[JonathanLB]

I feel shy making this post, but someone else suggested it so I thought I'd share and share my thanks to the forum members for their patience over the... however long it was... that I've lurked and posted and wanted to be part of the city! I have cheered on the Golden Knights from afar since Day 1, watched every single game the team has played (I had to watch about 4 or 5 on replay, but the rest live), and the team made me feel closer to the community as well until I could actually move.

On Sunday we just went to look at a new community in Henderson, sort of off W. Horizon Ridge Parkway I believe it is, a last minute trip that I just scheduled last Tuesday (thus my first ever trip on both Spirit and Sun Country West ha ha). We really like that whole area, Green Valley and The District and just everything around it seems so upscale and nice, it just "felt" right to us when we visited last year. We weren't expecting to make any final decisions, but we couldn't resist. They had a home that was half-way into construction, so all framed up and we could stand on the 2nd floor balcony, which was really the deal closer. It has an unobstructed view of the Strip and surrounding mountains, with nothing that can be built in front of it (road down below, then commercial), and although the lot is quite small, we fell in love with the view and can still fit a pool / hot tub / fire pit back there just a confined space. I have no problem with small lots, though, it's less upkeep and as long as I can have a small backyard oasis I'm pretty excited! Our current lot is tiny where I live, only 3,400 square feet, so it's still a large improvement over that. The house is about 3,600 square feet, great layout for us, and it's around $700K. We signed the paperwork and started the process on Sunday!

There were some kind of cool just "signs" this was the right place. Because of where it was in construction, they had already made selections on a bunch of finishes and the exterior was the one we would have chosen, they had already selected a quartz countertop which I wouldn't have paid extra for honestly, but since it was part of the package I don't mind pulling the, "Well shucks, guess we're stuck with that" kinda thing I've never had anything but granite or below (tile, linoleum, you name it), personally. It also was a 50-50 if they had ordered the cabinets, and they were selected for silver, but we found out Monday that they hadn't been formally ordered and we changed them to espresso (black), which fits our style and we really wanted that. It just seemed like everything fell into place. My fiancee even found $102 on the ground when we got out of our Uber at Green Valley Ranch! That was right when we arrived from the airport. Then the Knights won Game 3 later Sunday night after the house decision, it just all felt so perfect.

As some people know I've dreamed of living in Las Vegas for roughly a decade now. I had made the "half move" as I call it and was on my way to moving to Vegas. I lived in Downtown Los Angeles in a condo that was about $370K during the recession (it had dropped like we all experienced) and I was looking to cut expenses and had an investment deal closing the next year, so I sold the LA place and bought a $128K condo down in Long Beach. I figured for business reasons (my company is still based in LA) it made some sense to have a place in the area still, but that was Phase 1 of the Vegas move, then I was going to purchase a Strip condo the next summer. Only before I could do that, I went back home to visit my friends and family that summer, 2011, and spent a lot of time at home. I met my girlfriend that summer and ended up staying in Portland. We have been together now 7.5+ years and are getting married on our 8th year together this September. In a nutshell, that's why my Vegas dream was delayed -- she is well worth it! -- but now we can both move together and we're both really excited. The house finishes construction in August, before our wedding, and to be totally honest I have no clue what we're doing right now.

I have to sell my house here, figure out where I'm going to live between selling it and the new house being finished (maybe an apartment for a month, maybe I can talk my dad into crashing at his house!), and then figure out exactly how to coordinate a move and a wedding within a month. Pretty much utter chaos, but I'm so excited to join the Vegas community and I've already met so many wonderful people on my visits there, including friends of my two uncles and two aunts who have lived in Henderson for I believe 16 years and 25 years. These are my dad's brother and sister, so his brother moved first and lives in Green Valley, then his sister moved later and lives in Sun City Anthem.

If anyone has any advice like, "I wish I had done this when I moved to Vegas..." feel free to let me know! I am trying to rack my brain with all of the things I need to consider and think about, but I have no doubt there will be stuff lost in the shuffle. Even if you know of nice quality but not crazy expensive furniture stores you recommend, or maybe there's an ideal pest control company I should write down, or there's a specific DMV I should go to instead of another one, or you have an opinion about Sprouts (I can see it from the balcony! I've never shopped there / don't know much about it), just anything like that I'm all ears. I need to make a notes folder for additional considerations to remember. Thanks everyone for the advice over the years and happy that this year I'll be a local Golden Knights fan instead of a weird out of state fan of a team where people keep asking, "How did you become a fan of them?!" PS: I'm so happy I don't have to keep answering, "We're planning to move to Vegas, eventually," and having people wonder what's the hold up. Now we have an address and a date! I may not be Vegas Born, but I can be Vegas Reborn :P

