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Category Archive : Area Living

Family Sitting

Experts Predict How COVID-19 Pandemic Could Permanently Change Real Estate

LAS VEGAS, NV – Experts are currently weighing in on the Las Vegas real estate scene and the changes that are being forced upon it – both in the here-and-now as well as long-term – due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The housing market in Las Vegas has been bruised and battered by the pandemic as lawmakers have instituted a series of mandates to keep the population and non-essential businesses under lock-down in an effort to halt the spread of the disease, which has claimed over 100,000 lives in the United States so far (102k+ as of today). And while these efforts have proved to be helpful, the short-term impact upon the economy – with many businesses closed, tourism halted, and unemployment skyrocketing – has been brutal.

One of the most affected industries in the Southern Nevada region has been the previously-booming real estate market. Sales have dropped as families lose jobs and worry about their ability to purchase a home and lenders tighten mortgage requirements, but there are also potential long-term impacts that many experts note could change real estate for years to come.

For example, some experts are noting that the pandemic could reverse the current trend of living in densely-packed, city-based downtown areas – where residents are currently cooped-up in tiny apartments during the quarantine and social distancing difficult to maintain when venturing out – with a switch in preferences to the suburbs, which have more options for getting out and experiencing nature safely.

Also, a trend toward renting may be in the cards, as the financial hardships many people are currently enduring – combined with a weakened economy – may be taking the concept of home ownership out of the cards for the time being simply due to affordability concerns.

Another side-effect of the pandemic is that people are spending more time in their homes, with many also working from home; in doing so, many people are realizing that they actually may want a larger home to accommodate the extra time they are likely to be spending there for what could potentially be, the next year as we deal with the fallout of the coronavirus, including a potential flare-up and resurgence come this fall and winter.

For those with more financial cushioning, experts are predicting that more well-off Americans may actually choose to invest in a second home. During the pandemic, many people with second homes fled their primary residences to more comfortable and secluded abodes that they owned in places like the Hamptons or Poconos. With that example before their eyes, it’s possible that more people might set up a situation like that in case the coronavirus rears its ugly head once again soon.

And finally, the very nature of property sales will likely be changed going forward by the coronavirus. Real estate agents, in an effort to adapt to the crisis while still doing business, began offering “virtual” home tours, video walk-throughs, and a plethora of other services. In addition, the typical mountains of paperwork involved when it comes to closing a deal are in the process of being overhauled and streamlined where possible.

As you can see, the coronavirus pandemic – despite the fact that it’s current run appears to be nearly brought under control – will nonetheless have lasting effects upon the real estate industry, both in Las Vegas and nationwide.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

The Raiders Are Coming Sign

Sale of Expensive Homes Adjacent to Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters, Practice Facility Doubled, Reports Say

LAS VEGAS, NV – The arrival of the Raiders NFL team to the Las Vegas region has sparked numerous aspects of the local economy, creating jobs and attracting businesses and even fans that have deemed it necessary to transplant themselves to the new city of their beloved team. But the latest news is that the team’s new Henderson-based headquarters and practice facility has had an interesting effect of essentially doubling the sales of nearby high-end homes during the first quarter of 2020, many in the $1 million range.

This has been dubbed in some real estate circles as “The Raider Effect.”

In addition of existing homes costing in the $1 million range in the area surrounding the Raiders’ Henderson headquarters jumping up to twice their normal levels so far this year, sales of residences in general – both new and existing, at all price points – have increased as well.

According to recent reports, 32 homes costing $1 million or more were sold in the first quarter of 2020, spread out among Seven Hills, Anthem Country Club, and Southern Highlands, all of which are situated within the corridor surrounding the Raiders’ $75 million headquarters. In contrast, that same region only saw 17 sales of such financial magnitude in the first quarter of 2019.

Obviously, not every home sale in the area is influenced by die-hard sports fans wanting to be in the vicinity of the NFL team’s new base of operations – opening in late 2020 – but it does reflect how much the Raiders’ headquarters has contributed to the overall growth of the Henderson region, leading to an increase of retail, jobs, and construction that has brought new residents from all walks of life seeking homes.

And of course, some of those homes were likely purchased by Raiders players themselves as they begin the process of uprooting themselves from their previous home of Oakland, California, where the team had previously been playing for the majority of its existence. The Raiders will be playing out of the newly-constructed Allegiant Stadium, scheduled to open in July 2020, although the currently ongoing coronavirus pandemic may cause potential delays to that plan.

