Question for people who live in/around Las Vegas...?

Question

My husband's company is talking about moving out to Las Vegas in a year (or so) and we need to decide if we want to move out there or stay here.

Questions:

(1) What are the nice areas to live in, middle areas, and bad areas (that we should avoid)?

(2) What are the schools like in the middle/nice areas?

(3) How is the economy? Is it easy to find technical work (I'm a DBA/Data Analyst and I'll need to find a job)?

(4) Is it easy to find rental property (short term - 6 months to a year until we decide on a house to buy)?

Answer 1

1. Henderson (SE) is nice, Summerlin (NW) is nice (however traffic can be bad going to/from both areas to the Strip, at any hour). SW Vegas is a newly developed area, close to everything, very nice and new. Also Southern Highlands (SSW) is a very nice area. Avoid areas immediately surrounding the Strip as well as North Las Vegas

2. Don't know anything about the schools. This is the 6th largest school district in the nation, teachers are very underpaid and in short supply.

3. Economy is outstanding. Technical work can be found. Check the usual places (monster, careerbuilder, etc) as well as the Casino webpages. Also the reviewjournal.com site. If you have a decent resume and present yourself well, you'll be fine.

4. Rental property is easy to find, pretty much all areas of town, with leases of all ranges (month to month up to a year). Stay away from the immediate Strip area though, that is one area to avoid for the most part.


One word of advice (and people may disagree with me) is to not be out here too long with teenagers. In this city they grow up too quickly, with some very bad influences/vices (more than a normal city). I have many co-workers (college educated) who refuse to raise teenagers here and move when the come of age.

Answer 2

1. Henderson, Green Valley or Summerlain. Bit pricy mid-price houses are around $ 200.000 and up. Lot and lots of new construction and some great deals with so many empty houses. Stay out of north Vegas and NE Vegas near Nellis AFB.

2. The schools are all very good, but extreme teacher shortage.

3. Lots and lots of high paying jobs. Try monster.com, careerbulider.com and las vegas review journal.

4. Lots and lots of low, middle and high priced short term rentals. The winter is the best time to mave to Vegas, a lot of snow birds go there in the summer. Try google or dogpile for rentals.
NV has no state income tax and only 1 % property tax. Alot of traffic, even away from the strip, I-15 N/S very busy most of the time.

Answer 3

One thing to keep in mind is that Vegas is very, very different from most places, if not all. I moved out here from California and I can't stand it. Loved it at first, but got old quick. I have a job I love, but I just can't stand it here.

You'll either love it or hate it. Basically, all action is on the strip, and you'll eventually grow tired of dealing with all the tourists. My husband and I made trips out here before moving and I loved it. I think it just got old fast. To me, it is almost as expensive as California (houseprices, gas, etc). The mountains are beautiful, but I really miss the ocean and a thriving water supply. I also feel landlocked, being in the middle of the desert.

Henderson is nice, Summerlin is too however I have heard many native Vegas-ans comment about how snobby it has become.

A co-worker who moved from NY said it was very hard for her to find work. This seems to be the case unless you plan to work at a casino-and it can take months to be hired.

I don't think you'll have a problem finding somewhere to live, put prices may be a little higher than what you're used to.

Just trying to give you another point of view! Good luck!

Answer 4

Henderson is nice, can be expensive. Southern Vegas is better than North Vegas - IMO.

I don't know anything about the schools.

Jobs are plentiful. I don't know about your specific field, but take a look at their local paper online: www.reviewjournal.com

Vegas is the only place I've seen short term leases - 3, 6, 8, 9, 12, and 13 months.

Good luck!!!

Answer 5

1. Henderson/Green Valley nice as is Summerlin. Just North of downtown worst. I live out by Boulder Hwy/Flamingo which is in between.
2. schools vary too much to generalize. they have to open so many each year due to incoming population.
3. Economy great.
4. Short-term rentals everywhere in Vegas.

Answer 6

Honestly, if you are going to take children with you, Vegas is not a family oriented city. When I lived there my roommate was a school teacher and Clarke County Schools have to be some of the worst in the nation.

1)Like everyone else, Henderson, Summerlin or Green Valley. I lived in Henderson and it was convenient to all points in the Valley. Summerlin is on the other side and getting too congested to get to the other side of Vegas, if you were to work close to the strip. They are building new everything. Average house, for a small 3 bedroom cluster home is about $350,000 in a nice safe neighborhood. Keep in mind all yards are small and grass is not allowed. You may get a small 5" square patch in the back, but that is if you are lucky.

2)The schools are ok, but after going and observing my roommates classes they left something to be desired for me. There is a massive teacher shortage out there. Several of the schools were ranked in the Top 10 most dangerous schools in America. Kid's attitudes are much different out there. I heard more kids age 12 cuss worse than I do. No one has manners and I never heard respect or politeness from a kid ever out there. Not one said "Please, thank you, yes sir or yes ma'am". If you are moving with kids, find a good private school that is small.

3)The economy is thriving. People are moving from California and Hawaii in waves because Vegas is cheaper to live in than Cali or Hawaii. But compared to many other states, it is by far more expensive. It depends on where you are coming from. You can mostly likely find any job you want on the strip. Casino's hire behind the scenes people too and the money is there to be made. Pay is much higher out there due to the cost of living. But, it may take time to find something. Make sure you have enough savings or leads before you head out west.

4)Rental properties are easy to find. Many people live in Vegas half of the year or for a few weeks out of the year. Plus the real estate market is HUGE, so people invest in one property and rent it out while they purchase another to live in.

I became pregnant while in Vegas and there was no way in Hell I would raise a child there. There is not much for them to do as far as activities go. Everything revolves around the strip, and you can only visit the casino's so many times before it gets old. There may be exhibit's but there are no educational museams, large theme parks, with the exception of Adventure Dome at Circus Circus. Vegas is meant for adults, and even this adult got tired of it in a years time.

If you are church going people, I found it hard to find a good home church. Mormon is the main religion out there and I had to go across town to find a Baptist church, and it wasnt even close to a good one.

Dont get me wrong, I enjoyed the time I spent there, but I was single and on my own. I honestly would not suggest moving to Vegas as a family to settle down with children. People do it, but kids do not seem to have the values you will find in other places Ive lived. You can do everything you can to raise them right, but when you are surrounded by corruption and the level of sin in the city, they will become accustomed to it. I hope that makes sense.

The thing you should do is take a trip out there and stay at a hotel in each of the areas suggested by most of us who have lived there. Drive around, look at houses, see what its like. Go to several of the schools and ask for a tour and to speak to a counselor. They should be able to furnish test scores so you can see what the standard is. Once you see Vegas for yourself, set aside the lights and excitement of the strip, make a decision as a family. For me Vegas was a culture shock. I flew out there and looked around twice. I was in awe of the beauty of the landscape and the lights of the strip. After a few months when it wore off, I was ready to go somewhere else where I felt more at home. This is my opinion and my suggestion only. But I highly suggest taking a trip out there first to decide for yourself.