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Old 01-23-2013, 06:34 AM
 
8 posts, read 11,249 times
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A work opportunity can take our family to LV or Indiana. We must choose.

Henderson appeals to us because we love sunshine, we have family in UT, and lived in SD for several years - friends & surf. (Side note: We would return to SD in a heartbeat if there was an inventory of SFH houses in the <400,000 range where we'd have good schools... but, no chance). We realize that Henderson is also a sellers market but don't know just how difficult it would be to get into a home with good schools. Would love any information about the housing market. We are looking at middle and high school, but also what are the colleges like? We don't mind the dessert. In fact, I hate humidity but really, aren't temperature more like 115 in the summer?!! Is it hot by 8 a.m.? When does it get cooler? Can you live comfortably without a pool? Is recreation expensive? Specifically, for a family to join ClubSport or go to the movies? I am less concerned about sex and gambling (because I know nightlife is in all cities to some degree) but I wonder about the community values: How involved are parents in school and kids activities? Are moms striving to be the "Housewives of Las Vegas" (MILFy or material, vain, vacuous) or are they more grounded, focusing on family and/or career? Are people generally pretty active or do you have to stay inside from the heat for 4 - 6 months out of the year? How do teens spend their summers? Are there Volleyball club leagues for competing youth? What about Robotics for my 12yo son? Do the schools have issues with bullying or were the reviews on GreatSchool.org written by the few upset students?

Indianapolis appeals to me because there are huge, beautiful houses available in a buyer's market. Most schools in Carmen and Fishers are ranked high with only a few mediocre. This seems to be the opposite of Henderson, where there are a few really good ones and many less desirable. Is that accurate? Another stereotype but, I am expecting the people to be more grounded. I wont like the overcast skies but am comfortable with seasons. The communities have a lot happening for kids, especially in sports. But, how can you compete with San Diego being relatively close, mountains, Lake Mead, and all the LV entertainment? Unless, it's too hot to really enjoy LV for half the year?

Forgive my rambling. I know I have many questions. I really appreciate any help you can give, even if you can only write to one of my questions. We have moved so much and I'd really like to settle down for a long time!!!!!!!
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Old 01-23-2013, 08:53 AM
 
402 posts, read 744,535 times
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They are very very different places, but all I can tell you is that if I had kids, I would pick Indianapolis and it's not even close.

IMO, the schools are better and opportunities for kids would be more plentiful.

You talk about San Diego being very close, but it's really 300 miles away from Vegas whereas Chicago is half that distance from Indy, and I would say Chicago has more to offer than SD.

If you have your heart set on LV, heat won't be a dealbreaker though you'll need to respect it. The same applies to Indy with the cold.

The desert will always be there, and there's nothing wrong with raising a family in Vegas, though I would prefer a diferent metropolitan area to do so. Vegas will be there when your nest is empty.
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Old 01-23-2013, 08:57 AM
 
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To hit your main points, your "best" public school zone options will be Henderson in Anthem or Green Valley Ranch. Summerlin I am sure also has good options, but I'm not familiar enough with that area. Buying a home in these areas is difficult, but ultimately it depends on your budget and your needs. For me, buying a 2500-3000sf home in those areas, I would need to spend 300-400k right now. Also, due to market, stuff is often getting bid on in the first day, you may not even have time to see the house before making an offer. A lot depends on the price, if it's priced higher (relative to its value), you'll have time and it may sit for a week or even a month before getting a offer. If it's a "deal", it will likely have an offer within a couple hours of being listed. Renting is also an option, I believe you could get a rental in these areas without too much difficulty.

As far as the heat. I remember as a kid (I grew up here), the heat never stopped us. We might be inside for a couple hours around the hottest part of the day, but for the most part we were inside and outside and just drank more water. As an adult, I work during the day, so it's not a huge issue. On the weekends I try to get outside work (yardwork, etc.) done in the morning hours (before 10am) or in the evening hours. The hottest part of the summer is usually end of June/early July through mid/end of September. For me, June usually isn't too bad and October is still warm, but cooling down and starting to be nice. I still see people jogging and whatnot in the summer, just in the mornings or evenings. When it is August (the hottest part of the summer), it really doesn't cool down much, even after the sun goes down it'll still be 95+ degrees. All the concrete and asphalt absorbs all the heat during the day and radiates it all back out at night.