Photo: Billboard on the Las Vegas Strip announcing that the Oakland Raiders NFL team are moving to Las Vegas in 2020. Photo credit: Steve Bruckmann, December, 2018, Shutterstock.com, licensed.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

COVID-Keys

COVID-19 Pandemic Causes Las Vegas Home Sales to Drop Nearly 30 Percent

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to recent reports, the economic impact that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is having upon the Las Vegas real estate market continues, causing a substantial drop in the number of homes sales from March to April and into early May.

Rampant job losses reported amongst mandated stay-at-home orders and non-essential business closures in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus has dried up Las Vegas’ main source of income – tourism – and as a result, the normally busy spring home selling season has experienced a major speed bump. In April 2020, 1,971 single-family homes were sold, representing a 28.5 percent drop from March. In addition, the number of homes put on the market to be sold in April – 2,516 – represented a drop of 30.2 percent from March.

The home building industry, which had been ramping up efforts in the past year in order to meet the previous high level of demand for housing prior to the pandemic, has also been feeling the pinch; the number of contracts signed by builders in April experienced a 56 percent drop from March, with only 459 signing on the dotted line.

Lenders have been doing their part to alleviate the issues causing the plunge in sales by attempting to lower borrowing costs for prospective homeowners; sliding mortgage rates have proved to be helpful, but nonetheless, numerous buyers are getting cold feet and many are still not biting due to fear over their immediate financial futures.

As for unemployment in Las Vegas, it is approximately 25 to 30 percent. However, perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Despite the drop in builders’ contract signings, cancellations have slightly decreased, and Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has begun the first phase of jump-starting the state’s economy by allowing some businesses to re-open on a limited basis. These developments will have a corresponding effect upon the real estate market, but regardless it will still be a slow climb to return to the status quo – or – the new normal, whatever that is.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Couple Moving

Developer Notes that COVID-19 Could Provide Long-Term Benefits for Las Vegas Real Estate

LAS VEGAS, NV – While Las Vegas is feeling a variety of short-term negative impacts from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic currently hitting our nation, a prominent high-rise developer is noting that there could be long-term benefits, as eventually new business and residents seeking to economize could be driven to Southern Nevada from neighboring states. Strict stay-at-home orders and the closure of businesses deemed non-essential have brought the Las Vegas economy to a near-standstill and subsequently slowed the previously skyrocketing local real estate industry. However, Uri Vaknin, a partner at KRE Capital LLC, noted that while some high-profile deals have indeed gone awry amid the financial uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus outbreak, there nonetheless have been a few glimmers of hope as well that could lead to better things.

For instance, from March through early April, a number of expensive condo sales went under contract in downtown Las Vegas; Vaknin said that this is due to a number of residents and investors in neighboring states such as California – where the high cost of living is making the stay-at-home orders financially unfeasible – taking the plunge and finally moving to Southern Nevada, which has been lauded for it’s much more affordable lifestyle.

“Californians have historically made up a large percentage of our buyers for all the obvious reasons, including traffic congestion, quality of life, high taxes, pollution and unaffordable housing — all things for which the Golden State is known,” Vaknin said. “While COVID-19 is everywhere and can’t be escaped, a few of our buyers have mentioned their concern over being in lock-down in homes that are relatively unaffordable long-term and in areas with high taxes and other quality-of-life issues.”

This trend could continue as more economic refugees seek to flee the expense involved with living in California, as the overall financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to be felt nationwide for years to come. The fact that local economies will be impacted for such a potentially long period of time will likely encourage those who live in neighboring states to finally move in an attempt to live a more affordable lifestyle in nearby Las Vegas.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Aaron Ford

Nevada Attorney General Ford Announces $2 Million in Emergency Funding for Rental Assistance

CARSON CITY, NV – Yesterday, April 7, 2020, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced $2 million in settlement funding for emergency rental assistance transferred to United Way of Southern Nevada and United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra. This funding will go directly to Nevada families in need of emergency assistance. Additionally, the Attorney General’s Office created an informational flyer (below) on the Governor’s Directive halting evictions to help renters and landlords understand their rights.

“One of the most important things we can do as state leaders and as human beings is to keep Nevada families in their homes and prevent further suffering,” said AG Ford. “Every minute, another Nevada family calls my office for help so they won’t end up homeless. I am immensely proud that my office is able to prevent wrongful evictions, as well as provide emergency rental assistance funding to our trusted community partners at United Way.”

