Economists Forecast Major Economic Boom for Vegas in 2018
LAS VEGAS, NV – Spurred on by a rapidly escalating real estate market, renewed interest shown by big brand-name companies, and backing by global investors, Las Vegas, Nevada’s economy is projected to skyrocket in 2018 by major economists. According to Bloomberg, in the mid-2000’s Las Vegas was among the hardest-hit cities by the United States’ nationwide economic crisis, with house prices falling a whopping 62 percent from their 2006 high-point –single-family home building permits dropped by over 90 percent – and unemployment hitting its most widespread peak at 14 percent in 2010. Housed purchased by investors sat vacant and unused.
However, after over ten years of slow and painful recovery, experts have stated that Las Vegas is on the top of their lists for U.S. cities that are making a serious economic comeback in 2018. For instance, according to the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors, November 2017 saw the amount of houses on the market in the Southern Nevada region to be 30 percent less than during the same period the year prior – representing a mere remaining supply of two months for buyers – which resulted in a significant jump in property values, with Vegas being only one of two metropolitan areas in the country – the other being Seattle, Washington – that has shown an increase into double-digits over the last twelve months.
According to Nevada Business, the main driving factors behind Las Vegas’ economic growth in 2018 will be numerous and varies, split-up among construction; currently the city is an estimated 10,000 workers short for the number of projects slated for the region in coming years, consisting of sporting venues, hotels, casinos, and family housing – in addition to tourism, and a number of large investments to be made as they relate to that tourism. In addition, an expanding number of retirees in the area, along with logistics and warehouse/distribution – with Amazon.com building major fulfillment centers in Vegas – also playing into the growth factor expected in 2018. New jobs are coming in at 4 percent in terms of growth, which amounts to approximately 7,000 to 10,000 on an annual basis.
In addition, the recently-passed GOP tax overhaul bill, with its emphasis on cutting the tax rate for businesses, is projected to enable companies to raise the pay rates of their employees and invest in growing their individual scopes, creating new jobs in the process; this will potentially have the effect of lowering the cost of goods and services for the middle class, and it stands to reason that the GOP tax plan; provided it works as it’s touted to – could prove to be a major boon to Las Vegas in particular, pouring gasoline on the fire of the city’s economic recovery.
Another factor that should contribute to increase in wages is the aforementioned shortage of construction workers; in an effort to entice more qualified employees to bolster their ranks, developers on average have raised the hourly rates of workers over 8 percent in the last year alone; with more workers needed and a smaller tax rate, this amount is sure to increase even more in 2018. Jobs, real estate, tax cuts, wage growth, investments, and mass construction, Las Vegas features everything a city could possibly need to stoke the fires of economic growth for 2018, and for the people who waited out the last decade when things were at their worst, they should now be ready to experience Las Vegas at its very best.
With Las Vegas taking the top spots nationally, we are here to help you find out all you need about getting into this hot market, handle your rentals, or buy and sell property locally. Please feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.