Category Archive : Area Living

LAS VEGAS, NV – The MSG Sphere at the Venetian, the much talked-about high-tech Las Vegas event venue that is currently in the works, reached a major development milestone recently when the final 32 steel beams were bolted into place by the 650-strong construction crew, according to reports.

Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSG) Corporation is the construction manager of the MSG Sphere, and handles “strategic planning and the construction timeline, as well as management of all subcontractors,” according to a press release put out by the company. The previous construction manager, an engineering firm called AECOM, remains in a supporting role.

Madison Square Garden Company Vice President of Construction Nick Tomasino noted that there will be two “topping out” ceremonies for the project, with the first representing the completion of the steel beam bolting and the second slated for 2022, when the venue’s “exosphere” will be added.

The exosphere will consist of 580,000 square feet of LED light panels that will be able to be seen from several miles in the distance, and will increase the height of the current MSG Sphere itself by approximately 30 percent.

When completed, the MSG Sphere will be a 400,000-square-foot, 18,000-seat, 360-foot-tall globe-shaped arena slated to be constructed on 63 acres of property located behind the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The exterior of the sphere will feature 36 miles of variable intensity LED lighting – the aforementioned exosphere – enabling the structure to allow outside spectators to peer through a transparent façade to watch the concert within; at higher lighting intensities, outside vision will be obscured.

The venue will typically not feature sporting events, but rather cater to musical performances and concerts; however, the occasional boxing or MMA contest could be held there if needed. Originally slated to be opened in 2020, the project has fallen behind scheduling estimates and is now eying a 2023 opening date.

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 prices in the Las Vegas rental home marketplace continue to climb amid the recovering local post-COVID economy, and are now ranking among the fastest increasing in the United States.

May saw rental home prices soar as demand remains very high and supply still very low; those factors, combined with the rapidly-recovering Nevada economy, means that there’s people out there with money who want to rent properties, and prices are always set by demand.

The average rent of a Las Vegas home increased year-over-year in May a whopping 17.3 percent, with April showing an 11.3 rate gain over the year before as well, illustrating consistent month-to-month growth.

Las Vegas is now tied with Riverside, California for the second-fastest rising home rents, behind only Phoenix, Arizona, which experienced a rental rate increase of 17.7 percent in May.

Competition for what rental properties there are is fierce, and often realtors are noting that people are filling out multiple rental applications and are nonetheless having a difficult time actually closing a deal with landlords.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the rental market in Las Vegas initially suffered, but as vaccine distribution has stepped up and more and more of the country has been inoculated, the recovering economy has fueled increased demand for rental housing. However, landlords are also seeing increased competition from the home-buying market due to lower-than-average mortgage rates available driving sales to a higher level than usual.

But this home-buying frenzy has also helped the rental market as well, since many new homeowners may still need a place to live until their home is ready, and would turn to short-term rentals to satisfy that need.

Other factors driving the Las Vegas rental market are people who moved to the Southern Nevada region for its cheaper cost of living to work remotely during the pandemic.

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 – Finally moving out of your parent’s place into the big bad world? Naturally, you’ll have more responsibility, and will have to look out for yourself more. You’ll need to learn about things like paying bills you’re not used to paying for, and that you should always read any paperwork you’re given before signing it. 

Being smart with your money, budgeting wisely and not spending more on your rent than you realistically can are great ways to start strong in solo life. It’s also important to stay away from scams and frauds. Never pay for an apartment you haven’t had a chance to tour, and always be careful about who you’re doing business with. 

If all these tips are confusing you and you’re not really sure what to do, don’t worry. Here are some of our top tips for renting your first apartment. 

Know Who You’re Dealing With 

Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of scammers and criminals in the real estate world, and you don’t need anything much except for money to be a landlord. That said, it might not always be safe to trust landlords to be who they say they are, or even about the history of the property. 

If you’re renting a place with someone you don’t know well, get in touch with a provider of landlord background check or any similar service so you can verify the authenticity of your future landlord’s claims and find out if there’s anything fishy going on with the property. 

Don’t Pay Too Much Rent 

Obviously, you don’t want to rent a property for above market value, but you also don’t want to rent one that’s nicer or more expensive than you can afford. Ideally you shouldn’t be spending any more than 30% of your gross income on rent, and be smart about your savings. 

Be careful about how much you’re paying and if utilities are included in the package or not. Sometimes bills like water and electricity come out of your rent payments, and other times they don’t. It can even be possible that you need to pay some of the utilities and bills yourself because they’re not included in a “utilities included” rent package. 

