people want nice homes in desirable areas. Nice home + desirable area = more money.
Some people still think places like Provo and St. George are sleepy little towns where homes should be cheap and plentiful. They're not. A lot of people want to live in these places. The demand is high and the supply is low, and that's why homes are so expensive.
You know where else it's hard to buy a nice affordable home? The California coast. Or Manhattan.