Living in Las Vegas?

I have an opportunity to do what a lot of other Californians seem to be doing right now: move to Las Vegas. Besides becoming less and less enchanted with California, Vegas seems like a great place to live.

I'm specifically looking at the Summerlin area (west Vegas). My wife and I want to go to this area for their schools and very family-friendly atmosphere for our son.

Here's a rough list of the biggest 'pros':

• Cash-out California equity (I live in San Diego). We could get in a brand-new, considerably upgraded, larger home, and still reduce our mortgage considerably.
• Low-maintenance desertscape. My backyard right now drives me nuts; fast-growing foliage everywhere! I'm tired of cutting grass, pulling weeds, trimming trees, paying for palms to get cleaned up, and more. I'd love a little- to zero-maintenance backyard that's still fully functional with a pool and outdoor kitchen.
• No state tax on wages; that's an immediate pay bump.
• Generally lower cost of living across the board compared to California.
• The outdoor lifestyle in Vegas is similar to what I already have here, but I still think there's more there. I already mountain bike and roadbike and could do that out there (would be next to Red Rock Canyon). I'd love to get a UTV or a Jeep for the accessible off-roading. I golf a lot. The gun laws are way more relaxed versus California, and I like target shooting.

The 'cons' are:

• The heat. Duh. But honestly, I'm in inland North County San Diego, and we get some brutal heat where I am at already. Plus, the heat in Vegas seems to be for 2-3 months, but then it goes away. My average temps where I live in San Diego were higher last month than they were in Vegas.
• All of my other cons are related to friends, family, job-type of stuff, so it doesn't make sense to compare it to California.

I've read a lot on the 'net, and Vegas (especially the Summerlin area) are pretty highly reviewed as great places to live. We're also considering Henderson, but that's slightly less desirable due to where my job would be located. Henderson has been ranked the 2nd safest city to live in the United States.

Anyone make a similar move and/or live there and have some advice on living in Vegas? Am I missing some obvious cons? There's got to be something to it for there to me a mass exodus of residents and businesses leaving California and going to Vegas.

 

First off...east of the 5 is either El Cajon or Escon-dildo not San Diego.

Second...before I offer advice what is the beeb rate for the guest room? Can I pay in left over hookers and blow?

That said....get the eff out of CA.
You'll like it

 

Let me know how it goes. I’m in LA. I want to do the same, wife doesn’t want to go there because she lived there as a teen for a while. Might convince her at some point. GTFO of California though, even if it’s not Las Vegas. This place gets worse every day.

 

I’m not sure which part of California you guys are in, but South Orange county coastal is absolute paradise. We are going to try to leave next year, but it’s going to be very difficult.

 

All ya gotta do is find another state in which to register your vehicles and you’ll be all set. State tag rates are absurd, which is why you see so many out-of-state plates in ‘Vegas.

Spring Mountain out in Pahrump is an awesome track and that’s probably an hour west of where you’re looking.

And best of all, it’s not California.

 

But, all I see on YT is “Come to California!” commercials.

 

That's not the only upside Henderson has going for it

 

Vegas is no different than ca politically. So if that's what you want, go for it. I have family that lives in the northwest corner of Vegas, close to one of the most radioactive places on the planet. They don't like it much and plan to leave as soon as they can.
But do it.

 

Pops lives in Henderson. I think it might be hot more/longer than you are expecting. Also gets quite cold during the winter.

Other than that, they're pretty happy there.

 

It is in my State but no way I would live there

 

Stay away from HOA neighborhoods.

 

Haha! I am in Escondido, but I didn't think anyone on here would recognize that.

Are the leftover hookers ones that you're done with or ones that you didn't end up using?

 

They can't be higher than what I am paying here. ~$850 on my '17 2500HD this year, plus $40 for a visual smog inspection.

SMMR rocks! Love that track.

 

And for smog, think it is same as here in Reno, if diesel it will go on Dyno.
Some counties don't have smog.

 

I have a friend that moved from coastal FL to Enterprise... just south of Vegas. His sister moved along with him... He loves it. She hated it. Only issue he has is being "land locked"...lol. He did well enough selling his place here and has a small mortgage on a new place out there... didnt say the cost of living was any higher.

 

Yes.


If your used to N county, heat and location and like it...Vegas is basically the same. More stuff to do...farther from the ocean and a tad hotter.

Best thing is it's not in CA.

 

Go to Rick Harrison's pawn shop.

 

I retired and moved here 2017 from Socal, also have lived in No.Cal. Don't kid your self it gets very hot here in the summer July and August, other than that not bad, winter is like northern California with out the rain. Summerlin is nice as is Henderson, but being closer to the airport and strip.

 

I have a good friend in Summerlin and I visit often. It's a great area if you're an outdoors type, specifically if you climb. Red Rocks is like having an outdoor climbing gym in your back yard. Mt Charleston has some incredible MTB trails and decent skiing/snowboarding. I never knew how cool Vegas was until he moved there. Now I can't see why anyone would go to vegas and not leave the strip.