Las Vegas Homeowner Accused of Operating Illegal Short-Term Rental Says $55K Fine “Way Too Steep”

LAS VEGAS, NV – An effort on the part of a local homeowner to contest a “way too steep” $55,000 fine after being accused of operating an illegal short-term rental was shot down by the Las Vegas City Council last Wednesday, who noted that the defendant had been warned multiple times that he was breaking the municipality’s short-term rental law.

Short-term rentals are permitted in Las Vegas, but they must be licensed and are mandated to follow city regulations.

The council had levied fines in the amount of $500 per day – for a total of 110 days – that X Management LLC owner Jonathon Foulks had allegedly been operating the short-term rental in question, which was located in the proximity of Oakey Boulevard and Arville Street.

Foulks argued that the penalties he was being charged with were unfair and would ultimately result in the loss of the house that was purportedly being rented out.

$55,000 on top of my mortgage is putting the place into, basically foreclosure. It’s way too steep of a fine for what I did,” Foulks reportedly said to the council. “It’s over the top. It’s basically gonna make me bankrupt.”

It’s a sad situation, but it is what it is, and that motion to appeal has been denied,” said Mayor Carolyn Goodman.

The complaint against Foulks began back in April 2023 when neighbors complained about the rental house to authorities; after a code enforcement officer investigated the allegations, he notified the homeowner that he was in violation of city ordinance for renting the property without a license.

However, the city claims that warning went unheeded, and sent Foulks a written notice after they discovered the very same house advertised for rent on Airbnb in July 2023. After the house continued to be advertised for rent, Foulks is alleged to have told a code enforcement officer in August 2023 that “he doesn’t see how the city can tell him what to do with the property.”

It was at this point that he was informed that the city would begin enforcing the ordinance; in an effort to remedy the situation, Foulks temporarily stopped renting the property until he was able to form an LLC – or Limited Liability Company – which he mistakenly thought would legitimize the rental property.

Later, the city fined Foulks a total of $55,000, saying that he operated the rental from August 2023 to February 11 – and continued renting it afterwards. However, the council noted that if Foulks had simply complied with previous warnings, he likely would have walked away without any penalty whatsoever.

Despite briefly considering lowering the amount of the fine, the council ultimately decided to keep it in full to serve as a deterrent, they said.

LAS VEGAS, NV – A 10.5-acre custom estate in Las Vegas featuring a fascinating and lavish medieval-themed Las Vegas mansion has just been listed on the market for $10 million.

Located upon a gated hilltop in Henderson, the startlingly unique, castle-themed 14,756-square-foot luxury residence was originally built in 2006 by Vegas-based magician Lance Burton. He had a long-running and highly-successful magic act, performing over 15,000 shows at the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino for over 5,000,000 people until retiring in 2010, at which time he moved to his farm in Kentucky.

Later, in 2021, he put the Henderson mansion on the market, eventually selling it for $4 million; now it’s back up for grabs, but this time with a $10 million price tag.

The estate boasts six bedrooms and seven baths, and medieval-styled touches such as battlements and a turret that overlooks the valley and the Las Vegas Strip; however, there is also a clash of styles, with modern floor-to-ceiling windows and asymmetrical rooflines.

1280 Scooter Street, Henderson – $10,000,000.00

The interior is elaborate and highly detailed, featuring a great room with a 30-foot barrel ceiling and intricate decorative items everywhere, such as busts, mounted suits of armor, hallways lined with historical portraits, red velvet draperies, gold leafing, rich paneling and lush carpets, and bronze and marble statues.

In contrast to the almost Victorian-style trappings, there are also a host of high-end, modern amenities as well, such as a chef’s kitchen with a Viking Professional grill and a wine fridge, movie theater, performing stage, two-story library – with a secret door leading to the second floor – gym, office, library, sitting room, and a grotto area with a waterfall and spa.

There’s a sense of drama in the house,” Burton said of the residence in 2021. “The house is very cinematic with a lot of natural light. The living room has an overhead bridge that goes across the room. You walk up a spiral staircase and the bridge takes you to the guest rooms.”

See full listing details for 280 Scooter St, Henderson

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to a new report released by a Las Vegas-based real estate industry group, the prices of homes in Southern Nevada increased in July – continuing their recent upward trajectory – whereas the cost of condominiums and townhomes reached an all-time record high.

