Over the past six years the Salt Lake County housing market has experienced historic levels of volatility.  From 2007 to 2010 prices plunged 20 percent and sales fell over 40 percent.  But in the ensuing three years prices and sales have recovered.  Low interest rates helped sustain the surprising price recovery and accelerating job growth supported increases in sales.  Now that the recovery has been secured, this year will be marked by a return to normalcy.  Price increases will moderate to the 5-7 percent range, just a bit higher than the historic average of 4 percent, and sales of single-family homes will increase by 7 percent to 12,500 homes as improving economic conditions free up pent-up demand for housing. (James Wood, Director of the University of Utah's Bureau of Economic and Business Research)