Vegas Q & A | The Truth About Living In Las Vegas
Answers To 6 Las Vegas FAQ’s
Truth From Us – 30+ Year Top Las Vegas Realtors
We have been living in Las Vegas for over 30 years. I moved to Las Vegas from Southern California in 1993. My husband, Kurt, relocated to Las Vegas in 1991 from Montana. The hotel boom on the Las Vegas Strip had begun, and Henderson was considered “way out there.” North Las Vegas was just starting to build in “the NEW North Las Vegas.” Billboards were how we navigated the area.
When the Strip boom came, it was an exciting time. Two to four mega-resorts were opening each year. As a result of the Strip boom, the new home construction and city infrastructure businesses boomed. Each hotel room is equivalent to 2.5 jobs, one within the hotel property and 1.5 supporting families of hotel employees.
After meeting my building engineer husband at McCarran Airport in 1994, he began working with me. As brand new construction home specialists, we’ve seen almost every new community in the Vegas Valley become fabulous places to live. There are so many choices of lifestyles, and with 5000 people a month relocating to Las Vegas (for over 30 years), you might wonder why. Let me explain.
FAQs About Las Vegas Homes
🌆 Is Las Vegas A Good Place To Live?
Yes, Las Vegas is a good place to live. We have more than 320 sunny days and only 4 inches of rain per year. Rarely does an event need to be cancelled because of weather. Additionally, Las Vegas has no income tax. There are plenty of things to do, with world-class dining and entertainment at your fingertips.
For nature lovers, there is also plenty to do. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area, and Mount Charleston are just a few options within 30 minutes of town.
💵 What Is The $20 Rule In Vegas?
The $20 Rule in Las Vegas refers to the idea of slipping a folded $20 bill between your driver’s license and your credit card when checking in at a hotel. When you hand everything to the check-in person, you politely asking if there might be any complementary room upgrades. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. If you’re in a high demand time, it is not likely to work.
💰 What Salary Do I Need To Live Comfortably In Las Vegas?
I suppose it depends on what your definition of comfortable is. Whatever your “comfortable” is, you’ll be able to achieve it for less in Las Vegas than most any other large city. One person can easily buy groceries to last a week for under $50. That’s eating meat every day, and occasionally things like steak and lobster.
✈️ Where Are People Moving To Las Vegas From?
Of course, the highest percentage state from which people move here is California. A little over a third of the people moving here are from California. The rest of the list may surprise you. Number 2 is Florida. We don’t have hurricanes or tornados, and we don’t have to screen in our patios to enjoy them. Number 3 is Texas, and number 4 is our neighbor, Arizona. Rounding out the top 5 is Washington. Considering that we have more than twice the number of sunny days than Seattle, being fifth on the list is no surprise.
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Six Frequently Asked Questions About Living In Las Vegas & Henderson
Why have 5,000 people a month relocated to Las Vegas for the last 30 years?
Living in Las Vegas provides you with a variety of affordable housing surrounded by fun and active lifestyle choices. No State Income Tax is another reason. Employment and business opportunities with no corporate tax are the third reason. The Las Vegas Valley is the “Land of Opportunity!”
Retirement in Las Vegas is fun, and having no inheritance tax is attractive. Add that to 300+ sunny days a year with minimal traffic, and Las Vegas is a great place to live!
Housing is a big motivation for many people relocating. Affordable Las Vegas housing can be anything you want it to be, from older homes to brand new construction smart homes. Multi-family housing ranges from apartments to luxury high-rise condominiums on The Strip.
There are designated Rural Preservation Neighborhoods with ranch homes and luxury golf course country club options. Retirement community living is active and social. However, by far, the primary housing choice is living in a master-planned community.
Why live in a master-planned community?
Master-planned communities are peaceful and pretty places to live. They are designed to encourage an active outdoor lifestyle and a sense of community among residents. Walking and bicycle trails connect neighborhoods and parks. Homes appreciate more, and neighborhoods show a sense of pride of ownership.
Each community will have a large park with amazing features and probably a community center. Besides swimming pools with slides, there are skateboard parks, climbing apparatuses, lakes, shaded picnic and play areas, and facilities for every sport. Parks and Rec provides team sports.
How difficult is it for normal people to live in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas is full of normal people, so I’d say it isn’t difficult for most. I’ve seen people have trouble in Las Vegas when they come from a place with a lot of extended family living close by. All of a sudden, they’re in a strange city, knowing no one but their household’s immediate family. It can be a hard adjustment. That’s who we see move out a few years later.
Personally, we love Las Vegas. People visit. Airfare traveling is less expensive than in other cities. We attend shows, concerts, and sporting events. There are opportunities for festivals and activities in community parks and master-planned communities.
Is meeting people easy?
Making friends is a choice. Since most people are not Las Vegas natives, they want friends. Apps like Meetup.com have groups and get-together schedules for every type of activity and hobby. There are business networking groups, girlfriend groups, numerous sports activities, and groups where you just meet. Active adult 55+ developments are amazing for meeting people and having fun.
There are Meetups and 55+ activities, including walking, playing volleyball, golfing, and hiking to explore a mine. Singles groups, wine tasting, and game nights get-togethers are popular. Join a dream or foreign language group. Pick one or two, and you’ll be busy in no time! Activity directors work every day to make community centers and 55+ developments fun. Our clients enjoy the lifestyle.