Las Vegas Realtors notes that the median price of an existing single-family home in Las Vegas last month was $480,000, which represents a 1.05 percent increase over June, when that amount was $475,000. It’s also a 6.7 percent jump over July 2023’s median price of $450,000, with current prices slowly crawling to meet – and possibly exceed, eventually – the all-time record high of $482,000, which was reached in May 2022.

Meanwhile, the median price for condominiums and townhomes broke the local Las Vegas record, reaching a new all-time high of $296,000; the previous record, originally set in May of this year and subsequently carried over into June, was $295,000.

Las Vegas Realtors President Merri Perry said that the fact that the mortgage industry in the United States is still charging high interest rates on home loans appears not to have deterred sellers in Southern Nevada – and across the country – from continuing to raise their prices on homes.

It looks like prices for homes here in Southern Nevada will soon follow what’s already occurred with condos and townhomes, which have been at record levels since May,” Perry said. “One bright spot for home buyers in this month’s report is that we continue to see more homes hitting the market and available for sale.”

At the end of July, there were 4,634 single-family homes listed in Vegas without any offers, which is a 31.5 percent increase year-over-year. In addition, there were 1,481 condos and townhomes listed without an offer, a 70 percent jump from July 2023.

A combined total of 2,764 existing homes, condos, and townhomes were sold in Las Vegas by the end of July, an increase of 5 percent for homes and 1.5 percent for condos in townhomes year-over-year.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – National Hockey League (NHL) star Jonathan Marchessault has listed his Summerlin mansion for sale for $5.2 million after leaving the Las Vegas Golden Knights – a team he has played with for the past seven seasons, during which time the team picked up a Stanley Cup win – for a new big-money deal to play for the Nashville Predators.

After signing up to play for the Predators in July, Marchessault, 33, listed his two-story, five-bedroom, 5,586-square-foot home for sale in August for $5,200,000 after having previously purchased the residence – located in Summerlin’s private, master-planned community of Canyon Fairways – in 2021 for $2,150,000.

The residence was originally constructed in 2003 and features a contemporary design and has undergone numerous remodeling projects. It is part of a homeowners’ association whose fees are $580 per month, and membership includes access to golf courses, basketball courts, parks, playgrounds, and 24-hour a day, seven-day a week security.

504 LOB WEDGE CT, LAS VEGAS, NV 89144

The lavish mansion boasts huge glass doors and windows; a kitchen with granite countertops, custom cabinets, a pantry, and an island; a primary suite with an entertainment center, reading nook, walk-in closets, and a private balcony overlooking the backyard; and a primary bath with a soaking tub and double-sized shower.

The backyard is large and features many amenities, such as a children’s play area including an in-ground trampoline, a sports court, a fenced pool and spa, and a covered patio with a kitchen, dining area and fireplace.

Marchessault, who originally hails from Cap-Rouge, Quebec, Canada, was selected by the Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, and was later voted the most valuable player when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup Finals in 2023, a season that saw him make a career-high of 42 goals. He left the team at the end of the season as a free agent and subsequently signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Nashville Predators on July 1.

See full listing details for 504 Lob Wedge Ct, Las Vegas

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – As per a new report by Redfin, nearly 60 percent of all homes currently for sale in the Las Vegas Valley have been on the market for over one full month, with the residential real estate brokerage noting that the situation could be described as “stagnant” due to a perceived disconnect between sellers and buyers.

Redfin real estate agent Shay Stein said that home sellers and buyers aren’t on the same page in terms of what they expect when it comes to the current state of the real estate market in the Valley.

There are more listings hitting the market, but a lot of them aren’t in good condition or they’re not in a desirable neighborhood, and sellers are pricing unrealistically high,” she said. “A lot of sellers are willing to let their home sit on the market until they get the price they want, and a lot of buyers aren’t willing to pay sky-high prices when mortgage rates are still high.”

59.4 percent of the homes for sale in the Valley had been listed on the market for over one month by the end of June 2024, which represents a drop of 1.1 percent from the end of June 2023.

In contrast, however, the market in much of the remainder of the United States appears to be playing catch-up with Vegas, with two-thirds – approximately 66.5 percent – of homes for sale in the country having been on the market for over a month, which is a massive 60 percent increase year-over-year.  

