Category Archive : Real Estate

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.

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, the Las Vegas Turnberry Place penthouse of Barbara and Bruce Woollen, often used to host a variety of star-studded fundraisers and lavish parties, was recently listed on the market for a whopping $5.5 million.

Celebrities entertained by the Woollens’ at the penthouse included household names such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jane Seymour, and Jonathan Winters. Hopkins, a noted artist in addition to being an award-winning actor, once held an art show at the penthouse selling all of the paintings he had on display.

The Woollens’ were known for holding fundraisers at the penthouse that benefited local causes such as the arts community and underprivileged children; over the years the couple raised over $1 million that they donated to charity. The two were also known for investing in commercial and residential real estate.

The penthouse at Turnberry located at 2777 Paradise Road-3704, Las Vegas, NV 89109, is considered unique, coming in at two stories with a large outside deck – featuring 2,200 square feet of exterior space – with a 300-square-foot pool, a Jacuzzi, and a dual-sided fireplace. The penthouse is one of only eight top floor suites offered at Turnberry Place. In addition, it is the only top floor penthouse for sale in Las Vegas with a private pool and spa.

The inside is just as fancy as the outside, with over 6,421 square feet of interior space including three bedrooms and five bathrooms; luxury  trappings include crown molding, 11-foot ceilings, marble flooring, and a formal living room featuring a full bar with a granite counter.

Turnberry Place is a luxury residential high-rise condominium complex near the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester that contains four towers. All of the towers are 477 feet tall and have 38 floors. The community is considered the largest tax payer in Clark County, Nevada.

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 – Condo and timeshare owners on the famed Las Vegas Strip have recently been renting out their residences via short-term rental websites such as Airbnb, allowing renters to circumvent pricey resort fees that they would otherwise be responsible for paying, according to reports.

In today’s rough economy when a dollar saved is a dollar earned, Airbnb’s introduction on the Strip is allowing tourists who are braving the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to get the most for their money; enjoying the experience of staying in a luxury resort hotel for less. For example, Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations typically runs $159.80 on a Monday; however, the same exact type of room in the same hotel on the same night will only cost you $79 when booked through Airbnb.

It’s the same experience, but the Strip’s at-times excessive fees no longer apply since the unit is already owned or shared by someone else. While this is currently legally allowed within Clark County – who has been imposing stricter rules on short-term rentals as of late – it’s nonetheless frowned upon by some resorts, who understandably view services such as Airbnb as competition.

While Clark County forbids residential areas to have short-term rentals private owners on the Strip are allowed to engage in this activity, provided that they are properly licensed; in addition, the rules that are imposed differ resort to resort as well, depending on management.

Resorts on the Strip that allow Airbnb include The Signature at MGM Grand and Vdara, both of which function under the umbrella of MGM Resorts International. Westgate however, which is located east of the Strip, does not allow the practice.

Occasionally, listings will covertly pop up on Airbnb in Strip resorts that do not allow short-term rentals, including Westgate, Jockey Club, and Palms Place.

If you’re wondering why some resorts do allow short-terms rentals, however, the answers are typically that guests are likely to spend their money on amenities available at the hotel itself, such as restaurants, spas, and casinos, thus resulting in additional revenue.

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, experts on the Las Vegas real estate scene are saying that the region is set for a huge explosion of rental house development, based on current demand and market conditions. The rental house market was a huge source of income for developers during the period after the mid-2000’s recession, and during today’s economic uncertainty brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is remaining profitable, prompting companies to bring all of their resources to bear on the Southern Nevada marketplace in order to construct more rental properties.

For example, developer Moderne Communities broke ground in February – right before the pandemic took home on the United States – on Moderne at Centennial, a $40 million development consisting of 185 single-story rental duplexes and freestanding houses, with the expectation of having tenants moving in by February 2021, exactly one year after work originally began.