The college options are limited. UNLV isn't considered a "great" school except for its Hotel Management program. Unless you want to get into an ivy league grad school, I'm not sure it matters though.
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Old 01-23-2013, 09:59 AM
 
1,408 posts, read 3,311,867 times
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Formerly lived in Ohio and spent a great deal of time in Carmel, where my best friend lived. It is considered a very snooty area. The entire scene is keeping up with the Joneses. If that value system doesn't bother you, then it might be a cold, grey area to consider. I might say she was at the top of the pond, as a CEO herself, but even she would comment on it.

I can see you are putting a great deal of thought into this because of the kids and what I mentioned above is a big factor. I'm not aware that exists that strongly in Las Vegas. I can say, for adults, to me there is no comparison. Las Vegas is a beautiful, glitzy, exciting city offering so much more entertainment, shopping, dining experiences and travel opportunities then Indy. You realize we do not offer a sports team. That's big in Indy. Taypayers there also pay a great deal to help support that whereas our property taxes are extremely low.

Housing prices are going up here and it will not be a piece of cake to pick up something great. I chose Summerlin when I moved here and am not a big fan of Henderson. We are higher in elevation and therefore somewhat cooler in the summer. We have no mosquitos, which is a biggee for me. Also, I did not want to be living near McCarran and constantly have big planes landing and taking off overhead. Comparing Carmel to Las Vegas in home prices, coming from a former realtor, you should get much more house for the money here and for sure, it will come with a lower cost of living.
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Old 01-23-2013, 11:17 AM
 
1,600 posts, read 2,005,507 times
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Do not move to Naptown! Yes they have SLIGHTLY better schools, a more economically diverse economy, but besides that there is nothing. The job is the big thing, if you have work, I'd choose Las Vegas. Plenty of people in Las Vegas raise their family here with no issues.

This is your opportunity to make the right choice, if you like Las Vegas; move there. It's as simple as that.

Last edited by timothyaw; 01-23-2013 at 11:26 AM..
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Old 01-23-2013, 11:20 AM
 
Location: Henderson, NV
5,314 posts, read 7,767,123 times
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It depends on if you're comfortable in a suburban or urban area. My wife and I just spent a few nights in Anthem and a few nights in LV. Granted, that's not a huge amount of time to see everything, but we felt more comfortable in Anthem so that's where we decided to move. We're 15 minutes from the strip or downtown if we want to go out, but if we don't, we're pretty secluded in a "neighborhood at the end of the world"
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Old 01-23-2013, 11:58 AM
 
6,377 posts, read 11,843,753 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by timothyaw View Post
Do not move to Naptown! Yes they have SLIGHTLY better schools, a more economically diverse economy, but besides that there is nothing. The job is the big thing, if you have work, I'd choose Las Vegas. Plenty of people in Las Vegas raise their family here with no issues.

This is your opportunity to make the right choice, if you like Las Vegas; move there. It's as simple as that.
Yeah nothing but two sports teams, real arts and historical districts and trees. I always laugh at these people who act like other cities were prisons and they were only freed once they got to where they are today.

Raising a family isnt a problem in LV, its what are you going to do with the family. Kids adapt everywhere so dont question if you are giving them a terrible childhood by moving to the area, just ask what sorts of things you like to do with the kids on weekends. And also what sorts of things the adults want to do when they dont have the kids in tow. Some will enjoy the Vegas attractions, but frankly if you dont do the shows and casinos every now and then you might get bored. No casinos arent the only entertainment in LV, but they certainly dominate. If you dont enjoy them at least somewhat you just cut off a lot of your options.

I have family in Indy and find it a nice reasonable place. Plenty to do nearby and of course Chicago and the Lake are an easy drive. Wouldnt be a first choice to live there, but if say career pulled me there I would be fine with it. Like all cities 90% of what you do is the same no matter where you are. Its the 10% which is different that often determines how happy you are so choose wisely.

