Category Archive : Market Updates

LAS VEGAS, NV – Due to a law that just recently came into effect making short-term rentals legal throughout state of Nevada, the Las Vegas City Council voted last Wednesday to adopt changes to their own already-existing rules governing the industry in their jurisdiction in order to properly conform to the new statewide guidelines.

Renting homes via services such as Airbnb and Vrbo have been legal and regulated in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson for the past ten years. However, they have only recently been legalized throughout Nevada as a whole due to Assembly Bill 363 – originally passed by the state legislature in 2021 – that was signed into law by Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak in June.

With the law legalizing short-term rentals statewide now officially in-force as of July 1, it was necessary for the Las Vegas City Council to essentially “clean-up” their current rule set to match the state’s additional new rules.

These changes include a mandate that current short-term rentals have a 2,500-foot buffer from businesses with non-restricted gaming licenses; a ban on rentals located within apartment buildings; a minimum duration for overnight stays being established for rentals; and a maximum cap on the number of occupants at any given rental.

This goes along with Las Vegas’ current rules, such as 660-foot distance from other rental homes, a maximum of three bedrooms, and a limit on the number of overall license applicants.

Currently, Las Vegas has almost 200 short-term rental properties; renters who were in business prior to the new state guidelines regarding distance from businesses will be grandfathered in and not be required to move.

Violation of the rules adopted last Wednesday by the Las Vegas City Council from the newly-established state guidelines carry fines anywhere from $500 and $1,000 to as high as $10,000, depending on the type and severity of the transgression. The new rules are officially in-force as of this week.

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 – Blackstone Inc., a private equity firm based in New York City, confirmed in an earnings report released last Thursday that their sale of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for $5.65 billion – originally announced in September 2021 – was their “most profitable single asset sale ever” in terms of the company’s real estate dealings.

Blackstone had entered into an agreement with MGM Resorts International in 2021 to sell operations of The Cosmopolitan – located on the Las Vegas Strip – for $1.625 billion. In addition, the hotel and casino’s real estate assets were purchased by the Cherng Family Trust, set up by the owners of the fast-food chain Panda Express, for over $4 billion.

As per the deal, MGM Resorts International will run the daily operations of the venue for the next 30 years, with three options to renew their lease once it expires for an additional 10 years each time. MGM will pay the Cherng Family Trust a yearly rent of $200 million, with a yearly increase of two percent for the first 15 years of their lease.

Due to an exemption allowed under a 2007 state law that spares companies from paying tax when property owners transfer real estate to a subsidiary, the Blackstone deal produced no funds in the form of real estate transfer taxes for the city of Las Vegas. This law is essentially a legal loophole that several high-priced resort sales have taken advantage of in recent years, and is an issue that Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak is urging state legislators to address in their next session.

The Cosmopolitan originally opened its doors for business in 2010, and was later sold by owner Deutsche Bank AG to Blackstone in 2014 for $1.73 billion. The firm then put a whopping $500 million into renovating the resort, which features 3,027 rooms, a 110,000 square-foot casino, 300,000 square-feet of retail and restaurant space, a spa and fitness facility, a 3,200-seat theater, and 150,000 square-feet of meeting and convention space.

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 Las Vegas Valley apartment complex finally held its ribbon-cutting ceremony last week after previously burning down while in the middle of its construction phase a year-and-a-half ago, necessitating its developer to essentially begin the project once again from scratch.

Ely at Fort Apache originally caught fire just before midnight January 18, 2021, and quickly engulfed in flames that required the combined efforts of almost 100 firefighters from different departments throughout the valley; when all was said and done, the project laid in ruins and worked needed to begin anew.

But begin again is just what developer The Calida Group did, and last Tuesday they celebrated the long road back when they cut the ribbon on the 206-unit complex near Tropicana Avenue and the 215 Beltway. Finishing touches are bring put upon the building, and the first tenants are expected to begin moving in near the end of August.

