Category Archive : Real Estate

LAS VEGAS, NV – The North Las Vegas city council unanimously voted to impose restrictions upon short-terms rentals of rooms and homes, such as those rented via Airbnb, including a new rule that requires a $900 a year licensing fee for the privilege of doing so; a fee that is currently the highest in the valley, according to reports.

The vote came after a public comment period – held virtually, due to COVID-19 concerns – where the city council listened to residents who were both for and against the idea of short-terms rentals in their neighborhoods. While some expressed strong opposition to the new restrictions and fees, many North Las Vegas residents expressed dissatisfaction with the number of Airbnb rentals that end up being party houses.

In addition to the annual $900 fee, there will also be a 13 percent transient lodging tax imposed on rentals whose occupants stay less than 30 days; if the stay is over 30 days, the 13 percent tax is waived.

There are also numerous other rules that Airbnb renters must adhere to, such as the installation of noise monitoring equipment, at least $500,000 in general liability insurance, and making sure that all neighbors living within 200 feet of the property are notified that the property is a short-term rental.

Short-term rentals in Las Vegas have taken off in the last year, and especially during the ongoing pandemic, as it allows homebound families and friends to vacation in a fancy home in a tourist destination while maintaining lodging that adheres to social distancing regulations, more so than most hotels can manage.

However, some rentals have caused issues for the surrounding community, as many occupants typically use the residence as loud and disruptive party houses; hence the strict new rules adopted by the North Las Vegas city council.

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 – According to reports, the Las Vegas luxury home market is being described as “on fire” by experts, with home sales continuing to set records despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For example, Noel Lee, 71, the CEO of Monster Inc., recently sold his Henderson home – measuring 11,375 square feet with six bedrooms and nine bathrooms – for $7 million, the third-highest price paid for a residence in the Las Vegas valley in 2020 so far. Lee’s two-story home features two master suites, an office, game room, fitness room, wine cellar, theater, an infinity-edge pool, and a five-car garage.

The other two highest 2020 luxury home sales in Las Vegas were a MacDonald Highlands mansion owned by Paragon Gaming co-founder Diana Bennett for a whopping $11.25 million, and a Summerlin mansion located in The Ridges – a master-planned community – for $10.15 million.

In addition, 96 homes with a closing price of $1 million or higher were made in September alone, setting an all-time one month Las Vegas record. Previously, the record for homes at this price point (or higher) was 74 in May of 2019.

Overall, in September, 502 luxury homes and condos were sold in Las Vegas, representing a 16.4 percent increase over the same month in 2019, when 431 luxury homes and condos were sold. In contrast, the number of single-family homes – in all price ranges – in Southern Nevada are down 5.6 percent from 2019.

Industry experts are noting that the sales of existing luxury homes are bolstering the Las Vegas real estate market as a whole, according to reports; there are currently 160 sales pending in September of luxury homes in Las Vegas with an additional seven months of inventory to spare, further showing that the Sothern Nevada luxury sales market is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

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 – According to reports, a residence in the small, unassuming town of Blue Diamond – located 23 miles southwest of Las Vegas – has been listed on the open market for $5.35 million. Originally a mining town founded in the 1940’s and now known for attracting outdoor sporting enthusiasts such as rock climbers and hikers due to its proximity to the Spring Mountains that encircle the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Blue Diamond is known far and wide as a refuge for those who wish to partake in the wonders of nature.

However, despite the local community being on the small side – there are currently only about 130 homes in Blue Diamond – making the luxury residence located at 4 Montana Court raise eyebrows at its price on the open market.

The 3,249-square-foot, modern-style home features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views of the Spring Mountains and boasts a plethora of high-tech amenities, such as iPad and smartphone-controlled electromagnetic locks, Crestron-controlled lighting, thermostats, sound and window shades.

The home’s design incorporates Corten steel and concrete, which is said to show off a green or brown film on the surface – known as patina – produced by oxidation over a long period. The overall design aesthetic of the property is said to be “zen,” and also features ample amounts of wood and glass, which represents an organic “breathing, living element,” according to Anthony Spiegel, a Realtor with the Ivan Sher Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Nevada Properties.

“It’s raw, yet refined,” he said. “What is so cool about this house is that it has a raw element, but is so deeply refined and sophisticated in its architectural and interior designs and materials that were chosen for both.”

The home also features a two-car oversized garage, a master suite located in the lower level, an upper level with a kitchen and living areas and two bedrooms. The name of the owner has not been publicly disclosed.

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 – According to recent reports, the median price of single family homes in Las Vegas has managed to set yet another record in September 2020, despite the continued presence of COVID-19.

Despite the extraordinarily hard hits that the Southern Nevada tourism-driven economy has taken due to roadblocks presented by COVID, home prices in the region continued their upward climb in defiance of the circumstances, reports say.

