[tazz]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

1. Sorry to hear about Lk. Las Vegas, very nice area right next to Lake Mead. Similar things up the hill in Flagstaff, with the bankruptcy at the Woody Mountain development.

2. As for Impact Fees for water, sewer, and other infrastructure, they are outrageous and unacceptable in a liberal Laissez Faire Capitalistic system. Reason: The Impact Fees are paid by the developer, however, then the developer passes the fees to the buyer. The end result is it's harder for Middle Class families to own a home. Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, and other areas of Arizona have the same problem, with huge impact fees, and housing that costs more than it should.

Impact fees don't have detrimental effects on working families when the median income is high enough, so prospective home buyers can buy homes. You can still charge impact fees in Berkeley-Piedmont-Orinda, California, and not have as many issues, since the average salaries are so high. Not the case in Vegas, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, etc.

Areas with Impact Fees and Smart Growth are subject to higher foreclosure rates. There should be a national referendum on this highly regressive tax practice on the middle class, which ironically is perpetuated by Democrats who claim to represent the middle class families.

See Dr. Wendell Cox's recent article on Smart Growth and Foreclosures:

Don't Regulate the Suburbs: America Needs a Housing Policy That Works

"liberal Laissez Faire Capitalistic system." ???
Laissez Faire Capitalism is ALWAYS the result of conservative influence.

[joyvegas]

We bought a single home at LLV in August, and we are very happy. The quality of home is very good, and it is so quite (we want to stay away from the Strip).

As mentioned by some memebers, we took a risk, but we need a house to live in anyway.
My husband's work is only 10 minutes away from LLV.

[ctwin]

Have you enjoyed your new home in Lake Las Vegas? You mentioned it was quite, do you mean the community as a whole or street quite? I am in search for not only a nice home to live in, but a safe, quite area thats good for pets, shopping and has easy highway access to get to the strip for when company comes to town.

[jpk]

Originally Posted by ctwin

Have you enjoyed your new home in Lake Las Vegas? You mentioned it was quite, do you mean the community as a whole or street quite? I am in search for not only a nice home to live in, but a safe, quite area thats good for pets, shopping and has easy highway access to get to the strip for when company comes to town.

Tuscany and LLV are both very quiet. They are gated communities with private streets, so the only traffic you get is people that actually live in the neighborhood. Crime is very low there and easy to verify on-line.

Shopping, the highway, and the strip are all easily accessed. But 'close' is all relative. To people that have lived in Las Vegas a while, these neighborhoods are considered remote. If you think a 10 minute drive to the mall or the grocery store is nothing and 20-30 minutes to the strip is nothing, then it's close. I'm in the latter camp, so I have no problem with the distances and consider them a very short drive compared to what I have been used to in other large cities.

[joyvegas]

My husband has been living in our new home (LLV) since this August. I am planning to move in December. It is in a gated and golf community. He told me that it's really really quite (both community and street). He loves new neighbors.

[CCCVDUR]

Originally Posted by tazz

"liberal Laissez Faire Capitalistic system." ???
Laissez Faire Capitalism is ALWAYS the result of conservative influence.

The TV and radio talk hosts such as Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow, and Rush Limbaugh have distorted all of these definitions (liberal, conservative, progressive, etc.).

One must read history and economic books to get the true definitions.

Here's a link from my blog that quotes the true definitions from various sources.

As you read this, you'll see that conservatives, ironically, generally believe in what is essentially liberal economic theory!

Generally speaking, areas w/o significant restrictions on housing construction, such as Texas and Oklahoma, have limited foreclosures and low unemployment.

The Texas Governor back in June just vetoed the legislature passing a "Smart Growth" bill. States like Arizona and Oregon have mandatory smart growth for every city, with resulting massive foreclosures.

So if one is truly a liberal favoring middle class people, they'll read these articles like the one by Dr. Wendell Cox, and go through an epiphany when it comes to reducing tax policies for new constructions.

I'm an environmentalist favoring wide sidewalks w/a grass strip, bike trails, parks, and open space, and am scrambling to find ways of paying for this, without charging developers (and, the Impact Fees are then passed on to the home buyer).

