[JavaBrewer]

You really need to visit SLC first. Gets snow (not crazy like MN) in winter and is hot (not crazy like PHX) in summer. Everyone thinks of LDS (Mormons - Latter Day Saints) when SLC comes up. For good reason. When a new community breaks ground the first building in place is the LDS church. Yes the community is more diverse than ever but still predominantly LDS. If you are not LDS then you can expect a more difficult time building a social network - if that is of concern. That said you could do much worse than having LDS neighbors. Very polite, clean, and respectful group of folks.

SLC is not all that cheap either. Some of the nicer communities are == in price to nice communities in SoCal.