Category Archive : Real Estate

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, the former Lucky Dragon has been given a new lease on life, as new ownership has re-branded and re-opened the facility with plans to give the hotel and casino a huge make-over.

The newly christened Ahern Hotel – named after owner and developer Don Ahern – will eschew the Lucky Dragon’s previous Chinese-themed design aesthetic – most of the decorations, including statues and a dragon chandelier, have been removed from the premises and are currently in storage awaiting sale – in favor of a more conventional look and feel, although the building still features its previous red exterior, but with all-new signs reflecting the name change.

Originally opening in 2008 with 203 rooms and a 27,500 square-foot casino – considered small compared to their local competitors – the former Lucky Dragon was inspired by Asian concepts in an effort to appeal to Asian customers, who were expected to be the resort’s primary customer base.

However, the establishment experienced low customer turnout over the years that it was open and as a result, the Lucky Dragon permanently closed for business on October 2, 2018. It was eventually sold for $36 million in April 2019 to Don Ahern, and reopened as the Ahern Hotel and Convention Center in late 2019.

Currently, the casino is not being re-opened; instead, Ahern noted that he intends to transform the casino into conference and convention space, with work expected to begin in March 2020; currently, the new facility is slated to have a separate name, although that moniker has not yet been publicly revealed.

Ahern estimated that he will be spending less than $10 million on the changes to the former casino space – including new eateries such as an Italian and a sushi restaurant – and hopes the entire resort would be ready in time for a grand opening on July 4, 2020.

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 – Short term rentals were recently approved for operation in Henderson, Nevada, with the Community Development manager laying out a series of rules and legal guidelines that participating residences must abide by in order to operate on these services.

Short term rentals have been steadily gaining in popularity over the years as a cheap and convenient way for landlords to accommodate guests with short-term lodging and tourism-related activities by essentially renting out their home to relative strangers. Much like ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft and the drivers they employ, AirBNB, VRBO, Booking.com, do not own any real estate listings, nor do they host events; instead, the services acts as a broker, receiving commissions from each booking.

Initially approved by the City of Henderson in mid-July of 2019; previously, short-term rentals where only allowed in commercial-tourist zoning areas, such as Lake Las Vegas. However, Henderson officials changed their stance on the issue after the City of Las Vegas made regulations governing short-term rentals far stricter. Seeing a potential money-making opportunity for Henderson – it’s estimated that the city could make as much as $370,000 annually with the introduction of Airbnb into the community – officials approved the move, albeit with a series of regulations of their own attached.

According to the City of Henderson, Short term rentals are allowed to operate in residential areas within the limits of Henderson as long as they adhere to the following set of rules:

1. The local Homeowners Association (HOA) approves, and the homeowner proves compliance with HOA rules.
2. The owner of the property must take a class at the College of Southern Nevada (Cost: $250. Duration: 2 days in-class or 2 weeks online).
3. Pay the City of Henderson an annual fee of $820.
4. Pay a 13 percent monthly lodging tax.
5. Install noise monitoring systems both inside and outside the home (via a company like Noise Aware).
6. Notify all neighbors within 200 feet of the property (via certified mail) that the home is going to be an Airbnb.

Rentals can range from a complete home, a single bedroom, or even just crashing on someone’s house in a pull-out sofa bed. The allure of allowing short term rentals within Henderson is obvious when it comes to a cash-flow standpoint; the services have been generating significant revenue in other regions of Nevada for some time now. For example, in 2019 Nevada Airbnb hosts ‘as a whole’ earned $53.5 million from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, according to figures released by the company. In addition, Clark County Airbnb guest usage generated $36 million in a period spanning from May 25 to Sept. 2 that same year.

Another reason for Henderson’s approval of is a potential remedy for the ongoing issue of the unauthorized renting of homes in the area; in addition, officials have announced that they will be working with an outside company that will monitor rental websites – utilizing advanced compliance software – for local homeowners who are violating rental ordnances; those who do may face fines of $500 a day that the property is rented. Instances of holding a party or wedding, or operating with a suspended license, will also incur a $500 a day fine.

Clearly, Short term rentals are growing in popularity and government officials of Henderson – faced with the dollar amounts other areas of Nevada have seen an influx of recently in conjunction with the short-term lodging service – found it was in the city’s best interests to get in on the action themselves.

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, 2020 in Las Vegas is expected to be the year of the condominium, as the affordable housing alternative – often replete with numerous amenities that stand-alone house owners aren’t privy to – are showing a distinct increase in popularity.

The reasons condos are attracting so much attention from buyers recently are numerous; many people prefer the security that living in such a community often affords its residents, whereas others also enjoy the different amenities – such as fitness facilities, gaming clubhouses, and swimming pools – that are typically available to residents.