In Arizona, Mesa Republican senator Russell Pearce tried to cancel Impact Fees for the State in the last budget last summer w/o success.

Definitions:
Progressive Talk Radio Hosts (http://talkradiousa.tripod.com/talkradiohosts/index.blog/1890946/thom-hartmann/ - broken link)

[BIG G88]

I am a single dad i have a 9 year old daughter. I live in northridge,cal and want to move to henderson,nv.how are the schools? Are there jobs? And how is the housing? And has anyone move from los angeles area to henderson and if so how do you like it? And should i make the move? Thanks big888

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by CCCVDUR

The TV and radio talk hosts such as Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow, and Rush Limbaugh have distorted all of these definitions (liberal, conservative, progressive, etc.).

One must read history and economic books to get the true definitions.

Here's a link from my blog that quotes the true definitions from various sources.

As you read this, you'll see that conservatives, ironically, generally believe in what is essentially liberal economic theory!

Generally speaking, areas w/o significant restrictions on housing construction, such as Texas and Oklahoma, have limited foreclosures and low unemployment.

The Texas Governor back in June just vetoed the legislature passing a "Smart Growth" bill. States like Arizona and Oregon have mandatory smart growth for every city, with resulting massive foreclosures.

So if one is truly a liberal favoring middle class people, they'll read these articles like the one by Dr. Wendell Cox, and go through an epiphany when it comes to reducing tax policies for new constructions.

I'm an environmentalist favoring wide sidewalks w/a grass strip, bike trails, parks, and open space, and am scrambling to find ways of paying for this, without charging developers (and, the Impact Fees are then passed on to the home buyer).

In Arizona, Mesa Republican senator Russell Pearce tried to cancel Impact Fees for the State in the last budget last summer w/o success.

Definitions:
Progressive Talk Radio Hosts (http://talkradiousa.tripod.com/talkradiohosts/index.blog/1890946/thom-hartmann/ - broken link)

Nevada has always been very pro growth. Restriction are very few in number and severity. Why did LV crash?

TX and OK have effectively an unlimited supply of cheap land. TX however taxes homes outrageously. YOu suggest heavy property tax makes for good RE?

I would think you will find that land prices and location popularity had more to do with the collapse than growth restrictions. And a dose of greed...

[roando]

TO: BIG G88 it's Feb '10 - having lived in So Cal my whole life, Studio City, Panorama City, Van Nuys, Northridge in the 80's. I loved the valley but moved to Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey, and now live in Manhattan Beach. We bought a second home in Tuscany Resort & Golf last year and it's fantastic. (HOA is $165 for pools, racquet ball, tennis, billiards, LARGE gym, etc.) We want to retire there eventually. It is a wonderful community with many children and the prices have continued to drop almost 50% of what our neighbors paid for their homes. BUT the local elementary school may be rated good, but I would look at an area with a better high school than BASIC High. You probably want to stay in the area while your daughter grows up, so look at Green Valley-CORONADO HS is better rated. Search the web for "Nevada High School Ratings". remember location, location, location. Home values relate to good schools and good schools inflate home values.

[LLVResident]

I own a Viera Condo in Montelago Village @ Lake Las Vegas. If you check some of my other posts, I provided some of the main details of the current status of the bankruptcy. Lake Las Vegas is scheduled to exit bankruptcy in mid-April 2010. I think the plan looks good.

I live in WA State and visit the Viera Condo 5 days every month or two. We couldn't be happier with our decision. When we aren't there Intrawest rents it out for us and that helps to offset the costs. When we arrive, it's spanking clean. They do a nice job. The HOAs in Viera or Luna does include all utilities as: Electricity, cable, high speed internet, water etc. The rental program is seamless with you and the guests that rent. If you don't use Intrawest as the property management, it won't be as seamless.

The key to one of the Viera or Luna Condos for rental is either get a ground level near the pool or 3rd floor or higher lake view. Those are most in demand. The ground levels will likely be rented by families with kids.

Calico Ridge and Tuscany aren't too far away.. Once you are there, LLV is just a few more minutes. I think long-term LLV will be the better investment once things settle down.

Please read my recent LLV update posts and email me with any questions. I'm happy to answer any questions.