Category Archive : Rentals

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, when the federal eviction moratorium imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expires at the end of this month, at least 100,000 Nevada residents – and with some estimates placing that number as high as 140,000 – are facing being legally removed from their dwellings due to non-payment of rent.

Nevada’s eviction moratorium ended on May 31, at which time landlords and property managers throughout the state began filing paperwork for evictions that will begin to progress through the court system en masse when the CDC moratorium ceases as of July 1.

Clark County has confirmed that they have distributed approximately $110 million in rental assistance, and has noted that more money would have been sent out to renters except for the fact that many applications that the county received were submitted with errors that require correction before funds can be released.

Kimberly Ireland, a Las Vegas renter who has only recently returned to work at a resort on the Las Vegas Strip, significantly behind on her rent to a small, mom-and-pop landlord who she says has been “gracious and kind” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic when record-breaking unemployment was at its worst.

However, the landlord has reached the point where they want the property back so they can rent it to a party capable or paying rent, which Ireland said she understands at this point.

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “We’re forced into this. It’s not by choice.”

Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D-Las Vegas) recently stated that she supported a bill that was recently signed into law that helps smaller landlords who might be left out of federal relief programs and pauses pending eviction proceedings once a person applies for rental assistance. However, if a renter receives an eviction notice and does nothing, the eviction will automatically go through by default.

“Maybe the United States didn’t hit depression numbers when it came to unemployment, but Nevada did,” Miller 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 – According to reports, Cadence – a recently-built master-planned community located within the city of Henderson – has been the center of a number of new building efforts recently, with several developers hard at work constructing apartment complexes and tracts of rental homes to satisfy Las Vegas’ ongoing need for housing amid the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Already one of the top-selling locations in Southern Nevada in terms of new single-family homes, rental developers are now making their presence felt in Cadence; Scottsdale, Arizona-based The Wolff Company are planning to build a 388-unit apartment building, and A.G. Spanos – headquartered in Stockton, California – has a 265-unit apartment complex in the works as well. Both projects are expected to break ground either this year or in early 2022.

In addition, a tract of single-family rental homes was recently opened in the community by American Homes 4 Rent, a real estate investment trust based in Calabasas, California; several tenants have already moved in, reports say.

With the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly on its last legs as vaccine rollout continues, the rental scene in Las Vegas and its surround communities is on a state of constant flux; the need for rental housing options is greater than it has been in years as the local economy continues to recover, but the impending end of the federal eviction moratorium looms at the end of the month, it us unknown how many residents may be facing eviction.

While developers may be working at a fever pitch at the moment in order to satisfy demand, it still remains to be seen how many pre-existing rental units may eventually be opening up after potentially thousands of eviction proceedings kick in come July 1.

Until that question is answered, one thing remains certain – currently, Las Vegas residents are renting apartments and houses at record paces, rents are increasing at some of the fastest rates in the United States due to demand, and more and more developers are working on rental projects.

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 – Courts in Las Vegas are steeling themselves for a massive influx of eviction cases as the eviction moratorium set by Governor Steve Sisolak finally came to an end as of May 31, with thousands of local residents who may have lost their income due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown facing expulsion from their homes after months of not making good on their rent, reports say.

A large number of Nevada residents have applied for rental assistance via CHAP, the county’s housing assistance program, but many have either been denied and are appealing or are still awaiting a decision on their eligibility. But regardless, no one can anticipate how large the upcoming number of evictions will be in the coming days now that the clock on the state eviction ban has run out.

Las Vegas Chief Judge Melissa Saragosa noted that it’s impossible to anticipate how many eviction cases will be filed in the upcoming weeks after over a year of landlords being forced to essentially provide free room and board for people while running their own bank accounts dry.

“It’s really hard to say,” he said. “I mean, we’re doing the best to be prepared and have the capacity to hear cases, but without knowing exactly how many cases are coming in, that’s very difficult to say.”

Prior to COVID-19, the caseload for evictions at the Las Vegas Justice Court was approximately 30,000 cases a year; however, with the vast number of anticipated cases that are expected to be filed as of June 1, that number is expected to be eclipsed very shortly, especially with the move on the part of city government to a remote eviction filing system.