The Calida Group confirmed that there were no injuries or deaths associated with the fire. After conducting an investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officially announced on January 27, 2021 that the blaze destroyed the first attempt at bringing Ely at Fort Apache to reality was an act of arson, causing approximately $35 million in damage and losses for the developer.

It is not currently known where on the construction sire the fire started; Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Warren Whitney has confirmed that a suspect “has been identified but there is not enough evidence at this time to support an arrest warrant. The case is still open and under investigation.”

The newly-reborn Ely at Fort Apache boasts numerous luxury amenities for its tenants, including a 5,900 square foot clubhouse featuring a hospitality bar with Wi-Fi, game room, and full cardio and strength facility; concierge services to cater to personalized member needs; an outdoor kitchen equipped with BBQ grills, a kegerator and under counter refrigerator space; an outdoor ping pong table or in the game room; and close access to dining, shopping, entertainment, golf, and parks.

For more information on Ely at Fort Apache in Las Vegas, contact Elysian Living LLC at (844) 407-2903 or visit https://www.elysianliving.com/property/ely-at-fort-apache

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 – Due to rising interest rates on home loans marking the end of cheap borrowed money – combined with national inflation currently at a 40-year high – home prices in Las Vegas have actually dropped for the second consecutive month in a row after over a year of consistent, record-setting monthly gains, leading experts to remark that the market in Southern Nevada is “definitely turning.”

In July, the median sales price of previously owned single-family homes was $465,000, representing a drop of 3.1 percent – amounting to $15,000 in value – from June, at which time the median sales price was $480,000, down from $482,000 in May.

However, home prices in July remained 14.8 percent higher year-over-year, which amounts to a $60,000 increase overall. The reality of the last two months can’t be denied, as June’s price drop was the first time home values in Southern Nevada have decreased at all in over two years, and July only served to reinforce that trend.

It remains to be seen if the same occurrence happens in August and prices dip yet again, but the current market is seeing home inventory in the region – previously scarce – steadily rising now as buyers pull back to see what happens next. But buyers still looking to acquire a home in Vegas are now finding themselves with lowered prices and a degree of bargaining power they could only dream of just a few months ago, according to Las Vegas Realtors (LVR) President Brandon Roberts.

“We’re definitely seeing a shift in the housing market. We haven’t seen prices slow down like this in several years,” he said. “This is encouraging news for people looking to buy a home, although rising interest rates and today’s prices still present challenges for many potential buyers.”

2,066 single-family homes sold in Las Vegas in July, a decrease of 22.6 percent from the prior month and 38.4 percent year-over-year. 7,331 were available on the market without offers when July ended, an increase of 27.6 percent from the month before and 143.8 percent from July 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 – The market for high-rise condominiums in Las Vegas has finally begun to slow after enjoying a period of red-hot activity, reflecting the rest of the cooling real estate scene in Southern Nevada due to rampant national inflation and rising mortgage rates.

While many are anticipating some degree of improvement with the announcement earlier this week that mortgage interest rates have dropped below 5 percent for the first time in months, experts note that the scorching hot Vegas summer is also playing a factor in lower high-rise sales, with fewer people willing to brave the heat at the moment to house-hunt.

According to the Las Vegas Realtors’ Association Multiple Listing Service, 644 high-rise condominiums of five stories and above were closed on through the first six months of 2022, which represents a 2.5 percent increase over the 628 closings in the same period of time in 2021. However, the 87 closings that were recorded in June fall short of the closings achieved year-over-year, with 129 closings taking place in June of 2021.

Since the high-rise condominium sales initially slowed due to the onset of COVID-19 – which can be attributed to buyers wanting more space for the sake of health – the market in Las Vegas became extremely popular as the pandemic began to wane and restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus were dropped.

According to experts who examined 21 high-rises – most located along the famed Las Vegas Strip – there were 618 closings between January and June 2022, which represented a 14.2 percent jump over the same period of time in 2021, when there were 541 closings. This contrasts with the mere 225 closed upon in the first half of 2020, and the 204 in the first half of 2019.

The average sale price of high-rises sold in Vegas in 2022 was $595,508, with a square-foot price of $486.