The funding is part of the previously announced settlement agreement with Wells Fargo. The transfer of the funding received approval from the Nevada State Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee Tuesday morning.

This document has been merged/modified for simple viewing. To download the original agenda letter click here. Link to Nevada Legislature website: www.leg.state.nv.us.

United Way of Southern Nevada and United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra are the state’s administering agencies for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program established by Congress in 1983. This additional funding from the Office of the Attorney General will supplement that program until the next set federal appropriation is released next fall. The funding will help thousands of Nevada families stay in stable housing and prevent a further crisis of homeless families in the state.

The Office of the Attorney General has received an unprecedented number of calls from constituents seeking help and information relating to eviction and rental issues. The attached informational flyer on the Governor’s Directive is intended to help renters and landlords understand their rights and obligations during the State of Emergency and answer frequently asked questions.

To download the original flyer click here. Flyer links: nvhealthresponse.nv.gov. Attorney General Website: http://ag.nv.gov

Editors Note: The appearance of Nevada Attorney General visual information does not imply or constitute Office of the Attorney General endorsement.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Eviction Notice Stock

Despite Nevada Governor Issuing Eviction Freeze, Some Landlords Continue to Lock Out Tenants

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, despite a statewide moratorium issued by Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak against evictions during the state of emergency brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, some landlords have defied that decree and have locked out and/or evicted tenants who have been behind on their rent.

The eviction decree by Governor Sisolak applies to all renters in the state of Nevada, monthly or weekly, and applies while the state of emergency is still in effect. The moratorium had a mixed response, with some legal advocates supporting the move while others supported landlords and property managers, noting that they also have their own bills to pay throughout the crisis.

But despite the moratorium, reports indicate that some landlords are disregarding it and are continuing to issue eviction notices and, in some cases, outright lock tenants out of their residences, especially in cases of rent-by-the-week apartments and homes.

Nevada Legal Services report that they have received an elevated number of phone calls from tenants who are facing eviction despite the non-eviction decree from Governor Sisolak. Some are complaining that the exact nature of their rights in these circumstances have not been made clear as well.

“There’s just so many violations, you would think it were a movie” a representative of the Nevada Legal Services was quoted as saying. “You hear about these things and expect that everyone will just follow the rules, but there are illegal lockouts happening left and right.”

Violations reported by Nevada Legal Services allegedly include eviction notices still being served, landlords stacking plywood in their parking lots in order to board up apartments, and hired security guards harassing non-rent paying tenants. The Nevada state attorney general’s office notes that landlords and property managers who disobey the ongoing non-eviction rule could face legal action, including being sued for deceptive trade practices, although the office has stated that lawsuits are a last resort due to the financial strain that landlords state-wide are also going through.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Sphere Las Vegas

Coronavirus Pandemic Stops Development, Delays Opening of Las Vegas MSG Sphere

LAS VEGAS, NV – The MSG Sphere, a one-of-a-kind entertainment venue originally slated to open in 2021 on the famed Las Vegas Strip, has become the latest victim of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation. According to reports, the pandemic has brought a halt to construction of the MSG Sphere and, as a result its opening has been delayed to a currently undetermined date in the future.

A $1.7 billion, 400,000-square-foot, 18,000-seat, 360-foot-tall globe-shaped arena slated to be constructed on 63 acres of property located behind the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, the Sphere – a joint venture of the Madison Square Garden Co. and Las Vegas Sands Corp. – is touted as a high-tech entertainment venue that will host musical performances and concerts, as well as potentially the occasional boxing or MMA contest.

Due to the outbreak, developers announced that they are suspending all work on the MSG Sphere, a process that will take approximately two weeks to implement. Issues cited include concerns over worker safety as well as disruptions to construction supplies due to fallout of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the 2021 opening of the Sphere will not be met, reports say.

Once completed, the interior of the Sphere will feature a 180,000-square-foot ceiling with massive video screens for attendees to watch, as well as floor-based bass speaker system to appeal to concert and club-goers on evenings when electronic dance music acts take the MSG Sphere stage, giving the venue a multi-genre and event capability.

But the real draw of the Sphere is the exterior, which will feature 36 miles of variable intensity LED lighting, enabling the structure to allow outside spectators to peer through a transparent facade to watch the concert within; at higher lighting intensities, outside vision will be obscured.

A new projected completion date for the Sphere’s construction and opening has not been revealed yet, but MGS representatives have stated that they look forward to “quickly and efficiently resuming construction as soon as practicable.”

