On the Up and Up!

The job market is looking brighter! Unemployment claims have fallen to its lowest point since May 2008. In November alone 120,000 jobs were added, helping the unemployment rate fall from 9 percent to 8.6. With home sales up 25 percent in October, and November auto sales also on the up and up, it looks like it’s good news as we head into our holiday weekend!

Rockefeller Center all dressed up for the holidays!

Thought of the Week –

“Pig-Pen, you’re the only person I know who can raise a cloud of dust in a snowstorm.” – Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Have a safe and hopefully white Christmas!

Your friends at GBT

Close with Confidence.

Ski Season!

Salt Lake Cityis in the top ten for America’s Best Cities for Winter Travel according totravelandleisure.com! With the greatest snow on Earth it’s not much of a surprise. Voters loved SLC’s affordability, along with the versatility of staying in downtown and driving only 30 minutes to the slopes. 

The 2011 Gateway Christmastree with more than 100,000 LED lights! The 50-foot Colorado blue spruce is a foot taller than last year’s tree, which was among the tallest in America!

Thought of the Week –

“Skiing is a dance, and the mountain always leads.” – Author Unknown.

Have a great week!

Your friends at GBT

Close with Confidence.

Best Run States!

Utah is No. 6 on 24/7 Wall St. Best and Worst Run States list! 24/7 Wall St. “evaluated how a state uses its resources to provide its residents with high living standards, reviewing dimensions such as health insurance, employment rate, low crime, and a good education.” Utah has the fifth lowest violent crime rate and the seventh highest graduation rate in the country!

USS Arizona Memorial, immortalizing the 1,177 crew members we lost December 7, 1941.

Thought of the Week –

“Today we may say aloud before an awe-struck world: We are still masters of our fate. We are still captain of our souls.” – Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Have a wonderful week!

Your friends at GBT

Close with Confidence.

Forbes again!

For the second year in a row, Forbes has named Utah No. 1 for business! “No state can match the consistent performance of Utah. It is the only state that ranks among the top 15 states in each of the six main categories we rate the states on,” the website gushed. With overall business costs in Utah being 10 percent less than the national average, along with our excellent population growth, companies will continue to be attracted to the Beehive state. This is especially good news for the real estate industry! Utah is already above the national average for owning homes and with more jobs there will be a greater need for homes, which translates into more mortgages and sales!

American Fork Boat Harbor on Utah Lake

Thought of the Week –

“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

Have a great week and an excellent start to December!

Your friends at GBT

Close with Confidence.

Thanksgiving!

According to Jeff Steagall, dean of the Goddard School of Business and Economics at Weber State University, Utah’s economy is one of the most successful in the nation. With so many diverse companies, especially in technology and manufacturing, the state is outperforming the rest of the US!

From 1928 to 1933, the giant helium-filled character balloons at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade were released into the air during the parade’s climax. Each balloon had a return address label so whoever found it could send it back to Macy’s for a prize!

Juicy Tidbit of the Week –

“On Thanksgiving Day, all over America, families sit down to dinner at the same moment – halftime.” – Author Unknown

With hearts filled with gratitude, we wish you an excellent Thanksgiving and a safe Black Friday!

Your friends at GBT

Close with Confidence.

If you’re planning on traveling this holiday season from SLC, you’re in luck! The Salt Lake City International Airport came in at No. 4 for America’s Best Airports for Flight Delays. According to travelandleisure.com, travelers gave SLC rave reviews for keeping up the pace during our winter storms!

Lightning over Puyehue Volcano in Chile

Thought of the Day –

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers

Have a great week!

Your friends at GBT

Close with Confidence.

It's almost time to Ski!

Now that there is snow on the mountains, it’s time to take a trip to SKI Magazine’s “#1 Family Vacation” spot! Park City Mountain Resort was rated number 1, with its “top-notch ski school” and reputation for being an excellent ski-town, it comes as no surprise! In addition to skiing, the resort is opening the Flying Eagle zip line for its first full winter season.

The Real Polar Bear Club

Thought of the Week –

“Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery.” – Bill Watterson, author of Calvin & Hobbes.

We hope you have a great week!

Your friends at GBT

Close with Confidence.