Stein notes that homes in the Valley that are “priced fairly” – both in middle-class and affluent neighborhoods – are still getting offers and selling well, with the local market showing the largest year-over-year jump in new listings – 17.5 percent – out of any major metropolitan area.

However, sellers with unrealistic expectations, coupled with buyers made leery by high prices and mortgage interest rates, have resulted in the current residential real estate slowdown, both in Vegas and nationwide, according to Redfin’s report.

June was the fourth straight month in which the portion of homes sitting on the market for at least one month ticked up on a year-over-year basis,” the report said. “Less-desirable listings are sitting on the market, causing unsold inventory to pile up.”

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has just put his lavish Southern Highlands mansion on the market for nearly $9 million, following his signing with another NFL team, the New Orleans Saints, last year.

Carr’s mansion, which was built in 2020 and boasts seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, was listed this week for $8,990,000. The residence comes in at 9,628 square-feet and is located in a gated community that charges a $72 monthly homeowners association fee.

The home has a sleek, modern design aesthetic, with an open layout, tall ceilings, hardwood flooring, and oversized picture windows. The living room has a modern floating fireplace and a sculptural chandelier, and the kitchen has a seated center island, stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, and a pantry. There is also a stone-walled den and large office on the first floor as well.

52 Olympia Canyon Way, Las Vegas – $8,990,000.00

The mansion also has numerous high-end amenities, including a private balcony attached to the primary suite by a wall of sliding-glass windows, as well as walk-in closet, sitting area, and a spa-inspired bathroom with a soaking tub. There is also a guesthouse, a caretaker’s house, sports court, full gym with a golf simulator, and an eight-car garage.

The spacious backyard features a large lawn, two pools, and a patio area with a built-in outdoor barbecue.

Carr, who joined the Raiders in 2014 when they were still based out of Oakland, California, helped the team reach the playoffs during the 2016 season. However, after his performance was deemed below expectations during the 2022 season, Carr lost his starting job and agreed with Raiders leadership to be released following the conclusion of the season. Then, in March 2023, Carr signed with the New Orleans Saints for a four-year contract worth upwards of $150 million.

See full listing details for 52 Olympia Canyon Way, Las Vegas

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Reports have come out regarding a recent class action lawsuit filed against Airbnb in Nevada by a Las Vegas landlord that claims that the online short and long-term homestay broker not only does nothing to prevent individuals from posting illegal listings on their website, but also profits from these listings to the detriment of their legitimate customers.

The plaintiff in Giller v. Airbnb, Inc. – a case filed in June 2024 but only recently coming to public light – is claiming that the online marketplace has violated the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Both local and state laws in Nevada mandate that Airbnb confirm that new hosts on their service are indeed the sole person authorized to rent the property in question.

However, the plaintiff in this case is alleging that she rented out a single-family home in Las Vegas to a long-term female tenant in June 2021 for a period of one year, with the provision that the tenant not be able to sub-lease it or utilize it as a short-term rental.

After renewing the lease to this person twice – both in June 2022 and May 2023 – the plaintiff discovered four unauthorized individuals “freely” entering and leaving the house using the security code on the front door while she was performing routine yard work on the property.

The plaintiff soon discovered that her home was listed as a short-term rental on Airbnb – with her tenant’s status on that site being a “Superhost,” indicating she had been doing this for some time and had received positive reviews from multiple guests – but when she reported this violation to the company, she claims that Airbnb “refused to take any action” and continued to allow her tenant to list the property on their platform.

The class action lawsuit – that is seeking to include any landlords in Nevada who currently or previously had properties that were illegally rented out by an Airbnb host from June 10, 2020 to the present day – complains that Airbnb is willing to continue profiting from listings that violated short-term rental laws in Nevada, is not performing mandated due diligence when vetting new hosts, and is still allowing hosts to illegally list properties on their platform without the owner’s consent.

The plaintiff is seeking a jury trial, and is asking for over $75,000 in damages.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – A new report indicates that the majority of homebuilders in Las Vegas saw strong sales increases during the first half of 2024 when compared to the same period of time in 2023, with seven of the top ten developers in the region reporting impressive jumps in the double-digits.

Led by Lennar, the current top homebuilder so far this year, there were a total of 884 sales of new construction homes in Las Vegas in June 2024 alone, which represents a 31 percent decrease from May – when that number was 1,273 – but a 15.6 percent decrease from June 2023, when 1,048 new homes were sold.

