Category Archive : Real Estate

LA VEGAS, NV – According to reports, the long-gestating Fontainebleau resort project – located on the northern part of the famed Las Vegas Strip and originally scheduled to open in 2009 – may have finally garnered a new lease on life after it was re-acquired by its original developer and changing hands several times over the years.

Remaining a vacant development for a number of years after declaring bankruptcy during the crash of the economy in the mid-2000’s, the megaresort project has remained an unfinished eyesore amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a mute testament to the previous economic hardships endured by Las Vegas before it’s resurgence in recent years.

Koch Industries’ real estate wing, in conjunction with Florida developer Jeffrey Soffer, have joined forced to acquire the Fontainebleau property – more recently known as “The Drew Las Vegas” – according to a joint release put out this week. Soffer was once affiliated with the group that originally constructed the over 60-story resort in the mid-2000’s; one of many that entered into a state of limbo when the housing bubble burst during that period.

But unlike many developments started during that period of time, the Fontainebleau site has refused to give up the ghost, so to speak, remaining as a reminder of harsh times gone by.

The Fontainebleau’s new ownership have yet to publically reveal any details on their plans for the site; some are anticipating that the owners will revert the project back to its original Fontainebleau name, but so far any resumption of construction efforts has yet to be announced.

The 68-floor luxury resort, boasting almost 4,000 rooms and suites, is located near the Las Vegas Convention Center; construction on the $2.9 billion property had begun in 2007 by privately held Fontainebleau Resorts LLC, but was indefinitely halted two years later when the recession forced the project into bankruptcy. In 2010, Icahn NV Gaming Acquisition LLC purchased the Fontainebleau for $150 million, and then sold it off to developer Steve Witkoff for $600 million in 2017.

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 Martin, a luxury high-rise condominium tower located on Dean Martin Drive in Paradise, has listed its 45^th floor penthouse on the open market for a whopping $18 million, a potentially record-setting sum in Las Vegas if the residence actually ends up selling for that amount.

The penthouse, which comprises the entire 45^th floor, boasts 12,940 square-feet in space and has five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, Venetian plaster walls, custom-made furniture in every room, and 30 television sets. There is also 2,000 square-feet of balcony space with four terraces, which offers a stunning 360-degree view of the entire Las Vegas valley, reports say.

It also comes packed with numerous high-end amenities, such as a professional gym, steam room, sauna and cold plunge. It also comes well equipped for entertaining guests, featuring a catering kitchen, private wine room, bar, game room and theater.

The centerpiece of the penthouse, however, is a custom circular fish tank that has a bed situated in the center where you can kick back, relax, and watch the fish.

The owner, whose name has not been revealed, reportedly purchased the penthouse in 2016 for $4.25 million, and then put approximately another $12 million into it. Reportedly, the owner has already received several offers from out-of-state buyers and it is expected that it will be sold within a few months, if not sooner.

While home sales and apartment rentals overall have recently seen excellent growth in the Southern Nevada region, the high-rise condominium market actually saw sales drop 17 percent from one year ago and prices dropped double-digit percentages since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current record holder for penthouse sales belongs to Phil Maloof’s 58^th floor residence at The Palms, which sold for $12.5 million in 2019.

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, while Las Vegas has been making waves in the real estate world for its steadily rising home prices despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – raising concerns over affordability if they continue to go up – prices are nonetheless rising much faster in many other cities, highlighting the current low cost of living in Southern Nevada.

Prices of homes in Las Vegas have gone up 6.8 percent from November 2010 to November 2020, which while an impressive feat, nonetheless falls well below the national year-over-year average of 9.5 percent, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index released by S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Indeed, among the 19 markets examined for the index, Phoenix, Arizona was the region with the fastest-rising home prices, and has steadfastly held that position for the past 18 months; in contrast, Las Vegas’ growth – while still very healthy, especially given the financial impact of the pandemic – was the market with the slowest-rising prices in the index.

Experts say the reason Las Vegas is not higher on that list is due to the fact that the city’s main industry is tourism, which has been devastated by the pandemic; jobs related to that industry have experienced huge losses.

However, despite the economic turmoil that Vegas has experienced, pace of its home price increases have broken several records over the course of the past year due to demand, low mortgage rates, and the overall low cost of living. Reports indicate that numerous home-buyers, many from out of state, have swooped into Southern Nevada to take advantage, and that the intense competition for homes is not expected to slow down any time soon.