Consider the Parking Situation 

Parking spaces aren’t always ideal in all places, and if you’re getting a cheaper than usual deal for an apartment it may be because it comes with some hidden cons. Check if any parking space is available nearby, and if the parking lots are safe. The last thing you want is to get mugged or attacked while you’re getting out of your car and heading for your home. 

Make Friends with Your Neighbors 

Your neighbors and the people who are living in the area are by far your most trusted source of information on what it’s like to live in the area, you also need to know who you’ll be living around to make sure there won’t be any problems – particularly if you belong to a marginalized community. 

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 newly-released truck rental data report, Las Vegas tops the list of places to move to amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, despite the relative shortage of housing options available at the moment.

Penske truck rental has confirmed that Las Vegas is the number one spot to move to, basing that declaration on the sheer number of truck rentals that are one-way; this jibes with the large increase Southern Nevada has been experiencing since 2020, a time when the region’s economy and job market first began to experience a boom, and continues to do well despite the pandemic.

U.S. Census Bureau data also shows Nevada’s population grew by 15 percent in 2020.

A lot of this influx of people is coming due in large part to so-called “tax refugees” from California, with both companies and private residents leaving in droves due to the exorbitant taxes imposed upon them at their former home state. Clearly, the much lower cost of living that Nevada affords them is an attractive alternative, especially when the pandemic has given rise to “virtual commutes” to work, where a computer and an internet connection can allow people to work anytime, anywhere.

Estimates indicate that 38 percent of the homes sold in Las Vegas in 2020 were to former California residents, a whopping number that indicates just how much the city and its surrounding areas are proving to be a huge attraction for those looking to get a fresh start in life and their careers from that nearby area.

Penske serves customers in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; among its services are full-service commercial truck leasing, truck fleet maintenance, truck rentals, and used truck sales. The company currently employs more than 36,000 workers worldwide and operates a fleet of more than 300,000 vehicles.

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 – Long in development, Elon Musk’s “The Boring Company” has finally completed the Tesla-powered underground people mover – AKA “The Loop” – that will service attendees of the Las Vegas Convention Center going forward, according to reports.

The Loop is comprised of a series of underground tunnels, dug by The Boring Company, that will ferry people back and forth to the Convention Center in a series of Tesla automated electric cars in approximately two minutes each way. Normally, the route would take an average of 30 minutes for a person to walk on their own.

The Loop system project cost is $52 million, with construction originally started in 2019 underneath the convention center campus. The system will be serviced by 62 Tesla cars, although it has been said that the system can handle more if needed; the current vehicle allotment can transport an estimated 4,400 people per hour.

The Boring Company has stated that they plan on expanding the tunnel system that they have started for the Convention Center, with plans for new people mover routes to various area resorts and even the airport having already been submitted to city officials.

The expanding high-tech underground people mover network is anticipated to be yet another major draw for tourists in Las Vegas, where the local economy is dependent on the income brought in by out-of-town visitors.

The first major event at the Convention Center that will make use of The Loop will be The World of Concrete, the commercial construction industry’s largest annual international event for concrete and masonry professionals, set to be held from Tuesday, June 8 through Thursday, June 10, 2021.

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 Las Vegas-based husband and wife are suing the producers of the well-known reality television show “Property Brothers,” alleging that the renovations to their home carried out by the siblings’ crew were sub-par, according to reports.

In 2018, Mindy and Paul King participated in an audition to appear on the reality show, hosted by twin brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott; the renovations they sought for their homes were originally budgeted at $110,000, but that amount increased to over $168,000 upon buying a home located in the Las Vegas Valley, situated near Elkhorn Road and Tenaya Way, according to the lawsuit.

It should be noted that only the producers of the show are named as defendants in the lawsuit, and not the Scott brothers.

A complaint filed by attorney Ryan Ellis, who is representing the Kings, alleges that the couple were lied to and that misrepresentations were made to them “solely for Defendants’ financial gain,” and that the renovations carried out “was plagued with issues” that left the couple with numerous code violations, improperly installed doors, warped cabinets, and poor grout work, according to the lawsuit.

However, Cineflix – the production company behind “Property Brothers” – filed a motion to dismiss, saying that they acknowledged the issues and offered to make the needed repairs, but that the Kings refused to allow the contractor to carry them out. The motion to dismiss the suit noted that Nevada law allows a building contractor a “reasonable opportunity” to make good upon their work.

