[teach1234]

Here are my positives:

Driving to work in the morning and the sun's reflection off the Mandalay Bay facade bathes the road in golden light.

I drove to Phoenix and Tucson a few times last month and realized how many limos and exotic cars are in Vegas and just how cool it is to drive here.

One of my favorite lines is from "Into the Wild" where the Danish guy at the bottom of the Grand Canyon stage whispers, "And we went to... Laas Vegasss!" That sums it up.

This place has all kinds of weird and wild energy. I feel like there is as much opportunity here as people want. Sure, you have to work real hard but I feel like this is the quintessential place for the American dream. And when the recovery finally starts to occur, even if it's years from now, you'll be in place to take maximum advantage.

[Y'all smile now! Grandpa?]

Originally Posted by RockChalk528808

Myself, wife and 2 kids(4 & 8) are considering moving to the Las Vegas area and would like to hear the positive things about raising a family in the area. I see alot of negative on this board.
We would be moving from Kansas City. Basically we are tired of the cold in the winter and the humidity in the summer. But the main reasons a move would work for us right now is that we don't need jobs(both of our (longtime)employers will allow us to work from home) and the amazingly low prices on homes in the area. We also love the mountains as we previously lived in the Denver area.

So let me hear the good things about the area. There has to be some.
Thanks in advance.

Well sir, they don't call it sin city for nothing!! Me and the wife, we lived there for 13 years. All we wanted to do in the summer is get inside somewhere where there was good air conditioning. And for most folks those casinos sure felt comfortable! Hey, it also can get pretty cold in the winter there, and some nasty winds! You love the mountains? Las Vegas has ugly mountains, plain and simple. They do! My guess would be that the reason you're reading alot of negatives about Vegas is because there is darn good reason for all the negatives!! If you're heavily into the gambling thing and other negatives associated with the city, you go right ahead. But honestly, it ain't no place for raising a family, in my opinion. Just ain't!! You want beautiful mountains and mild winters and falls that will knock yer socks off, dig into Asheville, N.C. Hey, lots of places have mountains with less brutal winters and decent humidity.

[Jukesgrrl]

Hey, Buzz123, I agree with jjameson922: GREAT POST. If you're running for mayor, you have my vote.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

Hey, Buzz123, I agree with jjameson922: GREAT POST. If you're running for mayor, you have my vote.

Ha, ha. That's two votes so far.

[bledsoe3]

I'll vote for you too.

[RockChalk528808]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

These threads drive me crazy. Here's a question for the OP. Are you challenging us to talk you into to moving here, or do you sincerely want to hear that you are making the right decision? Because here is all you need to know ...there is no better place to live ...none.

We have had 1½ million new people move here, uninvited I might add, between roughly 1987 and about 2006. ...actually a little less time than that. I don't think any other city has had that problem. Those million and a half people moved here in less than 20 years because this is really the best part of our country, and they realized it.

The whole country was screwed by the banking industry and the politicians that they have in their pockets, so right now people are suddenly caught upside down in their homes, and there is a lot of unemployment. That's why you hear that the price of homes is cheap. It's really not a good thing. But people are still moving to Las Vegas. We don't have numbers on it, but probably "in droves" would still be accurate.

For my own part, after I came here in 1964 I wanted to close the door behind me like most people do, but I do realize the hypocrisy of that and try to fight the urge to tell people not to come. But the point is, we don't need to talk you into it, because as an individual family, we don't need you. So come or don't come. Like Lilly Tomlin's phone company slogan said: "We don't care. We don't have to."

However, I'm sure you're very nice, so if you do decide to come, we will welcome you, and you will never regret the decision ...at least not once you get over the cultural and geographical shock which could take anywhere from a couple of months to a year or two.

Good luck in your decision.

Buzz....thank you for the response. Didn't mean to drive you crazy. Of course ultimately the decision to move is our familys but I wanted to get a feel of what locals feel about raising a family in Las Vegas.