Las Vegas has allowed construction to continue during the pandemic – as long as workers abide by social distancing guidelines – deeming it as “essential” work; the temporary halt of work on the MSG Sphere project, nonetheless, is the second high-profile project in the city shelved during the pandemic, the second being the former Fontainebleau.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Mountains

Land Prices in Las Vegas Currently Twice as High Than During Recession

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, the growing construction happening in Las Vegas in an effort to meet the demands of housing needs is having a rather predictable effect upon the price of the land this housing is sitting upon; that is, that price is going up.

In 2019, investors paid a median price of approximately $383,840 per acre of land for development in Southern Nevada, which represents an amount twice that from the depths of the mid-2000’s recession, reports say. Experts attribute this increase to numerous factors, including a skyrocketing economy and job market and a resulting influx of new hires into the region. Developers have scrambled to meet the growing demand for housing, erecting new homes, condos, and apartment complexes as quickly as they are able.

And of course, demand sets the price, and land owners acted accordingly, raising the rates per-acre significantly. But this follows with the history of Las Vegas, with land prices rising and falling in accordance with the economy and real estate market at any given time. For example, land prices dropped greatly during the recession, whereas they were quite lofty beforehand.

However high land prices are currently, they are not yet at their pre-recession peak; in 2007, when building in Vegas was in a frenzied state, an acre of land fetched as much as a median price of $835,180 per acre.

It also remains to be seen what effect the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic will have upon land prices in Las Vegas – and nationwide – as construction slows amid a mass population quarantine and temporary business closures dictated by local and federal government. But even if land prices do drop in the here and now, it’s a sure thing that they will eventually bounce back – and perhaps climb even higher – once the virus clears and becomes a thing of the past. However, some experts predict the Coronavirus could become seasonal such as the flu increasing the need for a vaccine even further..

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Rendering of The Bend

Multiple New Construction Projects to Revitalize Southwest Las Vegas, Including “The Bend” Shopping Center

LAS VEGAS, NV – In southwest Las Vegas, newly-announced construction projects are set to revitalize the region after seeing it in a state of decline for a number of years. Set along the 215 Beltway, a number of new developments are springing up, and locals are reportedly glad to see the positive impact it’s set to have on the area.

For example, in the vicinity of S. Durango Drive and W. Sunset Road there’s a new major shopping center in the works called The Bend, which is slated to host a number of new businesses, including dine-in movie theaters, retail establishments, and several different types of restaurants. The shopping center will come in at 170,000 square feet, will feature 725 parking spaces, and will be the largest development for dining and entertainment in the area.

According to The Bend’s website, ten tenants have been signed to date, with more on the way. The website notes that The Bend “will be the largest dining, entertainment and shopping destination in the Southwest area of the valley.” Since it was announced, The Bend has signed the first new Galaxy Theater Luxury in Southern Nevada, in addition to many dining establishments, including Lotus of Siam, Freed’s Dessert Shop, The Great Greek, Aces & Ales Brewery and more.

Currently there is no projected completion date for the construction of the Bend provided by the company that is working on it, but work seems to be progressing smoothly according to reports. In addition, there are several industrial projects in the works in the southwest valley, with a number of businesses of varying types set to make their presence felt in the coming months.

Residents that were interviewed have expressed support for the work going on in the area, with many saying that it would contribute to boosting the local economy, which was hit especially hard in the region during the recession; in turn, these improvements would likely attract other businesses and homeowners and help to raise home value, sparking further investment and improving life for the community overall.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Share Downtown

New Apartment Complex “shareDOWNTOWN” to Encourage Residents to Follow Healthier Lifestyles

LAS VEGAS, NV – shareDOWNTOWN, a new Las Vegas apartment complex which completion is expected in May 2020, will be offering a new and unique twist on the lifestyles of its tenants; a focus on healthy and active activity and is said to truly set the facility apart from the many other apartment buildings springing up in the region.

Currently under construction by Cherry Developments in the Arts District at Casino Center Drive and Colorado in the downtown are of Las Vegas, shareDOWNTOWN focuses on small, affordable apartments conveniently situated within a busy employment area, giving local workers a place to live within easy walking distance of their jobs.

The apartment complex, which will be four stories in height, will feature over 60-one bedroom units, which are being aimed at people who work at the many bars, clubs, restaurants and retail establishments that are in the area. The apartments are slated to be 480 square-feet in size, with a projected rent ranging from $1,100 to $1,300 per month.

