[lkmax]

Thank for the tip, y'all. Honestly, we kind of like the vibe, amenities and community of a place like Inspirada. Neither of us have ever lived anywhere like that...we're country folks. Like I said, it would be a HUGE change for us. But I kind of think living in a neighborhood like Inspirada would make it easier for us to make friends in a new-to-us place where we know absolutely no one.

I do sort of like the idea of other homes outside of Inspirada, possibly with a bigger yard (we have almost an acre here) and a pool. But then, along with the idea of a "neighborhood," I kind of like the idea of building a home and choosing our own upgrades, too. I've never had a brand new home before.

Our budget is around $250k, so I'm sure we can find something, especially since we don't have too much criteria. We have no kids and no plans of having kids, and honestly, we only use about 1300 sq ft of our current house, so a smaller house would be just fine. We just don't want a townhouse -- no sharing walls for us.

I don't know, I'm so excited about the idea of moving to Las Vegas/Henderson, but I want to choose the right house and the right area. I think it'll make a huge difference in how happy we are when we're 2500 miles from "home." We're going to be there for two weeks in December/January, so I'm thinking we can do some research then.

[BBMW]

I can understand that, but at least poke around the resales in the development to see what the market value really is. Generally buying new construction is the most expensive option.

[lkmax]

Ooops...I meant to say that we really only use about half of our current 1300 sq ft house. Not that I'd want to go much smaller than that, but my point is that size is not really an issue.

I've been doing a lot of research, but it's a little hard to do from the other side of the country. When we were there in July, the idea of moving to the area was a "maybe one day" kind of thing. The more we've thought and talked about it, the more serious we are about doing it...and sooner rather than later. I definitely want to explore all of our options! I definitely think you're right, that it's smart to at least look into resale options.

[robojester]

I would certainly suggest you rent here a while before buying. I would suggest 1 year .

[lkmax]

Originally Posted by robojester

I would certainly suggest you rent here a while before buying. I would suggest 1 year .

That's probably not a bad idea for a few reasons. Can I ask why you say that, though? Do you know of a lot of people who regret making this type of move? I know it sounds kind of crazy, but we both really love Las Vegas, and we do experience far more than just the "touristy stuff" when we are there. We're both really tired of living in North Carolina -- me especially -- and a big change seems perfect. We have traveled all over the country and visited many wonderful cities many times over, but I have never fallen in love with a city quite as much as I have with Las Vegas. Unlike the area where I've lived in for my entire life, I actually feel "at home" when we cross over the Hoover Dam. (Yes, we drive to Vegas from North Carolina twice a year. I told you we're crazy!) When we came home from our last trip in July, I seriously felt like I was going to cry when we got back to this ****hole. I've gotten to the point where I absolutely cannot stand living here anymore.

I am fortunate because I run a freelancing business and can take my job with me anywhere that I go. My husband will look for a job when we get there, but he hasn't worked much in the past several years, so if he can't find work, it won't be a big deal...we are used to living off of my income. I know some people have trouble finding a job when they get out there, but that isn't an issue.

I have absolutely zero hesitation about moving there and just know that I will be the happiest I have ever been if we find the right home. I really thought my husband would be against it, and he was a bit hesitant at first himself, but after our last trip, he has really warmed up to the idea, too. I am seriously kind of obsessed with Vegas; I follow tons of Vegas forums, constantly read about anything related to Vegas and spend my free time planning our next trip there. I honestly feel like I will not be happy until I'm living in Clark County.

[irisheyzs]

We also talked about it for a few years then finally decided we would take a leap of faith and go for it! We moved from PA to Henderson in September. We rented a two bedroom apartment in Henderson to give ourselves time to make sure we like living in NV and it gives us time to learn the area before we decide to buy a home. The apartment we rented is perfect for us. It is 940 sq ft, two bedroom, wood burning fireplace, patio, pool, hot tub...who knows, we might stay right here!

[robojester]

The valley was not built like most urban areas. It's not in rings it's much more of a patchwork like a quilt.
So you have nice areas by hood areas and I mean like across the street so boots on the ground is vital.
Also what you imagine you will be doing for fun may change over the course of a few months

you may want to survive a summer here before you dig in.

i think it is general good advice no matter where you move from or to.

My friends who "followed" me out here all seem to love it.
Mostly from MN


You can get a LOT of house out here in your budget in some very cool areas if you look around.