The median sales price of previously owned single-family homes, which constitutes the bulk of the Vegas market, reached $337,250 in September, representing an increase of 0.7 percent from August, a month in which a previous record was established. In addition, the amount represented a jump of 8.8 percent from September 2019.

The volume of sales was impressive as well, with 3,270 being sold in September, an increase of 12.4 percent from the previous month and 18.9 percent from September 2019. Indeed, despite the potential hazards presented by COVID, people are not being deterred from seeking out and purchasing homes in Las Vegas.

These sales figures were likely helped by the fact that the current inventory of available homes in Las Vegas has increased, giving buyers a wider selection to choose from. The number of homes up for grabs in Vegas in September was increased by 3.4 percent over August for a total of 4,798.

The Las Vegas housing market has been on fire in recent months, with buyers in need of places to live braving potential illness in order to secure lodging during a period of time where record-low interest rates on loans provide an irresistible lure. In addition, local real estate agents have evolved with the times, providing safe alternatives to doing business that include setting up online tours of properties and using video conferencing.

These factors, when combined with Las Vegas’ low cost of living, have enabled the local real estate market to bounce back from the pandemic much faster than experts had predicted.

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 – According to reports, in anticipation of his NFL teams move to their new home in Las Vegas for the 2020 football season onward, Raiders owner Mark Davis has recently purchased a plot of land in the Henderson mountains – a spot upon which he plans to construct a lavish home – for a whopping $6 million.

Previously, Davis had purchased a smaller 1.2-acre lot in 2017 – for $8.5 million – upon which to construct a home in The Summit Club, a luxury golf course community in Summerlin. However, he abandoned those plans in August of this year, selling the original plot of land for $10.5 million and then closing on the Henderson deal, a development that he only just recently revealed to the media.

Why the change of location? Simple, he said – his original location in Summerlin offered him no direct line-of-sight views of the Raiders’ new home – Allegiant Stadium – which was “starting to drive me crazy,” he said. Clearly, this is a man who takes his profession seriously.

To give himself a clear view of the newly-constructed home stadium of his well-known NFL team, Davis bought the 6.3-acre plot of land in the Ascaya, a community that was carved out of the McCullough Range via explosives by a Hong Kong developer and subsequently sat vacant throughout the mid-2000’s recession before getting a new lease on life as a home for wealthy individuals and families.

His new location – the Ascaya community – also keeps him in the vicinity of the Raiders’ Henderson-based practice facility and headquarters; once his condo’s construction is completed upon the new plot of land, Davis will enjoy not only spectacular views of the Las Vegas Strip but also Allegiant Stadium.

“I’m getting the best of both worlds,” Davis said.

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 – An elaborate Tuscan-style home featuring a unique rooftop observation tower that its owner originally purchased to remind herself of her Mediterranean upbringing has just been listed on the Las Vegas marketplace for $4.85 million, according to recent reports.

Demetria Robertson, the owner of the Southern Highlands Country Club-based residence, noted that her attraction to what she referred to as “traditional Italian craftsmanship” drove her and her family to purchase the villa – located at 2 Olympia Hills Circle (MLS# 2213502) – over two years ago.

The 9,741-square-foot house – situated on nearly an acre, which provides a great deal of privacy – features a sizable interior courtyard which includes a water fountain and fireplace, offering a “traditional Tuscan villa experience” in a park-like setting, according to Robertson.

“You are immediately ushered into the open courtyard, which is fully enclosed in the home. It is square and nearly every aspect of the house is connected to it,” she said. “Our home has lots of windows and light streams in through the courtyard. It really gives the gift of light to the home.”

The house has five bedrooms with outdoor patios and balconies and seven baths, as well as a large pool and spa area adorned with large statues.

The home boasts a number of lush, detailed design aesthetics reminiscent of those you’d encounter in a traditional Italian setting, such as crafted stonework, mosaic tiles, and marble. However, the main draw to its design is centered around the so-called “watch tower,” which is a one-of-a-kind rooftop-based observation tower that allows for breathtaking 360-degree views of the surrounding Las Vegas Valley.

“It is a wonderful way to get away and kind of see the whole Vegas Valley from a higher vantage point,” Robertson said. “If you look out you can see the main Strip, the Southern Highlands development. On the other side, you get all of the golf course and the mountains. It is a wonderful beautiful collage of the sights in our valley.”

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 – Basketball legend Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal has purchased a $765,000 Las Vegas home to have a residence near his popular restaurant Big Chicken on the Strip, which he originally opened on the famed Las Vegas Strip two years ago, according to reports.

O’Neal, 48, recently put his current residence – a 31,000-square-foot Florida mansion with an outdoor basketball court and pool – on the market for a whopping $19.5 million, so it would appear that his new Las Vegas residence would represent a downgrade from his current digs.

