Category Archive : Just Sold

LAS VEGAS, NV – Basketball legend Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal has purchased a $765,000 Las Vegas home to have a residence near his popular restaurant Big Chicken on the Strip, which he originally opened on the famed Las Vegas Strip two years ago, according to reports.

O’Neal, 48, recently put his current residence – a 31,000-square-foot Florida mansion with an outdoor basketball court and pool – on the market for a whopping $19.5 million, so it would appear that his new Las Vegas residence would represent a downgrade from his current digs.

The new two-story, 5,400 square-foot home – located south of the Strip in a guard-gated community – is quite the high-end residence, and effectively illustrates the more affordable cost of living in Nevada when compared to many other states.

O’Neal’s new home features five bedrooms and four bathrooms, along with a fireplace, granite kitchen, and two-story family and living rooms. The upstairs also boasts lavish amenities, including a master bedroom with a double-sided fireplace separating it from the bathroom. In addition, there is a second-story loft overlooking the main living room.

The backyard is equally impressive, with a deck and covered patio, tiki-style cabana, a bridge that connects into a spa and a pool decked out with a fountain and a swim-up bar.

Stacy Conner of Windermere Prestige Properties represented O’Neal. Sherwin Escanuela of Huntington & Ellis held the listing.

O’Neal is a former professional basketball player and currently works as a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA on TNT. He is widely considered one of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, and at 7 foot, 1 inch tall and 325 pounds, was one of the tallest and heaviest players ever. O’Neal played for six teams over his 19-year career.

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, NY – Gaming industry legend and philanthropist Diana Bennett set a record recently when she was responsible for the highest-priced home sale in Las Vegas in over a year, letting go of her Henderson mansion at 770 Dragon Ridge Drive, Henderson, NV 89012 – for a cool $11.25 million, according to reports.

Bennett, a Northern California businesswoman, co-founder of Paragon Gaming, and inductee into the American Gaming Association’s Hall of Fame, closed on her 17,562 square-foot desert-contemporary-style home last week. The residence features five bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a gymnasium with a steam shower, a 12-seat movie theater, infinity-edge pool, a pool, a fountain, a massage room, wine cellar, and game room.

Events at the home can accommodate as many as 400 guests, and to that end there are living room-based bars and even paintings that hide televisions behind their facades. The dining room features a design that sees the table surrounded by man-made ponds of water and the room itself is topped off by a large skylight.

The mansion, located in the MacDonald Highlands in Henderson, is also a “green” property, with solar panels on the roof. The buyer has not yet been disclosed. The sale of the Bennett mansion is the largest one on record since July 2019, when Jim Rhodes – well-known Las Vegas developer – sold his home in Spanish Hills for $16 million.

The sale is yet another example of how the COVID-19 pandemic has not had a major negative impact upon the sales of luxury homes in Las Vegas. Real estate in general, while down a bit at first, suffered no major long-term ill effects and has continued to bounce back faster than many experts expected. However, luxury homes in particular have had record sales as of late, with July 2020 seeing the largest amount of them changing hands in the last ten years or more, experts say.

In fact, many are of the opinion that based on current sales figures, 2020 may be on the path to be one of the busiest and most lucrative years on record in terms of luxury home sales.

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 recent reports, the Las Vegas Strip-based property that the Tropicana Hotel and Casino currently occupies has been purchased by Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc., formed in November 2013 as a corporate spin-off from Penn National Gaming. The company owns 44 casino properties, and operates two of them.

As a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation, Penn has been facing money problems brought on by resort closures; currently, they have 41 properties that are closed due to governmental stay-at-home mandates and business shutdown orders, which is causing serious financial issues for the company. Currently, Penn has approximately $730 million of cash and equivalents, according to reports.

In order to preserve their liquidity, Penn sold the land occupied by the Tropicana to Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. for $337.5 million in rent credits, finalizing the sale on April 23. The rent credits will be applied to existing leases beginning in May.

Going forward, Penn will continue to run the day-to-day operations of the Tropicana for the next two years, or until the resort and land are sold. If Penn sells within the first year, they will receive 75 percent of the net proceeds above $307.5 million; if the sale occurred during the second year, they will receive 50 percent of the net proceeds above the same amount, $307.5 million.

