Category Archive : Market Updates

LAS VEGAS, NV – Many real estate investors poured an enormous amount of capital into Southern Nevada when the housing bubble burst in the mid-2000’s – rendering a great deal of their properties near-worthless in what was called the second-largest blow to a local or national economy of any crisis worldwide in the past four decades – many of them would obviously find it difficult, if not impossible to believe in the region as a money-maker again.

After getting burnt so badly, it’s understandable that many investors have trouble buying-into the recent boom Las Vegas real estate has been experiencing after a decade of dormancy, but it’s been building back consistently enough and long enough that experts have declared that this isn’t simply another bubble waiting to burst yet again; indeed, it’s a solid resurgence exhibiting stability and long-term growth potential that should be putting investors at ease, especially with the recent news that Las Vegas has taken the number two spot nationally at the top real estate market, second only to Seattle, Washington.

Needless to say, if you’ve been holding off on putting money into Vegas, wonder no more.

In January of 2012, the median sale price of a home in Las Vegas was a dismal $118,000, and Nevada in general had the highest rate of foreclosures and delinquent mortgages in the United States for 62 months running; fast-forward to today, and an investor would be shocked to discover that the market has been skyrocketing over the course of the past two years. The current median resale price of a home in the Vegas area in 2017 is now well over $250,000, which is up over 9.1 percent from the same period in 2016.

It’s a trend that experts are saying has the legs to continue for the foreseeable future, and such a positive outlook – both in terms of the real estate scene and the overall economy that is slowly but surely causing investors previously burnt to reconsider the region as a viable area to sink their funds.

The growing market, experts say, is fueled by a continued shortage of both homes and apartments, and as a result, prices have spiked in both categories; contractors and construction companies are attempting to keep up with demand, and supply is expected to finally increase during the winter, typically a period where the market slows a bit before the spring causes it to move upwards once again.

The growth locally is so strong that major businesses, such as Amazon, are building headquarters in Las Vegas, and famous sporting teams – such as the NFL’s Raiders, slated to arrive to a new stadium in 2020 – have uprooted from their homes and transplanted themselves here. So, it’s looking that the Las Vegas real estate market is not only seriously on the mend, but that it’s here to stay as well, and investors who have been on the fence after taking a loss previously – understandably so – are finding less and less to fear and more and more to gain.

With Vegas taking the number two spot nationally as a top real estate market, we are here to help you find out all you need about getting into this hot market, handle your rentals, or buy and sell property locally. Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – As yet another example of how the rapidly-recovering Las Vegas economy and business climate is attracting numerous out-of-state investors looking to get in on the ground floor of an amazing money-making opportunity, the $78.3 million acquisition of Class A office campus Centra Point was recently announced by a joint venture between PCCP LLC and The Brookhollow Group, two California-based investment organizations .

Centra Point is a nine-building, 383,700-square-foot multi-use office complex at 8311-8395 W. Sunset Road and 6655 S. Cimarron Road, located in the southwest area of the Las Vegas valley; this region is considered by many the most rapidly growing in terms of office-related space, with many such structures – along with apartment complexes and retail stores – popping up in greater numbers than in other areas of Southern Nevada. In contrast, office space in other areas of Vegas has been considered by experts as one of the more sluggish aspects of its overall recovery.

Centra Point’s occupancy currently stands at 70 percent, but with this impressive investment on the part of PCCP LLC and The Brookhollow Group, it’s obvious that a push will be instituted to fill the remainder of the empty spaces as quickly as possible by making the property more desirable to businesses looking for a home base via a series of renovations and upgrades to the existing structures – $3 million worth to the facilities alone, not including any upgrades that may be performed for individual tenants – to go along with its impressive 25 acres of space and significant parking availability.

The complex was originally finished construction in 2006, and is comprised of seven office buildings housing multiple tenants representing a wide array of different companies and businesses. The previous owner was Seattle-based Washington Capital Management, who recently announced the $78.3 million sale in late October after PCCP LLC and The Brookhollow Group closed on the property on September 27. Current business tenants in Centra Point include Ticor Title, Tropicana Entertainment, Valley Health Systems and Dickinson Wright, among others.

