[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by yellowsnow

Spend some time out here and look at what you can afford. Look on your own and with a Realtor.

Lifestyles are different here because of the weather. It is very hot in the summer and you will use your patio area or pool and that's about it. You will want to limit your yard work because of the heat. Whatever landscaping you have will be watered with an automatic system. You will pull into your driveway, hit the button for the garage door, and get back in the AC as soon as possible. It is well suited to high density housing here. Not necessarily small houses, but very small lots. Almost all the homes have privacy fencing, usually block walls. It does help make your back yard seem more private.

It is a lot different than the terrain/climate you are used to!

At the risk of sounding a little more negative, get ready for a little cultural shock. But, please, try to understand our western ways and don't try to make easterners out of us. I'd say it took me almost two years....

[logline]

There are some large lots and large plots of open desert conveniently close to the freeway, hospital, etc. Look for homes south of Blue Diamond and West of the 15. That area fits your criteria, but inventory may be small.

[RCIS719]

Thanks everyone for the info! That gives us a little guideline to go by. LV will be very different from what we are use to. We currently live in Virginia, but I'm a NYer (upstate, not the place with the big buildings), and my boyfriend is from Minnesota. The greenery, and water we will miss, but speaking for myself only, I am ready for the weather change; cold and wet with less than 6 months of sunshine is not my idea of utopia. To be honest, we were hoping for LV as a base because of the easily accessible areas to visit, both in and outside Nevada. We like to go, do and see.

That being said, Buzz123, I have to ask, what kind of "culture shock" can we expect, in addition to the climate and environmental aspects?

PS. Im about to post another question about the cardiac hospital business, if anyone wants to stayed tuned to see if they can help.

[RCIS719]

Also, another question: does anyone have any suggestions on temporary housing? The options we thought about were, an extended stay hotel (least desirable option, for a myriad of reasons), a vacation property, or short term rental, such as executive housing, or sublet. SW will keep our items in storage for 60 days while we have a look around, and find a place where we want to settle. I don't know that we will use all 60 days, but we have the option. Vacation rental properties, and executive rentals are usually extremely pricey, so we were looking for a decent alternative.

[yellowsnow]

I moved here from MN and I am happy to report we have no weather you have to shovel.

[RCIS719]

I wish there was a like button Yellowsnow. A place with no snow, and temps rarely below 45 sounds like heaven.

[yellowsnow]

Originally Posted by RCIS719

I wish there was a like button Yellowsnow. A place with no snow, and temps rarely below 45 sounds like heaven.

8 months out of the year, it's a dream come true. 2 months are just too hot. And 2 months are just too hot to live here! And it can snow here. You will see snow on the mountains most of the winter. We got quite a bit of snow(for here) in December of 2008. I stayed home till it melted because people have no idea how to drive in snow and the roads were quite dangerous.

Our weather is pretty boring. If it rains we do have flash floods. Our big winter sport is watching everyone else battle the snow on TV. We can't get enough of the big storms everywhere else!

[RCIS719]

LOL I have to say, I still do a little of that in VA... until it happens here. I'm quite familiar with people who do not know how to drive in the snow, or even take care of the snow. We do get snow here, not like upstate NY, certainly, but enough that they really should know how to drive in it, and remove it. Sunshine nearly everyday, and temps warm enough that I don't have to bundle up like the Michelan man, I will be a very happy girl.

[zumaboy]

Originally Posted by yellowsnow

8 months out of the year, it's a dream come true. 2 months are just too hot. And 2 months are just too hot to live here!

Maybe so, but compared to hot & humid like in my native South, I'll take Vegas...

[RCIS719]

Ok, so my next question: What are the areas we should avoid (either because they would not fit our ideal, or because of high crime rate, etc.)? No point wasting our time looking in every corner of Las Vegas, or finding a place we like, only to later find out it is not a good area to live in. I should mention that I am a young empty nester, and my boyfriend does not have children so the school district is not a factor.