Another good thing about Boulder City is the electricity costs almost half what Nevada Power customers pay.

While domestic visitors are slightly off from previous years international tourists are more than making up for it. There are quite a few flights from the UK and Europe on a weekly basis. VS and Condor fly here almost daily. Thomas Cook usually has a couple of Charters from Man on a weekly basis as well. The property I work for consistantly has an occupancy rate in the mid 90's. There is still a very steady stream of cars that fills I-15 from Southern CA on the weekends.


Builders here are actually starting to increase the number of new homes they are building. Especially in the aera that I live in. For the past few months only 2 or 3 new homes were being built in my community. This month that number increased to 7 and next month they are planning on 9. And yes, all the recently built homes are occupied. While it is true that sales of existing homes are awfull it seems those that are buying are buying new.

So, I don't think it is all that bad. As I walk through the casino before and after work there are still lots of folks playing. Maybe not as many as there was a year ago but still pretty busy.

I want to thank all for your advise and suggestions. I have been searching apartment complexes and need to take a step back for now. I'm also researching employment.

I think I have over stimulated myself with websites....oh my!

Why are costs in Boulder lower (electric)? What is the job market like?

I remember driving though Boulder on my way to the Hoover Dam.

HappyMom-There is a glut of 5-10 year old housing in Las Vegas right now.
Many deals to be had.
But rents are relatively cheap also.I would urge you to rethink the whole scheme.
I lived in Las Vegas for four years(transfered by my employer at the time)and just hated it.And I would hate to have to worry about a teenaged daughter here.
This is a fairly common thing,folks move to Vegas having vacationed there a few times-and get stuck in the trashy hell of everyday life in Las Vegas.

When Summerlin was first concieved there were to be no casinos within the plan.Well that changed rapidly and the quality of life in Summerlin dimminished rapidly.The money these folks throw at the city planners/town council both in the legal and ilegal ways is astounishing-and it takes a strong city council to say no.Summerlins failed on that count.

It still is the most family friendly area of town as far as I am concered.But the housing prices reflect that.

I will probably end up living back in Las Vegas for my current work.I am not looking forward to that.

I would add that Las Vegas is a city built for VISITORS. For some reason, I often compare and contrast the Las Vegas area with the Phoenix area. The Phoenix area, I believe is built more for the people who LIVE THERE, rather than for those who visit. You see a lot more money (my perception) put into beautification, infrastructure, and higher end shops, restaurants, amenities, schools, etc, for locals. In Las Vegas, the strip is glamourous, but if you venture into the area where people live, it is a lot less so. There are a lot of strip malls, and not much in the way of architecture, landscaping, etc. Phoenix is building a light rail system. Las Vegas has busses. Without doing any research, I'd guess that Phoenix area schools are better and nicer than those in Las Vegas. My last trip to Scottsdale, I was walking around near Old Town and there was a vibrant scene of locals hanging out at local bars with outdoor patios and local music. In Vegas, entertainment is far more visitor-centric.

All that said, I think that as Vegas has changed over the year plus that I've lived here, it's starting to "get it." There are more "local" places opening up, like the new Town Square. And there are several more places like it in the works.

http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com

...is a great site to see what's happening here.

It may not be the nicest place to live for those who LIVE here, but it's getting better, in my opinion. It can definitely chew you up and spit you out if you're not careful. But, if you don't get caught up in the materialistic culture, it can be a great place to live. Personally, I like it a lot.

The City of Boulder City provides the electricity utility and gets cheap hydro-electric power from Hoover Dam and from sweetheart deals from Boulder City electricity generators.

Summerlin is not really more family friendly than green valley, especially areas near the Henderson Multigenerational Center. Co-workers of mine who commute from Summerlin to our office (on Maryland between Trop and Falmingo ) are not too found of the commute. Summerlin is great if you work in the north, northwest, or west of the strip, but if you have to get across/around the strip for a daily commute it can be traffic heck.

Believe-it-or-not: Henderson often pops up on "Top Ten Places to Live" lists.

As an 8-year resident of Henderson, I would concur with previous comments regarding Summerilin. On tv, its often marketed as a fitness and family-oriented utopia, but its not all thats its cracked up to be. Unless you work close to home or enjoy heavy traffic commutes, I would avoid it.

Henderson and Green Valley are closer to the strip if you need to work there.

I live accross the street from Summerlin. Commute times are reasonable since the latest US-95 construction is now completed. I highly encourage happymom2008 to let us locals know next time you come out for a visit. We can help show you the ropes. We enjoy coming together for meals anyway - you will provide us a great excuse to reconvene our dinner DOs.

8/24 thru 8/28. Staying at PH, again.