The median sales price for homes in Las Vegas was an all-time record high $345,000 for both November and December 2020, which represents a 10.2 percent from the same period of time in 2019.

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 high-tech “net zero” home located in Las Vegas’ the south valley that actually generates more electricity than it consumes has sold for the sizable amount of $2.75 million.

The four-bedroom, five-bathroom home, known as the New American Remodel 2020, was purchased by a Manhattan couple who decided to relocated to Nevada amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The house, located in the vicinity of Warm Springs Road and Decatur Boulevard, was featured in a news conference that took place during the 2020 Las Vegas International Builders’ Show; the home was also the subject of numerous tours as well, giving the public a look at its high-tech features.

Element Building Co. was responsible for the creation of the New American Remodel 2020; the goal of the project was to demolish a home built in the 1970’s and use its foundation as a basis for a new, modern-era residence featuring the “latest and greatest technology,” with an emphasis on energy efficiency. The original house was purchased in 2018 for $415,000, with the subsequent work going into the property amounting to over $2 million.

The New American Remodel 2020 at 7345 S Ullom Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89139 features 4,802 square feet of living space, a “showroom” three-car garage, glass elevator, five fireplaces, outdoor kitchen, a rooftop terrace, steam shower and Amazon Alexa-based smart mirrors. In addition, the backyard has a heated pool and waterfall.

However, the tech is the real selling point, and to that end the home features solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, special insulation, a Savant Pro home automation system that controls motorized shades, lighting, the alarm system, cameras, music and more, and an air-recovery system that circulates fresh air throughout the residence.

All of this adds up to a “net zero” home, meaning New American Remodel 2020 actually generates more electricity than it consumes, and is actually considered 117 percent more efficient than the average newly-built 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 – According to reports, Southern California investment firm Sakioka Farms has purchased Crossroads Commons, a large retail plaza located near Las Vegas’ Summerlin community, for the price of $50.75 million.

Crossroads Commons, located on the busy intersection of Charleston Boulevard and Fort Apache Road, is situated on 16.6 acres and is home to numerous major retailers, including Chick-fil-A, Barnes & Noble, and Whole Foods Market. In addition, several other tenants have recently signed on the dotted line for space in the shopping center as well, such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, a Greek restaurant, and Mastroianni Fashions.

While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the overall number of consumers who venture out of their homes to buy things – resulting in a major drop in retail sales in 2020 – many people are still heading out to make purchases, leading to firms and investors to sink their dough into various retail properties in the Southern Nevada region.

Investors have been closely studying the economy of the Las Vegas area throughout the pandemic, and clearly if money of this level is being poured into retail at this point in time then experts are clearly seeing a major retail resurgence in the near future, especially considering the fact that COVID-19 vaccines are currently in the process of being rolled out nationwide.

Again, it helps that Crossroads Commons is located at a very busy intersection, and that there are other retail shopping centers located nearby, making the area a destination for shoppers who are tired of being cooped up in their homes all day long. 

Before the pandemic hit physical retail had taken a significant hit from online retailers such as Amazon, but sales at brick-and-mortar stores – especially sporting goods – have had a resurgence in the past few months as people who have been isolating themselves grow restless and feel the need to shop.

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 one-acre site of the former White Sands Motel has been put on the Las Vegas real estate market for a whopping $18 million, according to recent reports.

Originally built and opened for business in 1959, the once attractive and clean motel – offering free amenities such as TV, air conditioning, and coffee – now stands as a dilapidated, boarded-up shell of its former self, surrounded by weeds, garbage, and chain-link fencing topped off with barbed wire.

One might look at such a property – located on the South of the Las Vegas Strip, across from the Luxor – and wonder why, in its current state, it would potentially command such a high price on the open market. However, the broker has stated that the motel would most likely be torn down and demolished in favor of retail or a restaurant.

But regardless of the usefulness of the land and its ideal placing on the famed Las Vegas Strip, some experts think that the property may have trouble finding a buyer, especially considering the large asking price. After all, the country is still in the grip of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and much of Vegas’ economy – especially tourism, its very lifeblood – is still reeling from the blows. Now might not be the time that a developer wishes to step up and invest $18 million into a fixer-upper catering to out-of-town visitors.