Representatives for Brookhollow Group have been quoted as saying that Centra Point, located between the Summerlin and Green Valley communities, is in a “great location” and is expected to take advantage of the slowly-but-surely growing Vegas office space market, especially with the extra attention the region has been receiving in recent months after the announcement of the arrival of professional NFL and NHL teams – including the transplanted NFL Raiders football team, expected to kickoff in their new Las Vegas home stadium in 2020 – which has greatly increased investor interest in the Southern Nevada market.

It is news like this that cements the area as one to watch for business professionals looking to set up a new headquarters or a savvy real estate investor looking to get a great long-term return on their money. Combined with the skyrocketing home and rental real estate market in Las Vegas, new and continued growth and prosperity is likely for those inclined to put their money and hard work into the Nevada marketplace.

Need real estate information on the fast-evolving Las Vegas market? Thinking of relocating here? Maybe investing? Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – With the news that the Oakland Raiders National Football League (NFL) team would be picking up their cleats and moving to Las Vegas, the Southern Nevada economic climate – already on an upswing due to a rejuvenated real estate market and business market – has continued on its pathway to recovery and prosperity.

According to updated reports on the news, the Raiders will break ground on their new $2 billion, 65,000-seat stadium on Nov. 13 – a joint-use agreement with the football team of the University of Las Vegas – that recovery is poised to skyrocket as the transplanted NFL team – who won’t be playing in Vegas until at least the 2020 season – has already attracted new businesses and investors who believe that a local professional sporting team will serve as a massive boon to their bottom lines.

In May of this year, the Raiders purchased a 63-acre plot of land situated between Russell Road and Hacienda Avenue, west of Interstate 15. The property, acquired for a whopping $77.5 million, represented a substantial investment and a firm declaration that the NFL team was resolute in their stated goal of making Southern Nevada their new home. Construction has been delayed while the team garners the necessary development agreements with local government, but in the meantime, has secured the services of Mortenson Construction of Minneapolis and Henderson’s McCarthy Building as general contractors, with the two companies already engaged in preparation work on a number of aspects of the property, including clearing and grading the land, removing and bringing in materials, and handling drainage issues as needed.

However, as the needed agreements and permits have taken longer to get than previously anticipated, the ambitious timetable that the Raiders have laid out for completion of the stadium has been reconsidered in the interim; originally they were slated to hold their first kick-off in Las Vegas in 2019, and then 2020, but with work finally to progress this year, reports indicate that even that 2020 date may be seen as unrealistic, especially amid issues which have arisen regarding parking and transportation problems with the new stadium. As a result – and as a safety measure only – it was recently announced that the Raiders were negotiating with the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Authority for the possibility that they may have to play out the 2020 season in their current stadium before finally moving to Vegas for 2021. However, all involved have stated their intent to have construction completed on-time if at all possible.

At the end of the NFL’s 2015 season, the Raiders boasted a lifetime regular-season record of 444 wins, 397 losses, and 11 ties; their lifetime playoff record currently stands at 25 wins and 18 losses. The popular team’s move to Las Vegas is expected to provide a boost to the local economy, which is expected to create a ripple effect that will be felt throughout many of Las Vegas’ many industries- including real estate. Jobs and local wages are both expected to receive a boost; in addition, the amount of tourism to the area is sure to increase as not only will the stadium be host to the Raiders, but also the University of Nevada – Las Vegas football team as well, attracting professional and collegiate football fans of all ages.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Resorts World, the famed chain of resort casinos, is looking to build their newest location in Las Vegas, Nevada, and to that end, they announced this week not only the proposed establishment’s Construction Manager, but also that they will be awarding a whopping $400 million-plus in contracts to various companies for a variety of services, materials, and personnel in order to make the ambitious project a reality.

W.A. Richardson Builders, LLC has been pegged by developer Genting Group of Malaysia as Resorts World Las Vegas’ official Construction Manager, heading up construction on the first, ground-up, integrated resort development on the Las Vegas Strip in a decade. In addition, over $400 million in contracts have been awarded by the Genting Group for numerous purposes related to the resort’s extensive construction, ranging from bulk orders of concrete and steel to tower crane equipment and operators.