Another company getting on the bandwagon is American Homes 4 Rent, which has recently opened a 34-house rental project in the Spring Valley and a 35-house rental project in the south Las Vegas valley. In addition, they are currently in the process of developing other rental communities as well. Overall, the company currently owns over 1,000 single-family houses in the Las Vegas area.

Las Vegas has been a popular location for developers of rental properties for many years; the market expanded rapidly in the wake of the mid-2000’s recession with companies and individuals purchasing homes for cheap and renting them out, and in recent years – as the local economy as continued to recover and thrive – the need for more and more housing options have increased.

The concept of single-family homes being constructed in large quantities explicitly as rentals – as opposed to being sold outright – is a fairly new concept in this day and age,  but it’s been increasing in popularity across the country and Las Vegas developers have taken notice.

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 – Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Las Vegas continues to turn the real estate industry on its ear as it has set yet another record – for the sixth month in a row – for the median prices of existing homes in the Southern Nevada region, reports say.

In November, the median price of a single-family home in Las Vegas was $345,000, as per the Las Vegas Realtors trade organization. This represents the sixth month in a row where – despite the financial hurdles being presented by the pandemic on the local economy as a whole – home prices have continued to escalate, defying and confusing industry experts, according to a statement issued by Realtor association’s president Tom Blanchard.

“Like other places around the country, we’re seeing multiple offers on properties listed for sale,” he said. “The supply of available homes is very low, and demand is high. I hope the new year will bring some additional inventory as local homeowners start to feel more comfortable moving.”

At the end of November, approximately 8,400 homes were listed for sale on the Las Vegas real estate MLS, representing a decrease in inventory of 19 percent from the same period one year before and an 11 percent drop from October 2020.

As reported previously, the increasing prices on the market are likely in-part fueled by record-low interest rates on home loans brought about by the pandemic, as well as lower-than-average inventory being available.

Experts are also speculating that COVID-19 mortgage forbearance opportunities have played a part, where homeowners who had experienced financial hardship related to the pandemic where able to – for a limited time – avoid foreclosure without having to make home payments. Many of these homeowners would then have no choice but to turn around and sell their homes, albeit while taking advantage of the high prices offered by current market conditions.

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 Summerlin home of noted Las Vegas injury law attorney Farhan Naqvi has been sold for a whopping $7.4 Million, according to recent reports. The two-story home, located in The Ridges – a master-planned community within Summerlin – fetched the third-highest sale price of 2020 thus far, a year that has seen the sale of luxury homes in Las Vegas set records despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Naqvi, well-known in Southern Nevada from his ongoing television commercial advertising his law practice, originally purchased a lot next to The Ridges’ Bear’s Best golf course, and then acquired the services of Blue Heron – a developer that specializes in luxury homes who constructed the residence in 2015.

The home, located on just under an acre and constructed in a “cool, modern” style, comes in at 7,000 square-feet in size with five bedrooms, a five-car garage, a fancy entry courtyard, and “amazing views” of the famed Las Vegas Strip. Also on the property is a 1,800 square-foot, two bedroom guesthouse. The home has been purchased by a Sacramento, California civil attorney, reports say.

Naqvi’s new residence will not be far from his original abode; he is currently in the process of having a home constructed in Summerlin’s Summit Club resort community.

The high number of luxury sales in the region as of late has been credited in-part to California residents who are moving into Las Vegas to escape the high cost of living in their former home state; high taxes have been a driving force behind many residents and businesses leaving California for Vegas in recent years.

According to the Multiple Listing Service, 95 homes with a value of $1 million or higher were sold in October, with 96 such homes selling the month before.

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 historic Las Vegas residence that was once the former home of late Country Music great Kenny Rogers has just been listed on the open market with an asking price of over $3 million, according to reports.

A 7,249-square-foot single-story estate located at 500 Shetland Road, the glamorous home is situated on one acre of land and has been listed for $3,199,999. The residence was completely customized and its design was considered extremely forward-thinking and progressive when it was originally constructed back in the early 1970’s.