Still, experts note that any land on the Strip is a valuable commodity, especially when the pandemic eventually ends and tourism ramps up again, as it inevitably will and the White Sands Motel is in a prime area, located only one mile from Allegiant Stadium, so foot traffic will be there for whatever business the property will eventually host.

The White Sands Motel, located at 3889 Las Vegas Boulevard. South, originally closed in 2008.

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, construction on an ambitious massive mixed-use complex situated in Las Vegas – dubbed “Evora” by developer Joe Sorge – is underway, but still several years from completion.

Evora is a 42-acre project located in the southwest valley between Post Road and Patrick Lane, along Buffalo Drive. As currently planned, the development will be comprised of 1,343 residential units, approximately 240,000 square-feet of commercial/retail space, and an underground parking facility, reports say.

Originally, ground was broken on Evora in fall of 2019; development of the project will advance in phases and the current timetable calls for it to be completed within about six to seven years, according to project manager Curt Schriner of Grand Canyon Development Partners.

The reasoning for the unusually-long development schedule is due to the affect that the ongoing COVID-10 pandemic is having upon the multifamily housing and mixed-use marketplace, although the impact of the pandemic isn’t causing the devastating problems that were originally anticipated.

Developer Sorge noted that he was anticipating increasing the appeal of Evora by offering prospective buyers a variety of attractive amenities; in addition to access to retail, restaurant and office space, residents would also have access to a 1.5-acre public plaza, a 1-mile walking trail, and a workout facility comprised of a gum, sauna, and sport courts.

Sorge himself is a Las Vegas resident, being the owner of a $7.7 million, 8,702-square-foot home in Summerlin. A Harvard Medical School graduate who also holds bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry, he has predicted that the current COVID-19 pandemic will soon be a thing of the past due to the current accessibility of new vaccines, and once enough of the public has been inoculated, the economy will be back to normal including real estate.

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 2020 Las Vegas housing market ended on a large glut of sales that resulted in the year concluding on a high note that otherwise contrasted with a year marked with economic downturn and uncertainty due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In December 2020, 3,305 single-family homes were sold on the open market, representing an 8.9 percent increase from the previous month and a whopping 26.7 percent increase from December 2019.

The all-time high median sales price set in November 2020 – $345,000 – remained a constant in December, representing an increase of 10.2 percent from December 2019.

While all that was happening, the available housing inventory in Las Vegas got smaller and smaller while demand grew; at the tail end of 2020 there were 3,240 houses on the market without offers, representing a decrease of 13.7 percent from November and a 41.5 percent drop from the end of December 2019, reports say.

In a press release put out by Las Vegas Realtors, Aldo Martinez – 2021 president of the association– noted that record-low mortgage rates have contributed to a Southern Nevada housing market that has defied the predictions of industry experts during the ongoing pandemic.

“I think we surprised a lot of people with how the local housing market not only held up, but set records, during an otherwise rough year for our community and our local economy,” Martinez said. “As long as these trends continue, it’s a good bet that local home prices will keep rising.”

If things continue as they have been going – coupled with the fact that a COVID-19 vaccine is currently in the process of being distributed to the populace – it’s only natural to assume that 2021 will continue this upward trend.

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, Southern Nevada –  and Las Vegas in particular – have closed out 2020 by setting huge final sales records that show an increase of 38 percent over 2019 for homes valued at $1 million or more. However, the so-called “uber-luxury” market – comprised of homes valued at $4 million or more – has risen to levels never before seen in the history of the region.

The 2020 sales of uber-luxury homes in Las Vegas were at least 50 percent higher than they were in 2019, reports say, and all while the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic are otherwise wreaking havoc on the Nevada economy.

According to recently-released figures, 129 homes and condominiums costing $1 million or more were sold in December 2020, a marked improvement over the 98 such homes sold in November; reports indicate that many buyers were attempting to close before the end of the year for tax purposes, causing a log-jam of sorts in terms of sales at the tail of 2020.

However, 13 residences valued at $5 million or more occurred in December 2020 alone, for a grand total of 32 for the entire year; in contrast, only 14 such sales took place in all of 2019, illustrating that 2020 was a record-crusher in that regard.

Some real estate experts attribute the jump in upper-luxury sales in 2020 to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns set by local governments in order to curb the spread of the disease influencing people with the financial means to improve their living conditions as much as possible.

After all, if you’re going to be stuck in your home for months at a time, why not do so in a spacious, luxurious residence during a period of time when mortgage interest rates are at an all-time low?