And the fact that condos are, on average, cheaper than full-on home ownership in a real estate marketplace with steadily climbing prices is an attractive feature as well, allowing owners to be able to swing the cost of living in an affluent community that they might otherwise not be able to afford.

Some condos run from the $200,000s to $300,000 range for one- and two-bedroom condominium flats and three-bedroom loft-style town homes, ranging from 1,058 square feet to 2,500 square feet. In contrast, the median price in Las Vegas for a single-family home in December 2019 was just under $313,000, and those homes do not come with the additional benefits provided by living in a condo community, including the aforementioned security, amenities, and other extras, such as landscaping, underground parking, and more. Many condo communities are also situated near major shopping and entertainment complexes, or sometimes even feature their own exclusive shopping facilities for residents to use.

With the prices of the Las Vegas housing market still climbing since the end of the recession (although prices are starting to slow and stabilize as available inventory increases), more and more people it seems are turning to condominiums for their housing needs, and as a result more developers are constructing additional condo units in order to satisfy that need.

Indeed, while the Las Vegas housing market as a whole remains one of the most prosperous in the nation, 2002 is expected to see condos come to greater prominence than they have in many 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 – According to recent reports, the close of 2019 saw the housing market in Las Vegas mirror the opening in very much the same way – with a slew of home sales at levels approaching pre-recession era peak levels, giving the market some serious momentum leading into the new decade after a year where sales had slowed slightly after continuous years of growth.

2,609 single-family homes with a median price of $312,990 were sold in December, representing a price increase of two percent over the month before and six percent from the same period one year prior, according to reports; in addition, the number of homes sold were up over November by 8.4 percent and up over December 2018 by 21.8 percent.

The increase in the number of homes sold in December resulted in a decrease in the overall housing inventory for the Las Vegas region; at the close of 2019, 5,538 single-family homes were on the market without offers, a drop of over 15 percent from the previous month and a drop of over 16 percent from the same period in 2018.

Overall, Las Vegas closed out 2019 with a burst of sales after experiencing a slight slow-down throughout much of the year, fueled in-part over growing home prices and a lack of inventory, especially in affordable price ranges. However, after a strong finish for the year – and indeed, the decade – experts are predicting that 2020 will see this growth continue to increase, especially considering the fact that overall prices are still below the national average, coupled with a lower cost of living as well.

As a whole, 41,269 sold in Las Vegas during 2019, which was a four percent decrease from 2018. However, the sudden spike in purchases in December – typically one of the industry’s slowest months – is a good indicator for what’s to come in 2020, 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 – According to a recent interview with a noted real estate professional, the Las Vegas housing market – booming in recent years after laying in dormancy for over a decade – will continue to be fueled going into 2020 and beyond by a number of factors, not the least of which is how the region’s low home inventory will only help to increase overall demand.

The population of Las Vegas is increasing by as much as 50,000-60,000 people annually; that factor, combined with new home construction not keeping pace with demand, has resulted in shortages, especially in price ranges considered affordable to the average working Joe. In contrast, unlike the housing market, rental construction has been keeping pace with demand, resulting in more stabilized pricing.

Homes in Las Vegas at the $350,000 price range are attracting buyers in particular, given the fact that – due to steadily rising prices overall – homes at this price are becoming more and more rare. In recent years, skyrocketing prices of homes in Vegas have begun to raise affordability concerns, as previously Southern Nevada had been lauded for its low cost of living.

While still far more affordable when compared to the national average and especially neighboring states such as California, the cost of a median single-family home in Vegas has been getting to the point where it could potentially become an issue if prices maintain on this path. The $350,000 price range has become the magic bullet, so to speak, offering a balance between profit for sellers and affordability for buyers, especially for new transplants to the regions who have been lured there by job prospects born out of the newly-blossoming economy. In addition, loans for buyers – complete with low interest rates – are widely obtainable in Vegas, although the qualification process is said to be stringent due to the high rate of applicants. Thus, ultimately, getting a house at an affordable price in Las Vegas is a combination of patience and vigilance, in addition to being ready.

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 Japanese developer showed off some cutting-edge “green” technology in the form of a pricey prefabricated home in Summerlin constructed from a substance called “Shawood,” which is a sustainable form of lumber that is earthquake resistant.

Japan-based Sekisui House, along with its building company Woodside Homes, is the developer and creator of Shawood, were scheduled to be featured at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held from January 7 to 10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Shawood is noted as being a healthy construction substance that is resilient and sustainable, and represents a different approach to traditional home design methods.