“We’ve changed our model from a very in-person driven process to one that’s working online,” Saragosa said, noting that while a backlog is expected due to huge demand, extensive preparation means that it’s expected to be measured in terms of weeks and not months.

“I don’t anticipate anything even remotely close to six months!” he said. “We’re cross-training all of our legal office assistants, our legal office specialists, we’re cross-training those individuals to help us process the eviction paperwork. We also have additional courtroom space that we’re able to dedicate to hearing just evictions.”

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

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

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

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

Know Who You’re Dealing With 

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

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

Don’t Pay Too Much Rent 

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

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

Consider the Parking Situation 

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

Make Friends with Your Neighbors 

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

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

LAS VEGAS, NV – As the last days of the eviction moratorium tick away until the end of the ban finally occurs on May 31, lawmakers in the Nevada State Assembly have announced a new bill which, if passed and signed into law, would delay eviction proceedings for some tenants, reports say.

Assembly Bill 486 would mandate a pause to any eviction if the tenant in questions is in the process of acquiring funds from rental assistance programs, or if the landlord has refused to accept payments from rental assistance programs.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has previously stated that he would not extend the eviction moratorium again once it runs out at the end of this month. A federal eviction moratorium – set into place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – is slated to end on June 30 if ongoing court challenges are unsuccessful in overturning it, and lawmakers are marketing that date for their bill’s provisions to come into force, if passed.

Bill 486 would also set up a $5 million fund from federal money that would be offered to Nevada residents in the form of rental assistance, with an additional $165 million coming from the congressional American Rescue Plan shortly afterwards.

In addition, the bill would also form a nonprofit called Home Means Nevada that will allow smaller-mom-and-pop landlords whose tenants have not paid their rent to directly apply for rental assistance themselves. Eligible landlords would have to earn less than $4 million a year in gross income from their combined rental properties, and they must own a single-family home.

The aim of the bill, according to lawmakers, is to stave off a massive flood of anticipated evictions in Nevada once the state and federal eviction moratoriums finally come to an end, with Governor Sisolak stating that the passage of this legislation is “critical.”

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 – When you combine a relatively small amount of rentals with ever-increasing demand, only one thing is certain: princes are going to go up and up, and that’s exactly what they’re doing in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to recent reports.

A new study indicates that rental prices in the Southern Nevada region are rising at one of the highest rates in the United States, with real estate professionals noting that demand is the strongest it’s been in years, while the amount of rentals feeding that demand is shrinking by the day; “unprecedented” is the word that is being utilized the most recently in terms of the Las Vegas rental marketplace.

Home rental prices in Las Vegas in April 2021 have increased by over 11 percent from the same period of time one year ago, with an average rent rate of $1,460 per month, as per a Zillow report.

Las Vegas ranks fourth nationally in terms of rent growth, behind only Memphis, Phoenix, and Riverside; these four cities far outpace the year-over-year national average rental growth of three percent, reports say.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent “work from home” culture that it spawned amid lockdown orders, have fueled a very real need for rental units and homes in the Southern Nevada region, especially among those who have required a temporary place to stay while awaiting availability among the fierce competition for Vegas’ limited for-sale home inventory.

In response to demand, at least 50 percent of landlords have raised their rental rates in recent weeks, as opposed to pre-pandemic levels, where that number would typically hover only in the 20 percent range at most.

Landlords are not concerned about tenants leaving due to high rents as they would have been before the advent of COVID-19; after all, with the faster-than-expected revival of the local economy and job market, a rental unit staying vacant for long is not something any local landlord worries about any more due to the “incredible” demand.

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 bill that would have increased protections for renters in Nevada has apparently failed to clear the State Assembly and is essentially considered “dead,” according to reports.

Senate Bill 218 would have required a three-day grace period before landlords or property managers could have charged a tenant fees for a late rent payment, in addition to putting limits on “hidden” rental fees and setting limits on when landlords could collect rental application fees.

The bill cleared the State Senate on April in a vote along party lines, but then languished in the Assembly’s Commerce and Labor committee, where it was eventually confirmed by Democratic Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui , the Chairwoman of the committee, that it would not receive a hearing.

