Las Vegas Sees Steady Appreciation in 2013

Here's an article from the Las Vegas Review Journal about the overall appreciation for the Las Vegas Valley during 2013. In addition, I have posted a list by zip code of the price changes between 2012 and 2013 for all the zip codes in Las Vegas.

Most ZIP Codes in Las Vegas Valley see growth in home values

By HUBBLE SMITH
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

After spending years deep in the red, Las Vegas home price appreciation rates returned to the black in 2012 in all but three of the valley’s 58 ZIP codes, SalesTraq housing research firm reported.

The largest gain was in ZIP code 89030, an area of North Las Vegas around Interstate 15 and Cheyenne Avenue, where median home prices increased 21.1 percent last year, to $45,000.

Ironically, 89030 was also one of the hardest-hit ZIP codes for foreclosures, not just in the Las Vegas Valley, but in the nation. That same turnabout is reflected in many of the ZIP codes that posted double-digit appreciation in 2012.

“In terms of rate of price appreciation, select areas that were hardest-hit have seen some pickup in the last year as prices over-corrected in those areas,” SalesTraq housing analyst Brian Gordon said. “They experienced greater-than-average depreciation and they now have some of the greatest demand and lowest availability, which have helped to drive prices north.”

The negative numbers came in outlying areas such as 89085, the northern-most ZIP code in the Aliante master-planned community of North Las Vegas. Prices dropped 3.5 percent there, from $168,000 in 2011 to $162,100 last year.

Buyers are less willing to pay higher prices for homes that are farthest away from their place of employment, shopping centers, parks and schools, Gordon said. Areas closer to the Beltway in Aliante, such as 89084 and 89086, showed 3.5 percent and 2.9 percent appreciation, respectively.

Home values in Boulder City (89005), which was not included in previous ZIP code reports, depreciated 8.5 percent to $151,000 in 2012.

“If you look at the Las Vegas Valley, you’d see that nearly every ZIP code showed positive appreciation,” Gordon said. “The areas that experienced the most significant growth are ZIP codes in and around master-planned communities like Summerlin and Anthem.”

ZIP code 89052, which includes Anthem, posted the second-highest appreciation rate at 20.8 percent, with a median price of $232,000. That’s up $40,000 from 2011.

Read the entire article in The RJ

Halloween in Anthem Country Club!

In every city, there are certain streets that become famous for their holiday celebrations, drawing crowds of participants. Among the best neighborhoods in Las Vegas for Halloween treats is Anthem Country Club in Henderson, and, more specifically, Plum Hollow.

Plum Hollow is a neighborhood of about 55 homes within Anthem Country Club. Of course Anthem is a guard gated golf course community, so you have to know someone to gain access. But if you do, it is a Halloween bonanza!

It all started when the four residents of Darcy Court (a smaller cul de sac inside Plum Hollow) decided to get together and elaborately decorate their homes with a theme, Spooky Hollow.  Word quickly spread, and after only a couple of Halloweens, it was THE hottest place in town and the cul de sac had to be cordoned off to cars. It has now become a neighborhood tradition and one gigantic block party.

My personal favorite was the "Haunted High" Halloween. One front yard sported a high school football field complete with goal posts and yard markers. There were life size skeletons dressed up in football jerseys in the midst of a scrimmage. The next yard over featured the high school prom. The prom skeleton king and queen sat on thrones surrounded by their skeleton prom court, all in formal prom attire. You get the picture.

How insane is it? A resident of Plum Hollow can expect to get about 1,000 Trick or Treaters of all ages. That is NOT a typo. Literally about 1,000! They come in carloads, busloads and vanloads, by golf carts, scooters and bikes.  The Homeowner's Association in Anthem has even seriously considered giving the residents of Plum Hollow an annual stipend to help pay for the candy.

How do I know all this? I live right on the corner at the entry to Plum Hollow. I am the first house hit by the candy munchkins each year.  Last year one of my friends who lives at the far end of the street had purchased 800 Rice Crispy Treats to distribute. She ran out by 7pm and had to shut off her lights.

About four years ago, we tried to hold a Halloween party at our house for about 80 people. We spent three weeks decorating, and constructed a spooky Bat Cave with rolling mist at the entry to our home for guests to enter through.  Before we knew it, our front courtyard was a sea of bodies and no one could get in or out. Complete strangers (mostly older teenagers) were walking through our home, eating the food, helping themselves to drinks, and dancing to the band. We had to escort them out, politely but firmly, and finally station a "guard" at the front door.

Of course, if you are considering buying a home in Anthem and are not super crazy about Halloween, you might want to skip Plum Hollow. But the good news is, the other neighborhoods in Anthem get a more traditional flow of Spidermen, lady bugs and fairy princesses, anywhere between 30 to 50 kids. I still get a kick out of it, and it's only one night a year. And when we want to take a break, we can always just go out to dinner and a movie for the evening.

Finding Homes by Las Vegas School Zones

Choosing the right school for your children goes hand in hand with buying a home in Las Vegas for your family; Both of which are very important decisions.

You’ve found the perfect real estate agent who found you the perfect house, but what is the neighborhood school? Will my child be able to take the school bus? How many students are there per class? Add these things to the long, yet wonderful, list of "Things Parents Need To Know!" I’ll share some of my short cuts with you hoping this information will make your home buying and school search easier.  

There are specific zones within the school district that designate which schools service specific neighborhoods. This information is found on the MLS Listings (Elementary, Middle, Junior HS, and High School), but that information is not guaranteed to be accurate. When a school district changes its ‘zoning’ it does not automatically update the school information on a property that is listed for sale or rent. 

For example, when I was looking to purchase a home in Las Vegas,  I found the perfect house…. but it wasn’t in the same zone so my children would have to change schools. Not good, so I kept looking. From that point on I personally double-checked every address I was interested in so I knew exactly which schools my children would attend if we purchased that particular house.  

A little background information: The Clark County School District, as of 2012, is the fifth largest school district in the United States. It serves all of Clark County, Nevada, including the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Boulder City.

I wanted to learn more about the schools in Clark County, so I did some research. I found these types of reports to be very helpful in the school choice for my children: Annual Reports of Accountability, State of Nevada and Specific Schools – Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), Test Scores on Assessments, and many levels of Demographics. I found all this information at this website: http://www.nevadareportcard.com/   

 

You can find out what schools a property is currently zoned for by visiting the Clark County School website by going to: http://ccsd.net/schools/zoning/search/ 

 

This specific link will bring you to the School Zoning Search by Property Address. When you get to this page, simply type in the Street Number and Street Name. The school results will show you exactly which schools that particular address is zoned for and the Transportation Department’s contact information is found on that page. (Keep in mind, almost ALL school personnel are on vacation during the summer and you probably won't be able to contact them.)

What happens if you find "The Perfect House" but it’s not zoned for the school you want your child to attend? There is a process called "Open Enrollment" you can go through with the school district requesting special permission. There is no guarantee your request to change your neighborhood school will be honored and you cannot even make the request until you can show proof of residence (copy of utility bill in your name at that address, for example). 

If you don't have already have an address, but you have selected a school, you can search homes for sale located in specific school zones by going to: Vegas Homes for Sale by High School or Vegas Homes for Sale by Middle School

 

Do the research in advance and make an educated decision to avoid headaches and/or heartbreaks down the road.

by Lisa Albarian - guest blogger and mother

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