH!. The Provo Daily Herald gave Tuacahn’s 2001 production of Oklahoma! its highest rating, calling it a “solidly entertaining theater experience… as fresh and fun as it was when it premiered [on Broadway] in 1943.” The Sound of Music presented the same year became Tuacahn’s second best selling show right behind Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Tuacahn also presented indoor productions in its 330 seat Orval and Ruth Hafen Theatre including the very funny Greater Tuna and acclaimed musical revue The Taffetas in 1995, the stirring musical Quilters and nostalgic classic The 1940’s Radio Hour in 1996, the raucous comedy See How they Run in 2000, and the hilarious musical Nunsense in 2001.

Annie Get Your GunIn 2002 Tuacahn’s summer amphitheatre productions of Annie Get Your Gun and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcaoat (back by popular demand) broke all previous Tuacahn box office records, and in September of 2002 Tuacahn officially commenced with its inaugural fall season by presenting the original UTAH! which had been on the shelf since 1997. For the first time Tuacahn had combined an original work with Broadway productions

“UTAH! demonstrated that a new musical can succeed in a new environment,” says Scott Anderson, Tuacahn’s Artistic Director. “When Broadway connects with its audience and produces quality family fare like The Lion King, people are beating down the doors to see it. In The future, Anderson hopes to have new musicals being performed side by side with theatrical classics at Tuacahn. “We want musicals written by individuals with a positive, uplifting world view,” says Anderson.

In 2003 Tuacahn presented The Wizard of Oz and The King and I in the summer, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown in the fall. The Wizard of Oz broke all previous box office records.

In the summer of 2004 Tuacahn produced two classics which take place in the streets of Manhattan, namely, West Side Story and Guys and Dolls. Tuacahn constructed a fifty-seven foot single-unit steel set to recreate the New York City streetscape for the productions, and then manipulated the set to present Singin in the Rain in the fall of 2004.

2005 marks Tuacahn’s ten-year anniversary in which Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat are the productions chosen to celebrate this milestone.
“Ticket sales for these shows are well ahead of any season we’ve ever done and we expect that trend to continue, as we commemorate ten years of Broadway In the Desert,” says Kevin Warnick, Tuacahn’s Managing Director.

Initially, the Tuacahn Amphitheatre was almost exclusively a summer theatre enterprise. That changed forever in 2000, when Tuacahn presented its first Christmas Festival of Lights. In 2001 the Festival of Lights expanded to include a Live Nativity, presented throughout the Christmas season in the Tuacahn Amphitheatre. With professional sets, costumes, lights, and music, and with the help of an all-volunteer cast, Tuacahn recreates the sacred events of the traditional Christmas story. Mary rides in to Bethlehem on the back of a live donkey, and the Wise Men with real live camels bring gifts as they journey to find the Baby Jesus. The result is a unique presentation that touches those who see the production and all those who participate as well.

“It’s a profoundly moving experience,” said Shelyce Maxwell, who played the Virgin Mary one night in 2001, “I was seven months pregnant with my own child, and reenacting Mary’s journey made the Christmas story intensely personal for me.” The Live Nativity is free to the public attracting thousands of visitors seeking to be reminded of the true meaning Christmas.

Over the years, visitors have also enjoyed the many concerts presented in the Tuacahn Amphitheatre and indoor Hafen Theatre including such noted performers and groups as The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Vienna Boys Choir, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Abramyan String Quartet, Victor Borge, The Utah Symphony, The Kingston Trio, Merle Haggard, Michael Martin Murphy, Kenny Rogers, The Osmond Brother, Diamond Rio and many others. The concerts have helped compliment the summer/fall theatre season and with the Festival of Lights have contributed to Tuacahn’s success in becoming a year round destination for quality entertainment

However, Tuacahn is not only known for its commitment to uplifting entertainment, it is also known for its devotion to quality education. In August of 1999 Tuacahn began operation of the Tuacahn High School, under the direction of School Administrator Dr. John P. Broberg. The Tuacahn High School known today as the Tuacahn High School for Performing Arts and Technology, is the first public charter high school in the state of Utah. The school combines a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with an emphasis in music, drama, dance and computer technology.

For two years running, the Tuacahn High School took first place in the SUU Utah Shakespearean Festival Shakespeare Competition, and has been the recipient of several music, drama and speech and debate awards received through statewide competitions. More than eighty percent of Tuacahn graduates go on to college and several Tuacahn students have received scholarships to prominent universities. “We’re defining the charter school movement in the state of Utah,” said Broberg, “and we’re redefining the role of public schools in arts education.”