Also LA and SD may be near Vegas, but dont underestimate what 4-5 hours driving means. It means you generally dont go out for less than 2-3 days. It means if you go after work on a Friday you get there past dining hours so your vacation sort of starts the next morning. It means you have to get on the road in the afternoon and cant enjoy a last full day out of town. A 2 hour drive means you could head up for just the day or with one night hotel get in a full weekend and stay until dark before heading back. Its a much bigger difference than it seems.
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Old 01-23-2013, 12:27 PM
 
31 posts, read 48,218 times
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Default the heat

i live in phoenix now used to live in florida for 25 years and came out to phoenix and been here for 6 years and .never thought about moving to henderson,summerlin las vegas until i got away from that dame humidity let me tell its horrible.las vegas -henderson pretty much the same weather beside las vegas is a little colder in the winter and real windy sometimes.we have been visiting henderson and las vegas quite a bit the past 5 years and we love it.im moving there soon as i can get money saved up to get there.and like the poster said san diego is onley 3 hours away .and a bunch of other places.i know las vegas will bounce back one day and it might be afew more years maybe five years or less but it will.well thats my opinion on the situation makes me excited .good luck with what ever you choose.
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Old 01-23-2013, 02:00 PM
 
1,600 posts, read 2,005,507 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willy702 View Post
Yeah nothing but two sports teams, real arts and historical districts and trees. I always laugh at these people who act like other cities were prisons and they were only freed once they got to where they are today.

Raising a family isnt a problem in LV, its what are you going to do with the family. Kids adapt everywhere so dont question if you are giving them a terrible childhood by moving to the area, just ask what sorts of things you like to do with the kids on weekends. And also what sorts of things the adults want to do when they dont have the kids in tow. Some will enjoy the Vegas attractions, but frankly if you dont do the shows and casinos every now and then you might get bored. No casinos arent the only entertainment in LV, but they certainly dominate. If you dont enjoy them at least somewhat you just cut off a lot of your options.

I have family in Indy and find it a nice reasonable place. Plenty to do nearby and of course Chicago and the Lake are an easy drive. Wouldnt be a first choice to live there, but if say career pulled me there I would be fine with it. Like all cities 90% of what you do is the same no matter where you are. Its the 10% which is different that often determines how happy you are so choose wisely.

Also LA and SD may be near Vegas, but dont underestimate what 4-5 hours driving means. It means you generally dont go out for less than 2-3 days. It means if you go after work on a Friday you get there past dining hours so your vacation sort of starts the next morning. It means you have to get on the road in the afternoon and cant enjoy a last full day out of town. A 2 hour drive means you could head up for just the day or with one night hotel get in a full weekend and stay until dark before heading back. Its a much bigger difference than it seems.
Yeah those two sports teams taking money AWAY from schools, libraries, road improvements. No where is perfect, but its not as rosy as you paint it. Real arts you say, yeah some a little more than what LV offers. High taxes, you bet. And don't say it pays because as I just mentioned our schools are suffering, etc. I think it's a mistake for Las Vegas to go after a professional sports team. All the owners do is suck tax dollars out of the community and give little if nothing back. Nothing here in Naptown, there's a reason it's called that.
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Old 01-23-2013, 10:20 PM
 
8 posts, read 11,249 times
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Thanks very much for your replies. I really think I could be happy in either place. I'm probably leaning towards Henderson since Indy feels far from many things I love. (I realize a half-day's drive to some, but that's reasonable for a long weekend. We are used to that. We would drive from San Diego to UT and from NoVA to NC, etc.) We will want to get into the best schools we can but, my kids have been in many very good schools and I think their expectations/habits are set. One poster compared climates and said she'd prefer NV over FL. I have lived in TX and think I would prefer desert heat also. We'd really like to settle down. I'm not sure Indy could be my forever-home. Did I mention, we are moving back from Eastern Europe? Most American towns will be a utopia after this!! lol
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