Lawmakers had previously passed a series of tenant protections in 2019 that capped rental late fees at 5 percent and extended timeframes for evictions, resulting in backlash from property owners in Las Vegas; when similar opposition appeared surrounding SB 218, attempts were made to tone down some of its provisions, but landlords argued that the new laws would cause “havoc and chaos” and that the bill was “an overreach.”

SB 218 is the latest of several pieces of legislation that have failed to pass that would have afforded more protections to renters, especially when it comes to affordable housing options. There are some rumors that lawmakers believe too many housing bills are being introduced this session, a situation that is only being more complicated by the ongoing housing crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Assembly Bill 308, sponsored by Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, also attempts to introduce similar tenant protections – including grace periods on late rent – but is considered much more moderate than SB 218 was; the new bill has been approved both by Nevada Realtors and the Nevada Apartment Association.

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 – As if Las Vegas landlords weren’t already beset with pandemic-related issues involving numerous tenants either behind on their rent – or, thanks to ongoing eviction moratoriums, not paying at all – now a troubling new trend has seen woes increase further- renters basically trashing their homes while in the process of leaving, according to reports.

Fox 5 Vegas reported on a recent story that landlords are finding all-too-familiar; a small, mom-and-pop landlord who had been renting out a house to a tenant who, at the start of the pandemic last March, simply stopped paying rent altogether. Some eventual funds came in courtesy of the CARES Act Housing Assistance Program (CHAP) which provided relief in December, but soon dried up, and the tenant, protected by eviction bans, refused to pay rent, leave, or even communicate on a potential compromise.

The landlord, a single woman who had plans to eventually retire in the home, instead decided to sell, filed an unlawful detainer, and the renter finally moved out; however, what they left behind was heartbreaking. Trash everywhere, fixtures ripped out, profane graffiti scrawled on the walls; even the refrigerator was wedged halfway up the staircase, blocking off the second floor.

She estimated the home has sustained as much as $10,000 in damages.

National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) Southern Nevada President Joshua Campa noted that this landlord’s story, sadly, is not unique these days, due to tenants taking advantage of COVID-19 era renting rules that favor renters over owners.

“Most of our move outs have been the worst we’ve ever seen,” he said. “Once you negate one aspect of the contract, the tenant thinks it’s free game. They’re like, ‘we don’t have to listen to any of the other rules anymore.’ The people who didn’t pay at all and destroyed property, it appears those are people that took advantage of the system, because they never reached out to us.”

Damage left behind by tenants is often a surprise, since landlords and property managers are also unable to conduct inspections due to the pandemic

The Nevada eviction ban ends May 31, which means that paperwork for evictions can start being filed; however, the actual evictions themselves cannot be carried out until ongoing court proceedings over the federal CDC eviction ban – originally slated to end June 30 – are settled.

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 – With the demand for rentals in Las Vegas absolutely on fire, real estate experts have stepped up to offer some helpful tips for those who may have grown frustrated in their attempts to successfully navigate the at-times cutthroat rental market in Southern Nevada.

This spring in Las Vegas, as many as ten prospective renters at a time are expecting to be competing for any given property. This is due to the fact that not just locals are involved, but a plethora of people who are transplanting themselves into the region from other states. Many of these newcomers are either renting while they have a new home constructed, or they’re forced to rent simply due to the fact that housing inventory in Vegas is low – and thus, highly coveted.

Due to the high demand, landlords and property managers can afford to pick the cream of the crop when it comes to tenants, so one tip is to make sure that you maintain a good relationship with your previous landlord by ensuring that you always pay rent on-time and that you leave your former rental in pristine condition so they will be willing to vouch for you to a new landlord.

Also, those looking to rent may actually want to consider buying a home instead, experts say, since – due to low interest rates currently – a mortgage payment can be less expensive than rent, at least for the time being. And if you’re interested in a rental property, it might be a good idea to ask the property manager how many applicants you’re up against; since most rental applications come attached with a fee, if you’re facing too much competition (again, some rental properties in Vegas can have as many as ten people duking it out) it might be better to pass it up to save money.

Navigating the Las Vegas rental market these days can be tricky, but hopefully these tips – and many others that are available online and through local tenant assistance groups  – can help you successfully land the rental property you’ve been looking for.

