gengar

Most of what you seem to like is in older areas of Vegas. For older, consider Spring Valley which has many neighborhoods built in the 70s and 80s and tends to have more interesting property features like different/rustic architecture. Spring Valley gets "grittier" in the nothern parts, up to Elan / Alta / Preservations area etc. just south of the 95 and Summerlin Parkway. As mentioned by bigguyinpasadena, you could also look at areas closer to downtown like around Scotch Eighties, which will have a mix of neighborhoods spanning what you've described. The problem though is that the commute to Henderson could get really old from any of these locations.

Alternatively, there are a couple neighborhoods you could check in the eastern area of Paradise along the 515, or even out in Whitney, that are a bit older - however, I'm not too familiar with that area so can't really say if it fits your descriptions above. But that area would position you between the Strip and Henderson.

I'm not sure I would base where you live on culture, which Las Vegas in general is really short on. I always recommend focusing on minimizing negative day-to-day factors (like commuting, but I hate commuting so my recommendations will always be biased based on that). But part of it also is that to me, Vegas is more similar to cities like Houston where you find specific places that you like going and just drive there. Even if you plan on consuming alcohol, Uber has massively improved QoL for people off-Strip (where traditionally taxicab companies are loathe to pick people up, although be aware that rates are pegged towards Strip tourists so Uber here tends to be more expensive than in other cities.)


Just be aware that going from Strip/UNLV area south towards Henderson will be messy until at least 2017, as the Paradise Interconnector / Airport Connector southbound is currently undergoing a huge project. Of course, it's possible just to take surface streets but much less optimal for a daily commute.

I would also add that the 15 interchanges going to 215 westbound can often be bad during peak traffic hours.

I think you mean the Sunset Park / Paradise East / Green Valley North neighborhoods as the area around Casa de Shenandoah. Silverado Ranch is south Vegas, getting towards Seven Hills and NW Henderson. But I agree, there are some amazing properties in this area. Even some with basically small horse ranches.

greggarious

I'm looking at taking a remote IT job, and I'm seriously considering living in Vegas. (Could probably afford SF, but I'd rather live below my means in a low cost of living area, possibly buy a house after taking a year or two to save towards a deposit, and retire early rather than throw away 2-3k a month on rent...)

Where would people recommend if they didn't have to worry about a commute? I was thinking of looking for a studio or 1BR in the Green Valley area. Aside from social stuff I'd basically only need to use my car to grocery shop and go to the gym.

I'm aiming to keep it under 1k, and lower is better. I'm pretty simple - I just want laundry on site, an in unit dishwasher, gas stove, and a decent kitchen and I'm happy.

(Though part of me really looks forward to having a garage to set up a workshop / weightlifting area)

I'm having trouble finding decent granular info on what certain price ranges could get you, so if anyone has insight I'm all ears.. On my end, I could be happy with a small studio with covered parking, if the management company is decent. (I'm coming from the East Coast - I was way too cheap with last place... rent was below market but every time my unit had an issue it was a battle to get it taken care of.

Eventually I'd like to get a small house or 1BR condo, but in the short term my goal is to live frugally and save aggressively.

Yahtzee

I looked on zillow and saw a good looking place for $969 in Henderson. Worth poking around that site. Of course, getting input on neighborhoods from a local would be really helpful.

kettle1

In Las Vegas and Clark County look here: http://www.crimemapping.com/map/nv/lasvegas

For Henderson look here: https://www.trulia.com/real_estate/8...nderson/crime/

gengar

Even 1BRs in brand new apartment complexes in nice parts of Henderson are around 1.2k, so <1k for 1BRs in Henderson is definitely doable. There are a lot of options, so I'd focus on the specific areas/neighborhoods and how well the nearby amenities/services fit for you.

Can also get reported crimes for a recent 3-month period directly from the Henderson Police Department: http://maps.cityofhenderson.com/publ...imesearch.html

DenverBrian

Just one example; there is a LOT of inventory that will be under $1K, be updated inside but still kind of "gritty" outside, gives you a W/D in the unit, and at least a carport (you will want this to protect your car from the sun)...

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3.../7093525_zpid/

One piece of advice: At all costs, avoid Eastern Avenue for commuting either to or from work. That's the absolute worst artery in the city.

strife

I have been thinking about buying a home in Las Vegas for a primary residence. I was lucky to sell my NYC condo at the beginning of the year before the pandemic and rioting. I have a home in the SF Bay Area and thinking about doing the same. Just too much capital tied up in the house especially since I travel overseas so much and tired of CA taxes and politics. I skimmed this thread which has a lot of useful information. Are Summerlin and Green Valley still the nice suburbs to live in? I am only familiar with the Las Vegas Strip casino area as I have attended many conferences. During normal times how easy is it to get to the casinos in terms of traffic and parking?

gengar

Las Vegas is generally one big suburb, but Green Valley and Summerlin are probably still some of the nicer areas. Can also consider Southern Highlands in the south, which also has the benefit of being right down I-15 from the Strip. As I've posted in this thread before, I don't recommend southwest area (or the south parts of Summerlin really) because the traffic on the 215 loop is often terrible going in that direction during rush hour.