Targeting the grand opening for 2020 on Las Vegas Boulevard South, the Resorts World Las Vegas “megaresort” will boast 3,000 rooms and will sport a Chinese-style architecture and lighting theme. Located at the intersection of South Las Vegas Boulevard and Resorts World Drive – diagonally across from Wynn’s Encore tower, and within walking distance to the Las Vegas Convention Center and Fashion Show Mall – Resorts World Las Vegas is expected to be a great boon to surrounding businesses as well once it opens, generating a great deal of anticipated walk-in traffic by attracting tourists.

W.A. Richardson Builders of Las Vegas, had already been utilized by Genting Group for pre-construction services, including infrastructure and utility work, the completion of the main parking structure, preliminary steel and foundation work, and permitting and remediation across the site to prepare it for the commencement of construction.

The Resorts World Las Vegas project has encountered numerous roadblocks and hiccups over the years; originally intended to open in 2016, the project occupies the space of the former Stardust Casino, which was imploded by the Boyd Gaming Corporation in 2007 to make way for a resort that was to be called The Echelon.

When the Echelon project fell through in 2008, the 87-acre property laid dormant for several years until it was purchased by the Genting Group in 2013; from there, the newly-proposed Resorts World Las Vegas hired its first president and announced that construction would commence the following year, employing over 1,000 workers in that endeavor. When the $4 billion resort opens in 2020, it will employ 3,000 union employees and feature a 175,000-square-foot casino, a replica of the Great Wall of China, and a panda exhibit, according to reports.

Through the Resorts World Las Vegas project has stalled in the past, these recent announcements have instilled a sense of confidence in the proposed megaresort, which is sure to not only generate interest from tourists and tax revenue for local government, but also a positive financial trickle-down effect for local businesses as well, creating a win-win situation for the Las Vegas economy as a whole.

Need information on the fast-evolving Las Vegas market? New home construction referrals? Las Vegas developers  for investment homes in the area? Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Developers Pouring Resources into Apartment Complexes Throughout Southern Nevada

LAS VEGAS, NV – With the housing boom overtaking Las Vegas in recent years, one fact has emerged above all others- there are currently not enough houses to satisfy the overwhelming demand, pure and simple. But while developers are doing their best to ramp up construction to give prospective Southern Nevada homeowners more options (which would hopefully also help to drive down skyrocketing real estate prices in the process) people looking for a roof over their heads are turning to apartments, causing their availability – and prices – to dwindle as well, and subsequently driving more and more investment in that aspect of local housing.

Recent reports have noted that apartment vacancy rates in Las Vegas are among the lowest in the United States, currently standing at only 3.1 percent, compared to the national rate of 4.5 percent; this represents a vacancy increase in Las Vegas of 2.8 percent over the second quarter of 2017. Rent prices have continued to climb with greater demand as well, with tenants experiencing a 0.7 second-quarter bump to an average monthly cost of $956 in the Southern Nevada region; the national average is currently $1,295, which makes Vegas slightly cheaper than many other cities nationwide, albeit for the time being.

Bridge Investment Group, based out of Salt Lake City, Utah, is jumping into the apartment scene with both feet; they recently announced that they had purchased eight Las Vegas apartment complexes in a deal worth approximately $130 million. The complexes that were acquired as a part of the deal include Oasis Meadows on Nellis Boulevard in east Las Vegas; Oasis Landing on Bonanza Road; Oasis Ridge on Charleston Boulevard; and Oasis Bay on Katie Avenue, among others.

Buying apartment complexes in Las Vegas en masse is nothing new; in May, New York investment firm The Blackstone Group purchased three in May for $170 million and TruAmerica Multifamily of Los Angeles acquired three complexes of their own in September of 2016 for $83.5 million; in addition, 15 local apartment complexes, a retail center, and 20 acres of property were sold by Camden Property Trust of Houston to out-of-state investors.

