[MPinSC]

I posted this in the Nevada forum before I saw that LV had it's own section, so I'll post it here too.

This is sort of an awkward question, and hope it doesn't sound elitist or snobby (I don't mean for it to at all), but most of the complaints I've heard about Vegas have been the difficulties of making a life for yourself if you're an average working Joe.

My husband, a physician, is looking at several lucrative job offers, some in Texas and one in Vegas. My question is, does Vegas ( or Henderson, Summerlin, etc) offer a pretty good quality of life if you can afford it? I've been poor before in my life, trust me - food stamps and the works. I know that some cities may be great if you can afford a certain standard of living, but suck for anyone else. So I'm wanting honest opinions from those who live there - is it okay so long as you are IN that upper income bracket?

[BobKovacs]

I lived in Vegas from 1994 to 1999, and built homes that were bought by a lot of "upper income" buyers. Many of my buyers were doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc.

It's obviously easier to afford a nice home in a nice area when you've got the money to do so, and that makes Vegas more attractive than it may be for people who can't afford to live there comfortably. That being said, there are still some factors to consider that you'll want to consider:

- The schools suck- they're overcrowded, most are on full-year or split session schedules, and English is almost a second language in them. If you have kids or play to do so, plan on paying for private schools- everyone I built for who had any money didn't rely on the public schools- even in the most expensive areas of town.

- Traffic is pretty bad, regardless of where you live. There is a grid of E-W and N-S streets throughout town, which are usually pretty jammed up with all of the people who are trying to avoid the three highways that are in the Valley (all of which are extremely crowded). If at all possible, buy a house within a few miles of work, or you'll regret it.

- Other than gambling, buffets, and the shows/attractions on the strip, there's not much in the way of cultural events.

- In general, I found that Vegas residents tended to keep to themselves- like they had moved to Vegas to get away from something. It wasn't unusual for people to pull into their garages, shut the door, and not be seen by their neighbors except to leave for work the next morning. I also found that gambling, drinking in excess, and smoking pot were rather popular past-times- even among some of the wealthier folks.

- Don't forget that it gets hot as hell for 4-5 months out of the year. And yes, I know...."its a dry heat"- but so is a convection oven. Of course if your other option is Texas, I'd take the heat in Vegas over the swamp air in Texas any day.

Hope that helps. If you've like further info, let me know. I'm truly not trying to bash Vegas, but I just never figured out what people see in the place if they're not directly involved in the gambling or entertainment industry.

Bob

[MPinSC]

If our kids were young, we wouldn't even consider it, but they are both off to college in the next year. Also, we LOVE to travel, and this job would offer a 7 on, 7 off schedule, with access there to a major airport, which would be perfect for us popping away when we feel like it.

Humidity is a big issue for me, as i have asthma, and yes, we've been to Vegas in both summer and winter. I could deal with the heat better than I can deal with the heat/soupbowl here on the South Carolina coast (you need gills here in summer).

Traffic I can deal with. The biggest drawback for me is the lack of real culture (arts, small funky bookshops, theater, etc) outside the strip. We'll see.

[BobKovacs]

Check with your doctor regarding the asthma. I had a friend who moved to Vegas in the mid 90's from NJ, and her asthma definitely improved. She went from 5 medications to just an inhaler for occasional use. Over time though, it deteriorated again, and I believe it was due to the air quality. Vegas is one big valley, and the dirt/dust/pollution builds up until there's a rainstorm to "wash" the air (which obviously isn't very often). It's pretty nasty to see when you drive in from CA and crest over into the Vegas Valley- kinda like the smog in CA, but brown instead of gray.

Bob

[RedWingsFan]

The only thing your upper income buys you is a nicer house and private schools. It doesn't buy the extreme heat going away, the bums getting off the streets, the crime going away, the graffitti problem stopping, the illegals from coming here and taking over, all the sm ut all around, it doesn't create things for children to do here, etc. So my answer would be no, having an upper income only makes it marginally better.

