Moving to LAS
 

I think this may just happen. Looking after the first of the year, 2009. I have been doing a Google search but have come up with not a whole lot of info on the area. I know my friend lives in Summerlin (sp?) and it is near Red Rock and is quite nice.

I looked at apartment finding places, but everything looks the same.

Does anyone out there have a link to a more complete site so I can make a better informed decision?

Thanks in advance.

Here's a thread that may be of interest to you: "Living in Las Vegas - Moving, Relocating, etc." Click here: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ght=relocating

Thank you!
 

I'll check it out. Thanks again.

also see
 

this one: http://www.openvegas.com/vegas/forum...splay.php?f=32

As a mom, you may be concerned that Nevada puts little emphasis on education. Nevada consistently rates bottom ten in per-pupil funding, educational achievement and so on. OTOH, Nevada consistently rates top ten in meth use, teenage pregnancy, drop-out rates and so on. Still, wonderful parents raise wonderful children, here. Just know all the facts before making any big decisions.

Then again, you may be a "happy mom" because your children have left the nest.:p

Living in Boulder City has served me well. It's quiet, peaceful and more stable than the Las Vegas valley.

From my understanding Boulder City (established as the home for the Hoover Dam workers) is the only city in NV which does not permit gambling. I think liquor sales were permitted "recently".

Not too worried about K-12 education.
 

My daughter who soon will be 19 is looking at higher education (I hope). She probably will start out at a community college.

I'm looking at all possibilities. I have to get my LSW (social worker) license transferred as well. That will cost a bit over $200.00.

I heard it is very expensive to register a car. Any tricks I should know about that? I lease my car.

I checked out the PODS moving system, a bit over 3k to move me. Yikes!

I would not recommend summerlin unless you are going to work in the immediate area or unless you like a nasty commute.

I've taken community college courses at College of Southern Nevada and have been favorably impressed. Tuition costs are low and scheduling is flexible for working students. Their various locations are convenient, wherever you live.
The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System is often hiring social workers, especially now, with the flood of Iraq War veterans.

Yes, it's expensive to register newer cars. To register my one year old truck (pretty bare bones) for its second year is $374. Ouch! The basic registration fee is $38, but additional taxes are based the original MSRP, depreciated a little each year.

So, the trick is to drive an older car. That's not a practical solution for many people, but I'm going back it.

On the plus side, there is no individual state income tax and my property tax is <$500/year. (And it's almost always sunny!)

You're right on. When I was commuting to Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, from Boulder City, the traffic was seldom very heavy. OTOH, I now work one mile from work and love it!

How do they figure out registration on a leased car?
 

Since I lease and do not own?

I think I have 2 more years on the lease.

What about insurance? I currently have Erie and they do not write in Nevada.

Hi. I also lease my car. NVDMV will base the registration fees on the MSRP of the vehicle. My approx $30,000, 2 year old Pontiac was around $360 to register this year.

My insurance is all rolled into one policy so I am not really sure how it breaks down off the top of my head. I can tell you it is fairly expensive. Accidents here are common. Vegas drivers are awufull!

I moved to Vegas 3 years ago. Just recently purchased a house and spent the 2 years prior to that in rental apts in the central west side of the valley. One apt very close to Summerlin and the other in Summerlin. I now live in the Northwest. I love it up there. 25 min commute to The Strip most days. Feel free to PM me if you would like more information.

I moved to Vegas from Fort Wayne, IN, and I grew up in Erie, PA. I love it here!! Mind you, I can't say enough about how much I hate rain, cold weather, snow, and everything that makes a Lake Erie winter so miserable, so I NEVER complain about the heat out here during the summer. Not that it doesn't get cold out here in the winter, but the weather is heavenly compared to the north east!!

Do you know where work will be located after you move? I would recommend living near work, if possible, and if it's not in a generally ghettoriffic part of town. I love my short commute, and my wife HATES her long one, as traffic isn't pretty. On the other hand, if I worked downtown, I'm not sure I'd live there. ;)

Back to the weather--keep in mind when planning your budget that electricity bills can/will skyrocket during the summer when you have to run your A/C. You may want to contact Nevada Power about any potential place you're looking at to see what the average past electricity bill was.

Have you seen this? http://www.streamlinetower.com/

Downtown's new luxury condo. Ogden and the Blvd.

Moving?
 

I've got to wonder what LV's future is with the airlines having so much trouble. I don't think Las Vegas will continue to thrive without the huge tourist influx. I hope I'm wrong but I think LV's on the downward part of the cycle and may not be back for years.:(

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.

It maybe some time before I can afford to purchase a home.
 

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.

I'm coming to LV
 

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