When the episode of “Property Brothers” in question aired, the Kings appeared to be happy with the work that was done to their home, but they maintain that they were fooled by the show’s production company as to the quality – or alleged lack thereof – of the work.

A judge is scheduled to make a decision on Cineflix’s motion to dismiss at a hearing at the end of March.

Feature Photo: Drew Scott (left) and Jonathan Scott (right) attend the Paper Towns premier at AMC Loews Lincoln Square on July 21, 2015 in New York City. Editorial credit: Debby Wong / 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 recent reports, a new Las Vegas-based reality television show will be coming soon that focuses on the city’s expensive luxury housing marketplace. “Selling Summerlin” is set to illustrate “the aggressive and luxurious real estate market in Sin City,” according to a recent announcement by the well-known cable channel VH1, also home of the real estate reality show ”Love & Listings.”

The show is not affiliated in any way with the Las Vegas community known as Summerlin, but instead will showcase all manner of luxury housing and rentals throughout the Southern Nevada region. It is set to star two Las Vegas-based realtors, Michele Sullivan with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties and Alese Morrow with Synergy Sotheby International Realty, as the two work together – and against each other – while showcasing some of the priciest and ritziest properties around.

Executive producer of “Selling Summerlin,” Tai Savet of Ouse Media Group, said that he felt Las Vegas was the perfect city to host a reality show focusing on luxury real estate. The show will not be scripted, he said, but instead will serve as a legitimate showpiece for female luxury realtors in the high-stakes city of Las Vegas.

“There’s going to be a lot more drama than they think, and none of it is going to be scripted,” Savet said. “You will see some authentic good old rush to the finish line, and everybody will do what it takes to get there.”

The show will not only feature the ins-and-outs of how real estate transactions are carried out, beginning to end, but also the private lives of the show’s stars as well. The show has been shooting throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and has been strictly adhering to health and social distancing standards, with smaller crews on-site and stars and crew both wearing masks.

The premiere date of “Selling Summerlin,” along with what markets it will be airing in, has yet to be announced.

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 real estate market will continue to gain momentum throughout the upcoming year, but its hottest aspect will remain its luxury home sales, which are expected to flourish throughout 2021.

With traditional social activity curtailed by precautionary measures put into place by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people are looking to deal with the concept of the “new normal” by renting and purchasing homes that give them more space to spread out than a traditional abode offers.

Reports indicate that the purchase of large-scale, luxury homes in many regions in the United States, but especially in Las Vegas, reached a fever pitch during 2020, and that trend seems poised to continue – and possibility elevate further – during 2021 as COVID continues to be the driving force until vaccine rollout efforts result in eventual herd immunity.

Reports indicate that, in 2020, 313 luxury homes valued at $1 million or more closed, which represents a 26.7 percent increase from 2019, when 247 were sold. In addition, sales of homes that were valued less, but still considered in the “pricey” range – up to $750,000 or so – jumped by 11.7 percent in 2020.

Meanwhile last year, sales of homes costing $1 million or more saw a jump of 38 percent in 2020 over 2019, and the available marketplace for homes of that caliber continues to shrink as inventory becomes less available due to demand.

The Las Vegas regions continuing the most luxury sales in Las Vegas during 2020 – and likely to continue into 2021 – are the Southern Highlands, The Ridges in Summerlin, MacDonald Highlands and Seven Hills in Henderson, reports 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.

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, the constant restrictions being put on public space by the ongoing COVOD-19 pandemic have resulted in homebuyers desiring more and more personal space in their real estate purchases to counteract this unusual trend in the marketplace.

For example, California resident Aaron Franklin eventually decided to leave his diminutive one-bedroom residence in Marina del Rey for a much more spacious and affordable home in Las Vegas that included many amenities that his Californian home did not, such as a tennis court and swimming pool. The deciding factor? Affordability concerns born out of the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire for more elbow room, he said.

“I was working out of a living room,” Franklin said of his stay in Marina del Rey, noting that now that he is in Vegas he has “a dedicated room for doing all my meetings and videos, and my wife has her own room.”

Remote working has remained a major factor in requirements among buyers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when children are concerned; after all, having additional space is especially attractive when you have one – or more – little ones running around and threatening to intrude on a random video conference call with your boss. And when taking online school into the equation, having more room to spread out takes on an even greater urgency, most regional transplants say.

“Since COVID’s happened, I don’t need to be there anymore,” Franklin said of his decision to relocate from California to Las Vegas. “I was paying essentially $3,000 a month in rent for a one-bedroom apartment there, and I just bought a house here (Las Vegas) that’s about $300 less a month.”