Going forward during the pandemic, Penn will be reducing their daily operating costs, lowering compensation to its executives and board of directors, and has furloughed its 26,000 nationwide employees. Penn shares began a sharp decline at the end of February falling from $38.28 to today’s $17.87, as of press time, 3:45 PM.

“We believe that these collective steps will allow us to successfully weather the state-mandated closures related to the COVID-19 crisis,” said Penn CEO Jay Snowden.

The Tropicana Las Vegas is a franchise of Hilton’s DoubleTree chain. It offers 1,467 rooms, a 50,000 square foot gaming floor, and 72,000 square feet of convention and exhibit space.

Editors note: The particular photo of the Tropicana Las Vegas featured in this article requires editorial credit to Kobby Dagan, Shutterstock.com, licensed.

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 the experts, if you’re in a rush to sell your home for top-dollar, there are a number of tried-and-true methods to approaching that transaction in order to ensure you get the most for your investment in the least amount of time. After all, the longer that a home is one the market, the lower its asking price tends to dip, so expediency is key, and this is how it’s done.

Asking Price

First of all, you want to make sure that your asking price right off the bat is the right one; if that’s the case, you will often find yourself with several offers within the first few days the house is on the market, as real estate agents often check each and every day and quickly go for the good deals. Knowing what does and doesn’t sell in your neighborhood is important to achieve this.

Home Inspection

Getting a home inspection before putting the property on the market is a good idea as well, just to avoid running into a situation where issues are discovered while showing the home, which can delay your sale or lower your price.

Prime Times

Also, waiting until a time of year where the overall inventory of available homes on the market is lower than normal is a good idea, if you can spare the time; late summer and late fall are usually the best times to list in this regard, as new listings tend to stand out at those times of years, despite not being known as “prime” listing times.

Curb Appeal

Establishing good “curb appeal” is a nice idea as well, as first impressions are important. Make sure your landscaping is up-to-date, that your property is clean and uncluttered, and that your home needs no major aesthetic repairs. Also, a fresh coat of paint and perhaps even a new front door – if it’s needed – never hurts when it comes to wowing a potential buyer.

Buyer Perception

As for the interior, a simple paint-job works best, with white being a great choice due to the fact that it will make your home appear clean, bright, and will give off the illusion of it being larger. To that end, also make sure that your rooms are not cluttered with unneeded items; this especially holds true to personal items such as family photographs, which will not only make the rooms look smaller but will also make it harder for a buyer to envision the home as “theirs.”

Advertising Methods

And as for advertising, traditional methods are still very effective and reliable, but don’t forget about the power of social media – particularly Facebook ads – as well. Also, set up regular open houses, and make sure your home is clean and well-lit when you’re showing it.

These are just a few tips to help sell your home quickly and for the maximum price. Feel free to speak with one of our agents if you are considering selling and ask for a free market analysis.

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 recent reports, developer Joseph Daneshgar – founder of California-based 3D Investments – has purchased a luxury condominium complex located in the vicinity of the Las Vegas Strip for a whopping $47.6 million.

The Las Vegas Grand, a 212-unit building located at 818 East Flamingo Road, is among several Las Vegas-based real estate acquisitions made by Daneshgar as of late; in February, he purchased approximately 60 acres of property – the majority of it undeveloped – at Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane for $130 million, in addition to a luxury condo complex adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip, the Boca Raton, for $44 million in 2018.

A high-end property with 96 percent of its units already leased, the Las Vegas Grand features a pool, tennis and basketball courts, and a private parking garage. The complex is located within close proximity to all of the glitz and glamour of Vegas Boulevard, which is obviously an attractive aspect that is sure to keep it packed to capacity at all times.

In recent years, developers and real estate experts have been snapping up apartments and condos in the Las Vegas area due to the high demand for housing from new transplants in the region, which has served to drive up rents while reducing the amount of rental units available on the market.

The Las Vegas Grand was constructed in the early 2000’s by developer Christopher DelGuidice; the project hit trouble with the advent of the 2005 recession, and the property went into foreclosure in 2007. Envisioned as a grand five-building complex but only realized as one building, the Las Vegas Grand rode out the challenges brought about by the recession and finally opened for tenants roughly 10 years ago. The company that Daneshgar purchased it from had acquired the property in 2012.

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 – Wayne Newton, known far and wide as “Mr. Las Vegas” for his many years serving as an entertainment headliner, is making news this week as his former Clark County ranch has sold for a whopping $10.53 million, according to reports.