The school also has a tight-knit relationship with the Amphitheatre productions. “Our students have been given unprecedented opportunities to rub shoulders with the working theatre professionals who staff the Tuacahn Amphitheatre. No other public school provides this level of exposure to a professional theatrical operation.”

Tuacahn High School reached full enrollment for the first time in 2001. Calling the enrollment numbers a “credit to the power of school choice,” Fred Lampropoulos, Tuacahn's Chairman of the Board, praised Dr. Broberg’s efforts: “Students choose to come here, and if we don't do our job well, they can choose to leave; the fact that we've reached full capacity so early in our history is a credit to how well Dr. Broberg and the Tuacahn faculty have served the educational needs of the students.”

“Tuacahn’s future is firmly planted in a quest for excellence in education and in the kind of quality entertainment that the whole family can enjoy,” says Hyrum W. Smith, Tuacahn’s Chief Executive Officer. Furthermore, thanks to the leadership of Hyrum Smith and Fred Lampropoulos, Tuacahn also has a renewed commitment to maintaining and improving the facilities while providing quality productions and exceptional customer service.

The Broadway in the Desert™ summer theatre season has expanded into the fall, the annual Festival of Lights featuring the Live Nativity is now a community tradition that runs four nights a week from the day after Thanksgiving to December 23rd, and Tuacahn has recently added spring and fall concerts to its performing arts offerings.

The Tuacahn High School continues to grow in size and capacity and has recently added a new computer lab and learning center known as the Ivins Smart Site at Tuacahn. This Smart Site not only benefit the students in the school, but also the community at large.

Established to awaken the nobility of the human soul and transmit light and hope to people everywhere through the arts and education, the Tuacahn Center for the Arts has the great fortune of having accomplished much over the last several years with so much more to achieve.

This years plays are:
ANNIE
FOOTLOOSE
AIDA

Please call Paul Jones at 435-313-6708 or email me at prjones@kw.com for more information.

Short Sales and Foreclosures

Not all homes that go into default go all the way through foreclosure. Many sell before the notice of default is finalized. Home buyers and investors are attracted to short sales and foreclosures because they want to buy a home for less than market value. Sometimes sellers in default and buyers who want a short sale or foreclosure can see eye-to-eye and enter into a profitable transaction for both parties.

But it's not for the faint of heart. Distressed home sales are often complicated and sellers have rights when in foreclosure. Both sellers and buyers should seek legal advice before entering into such a contract.

Sellers in Foreclosure

It's all too common for sellers in foreclosure to want to ignore the problem and hope it will go away. Some stick their heads in the sand. But help is available. Sellers in foreclosure have options.

* How to Stop Foreclosure can help sellers keep a home through reinstatement, forbearance, mortgage modifications or repayment plans.

* Short Sales for Sellers clarifies how to transfer title to a buyer before the redemption period ends by persuading the lender to accept less than the unpaid mortgage balance. Not all lenders will accept a short sale, however. This covers what lenders want from sellers. Negotiation is key.

* Foreclosure and Short Sale Taxes discusses how the I.R.S. will treat a foreclosure or short sale for tax purposes. It's called debt forgiveness, and until tax rules change, sellers could owe the government taxes even though sellers lost money on the sale.

Buying Foreclosures & Short Sale Homes

Not all foreclosures and short sales are profitable. To pull a home out of foreclosure, buyers need to make up back payments to the lender, pay all imposed fees and either pay off the loan or make arrangements to sell the property. Few lenders will let a buyer assume an existing obligation.

* Buying Distressed Homes involves three ways to purchase: from the seller in foreclosure, negotiating a short sale or buying from the lender after a public auction. Read this carefully as investors in California cannot be represented by a real estate agent.

* Buying Short Sales details why the process is complicated and can take much longer to close than an ordinary transaction. Not all short sales are profitable, and this article explains why.

* Buying Foreclosures before the home goes to a public auction involves negotiating directly with the seller. Buyers also have the option of bidding on a foreclosure at the public auction, but read the procedures first.

* Drawbacks to Foreclosures talks about the repercussions and inherent problems that are often present when buying a foreclosure. Buyers who bid at public auctions will benefit from getting as much information as possible beforehand.

* Defaults Hit Home Values. Nearby homes will feel the effect, which could pull the market value of a newly purchased short sale or foreclosure even lower. This article goes into detail about how appraisers determine the value in neighborhoods with distressed home sales.

Fixing Up Foreclosures & Short Sale Homes

One way to make money in real estate is to "buy low and sell high." Couple that principle with fixing up the home or improving it, and the amount of profit can be even greater. Besides, many distressed homes fall into disarray and require repairs.

