Former Northern Utah resident planning to retire in Utah in about one-year and a half but plan to purchase a new home now while rates are low and then lease it out until I finally retire.

I have lived in Ogden & Provo, and am not too familiar with the newer Silicon Slope towns but that seems where the good new neighborhoods are. Provo seems too Mormon for me, but I may have very dated impressions of the town. Ogden, I like, but it seemed a little on the depressed side when I was last there, but there was a nice coffee shop and Farr's (licorice) ice cream I like.

I am looking for a new construction home. Unfortunately, since I am not rich and have to get it right financially the first time, too close to retirement for mistakes. The number factor, is buying a home that will be easy to lease out for a year or two and that will hopefully appreciate. Any ideas on where to look, I have about budget for a home between 300 & 400'?

Look at Herriman.

You really want to lease out a brand new home to have it potentially trashed by the time you move in? That sort of defeats the point of getting a newly built home, IMO. Plus it sounds like you wouldn't live close to check on it.

A lot can change in two years. I hope you can find a great area that will keep appreciating. Good luck!

Weber county has a lot of nice neighborhoods that are in that price range. North Ogden and Pleasant View would have homes that are new, and feeds into the best performing High School in the county- Weber High. So resale is good in that region. Ogden is a convenient city, traffic is never bad because it's designed really well back in the 1800s.

If you get into Davis county traffic is horrible! All the streets run around in circles and make no sense. I-15 is awful, they never ever stop fixing that road. So plan on lots of time sitting and waiting.

There's also all the developments out to the west where it's flat, like by Syracuse, Layton, clinton. There you can get big (not attractive) houses, with big garages, but the views are not there, but you can get a big new house (that's kinda ugly) for that price.

Finally macaRomney says something I agree with. ;)

North Ogden is lovely. Bit of a jaunt into SLC, but if that is not an issue, then go for it. It is closer to Idaho lottery tickets, or Yellowstone, for what that is worth.

I had a friend with a pretty high end tech job move to Layton. He quite likes it, except he lost two mature trees the other day. :( I think the views there are fine. I actually think the western edge of the Wasatch has a better view of the mountains than the east benches do. They are too close to really see the mountains.

Herriman has great views (IMO) though the traffic will likely get bad over the next 20 years. It is pretty Mo, though it is not Orem. Silicon Slopes area I expect to be pretty expensive, just from all the engineers and similar types in the area. Not that I have actually looked. The thought of living in Utah County gives me a rash. Blech.

A friend of mine who is not LDS moved from Roy to Brigham City. Said the houses were cheaper and the area eas nice.

I'd avoid Kaysville. I call it the Provo of Davis County.

Layton is too crowded and expensive.

Bountiful has the worse weather.

Some folks like Eden, Mountain Green and Morgan. But you are far from many bigger city conveniences. But great views and closer to ski resorts.

Unfortunately, it may be very difficult to find a home other than a condo or town home in the 300-400K range. Prices along the Wasatch Front have skyrocketed. My son recently purchased his first home in a Salt Lake suburb for 365K and it is a two bedroom town home. There were five other offers that he was in competition with and he had to offer 20k over asking. He made offers on 6 other homes before getting lucky with the one he bought.

Of course, the farther away from Salt Lake you go, prices may be less and perhaps slightly more selection.