Franklin said the 3,000-square-foot home he purchased with his partner has four bedrooms, and is a “massive upgrade in space” and allows them to finally host guests and have a dedicated work space that they didn’t when they were Californian residents.

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, StoryBook Homes is in the process of constructing a new residential community – dubbed Treville Court – that specifically targets those seeking to rent a home as opposed to buying one.

Situated near Windmill Lane and Jones Boulevard in the southwest valley, Treville Court will give those looking to rent a selection of three different single-family homes to choose from. Ranging in size from 1,430 square feet to 1,645 square feet; the homes will have three to four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and either a one or two-car garage. Construction began in December 2020, and the first renters should be moving in come April 2021.

StoryBook Homes has a history of home development and property management under their collective belt, Treville Court represents the first time that the company has taken it upon themselves to construct an entire community specifically targeting renters. However, the very real need for rental property in Southern Nevada is what prompted the company to develop Treville Court, and their construction know-how will serve their eventual tenants well when repairs or other services are needed as time goes by.

Representatives from StoryBook Homes note that the reason Treville Court caters exclusively to renters is due to the growing number of people – both local and moving to Nevada from out of state – who may wish to sample life in the region by renting a home before moving on to actually purchase one. And for those who enjoy their rental enough to make it permanent, the company also offers a rent-to-own program.

Upon completion, Treville Court will offer 20 homes with stainless steel appliances, kitchen granite countertops and cultured marble surround shower in the master bathroom, as well as backyards with a patio and rock landscaping. There will also be a community park.

StoryBook Homes are no strangers to community development; in 2018, they built luxury lifestyle community The Mercer Las Vegas, located in the southwest valley.

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 date for the official groundbreaking of the Majestic Las Vegas hotel will take place in July, with developer Lorenzo Doumani eyeing an anticipated completion date in 2024.

The Majestic Las Vegas will be built at the six-acre site of the former Clarion hotel, which was imploded in 2015. The project was originally approved in 2019, but faced numerous hurdles and delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

With a whopping $850 million price tag, the Majestic is slated to be a 45-story high-rise consisting of 720 rooms with numerous amenities for guests, including all-purpose space for conventions and meeting rooms as well as restaurants and a wellness/medical spa that would be able to offer physical examinations as well as professional advice on diet and exercise.

The property will also include 35 top-floor, customizable corporate suites that can be utilized as conventions or showrooms, which will range in price from $10 million to $100 million.

What sets the Majestic apart, however, is the fact that it will be an example of a rare non-gaming hotel in Las Vegas, with the focus being put on health instead; numerous amenities focusing on well-being and exercise will be available, from yoga, spin classes to nutritional consultants and medical spa facilities.

“It is time for Las Vegas to provide a luxury option for those who visit our city who want something that is non-gaming,” Lorenzo Doumani said in a statement.

The Majestic was originally announced by Doumani in 2004 as a 42-story condominium tower located on a separate property and accompanied by Hilton’s Conrad Las Vegas; however, it was redesigned numerous times over the course of several years until Hilton pulled out of the project in 2007.

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 downtown area of Las Vegas Boulevard is currently in the midst of a pricey $125 million improvement project that will see a majority of the infrastructure on the world-famous street – much of it originally constructed in the 1940s – receive a needed facelift, according to reports.

The project will include the repaving of sidewalks and roads, as well as the replacement of gutters, curbs, traffic signals, storm drains, and sewer pipes, with the majority of the work taking place from Stewart to Sahara avenues, with additional work also being carried out in other areas as well.

The infrastructure in this section of the Boulevard is considered some of the oldest in Las Vegas, reports say, and is sorely in need of renovation.

In addition, Las Vegas Boulevard will be widened north of Sahara Avenue, and lighting and safety billboards will be installed, enhancing the safety of the area in the evening hours. Also, approximately 200 trees will be planted, adding a more rustic look to the downtown section of the Boulevard.

The work, being carried out over a 2.5 mile section of the Boulevard, has been in the planning phase for the past decade and is expected to be the largest public works project the city has ever undertaken. The construction itself – which started in spring 2020 – is expected to take three years, with an estimated spring of 2023 completion date currently being eyed by officials.

The construction, while ultimately being very beneficial to residents, has nonetheless caused traffic issues while being carried out, with various lanes being made unavailable to vehicles at various stages of the project. Motorists looking to avoid delays can circumvent traffic congestion by taking Maryland and Grand Central parkways or Fourth and Sixth streets, officials 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.