[Mady]

Hi,

We are thinking of retiring to Solera at Athem in Henderson. I have read the Las Vegas post and wanted to know is Henderson as bad as Las Vegas and should we look to maybe Arizona for safer, better place to live?

Thanks
Mary Ann

[WendyW.]

My husband is from Las Vegas and all his family still lives there. We just got back from another really long visit there. To tell you the truth, when we are driving to places around the city, I really can't tell one "city" from the other. It's like one big Las vegas to me. Henderson, Green Valley, etc. They all blend together. Sure, I think there may be some "areas" that are safer than others. It is just one huge place. But, if you like city life, it is a nice.

[shroom]

Mary Anne -

Henderson is not quite as bad as Las Vegas, but it does seem to be headed in that direction. If you & your husband want a nice, quiet, safe community in So NV, take a look at Boulder City (ZIP 89005), which is next to Hoover Dam & Lake Mead. It's more expensive than Henderson or Vegas, but it's also a world apart. I lived in BC for almost 13 years, and have lived in Hend (Green Valley Ranch) for the past year. BC wins, hands down. We're weary of the heat & the entire LV Valley "experience", so we're moving to the Prescott area, but if you want a safe and sane area in So NV, do look into BC.

BC is isolated from Henderson by about 10-12 miles of desert known as the El Dorado Valley (which was bought by BC for the main purpose of keeping a buffer between the explosive growth of Hend and the quiet little town of BC). It's small (about 15K pop) and has had a limited growth policy for decades, so urban sprawl is non-existant there. It's a bit higher in elevation than the Vegas Valley, and has a LOT less concrete, so it's typically 5-8 degrees cooler in summer. (Yes, once the temps go above "a hundred and stupid" degrees, there is a noticable difference between 105* and 110-112+*.) Also, BC is the ONLY jurisdiction in NV that prohibits gaming. It has the feeling of a small town from the 50s - some people affectionately call it "Hooterville" or "Mayberry" - and it's a pretty neat place to live. It's quiet, safe, and also has the lowest power rates in the area - about 1/3 to 1/2 of what residents in the rest of the Vegas Valley pay. There are no dedicated retirement subdivisions such as Anthem in BC, but it does have a fairly large population of retirees.

Happy hunting!

[EX-NY]

Green Valley /Anthem is excellent area, and to say its not "quite" las vegas is stretching things , because not all "vegas" areas are bad
not too take anything from Boulder City , its a safe place ,small population etc
Good Luck

[Reggiethecokegirl]

I appologize for a title like that but I think Las Vegas is one of the greatest cites around to live in....Athem is a quiet beautiful community in Henderson and very nice.. There are several other retirement communites just like Antem for that retired lifestyle.. I just happened to mistakingly come across your post but I want you to know that Vegas is not what America thinks about it... Prostitution is legal here but only in brothels and the only brothel I even know of is outside of Las Vegas 20 miles...Gambling is a big sceem that people play into and come here for and when you live here you know that and really appreciate it a little better and most locals never even Go onto the Strip..There is soooo much more to Vegas than meets the eye..Lake Las VEgas if you can afford to live there is a wonderful place to retire and many celebrities own homes there.. Athem again and also down here where I live off of Maryland Pkwy and Silverado Ransh area is a older but very decent place to call home with a low crime rate..I live in a gated community and love it.. I have only been here for a year and 3 months but I can tell you I have lived in EVERY major city at least once as a chile and adult and I now can say I am calling Las Vegas my future and present home... Where else can you go to any concert you want... See celebrities..Enjoy some the best restaurants in the world...Enjoy life as a senior or a young person at the same time... and on top of all that have the freedom to live however you choose because there is NO ONE pushing any particular belief on you ever... I love it and please if you want to know anything else about Vegas or you want me to go check out a house for you and take pics and whatever I would be more than happy to... just email me at reggiethecokegirl@yahoo.com

Reggie

[MoMark]

I personally like Henderson. I lived there five years in Southfork, in the Southfork neighborhood to the northeast of the St.Rose Pkwy and Eastern intersection. It is a wonderful neighborhood. I live in Missouri now and sold out last year at the height of the real estate bubble there. I want to caution you however on timing... Anthem is gorgeous, it's a planned community and many of the homes, because they are higher up the slope of Black Mountain, have fantastic views. However, now may not be the best time to buy a house in Anthem, Henderson, or Las Vegas. The inventory as soared to almost 20,000 single family homes for sale and if you throw in the unsold condos, more than 30,000 homes are currently for sale in the Las Vegas valley. The home builders are discounting homes and the investors are trying to get out. When I sold my house, there were approximately 8000 single family homes on the MLS/market and mine sold with seven offers in two days. But those days are gone. It's a total buyer's market now...true..but the sellers haven't yet gotten used to the idea that they can't sell their homes now at 2005 prices, and the competition from people who are nearing foreclosure, or are underwater in their adjustable rate mortgages with no equity in their houses are being forced to sell at lower prices. Wait six months and you'll be able to walk into what was overpriced Anthem and buy homes at 2/3's the current cost, especially if you're a cash buyer. Don't believe the realtors, they're desperate right now and houses are taking six months to a year to sell. Wait a bit longer and you'll get a real bargain when enough people finally recognize the reality of the housing crash.

[azsk8fan]

Henderson, esp. the Green Valley and Green Valley Ranch area is VERY nice. Along with the Anthem communities, McDonald Ranch areas as well. But honestly I moved here from Arizona after having lived first in Phx. for 20 yrs. and then in Prescott for 5 yrs. and I truly believe Arizona is a much nicer state to live in. People here are rude (for the most part) drivers are just plain stupid and the people in Arizona are a whole lot nicer. If it weren't for the work situation I'd be back in Arizona in a heart-beat. Don't count out Arizona- give both places an extended visit and see what each has to offer - a lot depends on your lifestyle.

[MoMark]

Arizona is nice, no doubt, but, it has a state income tax and higher property taxes. Nevada has no state income tax and very low (even still) property taxes. And, because of all the golf courses and artificial lakes and irrigation in Phoenix, the humidity there is unbearable now when the temps are 110F+. I still prefer Nevada for a desert state.

[azsk8fan]

Arizona has a monsoon season and usually for two months - July and August there is indeed an increase in humidity. Otherwise it is still a 'dry heat' as the saying goes although once it hits 110 degrees it is hot with or without humidity LOL. As for state tax - what you don't pay in Nevada will get eaten up in your gasoline while you sit and wait for the dreaded green turn arrow. In Arizona if the light is green and there is no oncoming traffic you can actually turn left - granted Nevada does have SOME intersections that are still like that but people have been so conditioned to sit and wait for a green turn arrow that when you ARE lucky enough to find an intersection that allows one to turn left without waiting for the dreaded arrow you better hope there's no one in front of you or they will probably sit at the line and not pull out at all - and you wind up still sitting through yet another red light. I'll gladly pay the state tax just to live in a state that has some common sense when it comes to traffic control.

[scrapbooksfor4]

I would look into Arizona. I lived in Henderson/Vegas area for years. We moved to AZ 2 years ago and WON'T go back!! Phoenix just has nicer people and better overall living. Not to mention better health care. Henderson would be my 1st choice if you were going to stay in Vegas.