[TexasNina83]

Mountain's Edge looks nice, but a bit pricey and I cannot tell how big the lots are. Lennar, KB and Beazer all build here in the DFW area, and none of them would be considered "stellar," especially KB. I personally would have a problem living in a community that had that much swing in home prices ($200K - $1mil) unless they were separated somehow....different community centers for each area, etc.

From some of the other threads I have read, it sounds like it would be safer for me to buy an existing (resale) home. I can probably get a better deal as well. Do you agree?

thanks,
Nina

PS Homes here are well under $100/ sq foot. Mine was about $65/sq foot--including granite counter tops, wrought iron stairs, stainless appliances, two-story stone fireplace, etc. But right now, the job market sucks, at least for my hubby's line of work. Thus, the reason for considering LV.

[Daddys///M3]

Originally Posted by kimba01

Speculator hell??? Meaning one never knows?

Meaning that there are a large number of foreclosures in that area due to an over-abundance of speculative "investing" in that area. There are a few housing tracts and planned communities that fit that bill out here.

[olecapt]

Let us go through this slowly.

Originally Posted by TexasNina83

Thanks for the advice. I have been trying to go through some of these extremely long threads and it's hard to decipher all of it.

I know that the housing market is questionable. Here in Dallas it's been pretty stable. Not knowing the area while considering a potential move makes it difficult to know what to do.

I believe the tax structures are similar to Texas; no state income tax, real estate/property tax hovering around 3% (mine is 2.7%). Not sure what it costs to register your car each year (Under $100 here) and there is no personal property tax here, like on cars or boats or rv's. Sales tax is 8.25%, but only non-food items are taxed when grocery shopping (ie razors, shampoo, etc.).

The housing market at the moment is increasing reasonably strongly in volume and roughly stable in price.

Property tax averages around .75% About 1/4 or 1/3 of Texas. On a 300,000 house you pay about $187 a month in taxes in NV. In TX it is close to $700. That says you pay the equivalent of 100,000 or so in mortgage payments in TX. So you can afford about $75,000 to 100,000 more here than you could in TX.

NV does charge personal property tax on vehicles and boats. So cars and toys cost a bit more here.

Sales tax is a little less than TX. Mostly makes up for the car thing.

I see lots of bashing going on, and depending on what area of Dallas you look at, you could bash it for any number of reasons. It all depends on what's important to you--the length and difficulty of your commute, the size house you want and what type of amenities, yard size, planned community, school district, proximity to cultural areas, etc. I moved further out so I could get a bigger lot, trees (they are hard to come by here in Dallas), my house was a bit less expensive, and since I have no children left in the house, schools were only a consideration for future resale of my house. We recently moved away from a suburb because the infrastructure was just not keeping up with the incredible growth. Traffic was absolutely horrific (and still is), and in our backyard, all we could hear was the sound of traffic, sirens, etc, and look into our neighbor's yards, too. We now have a bigger yard that backs up to a wooded area, and since we are on a cul-de-sac, our pie-shaped lot is big enough and angled such that we can't see our neighbor's houses from our patio. We enjoy the trees, birds, and other wildlife (there is a farm behind us), and it is relatively quiet. The other area--well, it's more developed and has more retail/restaurants closer in, but you have to fight the traffic to get to it. It's just a matter of personal preference.

Vegas works a little different. Even in rush hours most places are well inside an hour apart. The only distant suburb really is Pahrump which is more than an hour commute. It is also a different way of life. If you want a couple of acres though without breaking the bank Pahrump works. It is Libertarian...maybe a little Redneck and likely changing with an influx of retirees.

The only other somewhat distant suburb is Boulder City which is more expensive than Las Vegas and has a commute of 30 minutes to an hour depending on where you go. Nice place...not inexpensive.

Other than that it is the Vegas Valley...which is all contiguos and interchangable. Inexpensive are further out and not in the fancier communities.

Obviously, I want to avoid high-crime/gang areas, and want to be in a neighborhood where the houses are well-kept. From what I hear, it's getting more difficult as more and more foreclosures occur and subdivisions are becoming emptier.

The job my husband is contemplating (no offer yet, but interviewing is going on) is for a solid company that would be highly unlikely to have lay-offs. We have 7 years before we retire, so it could be a good move for him. I would just like to find something to live in that is similar to what I have, knowing that the climate and topography are different. A mountain view would be fine, but not a retaining wall....