I feel many people only hear Henderson/Summerlin but those are just "name brand" areas there is so much more here. For example the horse zoned lots. the scotch 80's etc..1 block from me they have horses and chickens !

having lived rural myself in the past I think having neighbours right on top of you may be a bigger deal than you think !

[robojester]

For example.

I know a guy who was crazy for hiking so he bought in the NW area of the valley cuz he liked the hiking in that area ...then he went boating on lake mead with friends now he owns a boat and drives across the "metro" all the time to get to the marina to his boat.

[lkmax]

Originally Posted by irisheyzs

We also talked about it for a few years then finally decided we would take a leap of faith and go for it! We moved from PA to Henderson in September. We rented a two bedroom apartment in Henderson to give ourselves time to make sure we like living in NV and it gives us time to learn the area before we decide to buy a home. The apartment we rented is perfect for us. It is 940 sq ft, two bedroom, wood burning fireplace, patio, pool, hot tub...who knows, we might stay right here!

That was a big move for you, too. I'm so glad that you are happy with your decision. Your apartment seems awesome! I wouldn't blame you for staying there a while.

Originally Posted by robojester

The valley was not built like most urban areas. It's not in rings it's much more of a patchwork like a quilt.
So you have nice areas by hood areas and I mean like across the street so boots on the ground is vital.
Also what you imagine you will be doing for fun may change over the course of a few months

you may want to survive a summer here before you dig in.

i think it is general good advice no matter where you move from or to.

My friends who "followed" me out here all seem to love it.
Mostly from MN


You can get a LOT of house out here in your budget in some very cool areas if you look around.

I feel many people only hear Henderson/Summerlin but those are just "name brand" areas there is so much more here. For example the horse zoned lots. the scotch 80's etc..1 block from me they have horses and chickens !

having lived rural myself in the past I think having neighbours right on top of you may be a bigger deal than you think !

It's much like that in the city limits here...half-million-dollar "old money" homes are just a block away from housing projects. I've always told people that I think it's one of the strangest things about my hometown.

I'm also not too worried about the summer. It's very, very hot and humid here in North Carolina. When we were there in July, it was 113 degrees one day. Now that is very hot, but for the most part, the 100+ temps were much, much more tolerable than our 95-degree days with 95 percent humidity. Heat is definitely something that I'm used to...it's absolutely miserable here for 4 months out of the year.

You may be right about the neighbors. I mean, I lived in an apartment once before I met my now-husband, and I was fine with it, but I suppose I am spoiled to my bigger lot and my "space." I just don't think it would be a deal breaker.

You're probably right that renting would be a good idea for a year or so. The only thing that I worry about is that we actually have two dogs and three cats. The last time that we rented, we only had the two dogs and one cat, and it was very difficult to find a rental...many pet-friendly rentals have a two pet maximum, and some only accept dogs up to 25 pounds (one of my dogs is 35-40lbs). I know it can be done, but it's not easy...

Again, it's not something that we are rushing into. We're going to be there in less than a month for two weeks (and it cannot get here soon enough, I swear), so it'll be a good time for us to explore and really look into and think about this thing...

Thanks for your responses, by the way.

[robojester]

I would check the RULES closely for the area you are looking at with regard to pets!
For example my friend lives in Aliante and their rules are ONE dog no more than 25 lbs.
Hate to see you buy a house and have to get rid of some pets in the bargain, esp if you did not know it up front.

you should, in my opinion, be working with a realtor then to find a house to rent.
That's what we have done with both houses we have rented and it worked great.
Our guy really went above and beyond as we have 3 dogs now and had 4 when we moved out here so we needed a house that was NOT in a HOA. Most only allow 2 dogs even if you own the place.

Also there is a scam a minute out here with rentals so I would not think of going it alone.

We rent a 1300 sq ft 3bed 2 bath for $850 a month...our before this we had 1700 sq ft with a huge back yard ( by vegas standards) and same bed bath for 1050...

Better to rent for a year than regret for a lifetime

To be honest it's not just the heat. I can relate as MN get hot and humid and I find it is pretty comfy here till it breaks about 105-107 ..however its not just about comfort. There is also the issue of dehydration!
It can be difficult to get enough water in you! Which can be a very big deal if you have health problems or take certain meds.

The heat is a lot like the cold, in that it;s one thing for a few days or even weeks...it's another matter when its 3 months night and day.

I am not trying at all to be a downer

I love it here and want to help you have an easy time as possible !

P.S. what you describe in the "city limits" there is the whole valley here.