THE MARKET

“For the longest time, our market was a second-home or even third-home market,” Sapp says. “While you’ll still find that here, in the past two to three years, we’ve seen more and more people who are looking to live in Park City yearround.”

The winter sports lifestyle is definitely part of that allure. “We have some of the best skiing in the country,” Jones says, but there’s another more surprising element that’s been a major contributor to Park City’s recent popularity: the airport.

“Our international airport, which is about 35 minutes from Park City, underwent a major renovation and expansion to the tune of $2 billion or more,” Sapp says.

“The convenience of a modern, international airport with flights all over the world is bringing people who normally might have looked for homes in Colorado to Park City instead.”

Of course, the amenities are world-class, and for the avid skier, Park City provides a perfect locale to savor the winter resort lifestyle with prices that aren’t too expensive compared with other ski destinations in the U.S. In the highest-priced Park City areas, building a new home can cost upwards of $2,000 per square foot but it typically hovers between $600 to $1,000 per square foot, the Realty ONE Group Goldmark partners explain.

Part of that price is paid in pristine power. “Park City Mountain is a major skiing destination,” says Jones, noting that the second-largest ski resort in America is located in Park City, and it covers 7,300-acre, featuring more than 330 trails.

While ski industry growth has somewhat plateaued, Park City is bucking the trend. A new 6,800-acre ski resort called Mayflower Mountain Resort just launched in the area. North of Mayflower Mountain is the Wasatch Peaks Ranch Club, a private membership ski resort known for its private 18-hole, Tom Fazio-designed golf course and world-class amenities.

“When visiting Utah, you’ll also find several spectacular national parks – like Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park,” says Jones. “We have monuments, landmarks, natural forests, lakes, state parks and millions of additional acres of open spaces with no official designation.”

Jones points to incentives like high quality of life, low crime and tax benefits – Utah has a flat state income tax below 5%, low property taxes and no estate tax – as helping to create a strong Park City pull.

In addition to these lifestyle perks, a renaissance in all things wellness has heightened the desire to live in Utah and be among its vast natural beauty. “It’s easy to participate in a healthy lifestyle whether hiking, mountain biking or running through a Park City trails system that is so extensive, it leads to almost every community in the area,” Sapp explains.

And for those who want their own paths, the Realty ONE Group Goldmark team can forge it.

“We’re currently building a house on 14 acres and creating a nature trail for the home owners so they can be among the wildlife – the elk, deer, moose, mountain lines, rabbits, the birds,” Sapp says. “Making that connection with the natural environment is such a key component to Park City living and it’s something people may not even know they’re seeking until they find it.”