Walls are virtually required in the Spanish style. It is almost impossible to find a neighborhood that does not have them.

Foreclosure communities are those built between 2004 and 2006. Don't buy in those communities and you won't have any problem with foreclosures. The bad news though is the best deals available are in the foreclosure tracts. Name your poison.

Mountain views are easy. Many available.

Sorry for the long post. I know Vegas is having a rough time of it lately, and I must admit that reading all of the extremely negative posts has made me a little nervous about it. But I would embrace it with an open mind. You always have the ability to decide you're going to be happy, no matter where you are. I am just trying to make sure I maximize my ability to do that!

Blessings,
Nina

Vegas is mainly doing OK...regardless of what you may have heard. The residental construction industry is flat on its back but the rest of the economy has managed to absorb most of the problem. The strip is a very powerful economic engine and is puffing right along.

Actually the posts here are better than most cities. Read Detroit or even Dallas for a while. It ain't bad here.

Anyway welcome to Las Vegas...hope it works out.

[ClarkGrisowld]

Originally Posted by olecapt

Property tax averages around .75% About 1/4 or 1/3 of Texas. On a 300,000 house you pay about $187 a month in taxes in NV. In TX it is close to $700. That says you pay the equivalent of 100,000 or so in mortgage payments in TX. So you can afford about $75,000 to 100,000 more here than you could in TX.

How do HOA fees vary? I'm guessing Texas doesn't have a lot of HOA fees. I think it ranges from $150 a month or so on the low end here...So, basically, while the property taxes are lower it is offset, to varying degrees, by HOA fees. I also presume HOA fees are not deductible, meaning just $350 a month in HOA fees effectively wipes out the advantage of lower property tax.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by ClarkGrisowld

How do HOA fees vary? I'm guessing Texas doesn't have a lot of HOA fees. I think it ranges from $150 a month or so on the low end here...So, basically, while the property taxes are lower it is offset, to varying degrees, by HOA fees. I also presume HOA fees are not deductible, meaning just $350 a month in HOA fees effectively wipes out the advantage of lower property tax.

HOA fees vary. Gates increase them. Pools increase them. Guards increase them. High End Service increase them.

Lower end dwellings vary from the under $20 a month to more than $400. The average for non-gated, no pool or club house is under $50. Even places with fancy facilities can have low rates. Sun City Summerlin is about $90 per month.

I don't know how common HOAs are in TX. But gated communities always have them and gated communities are reasonably common in Dallas.

[jjameson922]

The best thing you could do, since Texas is not that far, is plan a trip to Vegas. I happen to love it, live in Ohio, and have been coming there for years. We were just there in May to narrow down what part of town we would settle in. As much research as I had done and all the help the posters on this thread gave me, you cannot really tell until you see the area with your very own eyes. Prior to May, I was discounting everything I was being told about Summerlin and thought I was firmly settled on Henderson. Or possibly the very north where I had been told great values existed. After driving through three tanks of gas, everything I read was discounted and all my prior opinions went out the window as we fell in love with Summerlin.

I too am accustomed to a decent sized yard but when you stop and think about it, who really wants to keep up a large yard when your temps are in the 100's and with so many wonderful things to do in the area, I'd rather be doing them instead of the total weekend maintainence we are accustomed to.

I once fancied I would like Pahrump too so we took a trip out to see it. I was shocked because it was quite rough, redneck and rural. We also discovered, like you, we had a problem with the concrete walls and felt like we were being imprisoned. Next we learned you can find lots that sit on a higher elevation than the other backyard street and if it is fenced with a wrought iron fence, instead of block, you can have a wide open, wonderful view.
Hopefully you won't have to wait till your house in Texas sells if you make the move. I am sooo sick of waiting for mine to sell here, I could be dead of old age before it happens.

[airics]

hey jjame, where in ohio are you from? have you ever done the drive to vegas yet? i too love summerlin but it was pricier and out of our range so we settled on nw vegas.. one of the best views of vegas at night (thanks to olecapt's knowlege) is from summerlin.. very very nice...

[TexasNina83]

I appreciate the responses.