While the market for high-rise condominiums is indeed showing some degree of cooling with the economic uncertainty in the country, experts are nonetheless predicting the market will remain to perform well, and with the possibility that mortgage rates may be sliding downward slightly, may begin to pick up once again in the very near future.

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 the ongoing inflation crisis in the United States, coupled with rapidly-rising interest rates on mortgages, have resulted in the once white-hot housing market significantly cooling in recent months, a ray of sunshine has poked through the clouds as home loan interest rates dropped below 5 percent for the first time in months, providing hope that the market may rebound some for sellers in the near future.

For the past year, home prices and demand in Southern Nevada have surged, breaking records on a monthly basis; however, as inflation has gradually increased along with mortgage rates, the market in Las Vegas has shown some distinct signs of slowing down. But according to this week’s announcement by mortgage buyer Freddie Mac, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage dropped to 4.99 percent, a noticeable reduction from last week’s 5.3 percent.

Interest rates on mortgages have not fallen below 5 percent since April, but while this week’s number is just barely below that level, it has given experts hope that the marketplace is beginning to stabilize to a degree where both buyers and sellers can each find their respective advantages.

Nonetheless, even with this week’s drop, interest rates on mortgages are still much higher than last year’s historically low numbers, and it’s certainly not a sign that cheap money will be on the table once again for those looking to buy a home. But amid slowing sales in Vegas – and growing inventory as a result – continued drops in interest for home loans could once again drive sales, experts say.

However, for the time being, Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater noted that sellers shouldn’t get their hopes up too much, as loan rates will most likely “remain variable” due to the nature of the nation’s current economic turmoil.

Currently, 2,670 single-family homes were sold in Las Vegas in June, representing an 8 percent drop from the month before and a 25 percent drop year-over-year. The June median sales price was $480,000, a decrease of 0.4 percent from May, and the first time home prices in Southern Nevada have decreased – as opposed to increased – in over two years.

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 – Upholding the decision previously made by City Clerk Jackie Rodgers, the North Las Vegas City Council at their August 3 public meeting voted 4-1 to remove a historic measure from the upcoming November ballot that would have established the first rent control measure in Nevada amid steadily-raising cost-of-living concerns for residents.

Rodgers previously determined that out of 3,396 signatures on a petition to include the measure on the November ballot, only 2,679 were valid, dropping the amount below the required 3,968 signature threshold. In addition, Rodgers claimed that there were differences in language from the original petition and the proposed rent control measure, which also rendered it invalid.

At the August 3 meeting, North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee led the motion to approve the city clerk’s determination that the rent control measure was “insufficient” to be included on the ballot. Only Councilman Richard Cherchio opposed the vote.

Prior to the decision, city attorneys, real estate agents and officials from the Culinary Union – the organization officially backing the rent control measure’s inclusion on the ballot – had presented hours of testimony to the Council, but ultimately, Lee stated that he felt that the decision should be decided in the legal system instead.

“Everything that was spoken today looks like it’s going to be interpreted in court,” Lee said. “I can’t interpret state law and I do believe that this needs to be somewhat adjudicated.”

Currently, there are no rent control or rent stabilization laws in Nevada. The proposed measure would have established a law that would have prevented rent increases of over 5 percent per year.

Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge pledged to appeal the City Council’s decision – if necessary, in the Nevada Supreme Court – in a statement released shortly after the vote.

“The actions of the North Las Vegas City Council today is a clear example of how the current leadership has failed to respond to the urgent crisis North Las Vegas residents are facing,” he said. “Voters, not politicians, should decide on Neighborhood Stability and the only way that can happen is if the measure is on the ballot on November 8, 2022.”

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 the national housing market has showed distinct signs of slowing down after mid-pandemic buying frenzies fueled by low mortgage rates dominated the industry, the high sales rate of new luxury homes in Las Vegas appears to remain red-hot in 2022, with the market already showing a distinct increase when compared to the same period of time in 2021.

Reports show that 235 homes costing $1 million or more have closed during the first six months of 2022 in Las Vegas so far, which represents a 16 jump over the number of luxury homes closed on during first six months of 2021.

