Planning to move to Las Vegas, NV. Is it really not advisable to move to Las Vegas?

Question

My husband and I are tired of living in the northeast because of the cold season. We are planning to move to Las Vegas to be close to his brother for a future collaboration of a project and at the same time relocate there. I am just curious, because I've heard that the school system in Las Vegas sucks? How really bad it is? How come the residents themselves are discouraging us to move. My husband is a schoolteacher and we need to know how is the education system there? What are the other "bad things" that residents talk about their own Las Vegas. I used to live in NYC but I never dread living there. Currently, we live in CT, although we don't think we dislike it here other than the "too expensive real estate and too high electricity rates , and the extreme cold weather " we still think it's best for us to relocate to Las Vegas--urbane, lower taxes, no winters, and its opportunities. What do you think? Is Las Vegas a really a "hateful" place that even its own residents dread living?

Answer 1

Go to www.lvchamber.com and review the site you can also order a relocation guide for a small fee.

Most everyone I talk to love here exception is the heat and they don't gamble and if they do it may be like once a month like going out to dinner, nothing big.

As far as the school system goes I don't know. How do you compare with anyone else for any other career is just do the research and ask questions from the school district that maybe the potential employer.

I would make my decision based on any "facts" you can get not just what is said here!

Now that being said I believe if you can control any urges to gamble, and can handle the heat it can be a good move for you. As far as housing yes it is more expensive than it was 10 years ago but lower than the last 18 months and definitely lower than CT. or NY. Its all relative to income.

Good luck and have fun
Glenn

Answer 2

The need for teachers is really great here. The low pay is probably the reason but most places is the same problem. The are talking about a housing development for just teachers which seams like a good idea. May have a better selection of neighbors.

I am from Cleveland Ohio and the winters here are nothing compared to back in NE Ohio. It may go to 28 degrees for a night or two but during those days it may reach 60. People that have lived here think this is cold but they are use to the HEAT of the summer.

Do not think that by visiting will help you decide. Tourists are completely separate from locals. Tourists are on the strip or close to it and the locals avoid the strip with a passion. The absolute worst thing is the traffic. I think every driver should have a NASCAR permit. Really is crazy here.

I still love it here no matter what. It may get got in the summer but you do not have to shovel sunshine. The sun shines 365 days a year somewhere in the valley. Make a big difference in the winter. You will find that most people always look at the greener pasture in another place which here is really true since there isn't much green. No state or city tax really helps offset the higher cost of living so it is a personal choice.

Good luck in deciding ..not an easy choice. I do not regret my decision.

Answer 3

The one thing you can't beat here is the weather!!! The cost of living, though is quite high, compared to the northeast (that's where I'm from too). I've lived in Las Vegas for 7 years. The school system doesn't necessarily 'suck', but you REALLY need to do your research to find the better areas of town that have good schools. Clark County School District is the 5th largest in the country. So, obviously not without it's problems. I'm not too sure about opportunities, either. It depends on what you are looking to do. I don't think Las Vegas is a "hateful" place, but I'd want to make sure I had all my ducks in a row and do a ton of research, especially on Real Estate, before you move.

Answer 4

You're going to find a 50/50 split on this one. You either love living there or hate it. However, "no winters" is a lie. There were plenty of days this past winter where it was colder in Vegas than here in NY. Since it's in the desert, it gets VERY windy in the winter and therefore gets cold. It's not like Florida or So. Cal where "cold" is 50 degrees. It can dip into the 30s in the winter. It's also not as cheap to live there anymore. Ten years ago it was significantly cheaper to buy a home out there, but that's gone to the wayside. Home prices are more than twice what they were even five years ago. I don't know about the school systems though.

Out of the four close friends I had living in Vegas, three have moved - one to California, one to Phonenix, and one to Nashville.

You need to research everything completely before you decide. Good luck!

