Foreign Investors Back in Las Vegas

High prices in international housing markets, combined with the weakening US dollar and the current slump in US housing values, have foreign investors taking another look at Las Vegas real estate investments.

With the high price of foreign real estate, investors are bargain shopping in the United States to take advantage of the favorable rate of exchange while it lasts. One of the most popular housing areas being scrutinized is the Las Vegas homes market. Though previously touted as the one of the markets most likely to crash after high appreciation rates, the decline in Las Vegas prices seems to be stabilizing due to the continued steady growth of 6,000 new residents each month and an expanding labor shortage as more of the multi purpose mega projects like the MGM City Center come online. As the labor shortage problem worsens over the next twelve months and as another year of baby boomers hits retirement age, a spike in prices is expected to roll out towards the end of 2008.

But currently prices are still at a three year low with the number of foreclosures to choose from providing a bonanza for those with cash. Las Vegas new homes builders are offering incredible incentives as well in order to move standing inventory so they can go on to new projects. And they are offering foreign nationals favorable financing with 30% down at American lending institutions despite the recent credit crunch. Foreign residents can even obtain financing with 10% down, good credit and local employment.

One of the most popular investments for the international buyer seems to be the mixed use high rise projects going up along the Las Vegas Strip and in downtown Las Vegas. In addition to the luxurious high rises in the MGM City Center and the Cosmopolitan, mid rise urban lifestyle developments like Sullivan Square and Manhattan West are also gaining in popularity. Prices range from the high $200s to over $5 million for some of the penthouse properties, with a wide range in between for preconstruction. And there are some real steals to be had in the burgeoning resale market in developments like Panorama and the MGM Residences where buyers intended to flip quickly rather than hold long term.

Tightening Credit Causing New Home Cancellations

Cancellations on Las Vegas new homes are rising around the Valley. Home Builders Research released statistics showing that the cancellation rate on purchases of new homes in the Valley jumped to 53 percent in August.

The rate had been closer to 30 percent two months ago before lenders starting tightening credit. Lenders are requiring higher credit scores, and those who don't have good credit are required to put down a greater down payment or pay higher interest rates. Even people with good credit are finding it harder to get jumbo loans of $417,000 and above. Those who can't document their income are also having difficulty getting loans.

"Buyers are certainly not canceling because they are changing their minds," said Dennis Smith, president of Home Builders Research. "They are canceling because something has changed in their monthly payments."

The good news for patient buyers who were waiting for the real estate market to bottom out is that builders have drastically lowered their prices and are offering incredible incentives in order to move inventory. And a few Las Vegas top real estate agents are negotiating even better deals for their buyers than the tracts are initially offering based on the volume of buyers they are able to bring to the tract. Smith reports Meritage Homes lowered prices in some of their subdivisions by $50,000. And Rhodes Homes is selling homes for $125 to $130 per square foot, way below 2005 levels.

But despite current soft market conditions, Las Vegas is continuing to grow at a rapid pace, and reports say recovery is likely to come faster here than in any other city in the country. A large shortage in labor and a retiring baby boomer generation spell a large population increase in the imminent future which should effectively eliminate the housing surplus and return the market to balanced buying and selling conditions. In order to take advantage of the existing builder discounts, contact our office at 702-985-7654 and ask to speak to one of our new homes specialists.

Las Vegas Housing Affordability and the Future

Las Vegas homes have risen dramatically in price over the past few years despite recent modest declines, and many families have been priced out of the market. Worse yet, many were the victims of predatory loans during the subprime bonanza and are struggling to make ends meet. The Las Vegas District Council of the Urban Land Institute has identified Las Vegas home affordability as one of its key target issues. According to the 2005-2009 HUD Consolidated Plan, in Clark County over 122,000 moderate and low-income households are estimated to be paying for housing they cannot really afford.

The National Association of Home Builders issued a report in the third quarter of 2006 indicating that only 14 percent of the homes in Clark County are affordable to households earning the median income (median household income approximately $53,000). Today, the median price of a resale home in Las Vegas is $278,000, more than five times the median income, while the median price of a Las Vegas new home is $326,750, or six times the median income. Traditional lending guidelines suggest buyers should qualify for home loans at about three times their annual incomes.

Two factors, among others, have played a major role in increased costs of housing:

1. There is a limited supply of Las Vegas land available for development in the valley. Rising land development and construction costs also contributed to the incredible increase in the land basis for home builders during 2003-2005.
2. Some of the strongest in-migration in the United States (6,000 - 7,000 per month) has been attracted to Southern Nevada by the robust job growth. This helped spur some of the strongest housing demand in the United States.

An anticipated labor shortage crunch due to hit in mid 2008 is expected to increase migration to the Valley and keep prices relatively strong. Decreases in 2007, while a bit helpful, have not come close to overcoming affordability issues for a majority of residents. This issue has long been crisis in California cities and it remains to be seen what local Las Vegas governments can do about it.