'In short, we're not surprised,' said Ty Perry, sales consultant for Ivory Homes. 'Existing home inventory is down, listing prices are up and the unemployment rate is much lower than the national average. Also, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Wasatch Mountains, and with so many things to do, Salt Lake City is just a wonderful place to live.'

According to REALTOR.com's data, existing inventory for homes is Salt Lake City is down 31 percent, year-over-year. Furthermore, the median listing price ($195,000) is up 5.5 percent over the same period. Median days on market is at 90 days, down 13 percent. Also, the unemployment rate is 5.9 percent. By comparison, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national rate of unemployment through April was 8.1 percent.

'And it's not just Salt Lake City,' said Perry. 'Provo and Ogden communities have also recently received high marks for being some of the best places to live, work and raise a family.'

Citing a recent article in Forbes magazine, Provo and Ogden were named the third and eighth best cities to raise a family, respectively. The reasons for these positive rankings included the low cost of living, low crime rates and high education standards.

Ivory Homes is well positioned to cater to the demand for new homes in Utah. 'We're building beautiful new homes all along the Wasatch front,' said Perry. 'From Farmington and Layton to Syracuse and Clearfield, we have great options for everyone ready to buy in one of the most attractive markets in the country — during one of the most attractive times to buy a home.'

Ivory Homes has been Utah's largest homebuilder since 1990. For more information, contact Ivory Homes' corporate office, 978 Woodoak Lane, Salt Lake City, UT 84117, call 801-747-7000, visit the website at www.ivoryhomes.com or check out the YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ivoryhomes.