* Repairs Before Resale can boost bottom-line profit. But not all repairs or improvements return 100% of an investment. Read why.

* Top Do It Yourself Mistakes. This article covers 10 common errors home owners make when trying to flip a house. Don't think about buying a foreclosure until you read this.

* Fix-Up and Sell is a five-part series with links at the end of each article to the next. It's a first-hand description involving simple to complex remodeling projects that were completed on five flipper homes.

St. George, Utah Quick Facts

Saint George is a city in Washington County.
It is the county seat.
The community was named for George Albert Smith, Mormon elder.
The latitude of Saint George is 37.104N. The longitude is -113.583W.
It is in the Mountain Standard time zone. Elevation is 2,700 feet.
The estimated population, in 2003, was 56,382.

How do Property Taxes work for the St George Utah area?

The tax rate is as approximately, .55% (or a 1/2%)per year if it is your primary residence and about double that if you are not (1%). Now, I'm not sure about what values they get derided off of because people were complaining about too much taxation when the values of their homes went down and they were going off estimated values much higher than the new values would be. Some I've heard submit for new value, don't know if that is what can be or is done at the time of the sale or not or if it goes off when it was yearly assessed at a particular time.

I just got off the phone with the Assessor's office to get the full scoop as I've often wondered. My above information is correct. But the house values are not generally reappraised or in other words, reassessed, at the time of sale. Rather, they are off the assessed values off what the county has on record for assessments Jan 1 of each year. So, homeowners do need to... can bring in escrow statement in showing value and depending on the time it is brought in..., taxes reassessments preliminary deadline closes middle of May, so if you brought it in before that time, it could be assessed towards this year. Taxes are due at the end of November, for that prior year- paid in arrears. If people want to pay monthly they can contact the Treasures office and arrange that with a coupon book.

Public notice is given to all St George homes and property owners at the end of July what the taxes are or will be assessed at that year. This can precipitate complaints or petitions in what is subsequently a Board of Equalization that meets at end of Aug and beginning of Sept. So, if a home owner had it appraised it in June (or yes if there has been a sale or a couple comparables on their street sold, could petition at that time), then could go into the Board of Equalization for a look at it, and they could reassess regarding it.

What is going on with Housing in St. George

Here are the numbers.
Number of active listings 2517
Number of pending 420
Number of expired 1475
Average days on market 143.3
REO absorption 47

New Map Search

To view all properties in Washington County check out the new search map. Look at all cities St. George Real Estate, Ivins Real Estate, Bloomington Real Estate, Bloomington Hills Real Estate and all other cities. Checkout Condos, Townhouses, Single Family and request foreclosure and short-sale lists at:

http://www.mlsfinder.com/ut_wcmls/pauljones

Sun River St. George

COMMUNITY CENTER

At SunRiver all the elements of everyday life - work, play, home, and leisure - are brought together in a magnificent setting to create a harmonious and friendly community that successfully balances privacy and sociability.

Serving as the social hub of SunRiver is the luxurious Community Center, a 29,000 sq ft multi-purpose facility packed with plenty of invigorating activities. From tennis to golf, lawn bowling to swimming, aerobic fitness celebrations, the Community Center is the focal point of activity.

Throughout the community, the 18-hole golf course winds its way past charming homes, walking paths, even a stream nearly 1/4 mile long. And although the visual appeal of the community's beautiful landscaping and quality built homes is impressive, it's the people who choose to make SunRiver their home that make this community truly remarkable. From the moment you move in, you will be welcomed by friends and neighbors who share in your ambition to enjoy life to its fullest.

LIFESTYLE FITNESS & HEALTH

The NewLife Fitness Center will be the focal point of your active living at SunRiver St. George. The NewLife Fitness Center is packed with state of the art fitness equipment; however, it is the NewLife Fitness Program that makes the difference. The NewLife Fitness Program is designed and developed to offer participants an individualized workout program based on your own strengths and weaknesses. This personalized approach to fitness is established through an initial, individual assessment with a certified personal trainer.

Your assessment focuses on use of equipment, exercise education and workouts based on your abilities. Once you are a part of the NewLife Fitness Program you receive ongoing supervision and support with follow-up assessments to track your personal progress. You will see dramatic results and be motivated to exercise through participation in the NewLife Fitness Program! Come give it a try!

We also have ongoing fitness classes, Aerobics, Yoga, Muscle Toning, health and wellness, nutrition to help you maintain your active lifestyle.


