"It is a big concern, because I don't know how long I can keep making the payments," he said. "I would say another two or three months before it becomes critical."

Paul Johansen of Murray just sold his recently remodeled house after about nine months on the market. He originally listed the home with an agent who he said wasn't able to get much interest from prospective buyers.

After nearly eight months, he hired the Nicholl Coldwell Banker Group who got it sold in 45 days, he said. Johansen said the marketing plan his new agents came up with worked in his favor.

The 3,800-square-foot house was originally listed at $349,000 and eventually sold for $319,000, he said.

The fact that many potential buyers had trouble selling their own homes was probably one of the major impediments for him selling his, in addition to his initial marketing mistakes, he said.

Across the Wasatch Front, home sales have continued to fall.

In Davis County, the number of single-family home sales declined 26.56 percent in the first quarter, compared with the same quarter last year. The median sales price was nearly flat, rising 0.65 percent.

Weber County home sales declined nearly 32 percent, but median prices rose 7.62 percent.

Summit County saw single-family homes sales drop 31.03 percent, while prices jumped nearly 17 percent. On the down side, condo sales fell a whopping 61.54 percent in first quarter 2008 from last year's first quarter, with the median sales price dropping just over 38 percent.

Similar trends were seen in Utah and Tooele counties. Sales of single-family homes in Utah County declined 41.69 percent, and in Tooele County, sales dropped 45.45 percent.

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E-mail: jlee@desnews.com