Want to move to vegas

[angelbaby27]

I have been thinking about moving to vegas for a while now but since i dont know anyone who lives out there i am stuck on where to live.i have found a few apartments online but i dont want to just go there with out knowing about the area first. if anyone can help me please email me at
kali041@yahoo.com .
thank you
steph

[Coaster Kikky]

I made the move in February after thinking about it for a good couple of years.

Since I really only knew the areas where the casinos are at the time, I planned to make several trips to discover the outlying neighborhoods. I went to several apartment renting websites such as apartments.com, forrent.com, rent.com and others and searched based on mostly 3 criteria: cost, allowing me to have at least a cat or two, and a washer & dryer within the apartment. Everyone will have a different set of search criteria, those were mine.

I made a notebook out of the material I printed. I also Googled all the addresses not only to find where on the map they were but to check the satellite picture to make sure the area wasn't totally industrial or next to something I might not want to be next to (NIMBY). I also took a look at the addresses in conjunction with a crime report website who's address has been posted within this forum (quite some time ago - doing a search on "crime website" would probably turn up the thread). Seeing the trends in neighborhoods helped me weed out some potentially not-so-pleasant areas for a single female to live. All told, I had between 20-25 places to check out on 3 trips out here.

I made the trips at Thanksgiving and in January. The Thanksgiving day trip I visited a few, but spent more time acclimating myself to the roadways and figuring out what area of the valley "felt like home". By the end of that trip, I knew that I felt more at home and comfortable in the southeast section of the city - in Henderson if possible. I ruled out a couple apartments on drive-bys alone because the neighborhood just didn't appeal to me, and by my last visit had narrowed it down to two properties. My #1 choice didn't have a 1 bedroom apartment available anywhere near my moving timeline, so I went with #2 and am happy I did.

I do know there has been at least one board member who moved here into an apartment sight unseen. I don't think I could do that. If you don't think you could, there really isn't any choice but to make some recognizance travel plans.

[JScott276]

The town is very transient. Becuase so many move to LV without a plan chasing a dream, many wind up there and find themselves wanting to leave.

I would think long and hard about moving somewhere without a support system (friends and/or family). I did it once and it was a real bitch. I can't reccomend it.

The town has a lot of people that pray on people that just move there. Housing is tight there. Employment while plentiful likely will come at a wage that does not keep up with the impressive cost of living the town has. Because people move in and out so much, so many employers will not hire unless you have been in the valley for a while. Unless you have something lined up, don't be surpirsed if takes you a while to find a job that does require you to wear a hair net and a name tag. If you are expecting to make it in the hospitaility or labor industry remember this- the really good jobs are union, require internships, and generally take forever to get- the not so good ones can be filled by someone who doesn't need worker's comp, a living wage, or anything else as long as the employer does not ask for a green card.

Before moving there, I would have a job, a place (that cots less than my job), and some cash saved up. Realistically, you will not be able to afford glitzy vegas. Plan on living in an over-priced box apartment somewhere on Decatur. (If you don't know where Decatur is, you're not ready to move yet.)

I don't know who you are but I am afraid something very bad may happen to you if you move there on a whim.

Maybe if you offered some more information, I would feel better about giving you advice. You probably just want to say "&%$# you!" to me because of my bad attitude.

From your short post, I just wonder if you have done all the research.

[Coaster Kikky]

Steph, I see in your profile that you have yet to pay Las Vegas any visits. I really can't recommend moving anywhere you've never seen with your own eyes. While the glitz and glamour of the city is made apparant in tv and films, and the "What Happens in Vegas..." commercials, there is also a working city here. The combination of the two, as well as a strong military presence in town, makes it unlike any other city in the world. Yes, it's exciting but it isn't for everyone.

You really need to see if you fall in love with the city for itself, not what you perceive it to be, before you think about making a move here. After that, feel free to fall in love at will like so many of the rest of us have on this board.

[howzie]

We visited 25 times before moving here. Many of our trips were also scouting trips. You really need to get to know the town, both viscerally and through research. That said, I think JScott overstates, by a long shot, the downfalls.

Just remember that it is hot. We love the heat, but wouldn't be here if we hadn't bought a house with a pool. I wouldn't consider anyplace without a pool--even if it is a community pool.

[alisoninaz]

Steph, I see in your profile that you have yet to pay Las Vegas any visits. I really can't recommend moving anywhere you've never seen with your own eyes. While the glitz and glamour of the city is made apparant in tv and films, and the "What Happens in Vegas..." commercials, there is also a working city here. The combination of the two, as well as a strong military presence in town, makes it unlike any other city in the world. Yes, it's exciting but it isn't for everyone.

Eh. Then you also probably see that the post starting this thread is the only one she's made. My money's on her not having editing her profile yet.

[angelbaby27]

i have read all your posts and first off want to say thank u to everyone whos posted it means a great deal to me..this is what i have done so far:
Coaster Kikky~~~ i have looked at apartment site for the past 3 weeks.my critiera is a lot like yours i wanted a washer/dryer in unit but i can live without one for a while if i had too.Cost was my main concern right now.as for making trips my situation will not let me to do that right now( i am in a bad relationship and dont want my finace to know about this) so me going to veas to do some homework on the areas is out of the question.i know that the tv commercials make vegas look all glitzy and wonderful and i am fully aware that i wont be living a "vegas dream" which is fine for me.
JScott276~~~ i have taken into consideration about my job and where i work i would be able to transfer and then once i get settled i can look for something better, i have heard that jobs wont hire until u have lived there for awhile. i dont know where Decatur is so i will look it up.i do know fremont street, harmon ave and dolittle street and balzar street(sp???) from looking up apartments.
howzie~~~ i have a friend who lives out west who tells me about the heat but its hot here on the east coast also so im fine with it...a community pool works for me.
Thanks to all of you for your replies but i think that moving out there is a good idea and makes me happy to think about living there...i moved to new york without knowing anything and its not that bad...i just hate ny and only moved here to be with my fiance.
if anyone can help me more about where to look for an apartment i would sure appreciate it
thanks
steph

[aggie182]

^^^good luck chica.