But despite the overall slowdown in sales in June, 2024 is nonetheless going strong, with a total of 6,652 in net sales having been made, which is a 16 percent jump from 5,589 from the same period of time in 2023.

Among builders seeing double-digit sales increases Lennar led the pack, having had 1,198 net sales so far in 2024, which – when taking away cancellations – represents a 19 percent increase over the 1,009 they sold in the first half of last year. Lennar was also the top selling builder in June as well, with 148 net sales.

Next up is D.R. Horton, whose 931 net sales in the first half of 2024 was a jump of 6 percent over the 879 sold in the first half of 2023. In third was the Pulte Group with 900 net sales – 15 percent higher than the 785 sold in 2023 – and in fourth was KB Home, which had net sales of 728. However, despite their placing on the list, KB actually recorded a decrease in sales when compared to last year, moving only 728 new homes as opposed to 856 last year.

Fifth place goes to Richmond American with 578 net sales (up 37 percent over 422 in 2023); in at sixth was Century Communities with 410 net sales (an impressive 122 percent jump over 185 last year); and seventh goes to Toll Brothers, who had 36 net sales (up 80 percent over 191).

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – The administration will be authorizing the sale of a set acreage of land in Southern Nevada by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the price of $100 per acre, expressly for the construction of affordable housing to address the shortage plaguing residents of the state.

Currently, the federal government owns 88 percent of the land in Clark County along, with over half of that property – 2.6 million acres – managed by BLM. The failure to release parts of that land for development has contributed to the current housing crisis being experienced in the region, experts say.

BLM has been authorized to release 525.5 acres for 15,000 units of affordable housing for $100 an acre, with the initial 20 acres located in the middle of a Mountain’s Edge neighborhood in the southwest Las Vegas Valley.

During a previous visit to Nevada while campaigning for reelection in November, the President had also encouraged lawmakers to pass a bill to establish a 5 percent cap on rent increases in existing rental units.

In a statement, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo addressed both the proposed rent cap and the decision to allow BLM to release land for affordable housing development. He acknowledged the action as helpful but insufficient to fully address the challenges faced by prospective homeowners in the state.

While the release of federal land for subsidized housing in Las Vegas is one arrow in our quiver, significant work remains in alleviating high housing costs for the middle class and eliminating federal barriers to housing development across the state,” Lombardo said. “Like many others, I’m also concerned about President Biden’s rent control proposal, which studies have repeatedly shown to inadvertently raise rental costs and lead to lower-quality housing options. My administration remains committed to delivering sustainable and practical long-term housing solutions for Nevadans.”

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – In response to the ever-rising need for additional accommodations for out-of-town visitors, a Las Vegas-based developer – Schulman Properties – has announced they currently have two new hotel projects in the works in the Valley.

According to Schulman Properties chairman and owner Bob Schulman, the first of these two proposed projects is a $115 million luxury apartment and medical facility complex in the city’s bustling Arts District named Ilmunia Midtown, slated to be located near the intersection of Charleston Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway.

Schulman said that the growing popularity of the Arts District has been attracting more and more tourists in recent years, making it a prime site for new hotel space.

The Arts District, providing the restaurants and the entertainment and stuff it does, and the arts, I think it’s all huge,” he said. “I think we’re like San Diego’s (Gaslamp Quarter) 20 to 30 years ago.”

The second hotel proposed by Schulman Properties is yet another luxury complex, this one situated in Lake Las Vegas. Both projects are in early stages of development, and currently any schedule for their completion is not yet available.

Schulman’s company is focusing on luxury real estate in Las Vegas – a segment of the industry that he says is growing by leaps and bounds as of late – having opened a 232-unit apartment building earlier this month in Henderson called Ilmunia on Raiders Way that is already quite busy.

The developer noted that his apartments cost an average of approximately $90 million to construct, followed by an additional $20 for high-end amenities that include gourmet room service, pools, outdoor movie screens, exercise facilities, dog parks, and much more.

Rents in Schulman Properties’ apartments range anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 per month for one or two-bedroom units, all the way up to $8,000 per month for penthouses; despite the high prices and having only just opened in early July, Ilmunia on Raiders Way is already 35 percent leased, Schulman said.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Ask any Las Vegas resident to choose one word that best describes the climate in the region, and 10 out of 10 will most likely tell you “Hot.” Often excessively hot, which is only natural because the city is situated in the middle of a desert.