The new two-story, 5,400 square-foot home – located south of the Strip in a guard-gated community – is quite the high-end residence, and effectively illustrates the more affordable cost of living in Nevada when compared to many other states.

O’Neal’s new home features five bedrooms and four bathrooms, along with a fireplace, granite kitchen, and two-story family and living rooms. The upstairs also boasts lavish amenities, including a master bedroom with a double-sided fireplace separating it from the bathroom. In addition, there is a second-story loft overlooking the main living room.

The backyard is equally impressive, with a deck and covered patio, tiki-style cabana, a bridge that connects into a spa and a pool decked out with a fountain and a swim-up bar.

Stacy Conner of Windermere Prestige Properties represented O’Neal. Sherwin Escanuela of Huntington & Ellis held the listing.

O’Neal is a former professional basketball player and currently works as a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA on TNT. He is widely considered one of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, and at 7 foot, 1 inch tall and 325 pounds, was one of the tallest and heaviest players ever. O’Neal played for six teams over his 19-year career.

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 – According to recent reports, the city council of Las Vegas is considering beefing up enforcement of penalties imposed upon apartment buildings and hotels that are considered “dangerous” due to repeated code violations.

The proposals, which are expected to be heard today, came to be following outrage over a fire in December at the Alpine Motel Apartments that took the lives of six people and injured an additional 13. The Alpine had a history of coming up short in terms of safety inspections, and had not been inspected for over two years prior to the deadly fire, reports say. The Alpine was inspected after the fire, at which time officials discovered 42 fire code violations.

The new program to be proposed on Wednesday by the city council, if approved, would focus on aging properties – often catering to low-income families – that are considered dangerous due to potential fire hazards and inadequate fire safety equipment, and would strengthen an existing program introduced in 2017.

The scope of the program would be expanded as well. Currently, the safety program only applies to apartment complexes with at least five units; if passed by the city council, the amended program would lower that number to at least four units, which would add coverage to an additional 1,110 apartment buildings.

Fires in apartments have been a serious issue in recent years, with 16 people perishing in blazes since 2015. Part of the reason for the death toll and the push to address it is because current state law does not mandate that older buildings adhere to newer safety protocols as they are adopted for newer construction. As a result, older complexes tend to be at greater risk of fires if those running them elect not to upgrade as new fire safety regulations are signed into law.

An example of an older establishment being a particular danger in terms of fire safety is the Alpine, which did not possess a sprinkler system, having originally been constructed in 1972.

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 – Andrew “Dice” Clay, the legendary comedian who rose to prominence in the late 1980s with a brash, macho, persona known as “The Diceman” and in 1990 became the first stand-up comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden for two consecutive nights, recently put his Las Vegas home up for sale for just one dollar short of a cool million.

Listing for $999,999 and originally built in 1968, the Nevada Rancho Estates-based “lucky house,” which he has owned for the past 19 years, has been used relatively little by the comedian during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Clay spending the majority of his time split between his New York and Los Angeles residences.

The home, located at 121 Stonewood Court on a half-acre plot of land at the end of a cul-de-sac, is situated within the Alta Rancho historic district, which is a guard-gated community. It is a one-story ranch-style house coming in at 4,461 square feet in size and has five bedrooms; three full bathrooms, and an additional two half-bathrooms. It boasts numerous high-end amenities, such as a large backyard with a heated pool and spa, extensive landscaping, and more.

The home has been renovated with new plumbing, floors, carpeting, and granite and reflects a “vintage, nostalgic” design aesthetic reminiscent of the late 1960s and early 1970s, according to Realtor Rob Wilner, the listing agent. Clay himself spoke of the home and the great time he had there entertaining his many celebrity friends and acquaintances.

“It has that Vegas feel,” he said. “It has a step-down living room, step-down dining room and step-down bar where we had a blast there all of these years. We had parties all the time with my friends in Vegas with Criss Angel, Tom Green and Wayne Newton. Michael Imperioli from ‘The Sopranos’ would come over when he was in town. We hung out after my shows late at night. It was a great hang and party place. It has that big, open hangout where the bar is and a giant pool. We had so much fun there.”

At age 62, Clay continues to tour and perform stand-up, and has appeared in several films and TV shows, including roles in Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine” and Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born.”

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 – Despite the ongoing difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Las Vegas home prices set yet another record this August, reaching new heights for local real estate regardless of the hardships other industries have experienced during the same time period.

Reports indicate that the median sales price of single-family homes in the Southern Nevada region was $335,000 by the end of last month, which represents an increase of 1.5 percent from the previous high-water mark set in July, and a year-over-year jump of 9.8 percent from August 2019.

Despite the new high for home prices in Las Vegas, sales activity overall has taken a small dip; this past August; 2,910 homes were purchased by buyers, which is a decrease of 12.5 percent from the prior month and a 8.1 percent drop from August of last year, reports say.