Indeed, the apartment situation in Las Vegas is such that developers are finding it worth the effort and expense to replace aging and outdated apartment complexes as opposed to renovating them; for example, the 120-unit North Las Vegas public housing complex Rose Gardens – assailed by numerous structural issues due to its advanced age that would take at least $12.5 million to fix (according to estimates), will be building a new Rose Gardens right across the street as part of a new project spearheaded by the City of North Las Vegas to improve the surrounding neighborhood. The new Rose Gardens will be an energy-efficient, water-smart building, and once completed, the demolition of the old building will make way for yet more apartment complex construction to fill the area’s population needs.

Las Vegas’ apartment market has become highly competitive in recent months and years, with a general uptick in rents and construction amid dwindling vacancies. With recent increase in development, it’s expected that the apartment market in Las Vegas is only going to continue to heat up.

Looking for information on the fast-evolving Las Vegas real estate market? Thinking of relocating here? Investing? Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – While  news of the famed Oakland Raiders National Football League (NFL) team transplanting themselves to Southern Nevada in a newly constructed stadium  by 2020, having one major sporting team taking up shop in Las Vegas isn’t enough for local officials and businessmen it seems. Indeed, announcements have recently come to light regarding efforts to lure other professional sports teams to Vegas from leagues such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), and to that end, plans have been unveiled to give potential basketball teams looking to uproot an appealing place to hang their sneakers.

The All Net Arena project – which has run into multiple issues in the past and had lain dormant for quite some time – has finally managed to cut through the red tape and is starting to get traction in its bid for reality, according to reports. Once completed, the All Net Arena – a privately-financed venture which will be located at the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip, the site of an abandoned Wet ‘n Wild water-park – is slated to serve as a basketball, hotel and retail complex, with the goal being to attract an NBA professional basketball team to the area.

Designed by the Cuningham Group, All Net Arena was planned to open in 2017, but has been delayed until 2018 or 2019. This isn’t the first time a group has attempted to develop the former Wet ‘n Wild property into a sporting arena; previous plans for the site included the construction of a venue to be known as the Silver State Arena, but plans were withdrawn after Clark County rejected a proposal to fund 15 percent of the venue with public money and nearby residents opposed construction.

Ground had already been broken on the All Net Arena project in 2014, but financing problems caused a subsequent delay; after resolution of those issues, demolition of the existing structures on the property began in 2016, and now that work on that aspect of development has been completed, developers have high hopes to have the complex completed before 2020, after which they will attempt to court an NBA franchise to relocate to the Las Vegas area.

Plans for the project – spearheaded by Jackie Robinson, a former UNLV and NBA basketball player – are scheduled to go before Clark County Commissioners on October 18 2017; once that hurdle has been cleared, further details on the anticipated $1.4 billion development are expected to be made public. What is currently known is that the complex will include a proposed 728-foot tall hotel tower; a $670 million, 22,800-seat multi-purpose indoor arena with a retractable roof (which would enable the arena to host outdoor events such as tennis, rodeos, or indoor sports such as basketball and hockey); a high-end resort with a spa; and a restaurant, nightclub, wedding chapel and retail amenities. In addition, the four-level arena is to include 75 luxury boxes.

Need real estate information on the fast-evolving Las Vegas market? Thinking of relocating here? Maybe investing? Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Amazon.com, the nation’s largest online retailer, is planning on opening a second North American headquarters to supplement its original home base in Seattle, Washington; among the locations being eyeballed by the company may be Las Vegas, Nevada, and the city, in turn, has expressed enthusiasm at the thought of Amazon setting up shop in their zip code, and to that end – is already actively courting the mega-corporation.

Amazon.com noted recently that is plans on sinking over $5 billion in the construction of its proposed second headquarters, a complex that will house of up 50,000 employees, and Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos was quoted that this new location will not be playing second fiddle to their Seattle complex; indeed, Bezos noted that it will be in every respect a total and complete equal to the company’s current HQ.

“We expect HQ2 to be a full equal to our Seattle headquarters,” Bezos said in an official statement. “Amazon HQ2 will bring billions of dollars in up-front and ongoing investments, and tens of thousands of high-paying jobs. We’re excited to find a second home.”

