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Need some guidance on where to rent a house

Discussion in 'Living in Sin (City that is)' started by Woman2Blame, Feb 16, 2014.

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  1. Woman2Blame

    Woman2Blame Tourist

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    DH and I are planning a move to Vegas for the end of 2014. I'm trying to get an idea of the rental housing market, but really need some help figuring out what's what.

    So we'll probably want a short term rental for a few months while we find a house to rent. Can anyone recommend somewhere to find short term rentals (~3-6 months), in a good safe neighborhood? Safety is really important to me, as I will be home alone more often than not. Are there any short term rentals that include utilities and/or cable & internet? Out budget is $800/month max if nothing is included...up to $1000 if it includes anything. Something close to public transportation is a big plus, but not a deal breaker if we can't get that.

    I'll start looking at rental houses once we're out there....but can someone point me in the right direction? Again, looking for a safe neighborhood. I've heard I should stay away from North LV - is that true? Having a pool is important to me (we would prefer a private pool, not a community pool.) We don't really care how many bedrooms/bathrooms, or if it's a little outdated that's ok - a pool and a good neighborhood are really what we care about the most. Is it possible to get that for under $1300/month?

    I've been looking at Craigslist....but since I don't know the areas outside of the strip very well, it's hard to tell what I'm looking at.

    Any and all insight is helpful!

    Thanks!!
     
  2. Packrat1

    Packrat1 Low-Roller

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    Here is a crime map its a little outdated but for the most part pretty accurate.
    http://www.donohueteam.com/Crime/index.html

    If the city has the word North in it then it is a higher crime rate pretty much.

    Also you really can't grab a place without visiting the neighborhood or home. As far as Craigslist be very carefull. There are many scammers posing as Realtors or owners and take your money when they don't own the home.

    Additionally be sure to visit the area you are wanting to live late at night as the "landscape" may change alot. If the place has a cheap rent its probably in a bad area or is a scam. Try Realtor.com and Redfin and the like for honest rentals.

    If you go to North Las Vegas you will be disapointed. Watch out for the pig farm too as the smell can get bad. Also make sure you are not in the flight pattern for the Air Force base or other Airports.

    Just my opinion others may vary.

    Also check a forum called city-data.com lots of good advice there. I have two homes in 89052 area code.
    http://www.city-data.com/forum/las-vegas/
     
  3. Packrat1

    Packrat1 Low-Roller

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    Also be sure to check online to see if the house you are planning on renting is in foreclosure. There are a couple of websites to check that.
     
  4. Woman2Blame

    Woman2Blame Tourist

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    Thank you for the info and the links PackRat!!

    Very helpful info!

    I also read somewhere to look for older neighborhoods - homes build in the 1970's, as they typically have bigger yards and more distance from neighbors than the newer homes. Anyone know what part of Vegas I would find older homes? Summerlin and Henderson are both newer developments, correct??

    Thanks - I appreciate all the info I can get!
     
  5. Packrat1

    Packrat1 Low-Roller

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    What you should do is consider getting a reputable local Vegas Realtor to look for you. When you go to Vegas be sure to bring your GPS it will help a lot.
     
  6. TomTWI

    TomTWI Custom Title

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    You can rent a 2 bed condo unit for around $800 in a nice safe South West area. This would include water but not cable. I know you said private pool but this would be community pool with exercise room and club house. Check zip code 89113 89117 89118. Usually 6 month lease is required.

    For buying a home in an older area try Spring Valley. Crime will be higher than the Southwest however.

    On this site you can put in an address or zip code to check crime stats. http://www.crimemapping.com/map/nv/lasvegas

    Good luck.

    TomTWI
     
  7. Woman2Blame

    Woman2Blame Tourist

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    Thank you for that link TomTWI. From what I've read here and on other forums, it sounds like North LV is pretty much out of the question for us. It seems that Southwest LV is the place to be, for the most part, so I will focus our search there.

    I'm mostly worried about burglary and car theft. I also want to feel safe walking in the street. My husband and I are in our mid-20's/30's - we don't hand around with a bad crowd or get involved with drugs. We pretty much keep to ourselves and don't cause trouble, so I imagine we'd do okay in any relatively safe area. But then again, we come from a place where we don't even lock our front door half the time! - so this is certainly a huge culture change for us! :eek:
     
  8. TomTWI

    TomTWI Custom Title

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    Yes it is a huge change. I like the gated communities with roving guards. It's not fail safe but it's another level of security.

    In the SW area we are in I have walked at night and I have had no problems so far. Not sure if it's recommended anywhere in LV.

    Now some areas of North Las Vegas can be nice and safe like Aliante I think it's called. And last I looked the prices were a little lower. I avoided that area only because it's a farther drive from where I will want to go most of the time. If you mean the North East yes I would avoid that area from everything I've heard.


    TomTWI
     
  9. vegasbound

    vegasbound VIP Whale

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    You can do apartment rentals short term, you'll pay a premium to do so, but you'll have far more luck that route than short term condo or house rentals. Some apartments include water, many do not. Very few include other utilities. Many have electric only (no gas).

    We have plenty of good neighborhoods, however, they are not free from crime. I have friends in a gated section of Rhodes Ranch which is guarded at all entrances/exits. Their next door neighbor has had SWAT come out twice. My husbands coworker had her car stolen from her garage in a gated community in affluent part of the Red Rock Country Club. Friends in Southern Highlands had an attempted break in in broad daylight. My boss had her home robbed also mid afternoon (Flamingo/Jones). My brother has had two mopeds stolen from his parking spot at his apartment (behind the Palms) which is gated and has roving security. These are all areas I feel perfectly safe when solo. I'm 33, female.