Despite the large dollar amounts involved, however, the sale price – which also includes a separate deal for surrounding commercial property – represents a significant drop from the $19.5 million it was purchased for back in 2010, reports say.

The 36-acre ranch – called Casa de Shenandoah – is located at 6629 South Pecos Road and was part of a double real estate transaction where the ranch was purchased for $5.56 million, and 10.3 acres of surrounding property – which contained retail land that catered to tours of the Newton ranch, including a gift shop – for an additional $4.97 million, Clark County records say.

The Newton estate includes a white mansion, an additional six homes, horse stables, tennis courts, and an equestrian pool. Public tours were previously held on the property from 2015 to 2018.

The sales were made by ICSD LLC, which purchased the ranch in June 2010 from Newton with failed plans of turning it into a tourist attraction. The buyer was Harsch Investment Properties; currently, there are no publicly-disclosed plans as to what Harsch’s plans are for the property.

Wayne Newton, now 77, is a world-famous singer and entertainer and one of the best-known entertainers in Las Vegas, where he is known by the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment. His most well-known songs include “Daddy, Don’t You Walk So Fast,” “Years,” and “Red Roses for a Blue Lady.” His signature song “Danke Schoen” was famously-used in the soundtrack for the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

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 reports, the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada has been sold by Caesars Entertainment to a real estate investment company for $516.3 million.

The buyer, controlled by the firm Imperial Companies, has agreed to acquire the Rio Casino-Hotel, which is located on the famed Las Vegas Strip. Under the terms of the announced agreement, Caesars will still operate the hotel/casino for at least the next two years, paying the new owners $45 million a year in rent. After two years, Caesars retains a $7 million option to continue managing the property for an additional year; further years of management are also possible after the expiration of the lease as well, according to the agreement.

Caesars CEO Tony Rodio noted in a released statement that the move to sell the Rio would enable the company to concentrate on their many other holdings in the Southern Nevada region and beyond.

“This deal allows Caesars Entertainment to focus our resources on strengthening our attractive portfolio of recently renovated Strip properties and is expected to result in incremental EBITDA at those properties,” he said.

Caesars Entertainment Chief Executive, Tony Rodio

First opening its doors for business on January 15, 1990, the Rio was the first all-suite resort in the Las Vegas area. It was named after the city of Rio de Janeiro and is influenced by Brazilian culture, and is the host casino for the World Series of Poker.

The hotel towers are covered in blue and red glass. The Rio hotel’s 2,522 suites range in size from 600 to 13,000 square feet and have floor to ceiling windows. There are several private villas on the property for high-rollers. In addition, the complex includes a wine cellar that has more than 50,000 bottles. The Rio Pavilion convention center has a total of 160,000 square feet of space. A Race and Sports Book is also available.

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 former residence of developer Jim Rhodes, dubbed “The SkyFire Estate,” recently sold for the record price of $16 million, making it the second-highest sale price of a home in the history of Las Vegas.

Skyfire, a huge mansion clocking in a whopping 21,633 square feet, is located in the Spanish Hills community at 5212 Spanish Heights Drive on a two-acre plot of land. 

The house features eight bedrooms – including a 3,010-square-foot master bathroom with a two-story walk-in closet – ten bathrooms, a 15-car garage, and a 110-gallon infinity pool. SkyFire also boasts impressive, 360-degree views of the Las Vegas Strip, city, and surrounding mountains.

SkyFire features unique design elements, being made up extensively of curved exterior surfaces with many floor-to-ceiling windows. The mansion was sold quickly- it was only on the market for a single week before being snapped up by a buyer, who is remaining anonymous.

With its large price tag putting it in the record books as the second-highest residential sale price in Vegas history, that begs the obvious question- what did the highest-price house go for, and who did it belong to? Well, the answer is famous magician David Copperfield’s home in the community of Summerlin, which sold for $17.55 million.

Despite selling for a steep $16 million, SkyFire could have potentially sold for even more. The house was originally listed for a whopping $30 million in January with a different real estate agency, and then subsequently de-listed in April, only to be re-listed at $25 million a week before it sold. However, owner Jim Rhodes, in a hurry to sell and move on, lowered the price by $9 million, prompting an almost immediate sale.

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 – The Reno, Nevada home of late Stephen Paddock, the individual behind the tragic 2017 Las Vegas shooting that claimed the lives of killed 58 people and wounded 422, has been sold for $305,000 in cash after sitting on the market for the past nine months, according to reports.

