[Michael2016]

I am looking at the LV real estate market, and who knows, maybe the right property would come across. However, due to the immigration process, I can only visit the USA but not live there permanently.
Would you suggest that it is possible to keep a vacant house safe with good security system, for extended periods, e.g. 3 months at a time, or would you suggest that vacant homes can't be secured properly and it would not make sense to buy before living in LV permanently. I see that there are house watch companies out there visiting every week once or twice. Also I see that there are websites that offer free house sitters, but I don't think it is a good idea to give your house to someone you dont know at all. Also, I read that there are quite a few vacation home owners from Canada and Northen States that only come during the winter and leave their property vacant for the other 6 months. What is your opinion, can a house be properly secured for such long absence or would it be too risky? We are talking only about good areas in LV.

[ddrhazy]

A guard gated community would be your best bet. Still doesn't solve the issue of what to do with your mail(USPS doesn't hold mail for longer than 1 month).

Try to get a property where the irrigation system and the interior plumbing work separately from each other. This allows you to shut off the interior plumbing while being able to have your lawn watered. This reduces potential water loss/damage for the interior of the property.

If you can't find a property that has these attributes, then try to have good friends/family check up on the house every so often. I don't see the point of paying a house sitter but some people do it.

[Michael2016]

Originally Posted by ddrhazy

A guard gated community would be your best bet. Still doesn't solve the issue of what to do with your mail(USPS doesn't hold mail for longer than 1 month).

Thanks. I have also currently mail forwarding in place for any mail I get at my previous US address,
meaning USPS would forward to a mail agent who keeps the mail for me and scans each letter. Those services are available in LV.

[BBMW]

Why keep it vacant? Find out what the legal minimum term rental is, and put someone in there. Even if you charge a relatively low rent, the place isn't sitting empty and subject to vandalism/squatting, and you get at least a little income out of it.

[Hal Roach]

There is an alternative to ADT, for half the price, but I can't think of the name...but it is about 15 us per month for an alarm system. Upstairs is easier to secure, and you can put a steel security door in addition to your front door. The cost of an empty home are high in the US. IF I leave my condo in Thailand for five months, my electric bill is 26 cents per month...probably 100 times more in Las Vegas. Plenty of snowbirds have vacation homes without a problem.

[johninvegas]

Condos are much easier to keep while vacant. No yard to take care of, some even have a building supervisor.

[Michael2016]

Originally Posted by BBMW

Why keep it vacant? Find out what the legal minimum term rental is, and put someone in there. Even if you charge a relatively low rent, the place isn't sitting empty and subject to vandalism/squatting, and you get at least a little income out of it.

Well, we would be 2 to 3 months in the home and 3 to 4 months outside. So i guess renting it out will be very hard.

[Michael2016]

Originally Posted by johninvegas

Condos are much easier to keep while vacant. No yard to take care of, some even have a building supervisor.

If we buy a house it will have half an acre yard at minimum.

[BBMW]

With the various rental websites out there now,, this is a lot easier than it used to be. A lot will be how much you want to rent for.

Originally Posted by Michael2016

Well, we would be 2 to 3 months in the home and 3 to 4 months outside. So i guess renting it out will be very hard.

[equid0x]

Originally Posted by Michael2016

I am looking at the LV real estate market, and who knows, maybe the right property would come across. However, due to the immigration process, I can only visit the USA but not live there permanently.
Would you suggest that it is possible to keep a vacant house safe with good security system, for extended periods, e.g. 3 months at a time, or would you suggest that vacant homes can't be secured properly and it would not make sense to buy before living in LV permanently. I see that there are house watch companies out there visiting every week once or twice. Also I see that there are websites that offer free house sitters, but I don't think it is a good idea to give your house to someone you dont know at all. Also, I read that there are quite a few vacation home owners from Canada and Northen States that only come during the winter and leave their property vacant for the other 6 months. What is your opinion, can a house be properly secured for such long absence or would it be too risky? We are talking only about good areas in LV.

I wouldn't. My AC unit was lifted after being gone for only 2 weeks. The house next to me got squatters after being empty for about 3 months. There are groups from California that literally drive around looking for properties to squat/burgarlize. Until Metro and the County Commission can get their acts together and do something about it, I wouldn't recommend buying until you can occupy the residence.