These numbers show a dramatic jump in sales of new luxury homes in Vegas when compared to prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in the first six months of 2017, 52 luxury homes were sold in the region, 87 in 2018, and 123 in 2019; sales only dipped slightly to 115 in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Some of those record-breaking figures for 2022 can be attributed to the rising cost of construction supplies brought about by COVID-19-related supply chain issues, which in-turn contributes to the rising costs of home-building overall.

And despite record-breaking sales of luxury homes in the Southern Nevada region continuing unabated so far this year, developers report they are seeing some high-priced buyers being a tad more cautious about how exactly they spend their hard-earned dollars in the face of the 40-year high inflation that is bombarding the country.

However, even the recently-rising interest rates on home mortgages that have slowed the real estate industry as a whole have not significantly impacted the Vegas luxury marketplace, according to Blue Heron CEO and founder Tyler Jones, a developer of high-end homes in the region.

“These are people that aren’t as affected by interest rate changes,” Jones said. “If you’re going to buy a multimillion-dollar home, and interest rates go up a point, that’s not going to stop you from buying the home.”

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 housing market in Las Vegas, after spending a considerable amount of time on fire, is now not only showing initial signs of cooling, but doing so at a rate that appears to be faster than some other major metropolitan marketplaces in the United States.

Reports indicate that the number of homes in the Southern Nevada region that are being sold are decreasing, and despite the fact that sellers are cutting prices of their homes for sale in an attempt to entice more buyers, the amount of available inventory is starting to increase steadily.

In this, Las Vegas is not alone; after the national real estate market skyrocketed during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic – with home prices soaring amid fierce competition between buyers, who would regularly drive up prices further by consistently outbidding each other – the country has finally appeared to have reached its breaking point.

High prices, low inventory, and climbing interest rates on home mortgages have finally put many off of searching for a home, with buyers now appearing to be taking a “wait and see” approach as far as what the marketplace’s future holds.

However, Las Vegas seems to be feeling this phenomenon more acutely than many other metro areas in the nation in several key ways; while the overall market in Vegas nonetheless remains competitive, the cracks are showing. For example, in June over 27 percent of pending home sales in Las Vegas failed to go through; while the market is experiencing similar issues from coast-to-coast, the Vegas numbers represent the highest home sale cancellation rate in the country currently.

In addition, 20.3 percent of the homes on sale in Vegas in June had experienced a discount – the fourth-highest number in the country – and inventory increased 22.2 percent month-over-month, the highest increase in the U.S.

This follows one of the hottest stretches of real estate activity in Las Vegas perhaps ever, with home prices and sales consistently breaking records month-after-month, due in-part to record-low interest rates on home loans that allowed buyers to get the most for their money.

But this drop-off in sales in Las Vegas hardly is a death knell; in fact, the overall market in Southern Nevada still remains quite healthy, and mortgage rates – while higher than they were just last year – have dropped off slightly as of late, which could serve to spark a home sales frenzy once again, 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.

LAS VEGAS, NV – The efforts of North Las Vegas residents to get a proposed rent control measure voted upon in the upcoming November elections has been rejected after the City Clerk determined the number of signatures on the petition was “insufficient” and, therefore, the measure was unable to be included on the ballot, reports say.

The rent control measure, which is sponsored by the city’s Culinary Union, sent a challenge to the determination on Friday that maintains the method that North Las Vegas City Clerk Jackie Rodgers used to determined the number of signatures required for the measure had violated the Nevada Constitution.

Currently, there are no rent control or rent stabilization laws in Nevada.

The attorney alleged that the Clerk had used turnout figures from the June 14, 2022 primary election, as opposed to the June 11, 2019 general election to determine the needed signatures; according to the state Constitution, the number of signatures from registered voters for an initiative petition is “equal to 15 percent or more of the voters who voted at the last preceding general county or municipal election.”

Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union, insisted that – according to the Nevada Constitution – the rent control measure was completely valid and deserved to be included on the upcoming ballot.

