Taking up where 1999 left off -- a record $2.2 billion in new home building permits issued statewide last year -- single-family home prices and sales volume increased in Utah during the first quarter over the same period last year, led by Park City, where the average home now sells for nearly $600,000.

According to figures released Wednesday by the Utah Association of Realtors, overall Utah home sales were 7 percent higher in January, February and March compared to the first three months of 1999.The increase in both housing prices and sales volume is surprising given that mortgage interest rates are now higher than a year ago and the rate of job growth in Utah has declined.

"This is a direct reflection of Realtors providing increased services and working longer hours to sustain the housing market," said UAR President Mac Brubaker in the group's quarterly report.

Single-family homes in Utah sold for an average of $169,339 in the first quarter, a 6 percent rise over a year go. When Park City is excluded from the average -- that ultrahigh-priced market always skews the numbers -- the average sales price drops nearly $16,000 to $152,723.

The strong real estate market in Utah during the first quarter was fairly widespread as 11 of the UAR's 14 boards of Realtors reported price increases while only three reported lower average sales prices.

But the number of homes sold during the three months was fairly balanced, with eight boards reporting more home sales and six boards reporting fewer.

The largest increase, on a percentage basis, was reported by the Uintah Basin board with sales volume up 69 percent and the average price up 11 percent to $85,347. Brubaker credits a resurgence in oil and gas exploration, a very mild winter in the area and four major construction projects for the resurgence of the Uintah County market.

The biggest drop came in Tooele County, a strong housing market in recent years as people working in the Salt Lake area had been choosing to buy homes on the west side of the Oquirrh Mountains away from the traffic congestion created by the I-15 reconstruction.

Tooele was down 43 percent in sales for the quarter, with an average sales price of $120,806. Brubaker cited the fact that the I-15 project has passed the halfway point, making Tooele less attractive as a commute.

Here are some of the other first-quarter results as compared to a year ago:

Salt Lake/Davis counties -- Home sales rose 5 percent at an average selling price of $174,608. Condominium sales were up 4 percent at an average price of $122,300.

Utah County -- Sales increased 8 percent, and the average price was $171,690.

Ogden -- Sales rose 11 percent at an average price of $134,122. Condo sales increased 74 percent. Board President Gary Hancock cited rising single-family home prices for the increase in condo development, which is attracting first-time buyers.

Park City -- Up 7 percent in the number of single-family sales and up 23 percent in price to an average of $584,195. The number of condo sales rose 12 percent at an average price of $436,200.

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Wasatch County -- Saw a 17 percent rise in sales with homes selling for an average of $224,017.

Washington County -- The board, based in St. George, reported an 8 percent sales jump and an average price of $126,479, which was 17 percent higher than last year at this time.

Grand and San Juan counties -- The board, based in Moab, said sales volume shot up 27 percent with homes selling for an average $129,804. Kevin Fitzgerald, president of the counties' Association of Realtors, said the area has been "discovered" by residents of the Wasatch Front and western Colorado as a good place to live.

You can reach Max B. Knudson by e-mail at max@desnews.com

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