To build on what I've mentioned in past posts - Green Valley is part of Henderson, which has the advantage of having its own police department. Be aware however that the AHL minor league affiliate for Vegas' hockey team is going to play at a stadium being constructed just south of 215 at Green Valley Parkway. This was a controversial location as it's a really odd residential area for a stadium and not at all developed for the type of traffic that events are going to cause, but on the other hand, perhaps it will create some good deals for housing in the immediate vicinity if you're willing to deal with it. The stadium is also taxpayer-fuinded, which always puts potential tax increases on the radar (yay fleecing the middle class to further enrich billionaires!)

Getting to the Strip is pretty easy from most places in the valley. Pre-pandemic, traffic got noticeably worse every 6-9 months because so many people were moving here. I'd expect that trend to continue if not accelerate post-pandemic as people continue to flee high-tax, high-regulation states. Traffic is still not nearly as bad as in most cities, though. If access to the Strip is paramount and you're open to living in a condo, you can consider the condo towers on/near the Strip. Panorama and The Martin are right across I-15 on Harmon from Aria/City Center (it's possible to do the walk in about 5 minutes, although you'll probably still want to rideshare straight to your final destination most of the time) and there are a few other condo options on Las Vegas Blvd off the Strip.

DELee

If you're serious about this move and have the flexibility, I'd recommend finding a rental (or two) in the Greater Las Vegas area and test it out for a month or longer. You could then decide if it is sufficiently of interest and/or if you really need to sell in CA. Folks in CA also need rental options if you'd want to continue to accrue value as well as have an additional income - 'tho you'd still have CA wanting tax money from you...

David

gengar

Rental, even longer term, might also help if trying to decide between a highrise and living in the burbs. The differences between the two are quite disparate in Vegas compared to, say, NYC.

SPN Lifer

Since July I have been driving Eastern Avenue between Bonanza and Desert Inn regularly without particular difficulty. As a lifelong renter — one cannot buy land in fee simple on Saipan unless of Northern Marianas descent — I moved from the Bay Area in mid-2018 (getting my Nevada drivers license my second full day here).

I rented a nice new-construction 2-BR apartment at 9th & Fremont for $1900 per month. After a year I moved 20 blocks east, saving over $1,000 of that (but with a communal paid washer & dryer).

Summerlin seems like a very nice area. I would second the advice to rent for a couple of months, or even stay at a Residence Inn, etc., to get a feel for the area and the real estate market.

After more than two years here in Las Vegas, my primary complaint would be the five months of high temperatures above 110°F (40+ days), 100°F, or 90°F. With the "heat island" effect, it is often still above 90° at midnight. During those months, I would usually take my hour-long walk at 05:00.

The climate becomes an important part of your life: north-facing windows, tree-shaded parking lot spaces, which side of the street to walk on, optimal automobile colors, etc.

Our younger 25½-year-old son died of a heart attack in our apartment last January, so my wife is disinclined to remain here long-term.

But if you can tolerate the heat, Southern Nevada is a vibrant, growing community with a lot going for it, and nice recreational opportunities.

gengar

Just to note context of OP's post was Henderson, where Eastern Ave is a real nightmare for traffic. As I've posted in this thread I don't recommend anyone choose housing that would rely on that stretch for commuting.

strife

A belated thanks to everyone for the very helpful responses. I wound up renting a condo at Panorama Towers just across the highway from the Strip. So far I have been enjoying Las Vegas. I was already familiar with the area but obviously it is much different living there. It has been nice to be able to go out and get a meal even if restaurants are at reduced capacity

I have looked into Henderson and Summerlin extensively and am currently leaning towards the Green Valley area. I already knew some real estate agents in Las Vegas and they have all told me that sales are booming and especially higher-end properties. It is crazy what is available for a fraction of what would be the equivalent in CA/NY and no doubt is causing this spike in new residents.

strife

Does flooding pose a significant risk in the valley or does it so rarely rain that it simply is not a big deal?

I ask because I was looking at a house that has a semi-basement type level that includes the garage and there is a long and deeply sloping driveway down to the garage. It seems to me that this would collect massive amounts of water during rainfall and the house is already at a relative low elevation in the area. The contact realtor indicated there is no drainage from the basement. I would never be comfortable with this in CA but maybe I am overreacting for the Las Vegas area.

gengar

Well, risk is certainly subjective to the individual, but I was in the middle of the big flood back in 1999 ( https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/...later-1701236/ ) and personally witnessed multiple cars get submerged in a shopping mall parking lot. We've barely had any rain all year and have spent most of the last 10 years or so in drought conditions, but it can definitely rain a lot here.