However, the inventory of available homes in Las Vegas has remained tight in August, with 4,639 residences listed without offers, representing a drop of 3.5 percent from the previous month and a whopping 40.3 percent decrease from August 2019.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great deal of economic stress in Southern Nevada, with the tourism-dependent economy taking a substantial hit as stay-at-home orders helps to contribute to a record-breaking unemployment surge.

However, the need for affordable housing options managed to sustain itself, and that – coupled with evolution within the real estate industry and record-low rates on housing loans – enabled home sales to recuperate more quickly than anticipated, in addition to allowing homes in the region  to retain their value as opposed to depreciating.

As Nevada continues to slowly reopen its economy and unemployment continues to drop, it remains to be seen if the pandemic will have any far-reaching consequences upon the Las Vegas housing market, especially with the possibility if a COVID resurgence as the upcoming fall and winter months make its presence felt.

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 – According to recent reports, NBA star DeMarcus Cousins has listed his lavish 20,000 square-foot Las Vegas mansion, located several miles west of the famed Las Vegas Strip, for a whopping $8 million.

Cousins, who is currently on the injured list this NBA season with a torn ACL – a serious knee injury that typically requires surgery and an extended recovery time – had previously purchased the residence in 2017 for $6.5 million.

The mansion, situated upon approximately two acres and offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, is loaded with amenities, including a circular driveway with a covered entrance – known as a porte-cochere driveway – as well as an indoor basketball court, a movie theater, a billiards room, a room for listening to music, and an extensive wet bar.

In addition, the two-floor estate features an astonishing 10 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, serviced by an elevator in case residents or guests don’t care to utilize the stairs.

The backyard boasts of a large landscaped lawn with a resort-style swimming pool that includes a slide that connects with a second pool; all of this has a deck overlooking it from the home’s second floor.

Guests can even take advantage of a dedicated cottage situated in the backyard that has its own kitchen, reports say.

Nicknamed “Boogie”, Cousins was selected in the 2010 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. In his first season with the Kings, Cousins was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and from 2015 to 2018, he was named an NBA All-Star. He is also a two-time gold medal winner as a member of the United States national team, winning his first in 2014 at the FIBA Basketball World Cup and his second in 2016 at the Rio Olympics.

Cousins was most recently signed by the Los Angeles Lakers, although he was released from his contract while sidelined with his current knee injury without ever having played a game for the team in the current season.

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 – Last week Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak issued a last-second extension to the eviction moratorium he enacted in March, giving residential renters unable to meet their financial obligations due to COVID-19-related circumstances an additional 45 days before their landlords are able to begin proceedings to remove them from their residences due to non-payment.

The moratorium was originally scheduled to end on September 1.

Reports since that announcement indicate a vast number of Nevada landlords – many suffering significant financial distress – are up in arms regarding Sisolak’s extension, expressing frustration for their continued inability to evict their tenants who have not been paying rent for nearly six months at this point.

Numerous groups representing landlords in the state have come out strongly against Sisolak’s decree, with Nevada State Apartment Association Executive Director Susy Vasquez stating that non-payment of rent not only hurts landlords, but entire communities.

“It takes a village to maintain and operate these communities,” she said. “Impacts to our industry trickle down to small business owners, service providers, product suppliers and trades.”

Nevada State Apartment Association Executive Director Susy Vasquez

Caleb Green, an attorney for Detroit, Michigan-based law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC, noted that the extension to the eviction moratorium may be of help to renters, but that it will spell extreme financial distress for landlords who are still required by law to provide services out of their own pockets to tenants who are in some cases paying nothing.

“Any moratoriums on evictions puts pressure on landlords because they’re stuck,” he said. “They don’t have any legal means of removing someone who is not paying, and then the landlord still has legal duties to provide. It has to be habitable. They still have a lot of legal responsibilities and obligations they have to meet.”

Caleb Green, Dickinson Wright PLLC

Nevada’s leading real estate association, Nevada REALTORS, decried the lack of any notice from the Governor’s office as to the extension, which resulted in landlords – many small-time and hurting – being caught flat-footed and scrambling to figure out what to do next.

“Many of these property owners are retirees who own one or two homes and rely on this rental income to support themselves and their families,” Nevada REALTORS said in a statement. “Many of them will now have no recourse or way to cover their own expenses [for another 45 days].”

Nevada Association of Realtors

The moratorium covers only those who are unable to meet rent obligations specifically due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it does not absolve them of the responsibility of paying back rent that has accrued, which could leave them with a significant financial hurdle to overcome in the near future. As a result, it’s likely that many local landlords will never see all of the money that they are owed.

There are numerous forms of governmental rent assistance available, at a local, state, and federal level that renters in financial distress can apply for. Rent payments, if an applicant is approved, will be sent directly to landlords. As per Sisolak’s extension, the Nevada eviction moratorium will now last until October 15, 2020.

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.