Answer 5

listen to zippythejesse... it IS that bad and then some. We lived there for 9 years and left before my youngest grandson started kindergarten because the school district is awful. The teachers are as transient as the rest of the population moving in and out and teachers are never the same from month to mont much less year to year. I wanted my grandkids to have the same small town experience as I did and my daughters did, so we moved to a small town outside of Nashville TN where everyone from the Principal to the cafeteria workers remembered my grandson from year to year for all 6 years he went to that school- he just started middle school and it will be the same- it's wonderful here! The real estate values have skyrocketed and it's no longer the affordable city people think it is or it used to be. It IS cold in the Winter- has even snowed several times! And it's hotter than bejeesus the rest of the year- hard for the kiddies to be outside most of the year. There's not that much to do, especially with kids- no real museums, symphony, cultural things, the parks suck and you have to be careful cuz gangs have taken over a lot of them. It was the worst move we ever made. And yes, a lot of the people are not very nice. Thankfully my last daughter finally moved here with us and I'll never have to go there again! Sorry to burst your bubble, but it would behoove you to do some more research to make SURE this is what you want. Almost any other place is better than LV!

Answer 6

Yes, the schools are bad. I am not sure about the teacher side. It depends on what part of town you live in. Summerlin, Green Valley, North West ( the most west part). The north East side is getto, anything by the strip is bad!! Most of the east side is bad, until you get way out there. Henderson is OK. The electricity is NOT cheap!! This month my bill was 399.80$$$ Houses are NOT cheap!!!!!! Our winter are windy!! Chilly!!! Jan. we didn't get above 44. There is almost no rain. Las Vegas is the driest city in the US. It really isn't that nice. Reno is WAY better!! Housing is much better!! Weather is much nicer!! Not so much violence as here. I live here.

Answer 7

I live in Vegas and it is VERY HOT!!!! YOU MUST have your a/c on 24/7! Our monthly a/c bill is $300!!!

The average house goes for about $300,000+ with very little backyard.

You need lots of control in Vegas, lots of temptations. If you don't know when to stop as far as gambling goes, you can go BROKE quick.

Lots of job opportunities in Vegas, especially for teachers (they are in high demand).

Vegas is a fun place to live in, but can get OLD pretty fast.

Answer 8

its pretty bad.
i'm in all honors and ap classes and they're nothing compared to the classes at my same level in other districts apparently. (i've talked to people from different places)
i still get good grades on ap exams (cause i'm smart) but the teachers really don't care here.
i hate living here, but some people like it so i don't know.
your husband should try getting a job at one of the richer schools around town, they pay higher (if he's a high school teacher, palo verde)

Answer 9

i have mixed feelings about vegas myself. i've lived here off and on since 1999 and just moved out here for good in 2004. like others said, teachers are very transient and i have cousins who have friends who are substitute teachers and i sure wouldn't want them teaching my kid. i feel the standards for teachers out here is not the best. there are nicer neighborhoods to live in and we have great parks/rec centers. i think what i dislike most is the fast paced and materialistic mentality that everyone has out here. people are always in such a rush (running stop lights/signs, excessive speeding, etc) and people are so into brand names and i don't mean nike or gap... we're talking gucci, fendi and dior. it's a great city to start off in. i'm originally from northern california where houses start off in the 500,000 range. i definitely could never afford to buy a house there, but i am here. another thing that i don't really like about living in las vegas is the lack of diversity. as far as the weather goes, it is tolerable from the end of sept to early may, but you'll have to turn on your a/c in between those times. my july power bill was $234 and i live in a fairly small house (less than 1700 sq ft). i def don't want my son growing up in "sin city" and plan on moving back to CA before he turns 6, but that's just a personal choice. i have neices and cousins who are being raised here and they seem to like it fine.

in a nutshell i think people dislike it here bc they see a lot of ignorant people, doing ignorant things. when i first moved here, i was sitting at a stop light and saw a man in front of me throw out a bag of trash out of his car window! when you constantly see people doing dumb **** like that it makes you lose faith in las vegans... but there are good people out here, you just have to look hard to find them.

Answer 10

Have only visited, but boy it gets HOT!