[Twinkle Toes]

I don't live in Vegas, but I am on a Vegas league (bowling). I haven't gone for the Vegas trip the last couple of trips and I won't be going for the trip coming up this weekend either. I HATE Vegas!!! Sure, there's a lot of lights and casinos, but what I hate is it's filthy, crowded and everyone is from somewhere else, so they have absolutely no obligation to be courtesous to you because they aren't ever going to see you again. Vegas is one of the rudest places I've ever been to!

Oh yeah, and to quote AC/DC ... "...I'm upper, upper class high society - God's gift to BALLROOM noteriety ..."

And yes, I compete in ballroom in Vegas too and I dread the Vegas part of it. I feel safe inside the ballroom though.

[BarbaraJRice]

WOW. Guess you either LOVE Vegas or HATE it. I happen to LOVE it! Not many places you can play golf on Thanksgiving morning (just one tradition we enjoy here!).
Boy, I've tried answering this 3 times already and it's tough. Yes, with money you get a nice house in a guard-gated community (still use your house alarm though). If you golf there are lots of great courses out here. And there will be some neighbors not willing to talk (there are everywhere) but I've made more friends here in 9 years than I ever did for 20 years in Connecticut!! I've also never come across anyone who dopes or drugs or anything heavier than cocktails at 5. Did I live a secluded life in Vegas? Heck NO!!! I'm a REALTOR and I'm out there all the time in all parts of the city and meeting all sorts of people. Maybe I'm just lucky ... or maybe I watch out for myself and don't put myself in situations where I'm meeting the wrong people.
Finally, yes, the "Arts" are very strong in Vegas unless you like the headliners at the Casinos. But as you say, a major airport is minutes away and can take you anywhere the Arts are better!
And we need doctors, so please give it a try!!!!!!!!!! :-)

[BarbaraJRice]

I meant to say the Arts are NOT very strong in Vegas.

[johninvegas]

Hi there!

I currently live in Las Vegas and have for the past 8 years. Also I lived here as a child (40 years ago) so I know a bit about Vegas that maybe some others don't.

Can you live here well as an upper income person? Yes. If and it's a big if, you like the casino highlife. As others have said, culture is a big zero here unless you count rock concerts and Paris Hilton sightings.

If you like outdoors activities, there is a ton of stuff to do. Off roading, fishing, golf, hiking, water skiing, snow skiing, boating, etc. Summer is very hot and long and getting hotter and longer every year (at least it seems that way).

One other thing to consider. Since your spouse is a physician, please be aware that malpractice insurance is quite high here. If your husband is an ob/gyn or surgery specialist, the insurance can be astronomical. A couple of years ago, the local newspaper mentioned than an orthopedic surgeon's malpractice bill was $204,000!

Although I've enjoyed my stay in Las Vegas somewhat (I did meet my wife here!) I am looking to move out to a more balanced city in the near future.

Henkelphoto

[Las Vegas tennis]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Traffic is pretty bad, regardless of where you live. There is a grid of E-W and N-S streets throughout town, which are usually pretty jammed up with all of the people who are trying to avoid the three highways that are in the Valley (all of which are extremely crowded). If at all possible, buy a house within a few miles of work, or you'll regret it.

Bob sure seems to have some issues with Las Vegas. We don't all see it that way. Concerning traffic, for instance, for a city approaching 2 million people, traffic is many areas is not bad at all. To say that all the highways are extremely crowded is just inaccurate. The western side (3/4 of the entire stretch) of the 215 Beltway is generally a breeze, especially when compared to other large cities. If you compare Las Vegas traffic to Los Angeles, Houston, or many other cities, Las Vegas traffic is easy. Compared to Podunk, Iowa, however, it might be quite a challenge.

It is quite true that Interstate-15 can become a slow moving parking lot at times anywhere near the strip and downtown area. The US95 is also very congested anywhere near the city center. In fact, any area near the strip can be very frustrating. Locals learn to make any east-west traversal of the I-15/Strip either far enough north or south of the strip to avoid the worst congestion.