Choosing the Right Las Vegas Property and Location
Finding a Las Vegas Home and location that best fits your requirements will be a lot easier if you first understand that you should be clear in your own mind as to what your priorities are.
Sounds strange, but any Realtor can tell you that some people are not really sure of what they want in a property, and have decided they will just keep looking at homes until they find a property in their price range that seems to be “a good fit.”
By establishing some firm guidelines as to what really suits your needs, and discussing with your appointed real estate agent what those needs are, you will have increased your chances of finding your ideal new home in a shorter time, and with less frustration on both your part and your Las Vegas Realtor’s.
After setting a price range guideline, you should analyze and then list all the requirements in a home and neighborhood that are most important and most suitable to you and your family’s needs and lifestyle. For example:
- One or two story construction
- Square footage –interior and lot size
- Number of bedrooms required
- Spacious eat-in kitchen or breakfast nook adjoining family room
- Formal dining room, or open floor plan dining room
- Extra bedroom (guestroom) or den
- Minimum number of bathrooms or half-baths
- Fireplace
- Garage size
- Roomy backyard
- Xeriscaped or lushly planted front yard
- Fenced, walled or open property
- Trees
Of course, some compromise will undoubtedly be necessary, but the guidelines you have established will certainly help in your decisions. Now, what about the Las Vegas Neighborhood?
The neighborhood has a direct influence on property values, so the area in which you choose to live is of equal importance to your choice of a home.
Again, you need to list in order of importance what neighborhood values are necessary and what compromises you and your family are able and/or willing to accept. For example:
- Distance to work (driving time) and easy access to major thoroughfares and freeways
- Availability of public transportation
- Nearby schools and quality of the school district
- Higher educational facilities within reasonable distance
- Overall appearance of the neighborhood; regardless of income level, whether blue-collar, middle or upper class, neighborhood homes should have the appearance of being well –maintained and neatly landscaped
- Any repeated sightings of neglected, or abandoned homes are a definite RED FLAG!
- Check with your Realtor to get the neighborhood stats on short sales and foreclosures before you decide to make an offer on a home in the area.
- Crime statistics are another vital piece of information you should have before committing to a property
So, without a real understanding of what would be a best home and neighborhood fit for you and your loved ones, you could wind up spending fruitless hours scanning MLS listings, to no avail, and driving your poor, dedicated Las Vegas Real Estate Agent crazy.
About the Author
Tony Sena is broker/owner of Shelter Realty in Las Vegas Nevada. For more than a decade Tony and his partners have provided residential real estate and property management services to sellers, buyers, investors, and property owners in the Las Vegas Valley. A Las Vegas native and former police officer for the City of Henderson, Tony brings to the table a unique local perspective that continues to serve his clients well.