LIFESTYLE SOCIAL

EDUCATION
Learn about all the things you never had time for. In addition to the classes and activities provided at the SunRiver St. George Community Center, St. George is home to many other institutions of learning. Residents are especially enthusiastic about the opportunities offered by Dixie State College through its Institute for Continued Learning (ICL). For a small annual fee, currently about $40, you can attend classes ranging from Geology and Utah History to Broadway Musicals and Birdwatching, go on 4-wheel drive outings, participate in ICL-sponsored hikes and field trips, and enjoy several social events during the year. In addition, many residents have discovered the Zion Canyon Field Institute at nearby Zion National Park, where an intriguing range of 1, 2, and 3-day classes are offered focusing on wildlife, geology, botany, landscape photography, and regional history. And closer to home, the St. George Senior Center offers classes that often supplement those available right here in SunRiver. Clearly, at SunRiver St. George, our “active adults” are exercising both mind and body.

PLAY GOLF IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR BACKYARD

SunRiver St. George Golf Club is one of southern Utah's finest championship eighteen hole courses. The layout is set next to the Virgin River and surrounded by the most colorful desert landscape in the country. At its center, between holes nine and eighteen, is a beautiful lake, a favorite resting place for migrating birds and a challenge for golfers, who, upon reaching hole number nine, have to hit over the water.

A distinguishing feature of the SunRiver course is that it is suitable for a wide variety of skill levels, challenging the accomplished player while still accommodating the weekend novice. And soon to come is a 5500 square foot clubhouse, which will include a lounge area with a stone fireplace, a restaurant, a bar, and a golf cart storage area. The clubhouse is destined to be a gathering place where golfers and non-golfers alike can enjoy good times, good food, and good conversation.


If you would like to view the available homes in Sun River please call Paul Jones at: 435-313-6708, or email prjones@kw.com

Study: St. George, Utah Ranked Most Secure Place To Live

According to the third annual "Most Secure U.S. Places to Live" rankings from Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, the most secure location to live in the United States is St. George, Utah.

The rankings, compiled by database experts at www.bestplaces.net, took into consideration crime statistics, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, environmental hazards, terrorism threats and job loss numbers in 379 U.S. municipalities. The study divided the communities into three groups: large metropolitan areas, mid-size cities and small towns.

The Provo-Orem, Utah, area was ranked first in the 2004 Farmers Insurance study, while the Richland-Kennewick-Pasco area in southeast Washington was tops in 2005.

"Everyone looks for a safe, secure place to live," said Jeff Beyer, senior vice-president and chief communications officer for Farmers. "Whether you are single or raising a family, a secure environment is important. It offers the well-being so necessary to succeed in today's fast paced world."

Top-ranked St. George, whose population of 110,515 places it among the small towns, offers a climate that features mild winters, low annual precipitation and clean air. St. George had the lowest crime rate of all 379 communities in the Farmers study and the lowest unemployment rate among the 138 small towns.

The Boise City-Nampa, Idaho, area topped all large metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or greater. Nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the area is shielded from severe weather and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Farmers study. The Most Secure Mid-Size city with a population between 150,000 and 500,000 is Las Cruces, New Mexico. Las Cruces scored well in the extreme weather and unemployment categories.

Beautiful Home for Sale in St. George

Beautiful home located at 2508 S 2310 E,St. George, Utah has just been listed for only $399,000! This is a two story 3,340 square foot home located in Red Butte Subdivision. It has all the upgrades! Central Vac, Granite countertops, the works!Spectacular one of a kind custom home. Ornate natural stone & hardwood flooring accented with an impressive staircase. Brand new!! Never lived in!! Lots of storage closets. 20 foot ceiling in the great room. Totally fantastic curb appeal with an interior to match.

Sand Hollow Resort

It has been a busy spring at Sand Hollow Resort. In the past few months, thousands have been there for the parade of homes, to enjoy the nice weather, and to play the incredible golf courses. For the rest of you, here is a quick update:
They currently have 21 completed homes at the Resort, with another dozen under construction. Several more are scheduled to begin in the coming months while even more are working on their plans.
Since opening in September, The Championship Course at Sand Hollow Resort has had an astounding 22,000 rounds played! Golf Week magazine rated the course the #1 public course in the state.
Construction prices and interest rates are hovering near record lows, and on March 19th Governor Huntsman signed a bill authorizing a $6,000 “Home Run” grant to assist in the purchase in any new construction home and there is an $8,000 federal tax incentive available to qualified buyers as well (call us to see if you qualify). It seems to be raining incentives for new home buyers.
It’s always a good time to come back out to Sand Hollow Resort. See all the development progress for yourself and stop in to see us at our new Sales Center. They have moved into the parade home in the center of the resort.