    I lived in Spring Valley for ten years before moving to Silverado Ranch. It's a bit older so homes have larger yards and less strict HOAs. Neighborhoods have all conveniences nearby, unlike Summerlin and Green Valley where you might have to drive through two miles of homes and parks before reaching a gas station. Silverado Ranch is pretty similar though a bit newer and less congested. I've been in that area nearly a year without complaints.

    In both areas you'll find condos start about $750, apartments are closer to $800 for 2 bed. $1000+ for house with community pool, and $1600+ for rental house with pool. If you want to stretch your dollar further search Centennial Hills or Aliante (the commute is too far to the strip for my personal consideration). Still, I'm doubtful you will find a nice rental in a good area with a pool for under $1300.

    Good advice was given before to check any address with the crime mapper and look up home's assessors history to be sure taxes have been paid, and verify it is not soon to be foreclosed upon.
     
  10. Woman2Blame

    Woman2Blame Tourist

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    OMG! We were actually just looking at a house online last night for rent in Rhodes Ranch. It looked like a nice area - my husband loved that it's close to a golf course. I hope that SWAT thing was just one bad apple!
     
  11. CalifLovesVegas

    CalifLovesVegas High-Roller

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    I can recommend Rhodes Ranch. We had a house there we rented out, but its not up for rent right now. But if you can find one in there, they have wonderful amenities, and guard gated. Nice area overall. Too bad if one bad apple spoils it, but its a large golf course community so keep looking. Best of the bunch are backyards ON the golf course. That would be my first pick. :licklips:
     
  12. Woman2Blame

    Woman2Blame Tourist

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    Thank you!! Good to hear from someone who owns there. I was curious what is included in the HOA, if you are able to answer that for me! Are the gym, waterpark, and golf course all included, or do you pay extra to access those amenities? Thanks! :)
     
  13. suecasey

    suecasey Low-Roller

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    North Las Vegas gets a bad rap because of certain "inner city" type neighborhoods, which are nowhere near where I live. However, zip codes 89084, 89085, and 89086 are very safe, and rents are lower than in Henderson. We also don't flood when it rains, whereas Henderson does. I live in 89084 -- the Aliante Master Community -- and it's very nice. We're very close to the 215 beltway, so it doesn't take long to get anywhere in town.
     
  14. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    As to the geography of golf course living: A house by a tee box is safe. Avoid the right side from 150 yards out and continuing another 100 yards or so. On the left, you can stretch that starting and finishing yardage a bit, but remember, when these balls come at your house/kids/dog, they're usually coming in low and very hot.

    This public service announcement brought to you by someone with a two-way miss.
     
  15. suecasey

    suecasey Low-Roller

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    Agree with Ken. I wouldn't want to live right on a golf course. I have friends here in Sun City Aliante whose houses are totally "pock-marked" from golf balls hitting the house. And the HOA requires that they repair their houses.
     
  16. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    I don't have a problem with course frontage, per se. It just takes using a little thought, as anything else in purchasing a home. Wrong spot? Hello stucco-bombs.

    Projectiles notwithstanding, it beats another house back there, and in so many planned communities -- rather ironic concept when you look at the inherent l-u inconsistencies in many -- where you get a stamp-sized lot, it's a bit of needed open space.
     
  17. TomTWI

    TomTWI Custom Title

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    Good Advice

    This is good advice if there are any golfers like me around!
     
  18. ajonate

    ajonate Low-Roller

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    I wouldn't buy a place right now if I were you. First, you should make up your own mind about what part of town you want to live in. I suggest that you get an apartment in the resort area. There are tons of affordable apartments just north of Palms. Get an apartment in that area for 6 months or a year, then consider buying.

    Another reason is that many people believe we're in a real estate bubble right now. If that's true, you might find yourself on the good side of a correction in 6 months or a year. I don't expect anything as big as we saw in 2007, but I expect a modest correction. Real estate prices have been increasing too fast to be sustainable.

    Good luck!
     
  19. CalifLovesVegas

    CalifLovesVegas High-Roller

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    I agree with the Rent First scenario, especially if you are only familiar with the strip or DT from vacations.
    Sue knows N. LV very well, and shes a good one to talk with if you consider up there.
    I happen to like golf course & Red rock mountain view.
    Only ONE stucco bomb, but yeah, it does make a difference Where on the course your home is located.
    Safety is a Big concern, if you ask me.
    If you can Rent for awhile and see where You feel most comfortable.
    Good luck out there.
     
  20. ajonate

    ajonate Low-Roller

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    If I had to say where my favorite part of town to live in might be, it would be generally somewhere east of the Strip between I-15 and I-515. The closer to the strip the better.

    Areas to avoid are the apartment area south of Trop between UNLV & the airport. It's kind of an off-campus ghetto, with problems. You'll also want to avoid the apartment area along Twain, between Paradise & Maryland. That's a low-rent housing area for people who work at the resorts (housekeepers, servers, etc.).

    As I said before, if you're looking for an apartment near the Strip try the area north of the Palms.

    The area east of the Strip doesn't have to be expensive. There are also a variety of neighborhood styles to choose from. There's an older neighborhood in exceptional condition north of Sahara in the vicinity of Maryland. That was a classy neighborhood in the 1960s, and is still in impressive condition. Newer neighborhoods can be found to the south. The area around Harmon east of UNLV is nice.

    A lot of people look in the newer areas of town (Summerlin, Centennial Hills, Aliante, etc.). It's fine with me if that's what you want, but it's pretty far from the resorts. To my way of thinking, when you get that far out you lose the atmosphere of Las Vegas. You might as well be in Phoenix.
     
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