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 long-time home of esteemed Las Vegas sports bettor Lem Banker, who passed away in November 2020 at the age of 93, has recently been put up for sale by his family for $680,000.

The home, located at 216 Campbell Drive in Rancho Nevada Estates, is a one-story four-bedroom home situated on a half-acre of land. Coming in at 3,584 square feet, the residence was first built in 1967 and Banker was its first – and only – owner. The home features sunlit primary suite skylights, a grand brick fireplace, circular driveway – big enough to accommodate a dozen cars – palm trees, and a pool in the backyard.

Over the years, Banker had the home’s garage converted into a bar and entertainment room where he would often invite guests to enjoy drinks and watch sporting events, in addition to using the area for working out.

An unusual and fairly unique aspect of Banker’s home is that it comes from an era where wood-burning brick fireplaces were allowed in Las Vegas homes – it has one in a great room located off of the kitchen – something that isn’t allowed in modern residences, making this house a rare find in Southern Nevada.

Lem Banker was considered a legend in Las Vegas betting circles, so well-known that he was even once featured in a segment on the TV show, “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”

Banker was known for doing extensive research and exhibiting great discipline when making his sporting picks and he parlayed that effort into a great many wins throughout his extensive career as a sports better. He was also known for being gentle, friendly, and generous. Banker was born in the Bronx, New York, but moved to Las Vegas in the late 1950s.

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, many experts expected Las Vegas to endure irreparable harm to its real estate industry with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, what with lockdown orders hamstringing tourism – the lifeblood of the city – and rampant unemployment becoming commonplace as a result.

However, despite the blows endured by the economy to this day due to the pandemic, the Las Vegas real estate market not only recovered far more quickly than experts anticipated, but is currently in the midst of a hot streak that is now expected to continue well into 2021 and beyond; all while many other industries in Vegas are still experiencing financial trials and tribulations as COVID continues to cause issues.

What separates Las Vegas Real Estate from other businesses in this regard? Experts say that “cheap money” is a leading cause, with mortgage rates currently experiencing record lows that are expected to continue into the New Year; this translates into affordable monthly mortgage payments that help to keep housing demand at a high level.

Another factor feeding into Las Vegas’ current real estate success is the mass exodus of residents from highly-taxed neighboring states – mainly, California – into Southern Nevada who are seeking to take advantage of the comparatively cheaper cost of living.

This demand has also caused home prices to escalate at a level not seen since before the mid-2000’s recession, although that price growth could slow in 2021 depending on the number of listings on the market; the more that are listed, the slower prices will rise.

However, real estate is a tricky business, and even a market that is doing as well as the one in Southern Nevada is not immune to issues; currently, it also has a higher-than-average amount of late mortgage payments when compared to the country as a whole, reports say.

But, if the circumstances that have caused Las Vegas’ real estate to thrive despite the pandemic persist, experts say that 2021 will likely continue to set records, especially with a new COVID vaccine on the way.

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, a recent $11.25 million Henderson mansion purchase has set a record for the highest luxury home sale in the well-known Southern Nevada community in 13 years, showing that the market still has the ability to set monthly sales records despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The mansion, located at 750 Dragon Ridge Drive in the luxury master-planned community MacDonald Highlands, was purchased on December 4 for a whopping $11,250,001. The buyer exceeded the price of yet another mansion sold in the same community earlier in 2020 by just one dollar; that mansion, sold in August for exactly $11.25 million, and was owned at the time by gaming icon Diana Bennett.

The record-setting mansion – purchased by a business owner from Silicon Valley, according to reports – was built in 2017 by developer Blue Heron and comes in at 12,386 square feet with four floors. It is situated upon a 2.2 acre plot of land and boasts seven bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, and two three-car garages. The mansion has a two-lane bowling alley, a movie theater, a bar, a wine cellar and a game room in the basement.

The home also has a professional-grade indoor basketball court featuring a locker room and electronic scoreboard located in its own separate building on the mansion’s grounds; the building can also be utilized as an extended car garage. Outside is an outdoor tennis court and a garden, in addition to a separate guesthouse with two bedrooms, a living room, and a rooftop deck.

The lot the mansion is located on was originally bought in 2014 for $2.4 million by Mike and Linda Huhn, according to Clark County records. The mansion has been on the market since 2018, at which time the seller was originally asking just under $15 million.

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.