Amazon has released a laundry list of requirements for any city or municipality that may eventually find itself the home of its secondary headquarters, including being near a metropolitan area with more than a million people; being able to attract top technical talent; being within 45 minutes of an international airport; having direct access to mass transit; and the space to allow Amazon to potentially expand the complex to encompass as much as 8 million square feet in the next ten years.

Las Vegas officials, already riding high on a wave of a reinvigorated economy and real estate market after years of financial slump following the mid-2000’s housing bubble burst, are looking to continue their good fortune by attempting to lure Amazon to their doorstep. The Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance have officially announced that they will be working in consort to put together a proposal for Amazon to review and consider, knowing full well that such a coup could being untold millions into their city and help to generate thousands of jobs.

Steve Hill, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, noted that his agency has a very solid relationship with Amazon; in addition, Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance CEO Jonas Peterson was quoted as saying that “Our goal is to compete for projects on all levels. We believe our community has a great product to offer headquarters-related projects.”

Amazon already calls Las Vegas home to one of its largest regional fulfillment center for the countless orders placed via their website on a daily basis; the center, one of over 75 warehouses Amazon currently has across the country, comes in at 800,000 square feet, and is located near Lamb Boulevard and Tropical Parkway. The facility opened its doors in summer 2017, bringing an immediate boon to the local economy in the form of 1,000 new jobs, many of consisting of workers who stock items and pack orders that are destined for numerous locations throughout the Southwest.

Need real estate information on the fast-evolving Las Vegas market? Thinking of relocating here? Maybe investing? Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

Experts Report Rise in Eviction Rate in Southern Nevada

LAS VEGAS, NV – While the Las Vegas real estate scene is on the rise – and has been for the better part of a year now, with both record demand and prices in both the housing and rental markets following the mid-2000’s recession – there has also been a recent spike in a related field; that of evictions – as the growing Southern Nevada economy struggles to keep in step with increased costs of living.

After the burst of the housing bubble in the middle of the first decade of the new millennium – resulting in properties that had been snatched up by investors sitting dormant for years without buyers or renters – the recent real estate boom has brought money, new businesses, and enthusiasm into the Las Vegas area, and with that surge of prosperity has come a corresponding surge in the demand for housing options…and likewise, an increase in prices that some residents are having difficulty keeping up with.

According to recent reports, Clark County currently averages approximately 82 evictions a day; over 30,000 renters were evicted from their residences in 2016, which represents a whopping leap of 43 percent from the same period in 2009. And when the experts weigh in, the same answers to why this is happening keep coming up…it’s a matter of rising lodging costs in Southern Nevada while the economic benefits of the recent housing boom and influx of investment capital have yet to filter down to an appropriately comparable raise in salaries for the general public. While investors are currently making a killing in Vegas, those living paycheck to paycheck have yet to experience a relief from their financial pressures.

Las Vegas also has slightly tighter eviction deadlines than in other areas of the country, which leads to less time for tenants and landlords to iron out any issues that they may have; according to reports, landlords can issue a five-day eviction to tenants, and in reverse, landlords have 14 days to address a grievance issued by a tenant. Another difference is that, while many other states require a landlord to file a summons and complaint and initiate a court action, in Nevada a tenant needs only to be served with the initial eviction notice; it is then up to them to go to court and file a tenants affidavit, essentially reversing the process compared to many other states. This is another factor that accounts for the rising amount of evictions in the area, because when it comes down to it, most people will attempt to avoid court whenever possible, even if it means the loss of their dwelling.

Experts are anticipating the increase in construction of housing in Southern Nevada will contribute to the lowering of prices for both homes and rentals in the area, and with that a corresponding decrease in the number of evictions. Essentially, Las Vegas is going through a period of intense growing pains as past years of dormancy have left it ill-prepared for its current record-breaking expansion. However, some argue that the equilibrium between housing costs and worker earnings has already been lost to such a degree that government intervention may be required in the form of aggressive affordable housing policy at the state and local level.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las 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.

LAS VEGAS, NV – When the housing bubble of the mid-2000’s burst, few areas in the United States felt its devastating affects as acutely as Las Vegas, Nevada; for years, vast amounts of empty properties sat unwanted, and surrounding retail businesses – whose very livelihood depends upon local residents to buy their goods and services – suffered, and for many, closed for good.