Shawood is incorporated into a post-and-beam construction system that are designed and fabricated by way of computer engineering and automation in Japan – and then shipped worldwide for assembly – to ensure a precise fit and sturdy construction, reports say. Sekisui House, the largest developer of pre-fab housing in the world, has only recently entered the American market after previously erecting homes in Japan and Australia for a number of years.

The recent Shawood-based Summerlin home – a multi-million-dollar pre-fab unit that reflects Japanese engineering but traditional Western-style design – is being used as a showcase for Japanese building innovation, and was featured during the Las Vegas CES. The house, building in collaboration with Builder magazine, looks to break the status quo and advance home and building construction into the future. The framing of the house – which comes in at an overall square footage of 5,400 feet – was constructed entirely out of Shawood; the roofing, tile, and windows, contrast, were purchased from U.S.-based sources. Other advantages of Shawood are lower cost and higher efficiency, in addition to faster construction with less workers and experience required (the parts come with easy-to-follow blueprints), and builders that have seen the home thus far have all been impressed by the precision and the quality of the materials and construction. Could  Shawood – along with Japanese design aesthetics – be the next big thing when it comes to Las Vegas home construction?

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 Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors (GLVAR) are saying that the Las Vegas housing market, already massively on the mend after the mid-2000’s recession, is expected to perform strongly for the next few years at least; this runs in contrast with a recent Realtor.com report that indicated the possibility of the market softening in the region in the next few years.

According to experts, Las Vegas is one of ten cities in the United States that is anticipated to show continued strength over the next three-to-five years, especially in terms of population growth and job creation.

Earlier in December, Realtor.com stated that home prices in numerous U.S. markets, including Las Vegas, could start to come down in 2020. But according to a statement by incoming 2020 GLVAR President Tom Blanchard, the Realtor.com report simply doesn’t fit with the activity that he’s been seeing in Las Vegas in recent years.

“It confirms my thoughts regarding the Realtor.com forecast that was being circulated a week or so ago,” he said. “The Realtor.com forecast didn’t make sense to me. The Las Vegas market shows all signs to continue steady sustainable growth through 2020.”

Zillow, a national real estate website, concurs with Blanchard; Cheryl Young, an economist, noted that she expects stability and possibly even growth in Las Vegas in 2020, and the country as a whole.

“Price growth will be slow, but positive,” she said. “This past year was a year of transition for the Las Vegas metro. An infusion of supply helped to temper the hot home value growth in recent years.”

According to GLVAR, the median price for a home in Las Vegas in November 2019 was $307,000, which represents an increase of 4 percent from the same period in 2018; local home prices hit their lowest in 2012 during the recession at $112,000.

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 – This week, President Trump signed a $738 billion Federal spending bill for the 2020 Fiscal Year into law that averts a government shutdown and provides funding for numerous essential services as well as instituting several new aspects, such as granting federal employees paid parental leave and authorizing the official creation of a new branch of the military- Space Force.

However, there were several other, less publicized aspects of the spending bill that will prove very beneficial to realtors across the country; three in particular, in fact, that National Association of Realtors (NAR) President Vince Malta said installed “Confidence and stability” into America’s housing market and economy.

First up is a nine-month extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The program enables property owners in participating communities to purchase government- administered insurance protection against losses from flooding, and this extension ensures that policies will continue to be issued and renewed through September 30, 2020, during which time NAR hopes Congress will be using it as a stepping stone towards a 5-year re-authorization of NFIP with significant reforms included to ensure that the programs remain both affordable and sustainable. 

Next is the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program (TRIP), which received a seven-year re-authorization. This bill was originally signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2002 in response to the September 11 attacks, creating a federal “backstop” for insurance claims related to acts of terrorism. Without the protections this bill affords, numerous aspects of the real estate industry would face hazards in terms of financing, especially when it comes to commercial developments. NAR has been a strong and vocal supporter of the re-authorization of TRIP.

And finally, three tax provisions directly impacting the real estate industry – that originally had all expired at the close of 2017 – were granted temporary extensions through the end of 2020; these extensions are all retroactive to the beginning of 2018. First, forgiven mortgage debt is excluded from gross income; this means that property owners who sell their primary residence for a price that falls short of the debts secured by liens against the property will not have to pay taxes on the forgiven amount. Next, premiums for mortgage insurance can continue to be deducted. And third, “green” improvements to commercial structures for the sake of making them more energy-efficient also remain tax-deductible.

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 recent influx of high-profile professional sporting teams to Las Vegas – including the Raiders NFL team in 2020 – has created a unique atmosphere in the region for real estate salespeople; the idea of wealthy athletes looking to transplant themselves into their new home town, and looking to do it in (expensive) style, can make for good career ideas.