“We will not be deterred,” he said. “The Culinary Union submitted 3,396 signatures, and we are confident in their validity. The City of North Las Vegas is misreading the law as to how many signatures are required.”

However, City Clerk Rodgers determined that out of the 3,396 signatures on the petition, only 2,679 were valid; 3,968 signatures are required for a measure to be included on November’s ballot. In addition, Rodgers claimed that there were differences in language from the original petition and the proposed rent control measure, which renders it invalid.

The Culinary Union’s attorney has requested that the North Las Vegas City Council review the Clerk’s decision not to include the rent control measure on November’s ballot at their next public meeting on August 3.

“The Committee respectfully requests the City Council to review and disapprove the Certificate and instruct the City Clerk immediately to complete her review by using 476 as the required number of valid signatures for sufficiency,” the attorney 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 – A Spanish Hills “ultra-contemporary” mansion that purportedly offers breathtaking views of the entirety of the Las Vegas Valley has been listed on the open market for $8.9 million.

Located at 5198 Scenic Ridge Drive, the 9,084 square-foot residence – according to Jim Ross, owner of Unique Custom Homes, whose company built the house – is an entirely unique property that has the best views in all of Southern Nevada.

“This property has one of the best views in Las Vegas,” he said. “I wanted to capture those views from every room.”

The mansion began construction in 2017 as a “spec home” and was completed one year later. According to Ross, the residence offers six bedrooms – with two of them being primary suites – along with cutting-edge design techniques that emphasize “clean horizontal lines,” a warm, neutral color palette, distinctive detailing, and eye-catching curb appeal.

5198 SCENIC RIDGE DRIVE, LAS VEGAS – $8,900,000.00

The home’s design showcases “seamless indoor-outdoor living,” with a spacious great room with 12-foot ceilings leading to a formal dining area, gourmet kitchen, and an exterior deck that has retracting glass walls that blur the line between the indoors and outdoors.

There is also a vast wine cellar; a resort-style exterior with a pool with fire edge, covered patio, barbecue area, elevated spa and an outdoor gazebo; oversized four-car garage that can accommodate the installation of vehicle lifts to expand its capacity; and, of course, access to the Spanish Hills’ guard-gated community’s many amenities, including parks, swimming pools, tennis courts, a fitness center and clubhouse.

“The beauty of buying in Spanish Hills is it’s a hidden gem,” listing agent Ivan Sher said. “Whoever buys this not only gets these incredible views, amenities and fully built-out neighborhood but you’re getting it at a price you couldn’t get anywhere else.”

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 – Citing ongoing droughts in the region, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) board of directors last Thursday voted 7-0 to support a proposal that, if passed, would limit the construction of new residential pools to 600 square feet; this supports a similar recommendation recently made by the Las Vegas Valley Water District.

Despite opposition from local businesses and homeowners, Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones noted that the water situation in Southern Nevada is reaching a critical juncture at the moment, necessitating the move to limit new pool sizes.

 “We’re in a water crisis,” he said. “We don’t have the luxury of nonfunctional pools right now.”

The Las Vegas Valley Water District had previously voted last Tuesday to approve a service rule change – including the ability to enforce it – that would limit new pools to 600 square feet; this would affect any projects where the construction permits were obtained after September 1, 2022.

But while the SNWA voted to approve a similar measure last Thursday, the agency currently lacks the ability to enforce its ruling; it is merely a show of support for the Las Vegas Valley Water District’s new initiative.

Other municipalities in Southern Nevada are set to vote upon similar measures in the coming months in response to water shortages, including Boulder City in August and North Las Vegas and Henderson in September.

However, stakeholder groups have been critical of the process to establish the new limits on pool construction size; despite the SNWA inviting over 100 pool developers to meetings in March and June, Terence Thornton – project manager at Ozzie Kraft Enterprises Inc. – said that many have stated they felt “shut out” of the process.

“We reached out to SNWA staff and were granted a Zoom meeting,” he said. “During that meeting, we were told that a 600 square-foot size limitation was pretty much a done deal.”

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.