I'm interested in what you mean by getting used to the cultural and geographical shock. Do you mean the 24/7 type of city and the heat?

Interestingly, I work in in the mortgage banking industry you speak of. I've actually managed the sales of at least a hundred of the f/c homes in Las Vegas over the last couple of years. It seems to me LV could use a family like mine with good jobs to take another vacant home off the market.

Oh, and I'd probably vote for you for mayor as well. You seem very passionate about the city.

[LIS123]

Originally Posted by RockChalk528808

Buzz....thank you for the response. Didn't mean to drive you crazy. Of course ultimately the decision to move is our familys but I wanted to get a feel of what locals feel about raising a family in Las Vegas.

I'm interested in what you mean by getting used to the cultural and geographical shock. Do you mean the 24/7 type of city and the heat?

My guess is that the cultural shock was more along the lines of the culture in Vegas where some vices (sex, gaming, alcohol, etc.) are more prominent and on display than in other places. Those things happen everywhere, but Vegas is the 'city of sin' for a reason. At the same time, I have heard from parents on these forums say time and time again that they have not had any trouble raising their children successfully in and around LV. It might take some extra work, but it can be done (and is done on a daily basis).

It's harder for me to guess on the geographic shock. Maybe it meant the heat and the flat/brown land in the area. It's considered to be more brown and less green, kind of like some of the Arizona cities.

[Jhiker10]

Goodluck and come on live in the northwest side of the valley. A nice area and you will love the easy access to Red Rock Canyon, Bonnie Springs and Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. If you prefer to live near Lake Mead then Henderson would be an area with lots of choices as well.

I like the NW side of town, far enough from the Strip but an easy drive. There are casinos with movie theaters like Red Rock Resort and Suncoast. Centennial Hills is the newer part of NW. 215 Beltway and 95 freeway are within an easy access of the NW side of town. Lots of school choices/medical facilities/shopping/parks and recreation. Directly across from the Suncoast is another trail/park under construction linking it to Bruce Trent Park on Vegas Dr and the park in the corner of Alta and Durango.

The Rampart Trail system will wrap around the Angel Park golfcourse while linking it with the other parks in the NW within the area of Vegas Dr/Durango/Alta. Rampart Trail main access is via Moda Corso in front of Suncoast. Tivoli Village under construction is right next to the Rampart Trail as well. I am definitely looking forward when both the Rampart Trail and Tivoli Village opens. I passed by it all the time and I can see the progress on these two projects. If you want easy access to water activities for your children, Desert Shores is a large community with man made lakes. There are many types of homes here in the gated and non gated communities.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by RockChalk528808

Myself, wife and 2 kids(4 & 8) are considering moving to the Las Vegas area and would like to hear the positive things about raising a family in the area. I see alot of negative on this board.
We would be moving from Kansas City. Basically we are tired of the cold in the winter and the humidity in the summer. But the main reasons a move would work for us right now is that we don't need jobs(both of our (longtime)employers will allow us to work from home) and the amazingly low prices on homes in the area. We also love the mountains as we previously lived in the Denver area.

So let me hear the good things about the area. There has to be some.
Thanks in advance.

I find that most people, when commenting on their city, tend to be extreme one way (hate it) or the other (love it). That is why you should discard the negative or the positive and listen to people with balanced views.
I used to live in Kansas City myself- as well as Wichita. The heat in the summers is sometimes hell on Earth with the humidity. But nothing is worse than Dallas in July. I have not lived in Vegas but I will say this- don't be fooled by "but it's a dry heat" argument. July in Vegas is NOT comfortable. Not at all. The winters there are not nearly as cold as the midwest and it probably does not snow there but again, it does get cold there- especially after sunset. It is not California there.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by mresort

Look at the red line (inflation-adjusted prices). Even 1987 prices were higher than today's prices. Still overpriced?

A decent 3 BR house in Vegas in a decent neighbourhood should probably go for about 125K. Anything above that is inflation bubble.