The estate boasts a private gated entry, a grand double-door glass entry, four en suite bedrooms with dual master suites, six and a half bathrooms, an office/library, large living room, dining room, and great room with a sunken bar lined with padded club chairs. Design aesthetics include beveled mirrored walls, fabric upholstered walls, marble flooring, crown molding, and large amounts of natural stone.

The property is topped off by a large, lush backyard with a resort-style pool with spa and a sizable deck area.

Several notable personalities have called the residence home in the years since it was built. Kenny Rogers, the iconic singer and actor, purchased the home in 1995 and owned it for three years, later selling it to casino mogul Phil Ruffin in 1998. Ruffin’s wife at the time, Lynne, then proceeded with extensive renovations, and stayed in the home after the couple divorced in the early 2000’s. She later remarried a man named R.T. Smith and lived in the home until her death in 2011, with Smith remaining there until his passing in 2019.

The property then fell into the hands of Smith’s two step-children, who are co-trustees of the estate; with the home having fallen into a state of disrepair, they have since performed extensive restorations to return the home to its former glory before listing it on the real estate market.

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 – Atlanta-based Beazer Homes, one of the largest homebuilders in the country, recently announced that they will be holding a grand opening on December 5th for their newest community in the city of North Las Vegas, dubbed Acacia Ranch, according to reports.

The Acacia Ranch community will consist of 48 new single-family homes – with six single and two-story floor plans available to choose from – all situated in the vicinity of numerous entertainment, shopping, and dining options. In addition, it is located near both the Interstate 215 and U.S. Highway 95 freeways, allowing for easy access by car.

The homes will range in size from 1,750 square feet to 3,182 square feet, and the plots of land they will be available on will measure 100 feet deep with 20-25 foot rear yards – larger than the land provided by the average home in the region by approximately 15 to 20 percent.

All homes will include open-concept kitchens and two- or-three-car garages. Buyers can choose between pre-set layouts or the ability to choose room-specific layouts, allowing them a great deal of flexibility to design the homes in a way that is better tailored to their lives.

Homes in Acacia Ranch will focus on affordability, with prices starting in the low $300,000 range while being devoid of any homeowners associations fees.

At the December 5th grand opening, interested parties will be able to tour model homes to see what the final residences will look like, in addition to having assistance available on-hand for the loan pre-qualification process.

Construction plans and materials are said to yield a great deal of energy efficiency, reports say. Beazer builds homes in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

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 mad scramble for local real estate and the subsequent record-setting months of rising median single-family home prices during the pandemic has real estate experts speculating that Las Vegas may potentially be in another bubble, reminiscent of the mid-2000’s that eventually gave way to a recession.

Multiple sellers are reporting that despite the ever-increasing prices of homes on the market – October 2020 saw the single-family homes median sales price reach and all-time high of $340,000 – multiple offers are often being made on new inventory as soon as they are available, with the activity surrounding it being described as “frenzied” and “defying logic” – lending itself to fears of a new recession in the works.

However, according to experts, there are several important differences between today’s real estate market and the one that eventually lead to the mid-2000’s recession; in the past, loans were easy to come by and the strong Southern Nevada economy led to skyrocketing property values, house-flipping, and mass construction. When the recession hit and the bottom dropped out, few regions were hit as badly as Las Vegas, with property values tanking, construction projects halted, and countless homes foreclosed upon.

Fast-forward to today, and while on the surface circumstances may seem similar, requirements for loans are mort strict now. While record-low interest rates are making it easier for people to get loans with monthly payments that they absolutely can afford, lenders are going to far greater lengths to verify a borrower’s income, employment, and assets; in the mid-2000’s, this often didn’t happen at all, leading an expert to note that “if you could walk and chew gum, you got a mortgage.” The result? A large increase in defaulted home loans, which experts say is unlikely to happen today.

So while experts are still scratching their heads over the current state of home pricing and demand in 2020 Las Vegas amid the pandemic and it’s uncertain what the market will ultimately look like within the next few years, it’s safe to assume that another bubble is, in fact, not around the corner.

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.