[08grad]

Originally Posted by Eeps

Is there a map somewhere that shows what the school catchment areas are?

http://dzg.ccsd.net/wp-content/uploa...dance-bdry.pdf

Also if you type in the name of the school on Redfin, it will draw the boundary on the map and only show homes zoned for that school.

[RationalExpectations]

Originally Posted by Eeps

Hi all - Hoping for a good steer - I moved here about 9 months ago and Im currently renting with my wife + 2 dogs + 2 cats. Our landlord is selling so we are looking at purchasing a place around Summerlin.

Is there any major things I need to take care to avoid? Ultimately, I dont think we are going to be here forever, so I'm realistically thinking about things that are going to massively tank in price in the short term because of something I didnt know about (Golf course closing and crashing the house prices etc).

Any top tips? Canyon Gate/Desert Shores/The Lakes all look pretty decent to us so far.

Thanks for any intel you can provide!

A good real estate agent is your best bet to achieve your objectives.

In addition to the other comments here, I'd suggest the following.

1. Most likely you will end up owning a home that is part of a Home Owners Association (HOA). Some people really dislike HOAs while others like them. There is no right or wrong answer - it is all about understanding the implications. If you've never owned a home inside an HOA, I suggest you read up on it. You'll find both horror stories and love stories on the internet; take both with a grain of salt. Once you know in general a thing or two, and once you have a target home in mind, I suggest talking to a few random homeowners about how their experience with the HOAs. I also suggest you carefully read the CC&Rs. The CC&Rs are the rules of your neighborhood. They describe the requirements and limitations about what you can do with your property. The goal of the CC&Rs is to protect, preserve, and enhance property values in the community. Most of the time, the rules make sense and are easy to accept, but you're the person who has to decide if you want to live with them. For example, would you be OK with a provision that says you can't operate a business from home? Or perhaps a provision that you do not engage in automobile repair in your garage? Or not park commercial vehicles in your driveway or on the street? etc? Sometimes there is a distinction between what the rules say in writing and how the board operates; sometimes the board insists you follow the letter of the rules explicitly. Again, a knowledgeable local real estate agent is your best bet at understanding all this stuff.

2. Understand the financial position of your HOA. Read the financial statements carefully. Ask questions. Be wary of reserve shortfalls.

3. Understand vehicle traffic patterns - both during commute times and during off-hours. See what the traffic is like first hand. For example, if you travel for business, try driving from the target community to the airport so you can take, say, a 7:00 am flight. What's the traffic like at that time? etc.

4. Think about extreme weather. For example, imagine a massive thunderstorm - is the target house at a low point in the neighborhood? During the summer, afternoon sun isn't pleasant. For that reason, I personally wouldn't buy a house with a lot of west-facing windows and glass sliding doors.

5. Of course, drive the neighborhood at several times of the day and several days of the week. What is it like? Where is grocery shopping? What does the parking lot of the grocery store look like in the daytime and in the evening?

Best of luck.

[08grad]

To add to that, research your neighbors. Property records are public information. Find out if your neighbors are underwater because they bought during the bubble. Find out if they are occupying the home or it is being used as a rental. Voter records are public information.

Look at how vehicles are parked - are people using their garage or are they hoarding crap and leave them in the driveway/street? Do they park them in front of your house? Check for barking dogs left outside by inconsiderate owners.