My HOA dues here, north of Dallas, are $425/year, paid quarterly. We have two neighborhood parks, a lake with walking paths, huge neighborhood pool with clubhouse and nice landscaping throughout the subdivision, including a fountain at the entrance (not that I care about that kind of stuff). We are not a gated community, tho. We looked at another area, a gated subdivision, built entirely around a lake with a private golf course, and the dues are $182/mo. The property taxes were lower, but it was much further out and would have been a very lengthy commute. Most of the neighborhoods I've lived in during the past 10 years have had HOA dues of some kind, and they definitely enforce the rules and covenants. If I had my own pool (in my backyard), I really wouldn't be that concerned with the other neighborhood amenities, just, of course, that the neighborhood was kept up well. I know resale is impacted by such things, but I'm looking to move in and stay for a long time. How much to put in a pool there? Here, it's $25K - $40K and up, depending on the quality and size.

It's not that I necessarily want a big yard to take care of, I just want some sense of privacy. The view I currently have is fairly private due to being situated on a large cul-de-sac lot and having a wrought iron fence that backs up to a wooded area. So I don't really see houses from my back yard. Most yards in the neighborhood have wooden privacy fences and not overly big yards, although from the pictures I've seen of most LV yards, they are at least 3 times the size here in my little corner of the world. But still, they look out at other houses, just like in LV.

The idea of the yard with a wrought iron fence and perhaps lots with staggered elevations so that there is at least some degree of privacy sounds good--where do I find these?. I agree, we are getting to the age that we don't want to spend the energy or time to take care of a large lot, especially in the heat. Some of the LV listings I've looked at have yards that have been so expertly landscaped and with nice pools, that you don't see the wall, and you feel that sense of "oasis" and I think that is the concept I'm aiming for. Of course, mountain views would be a big plus, and I'd be willing to take less square footage to get the views, if they become affordable (I'm really wanting to stay under $400K). What areas do you recommend?

I'm not really worried about the traffic. It stinks here in Dallas, so I can't imagine we wouldn't be able to handle it there. From what you all have been saying, though, Pahrump is too far out and probably too redneck for me (although I've met a lot of rednecks that are terrific people).

As far as the personal property tax goes, is that based on the current value of your vehicle? For example, hubby drives a 2008 Honda Civic, let's say it's currently worth $15K. What's the tax on that every year? Or how much for me to register it for the first time in Nevada? How do they determine the value on which to tax?

Sorry if these questions are answered elsewhere. The threads have gotten so long, they are bit overwhelming.

I agree, we need to make a trip out there. Looks like August will be the soonest unless the company ponies up and pays for us to come before that. I want to be armed with as much info as possible. I'll probably completely change my views, like jjameson992, once I get an actual look around.

Thanks for the great tidbits. It's exciting to think about a big change, even if things are a bit down in places. I tend to be positive, so I know we will be happy in LV if the job thing works out.

Any more info.....bring it on!

Thanks,
Nina

[kimba01]

Coming from MI, I do not "get" the whole HOA thing. I don't know one area here that has them unless Grosse Pointe or Bloomfield Hills? I don't know. I mean is it that hard for people to keep up their yards and things? Where I am at in Sterling Heights, I don't see much blight and judging from watching the city meetings, the ones that are have been the foreclosed properties. We have blight officers that police the city and report negligent situations. Same as in Hazel Park, Ferndale, Royal Oak...some were better than others but to pay an extra bill every month to have someone tell you what you can and cannot do on a property you purchased? All new to me, seems strange. If it is to keep property values good, well--from what I hear, I am not sure how that is working either.

Not complaining, just intrigued.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by kimba01

Coming from MI, I do not "get" the whole HOA thing. I don't know one area here that has them unless Grosse Pointe or Bloomfield Hills? I don't know. I mean is it that hard for people to keep up their yards and things? Where I am at in Sterling Heights, I don't see much blight and judging from watching the city meetings, the ones that are have been the foreclosed properties. We have blight officers that police the city and report negligent situations. Same as in Hazel Park, Ferndale, Royal Oak...some were better than others but to pay an extra bill every month to have someone tell you what you can and cannot do on a property you purchased? All new to me, seems strange. If it is to keep property values good, well--from what I hear, I am not sure how that is working either.

Not complaining, just intrigued.

They have their roots in restrictive covenants that go back to early in the 20th century...Keep those Blacks and Jews out of the good neighborhoods.

Guess why there are two great golf country clubs in Rochester NY?

The use of covenants that run with the property is old. Check around in the south and many ban blacks or blacks and Jews. Now we only work on those who paint the wrong color or let there grass grow long.