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, Airbnb has announced that they will be blocking one-night rentals in Las Vegas – and across the United States as a whole – during the Fourth of July weekend, and only guests with a significant history of positive reviews in their previous Airbnb transactions will be allowed to rent properties at all during the period of time surrounding Independence Day.

The announcement comes as multiple neighborhoods across the country have issued previous complaints regarding Airbnb customers disturbing their neighbors with wild partying, with the rental company referring to the upcoming months as their “summer of responsible travel.”

“As the July 4 weekend approaches, we are deploying more stringent restrictions on one and two-night reservations that may pose heightened risk for parties,” Airbnb announced in a statement. “For example, we will leverage our technology that restricts certain local and last-minute bookings by guests without a history of positive reviews on Airbnb and also block reservations within an expanded radius.”

Airbnb has instituted similar policies in the past around other holidays that tend to attract avid partiers, including News Year’s Eve. Previously, neighborhoods in the Southern Nevada region have complained about Airbnb rentals hosting disruptive groups that would engage in loud parties, leading to local municipalities enacting strict legislation to curb such activity.

In order to address such complaints from neighborhoods where Airbnb rentals had received such complaints, last summer the company suspended 20 listings in Clark County that had hosted house parities.

Short-term rentals in Las Vegas have taken off in the last year, and especially during the ongoing pandemic, as it allows homebound families and friends to vacation in a fancy home in a tourist destination while maintaining lodging that adheres to social distancing regulations, more so than most hotels can manage.

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 recently-released report from the Nevada State Apartment Association (NVSAA), the demand in the apartment market in Las Vegas has continued to remain strong and has even shown signs of growth, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Southern Nevada economy over the course of the past year.

The NVSAA report notes that apartment rents have continued to rise while vacancy rates have continued to shrink over the past 12 months. Rent has grown by 9.3 percent in the first quarter of 2021 when compared to the same period of time one year prior. Currently, the average rent of an apartment in Southern Nevada is sitting at $1,198 per month, which represents an increase from $1,138 from the fourth quarter of 2020 and $1,096 from one year ago.

However, despite the rising rents in Las Vegas, the NVSAA report is still quick to point out that they are still lower than the national average, which is currently $1,414 per month, a 2.9 percent increase from one year earlier.

As for vacancy rates, the average vacancy during the first quarter of 2021 is 5.4 percent, which represents a decrease from 5.9 percent from the fourth quarter of 2020 and 6.9 percent from one year ago.

Over the years from 2015 to 2019, Southern Nevada apartment rents increased at a regular rate until the pandemic hit last March; at that point, rents dropped significantly but – just as quickly – rebounded and have now gone beyond their pre-pandemic peak.

Another reason for the high demand is a lack of new inventory on the market; during the peak of the pandemic, new apartment development was slowed, but has since regained speed; according to the NVSAA, as of the first quarter of 2021, 3,826 Las Vegas apartment units are currently under 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 – According to reports, the Nevada Assembly last week approved a bill on a vote of 26-16 that will seal records of evictions that occur during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the passage of Assembly Bill 141, tenants who have received summary evictions from their landlords or property managers for non-payment of rent for the duration of the pandemic will automatically have the records of said evictions automatically sealed. As a result, any landlord in the future would have no way of knowing of their prospective tenant’s history of rent delinquency, up to and including having been evicted.

The bill would cover the period of time beginning March 20, 2020, and will remain in effect until Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak calls an official end to the state of emergency brought about by COVID-19.

Renters across the state have rejoiced at the news of the bill’s passage, with Tiara Moore, Housing Justice Organizer with the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN), saying that it will help residents to find housing without being burdened by their pasts.

“The passing of AB141 is a start in the right direction to help Nevadans facing housing insecurity,” she said. “For many, a single eviction is enough to keep a family housing insecure and reliant on others to find a place to stay for years. This would break down that barrier for Nevada’s tenants who have had to endure one of the hardest economic crises in our lifetime.”

Assembly Bill 141 also represents yet another distinct disadvantage for landlords who have already been forced to shoulder many burdens throughout the pandemic due to multiple state and federal eviction bans. Prior to the bill’s passage in the Assembly last week, it faced steep pushback from property landlords and owners.

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.