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How is real life in Las Vegas, NV?
Living in Las Vegas is similar to living in other cities, except that everything looks new and is close by. You’ll rarely drive more than 5 miles from home because you don’t need to. Businesses, medical facilities, restaurants, and retail chains have numerous locations throughout town. Schools were designed and built within master-planned communities, so they’re close.
The other side of that is that there are always things to do. The focus of the city is outdoor activities, sports, fun, and business. Numerous state and national nature areas surround the Las Vegas Valley, including Lake Mead and Mt. Charleston.
Due to the number of mega-resorts in Las Vegas, many businesses are open 24/7 to accommodate night owls and graveyard shift workers. Casinos never close, they need to get cleaned sometime! We like getting our steps in by walking local shopping centers and going from hotel to hotel on the Strip. It’s great indoor exercise when the weather is challenging.
What natural disasters have struck Las Vegas, Nevada?
Las Vegas has been named “The least likely medium-sized city to have a natural disaster” many times. Here’s why:
Earthquakes– There are inactive faults under our valley. We do feel the occasional earthquake from California. In 32 years, I’ve felt 5 tremors where we quickly turn on the news to see where the epicenter was. Since homes in Las Vegas are newer and built to California earthquake standards, I feel safe.
Flooding – A 100-year flood occurred in 1999 when 3 inches of rain fell in 2 hours in the northwest part of the valley. Water flow naturally went from west to east, causing flash floods in many areas of the valley. It happens so rarely that people were driving into standing water, and many rescues had to be made. Since 1990, over $1 Billion has been spent on flood control in the valley. The biggest flood issues have occurred around some brand-new homes due to a flood-control spending pause during the financial recession. There are two spots near the strip and a few intersections on the east side that are flood-prone.
Fire – Not much to burn in the desert. The Spring Mountains have a national forest that occasionally burns.
Hurricanes and Tornados – We do not get them. An occasional “Dust Devil” can be seen- often in the distance outside the city.
Wind – Wind under 80 MPH is probably our biggest weather problem, and only a couple of days a year. Occasionally, strong winds will break tree branches and bust glass signs. The Las Vegas Building Code requires stringent wind-shear calculations. If there’s any damage, it’s likely cosmetic. Very few trees are older than 40 years old.
Do Las Vegas locals visit the Strip?
Yes, we go to The Strip, but rarely gamble. There’s a saying, “Don’t get stripped on the Strip…” Date Nights are great! We go to dinner and a show with visitors, for a birthday or special occasion. Christmas parties often include a hotel room or a limousine ride. New Year’s is a blast (for an hour or two).
Having lunch at a hotel pool and staying for a few hours is always fun. The Las Vegas Marathon and the Santa Run for charity are annual events held on the Strip. Now we have Professional Sports! NFL, NHL, WNBA, F1, and scattered soccer, wrestling, and boxing events bring locals out.
There are two fill-a-seat type of companies with annual membership fees, where concerts, shows, comedy, magic, and sports are free. We’ve even gone to see Carrot Top, Blue Man Group, and Battle Bots for free! That’s worth investigating.
Business meetings, classes, and conventions are attended occasionally on the Strip. We’ve learned about the back roads and how casinos connect. After a while, you may give your guests your house keys, car, and driver’s license (for free parking) instead of playing tour guide for friends. Our kids occasionally went clubbing or to various birthday parties. Many people work on the Strip and go home right after work.
Also, keep in mind that Las Vegas high-rise condominiums are extremely luxurious and are considered “home” by many people. A large number of people are employed in or earn income from the tourism, convention, and hotel/casino industries. MGM Properties is the largest employer in Las Vegas with over 150,000 employees and 13 hotel/casino properties.
Are there misconceptions about Las Vegas, Nevada?
The biggest misconception people have about Las Vegas is that it’s just the Las Vegas Strip. There are 2 million people who live in the 600 square mile valley, and the Las Vegas Strip is one (BIG) street.
Another misconception is that Las Vegas is one city. The Las Vegas Valley is actually made up of the City of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, and half of the valley of Las Vegas is Unincorporated Clark County. The airport, UNLV, and the Strip are in Unincorporated Clark County. Downtown is in the City of Las Vegas, and so is over 50% of Summerlin. Most people around the world think that Las Vegas is only Las Vegas – until they move here.
Living in Las Vegas is not living in Sin City. The valley is very family-friendly. There are newer, quality schools and many parks with organized sports. Businesses for everything kids like to do are everywhere – including 2 large water parks. The Clark County Parks and Recreation Department provides day and summer camps.
We have one of the best library systems in the country. Every church denomination is represented. There’s the Las Vegas Orchestra and Choir, a Ballet Company, and numerous acting groups. World-class productions are sold out at The Smith Center For The Performing Arts. Residents are actively involved with charities. Know that it’s the Tourists who make Las Vegas Sin City, not the residents.
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Terri and Kurt Grosse- Your Housing Protectors
702-750-7599
This was written by Terri Grosse. Terri has been a Las Vegas Valley real estate agent for 32 years and raised their two daughters in Las Vegas. Terri works with her husband and partner Kurt Grosse. They are big Aces, Knights, and Raiders fans, but especially like shows and concerts. If you’d like more information about Las Vegas, visit their Las Vegas web page. Text or call Terri at 702-750-7599.