[Chappy2017]

Congratulations! I can feel your excitement and remember how excited I was when we closed on our property. It has been 18 months since we moved here and it still feels like yesterday. I figured the new would wear off after a few months, but not yet. Too much to do, too much to explore.
There is a great Mex. restaurant in Henderson, called Lindo Michoacan, 645 Carnegie St. The food is good and the views beautiful, ask for a seat on the enclosed patio to have the best view.
Sprouts is a nice place, wonderful produce, but you will have to go elsewhere to get a lot of your regular grocery items.
The things I wish we had of done, before leaving Texas, was to have Salvation Army pick up all my crap and just start over NEW. We paid about 10,000 to move our furniture and cars and it would have been less stressful to junk it all and start over. Moving the cars was probably worth it, but the company we used was a nightmare. We ended up ditching most of the old furniture that we paid to move here and bought new. What looked good in your current house may not go with your new house. I DO NOT recommend Ashley Furniture. Unless it is sentimental it is not worth moving it.
Most people you meet here are from somewhere else, people who came and fell in love with Vegas. You will meet people who hate Vegas and those are the ones who lose their asses gambling. I don't gamble. bingo or 5 dollars in a slot and that is not often. Don't let them poop on your dream, just avoid them.
I have lived all over the USA, Mexico, and Spain and I love this place.
I'm not a Hockey fan but love our Golden Knights. I can't wait for the Raiders and our new stadium. I do miss my Southern and Tex-Mex food, but there are good places here and the products I can not get here I get online.
Congrats on your upcoming nuptials and just a thought, why not get married here in Vegas. My spouse and I were going to get married in Texas when they legalised gay marriages, but we said what for, we love Vegas, let's do it there. I'm glad we did it in Clark County.
Make your Appt. before you go to the DMV, it will be a lot easier. If you carry, be prepared to wait 4 months to get your CHL. I used ADAPT academy for the required training, but there may be ones closer to you, in Henderson. They have the Green Valley indoor shooting range there in Henderson.
Good luck to you! I may not have been born in Vegas, but I got here as fast as I could, and I AIN'T leaving.

[JCVH]

Congrats! I know it’s been a long journey for you, and I’m glad you found the perfect place.

[Tek_Freek]

Congratulations.

Some things to consider for the house. Ours was 20 years old when we bought and needed some upgrades. Especially for lighting and outlets.

I have replaced 99% of the outlets and switches. For the outlets I added these in key places. Anywhere I know we will want to charge something I put one in. Very handy.

Search Amazon for "usb wall outlet". There so many now that it's crazy.



Light switches that the people who remodeled our house installed. We really like these. You set the brightness then just tap it. If the level it's set to is not full brightness you tap it twice quickly and it goes all the way up.

Maestro - Programmable Rocker Light Dimmer Switches | Lutron



Roll out drawers in kitchen base cabinets. What a difference compared to reaching into a "standard" cabinet.

Self closing doors and drawers in all cabinets.

R/O system. You can install them for the entire house or just the kitchen like we did. The only disadvantage for under the sink in the kitchen is the space it requires.

If you work in the garage add extra lighting. I have 4 four foot LEDs in the main area and 2 three foot LEDs in the work area. The 2 four footers closest to the door into the house work off a motion detection switch. These come on when we pull into the garage or walk out the door to it.

Maestro - Motion Light Sensor Dimmer Switch | Lutron Electronics



Make sure the lighting in the master closet is bright. Ours had three spotlights and the light level sucked. I removed them and installed 3 two-tube four foot LEDs. What a difference! We can now see the true color of our clothes. They are 5000k.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wanted ones with a translucent cover that didn't require a second mortgage. I can't believe how expensive these can be!

I'll probably think of more. Unless I've listed enough already?

[Tek_Freek]

Re the DMV check ahead for the online appointment option. It's not working and hasn't been for a few months. Who knows if it will be ready when you are.

[yellowsnow]

Congratulations! I hope it all works out great!

[nickydim]

That's great news. Best Wishes and congratulations. You'll love it here. I'm here over 3 years now and it just keeps getting better.

[VonZimmer]

Congrats!

Sounds like "The Canyons"? We looked there last month, loved the floor plans and the views, but the exterior design was not for us. Agent admitted that they don't usually appeal to my, um, age group.

Either way, that's a GREAT area - 2 minutes to the District.

Happy times!!

-von

[OmegaSupreme]

Congrats.

Certainly my preferred side of town.

[RationalExpectations]

Congratulations!