Realtors have been looking forward to the very real possibility of high-paid members of numerous sporting teams seeking to purchase multi-million-dollar homes in the Las Vegas area, even going so far as attending recent seminars giving insight on dealing with athletes and their unique – and at times, difficult – housing needs.

While some athletes are looking to spend millions of dollars on a fancy home, others – who may not have many years left on their contracts or are not as high-paid as others – are looking for something a bit easier to do away with once their time in Southern Nevada is up.

Nonetheless, the recent exodus of high-profile sports teams to Vegas has the potential to make Realtors serious money; reports indicate that with the Raiders taking up permanent residence in Vegas come their 2020 season, demand from players – already used to jet-setting lifestyles – for luxury homes and condos in proximity to the famed Las Vegas Strip will be high. Even the lowest-paid NFL player makes the league minimum of $500,000, so there will likely be money to burn on the part of the Raiders players once they arrive.

In addition, with the ongoing construction of the team’s corporate headquarters and practice facility in Henderson, the entire Raiders management and support staff will be making the move to Vegas as well, opening up even more high-cost housing needs that Realtors will need to satisfy. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, coach Jon Gruden, and president Marc Badain, have all already purchased homes near the team’s Henderson practice facility, and more are sure to come in the months ahead.

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 construction status of The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas, large-scale exhibition facility, recently received an update, courtesy of International Market Centers (IMC). According to a report released by the IMC, the project is currently on-schedule and on-budget, having just entered into the next phase of its development.

The Expo is a new addition to IMC’s downtown Las Vegas campus, and is expected to add an additional 315,000 square feet of space to the facility when it opens in July of 2020.

The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas, upon completion, will feature exhibition space in the amount of 194,785 square feet, spread out among two separate halls. Hall number one will boast 97,684 square feet of space, and hall number two 97,101 square feet; together, the two halls can house a combined total of at least 1,000 booths. The facility will also have a lobby, a space for event registration, a dedicated shuttle bus area, parking garage, and basic dining facilities.

IMC CEO Bob Maricich noted in a statement that the project is currently running according to plan, and is on-course to meet its July 2020 opening date.

“Construction is on schedule and on budget. We’re delighted to cooperate with the city of Las Vegas to bring this new exhibition venue to Las Vegas, he said. ““All external steel work is scheduled to be completed by January 2020. Other than some construction-related shifts to registration locations and transportation options, it will be ‘business as usual’ for winter 2020 marketgoers.”

The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas is coming in at a cost as high as $100 million, and the general contractor, Penta Building Group, initially held their groundbreaking in July of 2019. Currently, seven of the project’s ten steel sequences have been finished, and as of this month construction has gone vertical.

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, Sandpiper Apartments, one of the largest multifamily rental properties in Las Vegas, has been sold in an off-market transaction for a whopping $66 million.

The 488-unit community, located at 4650 W. Oakley Boulevard, was sold by previous California-based owners Apple Management to Compass Acquisition Partners, a private real estate investment company. Sandpiper Apartments is comprised of 61 two-story buildings situated on 20.1 acres of property and, according to a release put out by Compass CEO Lynn Owen, ideally located within a busy mix of employment and entertainment outlets.

“Sandpiper Apartments offers a substantial and irreplaceable asset in the heart of Las Vegas,” she said. “The property is convenient to employment centers, major area thoroughfares and surrounded by a mix of shopping, dining and entertainment options. These are all attributes that align with our investment criteria.”

Sandpiper Apartments was originally constructed in 1988, and features a number of amenities for residents, including three pools, a gym, tennis courts, and a club house. Apartments range from one or two bedroom units with an average size of 950 square feet.

A number of upgrades are in the ‘pipeline’ for the Sandpiper, Compass reps noted, including a $7.5 million investment to a number of its apartments, such as enhancing kitchens with modern amenities, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, as well as installing wood flooring. The gym, pools, and club house are also up for enhancements, as is the general property, including the addition of dog parks, sports facilities, and picnic areas. Environmentally-conscious landscaping options are also being discussed.

Compass CEO Lynn Owen noted that there is currently a very high demand for quality housing options in the Las Vegas region.

“Las Vegas is thriving with multiple new commercial developments and new businesses moving to the area propelling job growth,” she said. “There is strong demand for multifamily housing as developers have avoided the overbuilding of past cycles, another factor that contributed to our interest in the 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 – According to recent reports, developer Joseph Daneshgar – founder of California-based 3D Investments – has purchased a luxury condominium complex located in the vicinity of the Las Vegas Strip for a whopping $47.6 million.

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

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

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

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

Shelter Realty is a Real Estate and Property Management Company specializing in the areas of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.