Northern Nevada real estate agent Margaret O’Neill purchased the two-bedroom property, offering a bid that was $5,000 higher than a couple who were also interested in it. O’Neill was quoted in media reports as saying that her firm will likely attempt to re-sell the home, which is located in a 55-and-older community.

On the night of October 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. He killed 58 people and wounded 422, and the ensuing panic brought the injury total to 851. Paddock, a 64-year-old man from Mesquite, Nevada, fired more than 1,100 rounds of ammunition from a suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel. The shooting occurred between 10:05 and 10:15 p.m. PDT; about an hour later, Paddock was found dead in his room from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His motive remains undetermined.

The incident is the deadliest mass shooting committed by an individual in the history of the United States.

According to a court ruling, any money generated via the sale of Paddock’s assets – including this home, as well as a second home he owned in Mesquite that sold earlier this year, both of which were seized by the court and put on the market – will be distributed among the families of the 58 people he is responsible for killing.

The Reno house was initially appraised for $367,000 and listed on the market for $400,000, considered at the time an unrealistic amount due to Paddock’s infamy and it’s expected affect on the home’s real-world value; after no offers were made on the property, the price was lower to $374,900 before eventually selling for $305,000. According to reports, the majority of people who showed up to open houses for the property were there more out of morbid curiosity than any real desire to purchase the house. In contrast, Paddock’s Mesquite house was appraised for $394,000 but sold in January for $425,000 to an Oregon couple.

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 Gramercy – formerly known in its original incarnation as “ManhattanWest” – has sat partially finished in Las Vegas for a number of years, a mute testament to the impact of the recession upon Southern Nevada real estate. Construction originally started on the 187,000 square-foot mix of retail, office, and apartment space in 2008 by investor Alex Edelstein’s Gemstone Development, who pulled out six months after the first brick was laid – $170 million poorer – amid the crushing blows dealt by a collapsing economy and a real estate market no longer able to sustain itself as a result.

However, as a sign of Vegas’ continued revival, the mixed-use condo space on Russell Road west of the Beltway – re-dubbed The Gramercy – was recently sold to developers The Koll Company and Estein USA by WGH Partners and The Krausz Cos., who in turn originally purchased the property from Edelstein in 2013 and completed its construction. Koll/Estein paid a cool $61.75 million for The Gramercy, which is a bump-up in price from the $20 million Edelstein let it go for in 2013; part of the reason WGH Partners sold the property off this April was due to the difficulty in leasing out the retail space, although the vast majority of the office space has been rented.

Representatives of Koll/Estein have stated a number of reasons for their purchase of The Gramercy; among them the fact that they are happy with the amount of square footage that has currently been leased, and envision a continued influx of tenants – and, as a result, increased revenue – as the property sits amid a part of the southwest Las Vegas community, an area that is experiencing perhaps the largest spurt of rapid economic and population growth in Southern Nevada at the moment. As a result, investors across the board have been snapping up whatever properties in the region they can get their hands on.

The Gramercy consists of two apartment buildings with approximately 600 living units and two office buildings with retail space at ground-level; an additional condominium tower, started in 2008 but never completed, was imploded and destroyed in 2015. Plans currently exist for additional office space to possibly be built on the property.

Several high-profile retailers are currently taking up residence at The Gramercy, although precious few represent national chains, something the previous landlords purposely sought to avoid according to reports. Among the higher-profile retail tenants calling The Gramercy home are the DW Bistro, a 4,512-square-foot eatery described as “Jamaican Meets New Mexican Cuisine” and featuring a full bar; Pinches Tacos, a Mexican restaurant; The Cuppa Coffee Bar; exercise studio Raw Fitness; and, eventually, Kitchen Table Squared, the new second location of Henderson’s popular Kitchen Table upscale restaurant, slated to feature an “upscale dining room, formal pastry and coffee bar and an oyster bar.”

With the new buyers putting real money into a property that was considered almost dead and buried just a few short years ago, The Gramercy – along with record-breaking home and apartment prices and sales in the region as more and more people seeking employment opportunities move in – represents the real estate and economic boom that Southern Nevada in general, and Las Vegas in particular, is currently experiencing after several years of financial drought, and points to a bright and prosperous future as this trend is cultivated and grown.