Fast-forward to the summer of 2017, and Vegas is now in the middle of a housing boom – the likes of which the region has not experienced in over a decade; approximately 4,300 new-home sales were closed by builders in Clark County through June of this year, and the peak median sales price from the period before the bubble burst – about $338,600 in summer 2007 – has already been surpassed twice in 2017 alone. The simple fact is that both real estate and the local economy in Las Vegas is on the mend in a big way, and with those near-daily gains comes money, businesses, and – of course, people, many of whom are clamoring to buy houses and rent apartments in record numbers. And when you have people, you need retail…hence its recent rapid growth in Las Vegas as well, despite the fact that retail is otherwise experiencing an overall downturn elsewhere in the nation; this speaks volumes about the fertile soil for business that is shaping the local economy so dramatically.

Numerous investments are being made in Las Vegas; real estate is obvious, but retail is attracting more than its fair share of capital as well, with some companies and chains banking big on the revitalization of the Southern Nevada region. For instance, Chicago-based real estate investment company JLL Income Property Trust, and affiliate of real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle Inc., recently sank $63 million into Montecito Marketplace, a 190,000-square-foot shopping center located on Durango Drive. The center boasts Kroger subsidiary Smith’s Grocery as an anchor, and also has clothing retail and popular eateries as tenants. Given the large sum JLL Income Property Trust paid for the acquisition, obviously they have faith in the economic climate of Las Vegas and the number of people it is drawing to live here.

Las Vegas’ Chinatown is also getting in on the retail growth in the region, with developers breaking ground on Shanghai Plaza, a 80,000 square-foot, 4.3 acre, shopping center that will take the form of four two-story buildings that will be located on Spring Mountain Road. Additionally, Shanghai Plaza is slated to feature traditional Asian a architectural designs once completed.

Retail on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip is also in the midst of a growth spurt, as retail and gambling resorts often work well hand-in-hand, as one can attract customers to the other and vice versa. Examples include a 75,000 square-foot high-end shopping center being constructed by Wynn Resorts, as well as Grand Canal Shoppes’ the Venetian, a retail extravaganza that recalls the majesty of the Italian waterways as shoppers are able to visit restaurants and stores via actual gondolas. And whereas such a large and tightly packed amount of retail in one area might normally be a disadvantage for all, in Vegas – which boasts 40 million visitors annually – there’s more than enough business to go around.

Real estate growth and retail growth often go together hand-in-hand, as both attract people who need both; with the recent property-buying explosion in Southern Nevada reaching heights not seen since the late-90’s/early 2000’s, it’s a safe bet that Las Vegas’ fortunes will only continue to flourish.

Need real estate information on the fast-evolving Las Vegas market? Thinking of relocating here? Maybe investing? Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – While much hoopla has been made over the greatly increased demand – as well as prices – of the Las Vegas housing and rental market since the region’s recovery from the mid-2000’s burst of the housing bubble, another real estate commodity that has been on the rise is that of master-planned community sales; many such developments throughout Southern Nevada have seen a vast influx of buyers in the past year, so much so that a shortage is starting to take shape to rival the demand in the private housing and rental market.

What is a master-planned community, you may ask? Simply put, it is a type of residential plan that includes an out of the ordinary number of recreational amenities such as parks, golf courses, lakes, bike paths, and jogging trails. The scope of the plan is typically large scale and the number and variety of amenities clearly separates it from a normal plan for a housing subdivision. Some of these communities cater to older homeowners, especially in the 55 year-old and higher range, yet some are inclusive of all age ranges as well.

Among the hottest selling of these communities is Summerlin, located in the Las Vegas Valley of Nevada. A development of The Howard Hughes Corp., Summerlin lies at the edge of the Spring Mountains and Red Rock Canyon, on the western periphery of Las Vegas in unincorporated Clark County. The community occupies 22,500 acres and includes a variety of land uses, including, residential, commercial, recreational, educational, medical, open space, and cultural. According to recent reports, units in Summerlin experienced strong sales throughout the first half of 2017 – 470 new home sales, representing a 28 percent increase over the same period in 2016 – making it seventh-highest best-selling among master-planned communities nationwide.