With that being said, making sure tenants have proper working air conditioning is a must, but what are the rights of both parties and how can landlords avoid being taken advantage of by renters who may be using an alleged A/C issue to avoid paying?

Nevada State law [NRS 118A.380(1)] defines requirements as they pertain to renters, that are considered “essential services” that landlords must provide, service, and repair if a tenant runs into any issues with it working properly. According to the Southern Nevada Health District air conditioning is included as an item warranting an “Essential Service Complaint” if not provided while Nevada Legal Services says “most judges in southern Nevada consider air conditioning to be essential.”

If the landlord is required by the rental agreement or this chapter to supply heat, air-conditioning, running water, hot water, electricity, gas, a functioning door lock or another essential item or service and the landlord willfully or negligently fails to do so, causing the premises to become unfit for habitation, the tenant shall give written notice to the landlord specifying the breach. If the landlord does not adequately remedy the breach, or use his or her best efforts to remedy the breach within 48 hours, except a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, after it is received by the landlord, the tenant may, in addition to any other remedy:

If a tenant does run into an issue with their air conditioning not working properly, there are certain steps they are required to take to bring the issue to their landlord’s attention.

First, a tenant must send their landlord a written notice – either via email, text message, or USPS certified mail – about the problem with their A/C and both parties should make sure they keep a comprehensive record of their communications back and forth in case there are any complications. It is especially important to keep a “paper trail” in case the matter ends up going to court.

After the notice has been sent, the landlord has 48 hours – business days only, not holidays or weekends – to respond and have the A/C repaired.

If the landlord responds and fixes the A/C, great. Problem solved. However, if they tenant claims – true or false – that the problem has not been fixed, they have several avenues to pursue, including – as a last resort – withholding rent entirely until the alleged A/C issue has been addressed. However, for landlords already weary from pandemic-era instances of tenants pulling scams to live rent-free in their properties for months or even years at a time, have no fear; there are certain safeguards in-place to ensure that any back rent is recovered once the tenant’s A/C is repaired.

First of all, tenants withholding rent over a purported A/C issue are not shielded from being evicted, so if you believe that their issue is not genuine, you may begin eviction proceedings if they are indeed not paying rent.

Also, if a tenant is withholding rent, it doesn’t mean they get to live in the apartment for free; instead, they are required to pay the rent directly to the court during the period of time they are withholding it in order to prove they’re not just trying to pull a fast one. After the A/C issue is addressed, the money collected by the court is given to the landlord.

Most landlords have constructive and positive relationships with their tenants, but on the occasion that this is not true, it’s important to know what your rights are as a landlord in order to protect yourself and your property.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – While visiting the city of Las Vegas on Tuesday’s campaign trail, President Biden announced new actions on the part of his administration to address rising home and rent prices and the construction of more affordable housing options, both in Nevada and in the United States as a whole.

While in Vegas, the announced actions included calling on Congress to pass proposed legislation that would place a 5 percent cap on rent increases on the part of corporate landlords who own more than 50 units, with a failure to comply resulting in the potential loss of federal tax breaks.

Rent is too high and buying a home is out of reach for too many working families and young Americans, after decades of failure to build enough homes,” Biden said in a White House statement released prior to his speaking engagement at the NAACP convention on Tuesday. “I’m determined to turn that around. Today, I’m sending a clear message to corporate landlords: If you raise rents more than 5% on existing units, you should lose valuable tax breaks.”

According to government watchdog Accountable.US, the cost of rent has increased 31.4 percent nationwide since 2019, outstripping the average worker’s wage growth during that period of 23 percent; this, as claimed by the White House, is causing many Americans to struggle with being able to afford housing.

In addition, the President noted that his admin’s actions also include ongoing efforts to release more public land in Nevada in order to facilitate the construction of more affordable housing, as well as to add to the housing stock in pre-existing neighborhoods in the state.

Currently, the federal government owns 88 percent of the land in Clark County along, with over half of that property – 2.9 million acres – managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The failure to release parts of that land for development has contributed to the current housing crisis being experienced in Southern Nevada, experts say.

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.