Las Vegas - the Gourmet Capital of the World?

Back in the day, the all-you-can-eat buffet for $2.99 is what everyone talked about when they came to visit Las Vegas. After a night of carousing on Fremont Street, we would pile into the Golden Nugget for the late night steak and lobster special for only $5.99 or the 50 cent shrimp cocktail. But our tastes and expectations have changed a bit.

 

It all started back in 1992 when Wolfgang Puck opened Spago at Caesars Palace. Now he has seven restaurants in Vegas, including one at McCarren Airport.

 

Eight years later in 2000, there were still only two more adventurers: Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay. Today there are many more famous chefs opening signature restaurants and trying their luck at new culinary ideas. I’m thankful so many wonderful chefs have decided to use Las Vegas as a “tasting ground” for their innovative ideas. The service quality is usually remarkable along with the unique food combinations. (It's one of the things that makes living in Las Vegas so amazing. We have more five star gourmet restaurants and chefs per capita than any other city in the world.)

“What’s THAT!?!?!” has become a key phrase based on Kitchen Nightmares, and many people watched Chef Gordon Ramsey choose his executive chef on Hell's Kitchen for his recently opened Steak House at the Paris Hotel. There’s a sign on a wall at Caesars Palace touting a new restaurant coming soon (Love the pig silouette covered in a UK flag design). We all wonder how Gordon Ramsey finds the time to do it all (and many of us now fear searing scallops).

 

Also at Caesars is Mesa Bar and Grill owned by Bobby Flay. The outer wall is made of glass so you can see across the tables into the kitchen. One word: Tapas! 

 

Turn to the right and down the hallway you’ll see another sign on a wall stating only one word: NOBU. Hard Rock Hotel hosts one of Nobu’s Japanese fusion restaurants which offers zen-like décor with excellent customer attentiveness, but what’s in the works at Caesars is nothing short of spectacular! Nobu is opening an exclusive restaurant AND his first ever Nobu Hotel. It’s so beyond words, I can only share the link: https://www.totalrewards.com/nobu/ 

BAR, BOOK and BAM? Check out Emeril Lagasse’s Stadium at the Palazzo or Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House at the MGM Grand. The list goes on and on, so if you’re a Food Network fan, Wanna Be Chef, Foodie, or just want a glimpse of a Famous Chef – be sure to make reservations and expect to pay a high price for a high quality dining experience in the “tasting ground” of Las Vegas.

 

by Guest Blogger and Food Junkie
Lisa Albarian
Writer for the Las Vegas Real Estate Market News Blog

 

What Foreign Buyers Need to Know

We have received several requests lately from overseas buyers about what the requirements are for foreign nationals who want to purchase property in Las Vegas. Actually the process is pretty simple - we have listed the guidelines below:

1.       Except for Canadian citizens buying second homes in the States, most foreign nationals will need to purchase with cash because the financing for foreign nationals has really dried up. They will need to bring proof of funds, a current bank statement or a bank letter of credit, in order to submit an offer.

2.      They will need to have a US bank account with cleared funds. So all money for the purchase should be placed in a US bank with enough time for the funds to clear. If they wire in the money, it will only take a couple of days for the funds to clear.

3.       There are no special taxes or fees for foreign homebuyers using the property as a primary or secondary residence. Rental properties would be subject to US federal income taxes annually.

4.       When they go to sell the home, the escrow company will withhold a percentage of the sales price for US federal taxes until the foreign buyer has filed and paid the US taxes in total. I can’t give you a specific percentage, because it depends on the sales price, if there has been a gain on the home, and what laws are in place at that time. Right now most escrow companies are withholding 10%.

And that's about it. There are a few countries whose citizens are not eligible to purchase homes in the States (usually terrorist related), but that is a very small number. And currently with the great rate of exchange against the US dollar and record breaking low prices on Las Vegas housing, it makes all the sense in the world for foreign buyers to take advantage of our real estate market.

 

 

 

Great Golfing in Vegas!

By Diann Tonnesen

Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or you're a golf addict like me, Las Vegas has some of the best and most luxurious golf courses around. In the summer when I was a kid and school was out, I used to play in the SNGA junior golf program, and we always played a different course each week. Due to there being over 50 golf courses in Vegas, it was never a challenge to find a new track.

All of the courses have a unique design that separates each from the other. The price ranger differs for public golfers, depending on the golfer’s choice of 9 or 18 holes. The medium price on a public course for a full 18 holes is about 75 dollars with a cart. Some of the prices for the more prestigious courses might be from $150-$300.

My favorite courses to play is tied between Dragon Ridge, Rio Secco, the Lake Las Vegas South Shore course and Anthem Country Club, keeping in mind that there are very few local golf courses I have not played. These particular courses contain hidden greens and obstacles that can challenge the best of players. When I was in high school, we were forced to walk the Rio Secco golf course in Seven Hills  (which anyone who has golfed there can tell you it’s not easy to play even WITH a  cart), so remember to bring a compass and a rope. Some of the sheer edges can be difficult to walk up (or should I say scale) and quite dangerous as well.

So be careful which ever courses you are visiting and remember to bring some water with you - this is Vegas after all, nothing but dry heat!

PS... My parents always came to watch me play, but I am still not sure whether they were really watching or checking out some of the fabulous homes that surrounded the courses. Ah well, at least they showed up! LOL