Summerlin has been experiencing a recent glut of expansions in the form of new “neighborhoods” in face of strong sales; Affinity by William Lyon Homes, Caledonia, Trilogy by Shea Homes, Reverence and more either have or will be opening in the near future. Caledonia, Summerlin’s most recently-opened addition, features homes in the mid-$300,000 range and targets families of all ages; Trilogy by Shea Homes is due to launch in several months, and targets the 55-plus community.

Another master-planned community in the Las Vegas area that is boasting impressive growth in the midst of Southern Nevada’s ongoing real estate boom is Cadence Henderson by developer The LandWell Co. , which has ranked in the top 25 nationally for new-home sales in recent surveys. Much like Summerlin, Cadence is actually made up of numerous smaller neighborhoods, each constructed by a different contracted building company and each with their own unique allure and draw for specific segments of the population, including the 55-plus community Heritage. Each neighborhood offers numerous municipal amenities that typical private homes generally do not, including a 50-acre Central Park, six-lane lap pool, and 2,000-square-foot splash pad. And again, much like Summerlin, Cadence Henderson is planning a host of additions and expansions to handle their booming sales and growing population in the region.

While private dwellings – both stand-alone homes and rental apartments – have experienced booming sales and massive growth recently, exclusive planned communities such as Summerlin and Cadence Henderson are also feeling the benefits of the boost the local economy as well; their individual planned expansions in light of such business will only offer more housing options to both existing and new Nevada residents as jobs and money continue to filter into the area, ensuring that the boom Las Vegas is experiencing is no mere passing fad.

Whether you are real estate buyer, seller or investor – if you’re interested in Master-Planned Communities here in the Las Vegas Valley, please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – The Las Vegas real estate scene is hot right now; according to reports, demand is far outstripping supply in terms of both housing and rental units, with prices soaring and continuing to increase ever since the Southern Nevada area has recovered from the housing bubble burst of the mid-2000’s. Jobs are increasing, the economy is stabilizing and beginning to flourish, and big-name businesses such as Amazon and the NFL are setting up shop in the region, galvanizing current residents and inviting a virtual flood of newcomers from out-of-state looking for a fresh start.

While these factors are no doubt a good thing for Las Vegas, the latest real estate boom has brought a negative with it that local officials are currently scrambling to combat- squatters, people who break into vacant or empty dwellings and live there illegally until they are removed by property owners or authorities. There are a number of reasons squatting is an issue in Las Vegas currently, but while homelessness is an issue that any major city has to deal with in one way or another, the main reasons have already been touched upon in this article- the general lack of housing options and the ever-rising prices of the ones that are currently available.

In Las Vegas, however, the issue of squatting is increased by the fact that the mid-2000’s housing crisis has left numerous homes simply abandoned or foreclosed upon; more so than the national norm at the moment, and thus ripe for the picking by anyone looking for a place to crash illegally. But while squatting to some may merely appear to be a harmless pursuit of somewhere to live, to others – legitimate property owners – it’s proven to be a hardship, and one that local government is looking to address in a hurry.

One area couple, according to reports, has been involved in a nearly year-long dispute with a number of squatters that have been regularly breaking into a former office that they had previously used for a family business; despite sinking money into boarding up the property and constantly calling the police, the couple nonetheless noted that in the last several years, there have been at least 30 break-ins, and that their patience is wearing thin to the point that they are considering selling rather than deal with the headache.

Recently, people squatting in a downtown Las Vegas house caused a fire in the dwelling, causing approximately $75,000 in damage before local fire department crews were able to get the blaze under control. Thankfully, the damage was contained to the individual property in question; no injuries were reported, and the fire prevented from spreading to other adjacent units. Some area realtors have actually started carrying weapons when visiting properties listed for sale, just in case they have an untimely – yet rare – encounter with a squatter; more often than not, they simply walk into the aftermath of their unwanted presence, consisting of discarded food and clothing items, and occasionally, minor damage to walls, doors, or cabinets.

