HB 151, titled the Home Sales Amendments, creates a new set of restrictions on the sale of single-family homes in counties of the first class in Utah. The bill generally bars a purchaser from entering into a contract to buy a single-family home within the first 30 days after the home is listed, unless the purchaser signs an affidavit stating that at least one buyer intends to occupy the home as a primary residence for at least one year after purchase. The affidavit must also be recorded with the county recorder within seven days of signing.
The bill defines several terms to implement this framework, including “single-family home,” “day of listing,” “exigent circumstance,” and categories of excluded purchasers such as affordable housing nonprofit corporations, family LLCs, family trusts, and parties completing a 1031 exchange. It also creates exceptions where the seller has an exigent circumstance or where a renter still resides in the home when the buyer takes possession. The bill would take effect May 7, 2025.
Impact
HB 151 would add a new section to Utah Code, Section 57-1-48, and would directly regulate the timing and conditions of purchases of certain single-family homes in first-class counties. It would affect buyers, sellers, real estate transactions, county recorders, and potentially the local housing market by limiting early purchases by non-owner-occupants and requiring recorded occupancy affidavits. The bill does not appropriate money and would create a new compliance and documentation requirement for qualifying home sales.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill had some support but also meaningful hesitation: it was held in House committee on a 5-2 vote. With no committee transcript available, the overall sentiment appears mixed rather than broadly settled, indicating interest in the bill’s housing-policy goals but enough concern to prevent advancement at that stage.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the bill’s restriction on who may buy a home during the first 30 days on the market, especially because it favors owner-occupants and excludes or delays certain investors and other purchasers. Potential concerns include whether the measure interferes with market activity, how burdensome the affidavit and recording requirements are, and whether the exceptions for exigent circumstances and existing renters are sufficient. Supporters would likely view it as a tool to preserve housing for primary residents and reduce speculative purchases, while opponents may see it as an unnecessary constraint on property sales and buyer choice.