But the truly unique draw of shareDOWNTOWN will be the emphasis placed upon physical fitness and health; reports say. Unlike the average apartment complex, which typically features gym or fitness facilities in one centralized location in the premises, shareDOWNTOWN will offer calisthenic exercise stations on each and every floor, allowing residents easy access to the equipment they need to adhere to a healthy and active lifestyle.

Eschewing complex machinery and equipment in favor of what the developer referred to as “an urban style workout,” shareDOWNTOWN’s exercise rooms primarily rely on body-weight exercise stations that will provide for a full-body workout making use of movements such as dips, pull-ups, push-ups, and more. Such exercises, the developer says, are effective, as they don’t rely on machines that can become “outdated” or bulky dumbbells and free weights. Instead, they merely utilize the tenant’s own body alone, which can have its own advantages when it comes to convenience and safety.

Rendering photo credit: shareDOWNTOWNLV on Facebook.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Apartments Condominiums

2019 Saw Several Las Vegas-Based Apartment Complexes Sell for $100 Million+, Reports Say

LAS VEGAS, NV – 2019 was a big-money year in terms of apartment complex sales, according to recent reports. As an affordable alternative to the rising costs of home ownership in the Southern Nevada region, apartment rentals have surged in popularity in Vegas as more and more people move to the area in search of employment due to the vastly improved economy in recent years.

Several apartment complexes have changed hands in Vegas throughout 2019 for some impressive dollar amounts; one example is Evo, a complex situated in the suburbs that went for $104.5 million shortly before the beginning of the 2020. The complex is indeed impressive, as it offers high-class amenities for residents such as an indoor basketball court, steam and sauna rooms, and a rooftop lounge.

Other apartment complexes that have sold for big money in Las Vegas in 2019 include Allanza at the Lakes for $152 million; Elysian at Flamingo for $104.6 million; Vegas Towers for $104 million; and Pointe at Centennial for $100 million.

However, despite these impressive total dollar amounts, there’s another aspect of these sales that need to be taken into account in order to estimate the true value of these properties- price per unit. Price per unit is relatively simple to figure out- it is the price paid for the complex divided by the number of rental units.

For example, the Evo is a 367-unit complex; since it sold for $104.5 million, the price per unit comes to approximately $284,741. Allanza at the Lakes, which sold for $152 million, has 896-units; that brings its price per unit to approximately $169,643. These contrasting prices per unit totals underscore the fact that there is far more to any rental property purchase than the initial buying price.

The Las Vegas valley is currently the epicenter of investor activity in terms of interest in apartment properties; one property owner recently noted that when he put up three Vegas-based properties in a $241 million bulk deal, he quickly received 40 offers; 30 of those were for individual buildings in the offer, whereas 10 of those offers were for the entire three properties. Clearly, Las Vegas is in the midst of an apartment boom; however, it’s up to landlords to make sure it stays that way with stable rents that take long-term affordability concerns into consideration.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Buildings

Las Vegas Apartment Rents Still on the Rise, but Starting to Stabilize

LAS VEGAS, NV – The Las Vegas real estate scene has been on an upward trajectory ever since the recovery of the recession, and the apartment scene has been no exception. With more and more businesses calling Vegas home as the economy has improved rapidly, more and more people have been picking up and moving there in search of job opportunities, and apartments offering a fast and less expensive alternative to houses for single people or new families just starting out.

Until recently, given the rapid growth of Vegas real estate, housing prices – including apartments – have been steadily on the rise, igniting affordability concerns in many; however, according to the Nevada State Apartment Association, Vegas apartment rents, while still rising, are nonetheless doing so more slowly than in recent months and years past.

Based on reports, the average rent in Las Vegas towards the end of 2019 was $1,080 per month, which represents a 4.5 percent increase over the same period one year prior; in contrast, the rent growth from 2018 to 2017 was 7.4 percent. In addition, late 2019 saw an apartment vacancy rate of 6.5 percent, a drop of .3 percent from 2018 and an increase of 11 percent from the depths of the recession era.

Clearly, according to these figures, apartment vacancy rates are declining, and rents are increasing, albeit more slowly than in recent years. Part of the slowing in rent increases can be attributed to the current market inventory; responding to demand, with developers constructing more apartments, with over 12,000 going up in early 2015, and over 2,100 built in 2019. Additionally, reports note that the new 3,800 are slated to go up in 2020, with many of them to be located near the famed Las Vegas Strip, as well as along the I-215 Beltway adjacent to Henderson, Summerlin and the southwest valley.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of HendersonLas Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.