Although squatting is mostly contained to small, specific areas at the moment, local officials are looking to head off the problem before it becomes more widespread and problematic; especially as it related to maintaining local property values. The Las Vegas city council is currently putting together a registry that identifies and classifies currently vacant homes that run the risk of being taken over by squatters, and then taking steps to secure those properties, which typically consist of ones that have been abandoned or foreclosed upon and are currently in-between owners and, thus, are not currently subject to regular use by legitimate parties.

In addition, the City Council has passed laws stiffening penalties for squatting and/or aiding squatters, and has organized a dedicated squatter task force that allows officials to not only keep up with the activities of potential squatters, but actually keep ahead of them. In addition, more work is being done, including setting up coordination across municipalities in order to form an organized front against such activities. In the meantime, real estate experts suggest not advertising a property as being vacant with a for sale sign on the front lawn or window, and to refrain from posting the street address of any available property on a publicly-accessible real estate website.

Need real estate information on the fast-evolving Las Vegas market? Free residential market appraisal? Property management assistance for investment homes in the area? Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – With the Las Vegas real estate market continuing its meteoric rise – both in home and rental demand and their subsequent prices (after recovering from the burst of the housing bubble of the mid-2000’s), it’s only natural that families and businesses – as well as tourists – begin to flow back into the region; developers who have been snapping up residential properties have begin to turn their attention to retail, as well.

There’s one constant in any populated area: people need to buy things. And as a result of the influx of workers and their families into the Southern Nevada region looking to take advantage of the booming economy and the fact that corporations (such as Amazon), sports teams (such as the Raiders), and other business entities are taking up shop in Las Vegas and are in dire need of employees, real estate developers and investors have begun building new retail establishments and rehabbing old ones that have fallen into disrepair after being closed up and abandoned during the recession several years ago. After all, no one wants to live in an area where they can’t run to the corner market for a container of milk if they need it, do they? So, with an increase in population and residents, also is a coming equal increase in clothing stores, restaurants, bars and other necessities of modern living.

The newest updates of retail development in Southern Nevada is the recent ground breaking on the Ellis Island Hotel, Casino & Brewery on Koval Lane east of the Las Vegas Strip, which is expanding on an existing property with the goal being to attract and accommodate increased foot traffic in the area – especially tourists – with amenities such as a restaurant, bar and beer garden. The rise in pedestrians in the area that is prompting expansion is due in-part to local residents and visitors who are looking for other areas to socialize then just the famous strip; as consumers spread outward towards the eastern resort corridor, more resources are being allocated to courting their patronage.

Other examples of the development of the eastern resort corridor to lure in tourists and residents is the recent opening of Topgolf at MGM Grand, a entertainment venue with a high-tech driving range and swanky lounge with drinks and games; MGM also announced their intention to expand the square footage of its convention center as well. In addition, the Las Vegas Convention Center is slated for expansion after the recent purchase of the Riviera, which is slated for demolition.

In other Southern Nevada retail developments, the Rainbow Dunes Centre – a popular shopping center located in at the northwest corner of Spring Mountain Road and Rainbow Boulevard, now abandoned and dilapidated, is facing the prospect of having new life breathed into it. Currently an eyesore stripped of every ounce of copper from the boarded-up stores which used to welcome numerous customers to establishments such as K-Mart, the current ownership – Golden Legacy Las Vegas in Milpitas, California (who until recently seemed quite uninterested in selling) have announced they’ve hired a listing broker with the intention of selling the property or entering into a business venture with a new partner at the helm.

The 7.6-acre property was originally constructed in 1983, and the loss of a major “anchor tenant” – K-Mart, closed its doors in 2003 – and lead to the eventual closure of the entire shopping center, as additional tenants left; up till 2009, none remained, leaving Rainbow Dunes to do nothing but gather dust. But the recent announcement that Golden Legacy Las Vegas is now interested in restoring the shopping center to life – its currently the source of complaints to the city council on a regular basis due to its state of decay and speaks volumes about the increased emphasis on retail development in Las Vegas.

Need real estate information on the fast-evolving Las Vegas market? Thinking of relocating here? Maybe investing? Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.