Retiree moving to Reno/Sparks area (Las Vegas, Fallon: real estate, foreclosure, condo)

[NunnaUrbiz]

I'm a retiree in a VERY red rural area northwest of PHX. I want to move someplace that has a college/university with, hopefully, a younger, more liberal/progressive demographic and a vibrant art scene. As a vet, I also want to be near a major VA facility like VASNHCS. Reno seems to tick a lot of boxes.
How cold and for how long does it stay below freezing in the Reno/Sparks area? I own an RV and dislike the hassle of winterizing the rig. Getting down below 32F at night but climbing above 40F-45F is doable.
Does anyone have experience with the VA in Reno? I've been spoiled by the Prescott VA and want to find a similar VA facility.
I don't gamble and party so casinos don't do much for me but I'd like to take classes and meet like-minded people. Thanks.

[ChrisMT]

You do need to winterize your RV here....we failed to do so one year and had to replace every waterline/valve and the sink faucet :O

I do not know much about the Reno VA, but Fallon has quite a bit of military medical infrastructure and my in-laws were happy with it for the most part. Fallon would have similar demographics as Prescott though, but less winter. There is also Las Vegas with the warmer winters and liberal local governments. I have heard some negatives about both the Las Vegas and Reno VA hospitals, nothing specific that I can recall.

Reno does have somewhat of an art scene, but I don't know if it would be considered 'vibrant' like many California college towns might have as well as the moderate winter weather like Arizona. Are you also looking at Southern California? Arizona and Southern Cali is where many people here go RVing during the winter months.

[NunnaUrbiz]

Hey thanks for your thoughts. Sorry to hear about your winterizing experience. That had to have been a bummer!
I've heard that Fallon is a lot like Prescott.

We moved to AZ from San Diego. SD was getting so crowded that it was unlivable. Now, of course, the home prices are out of control. Besides, I'm really not into the "snowbird" style. Geez, all I want is everything! LOL

[ChrisMT]

Reno has that burning man kind of art. Modern spikes and scary looking stuff that I don’t even know what it’s supposed to be. I have no taste in modern spike and graffiti art. It’s probably considered edgy, cool and vibrant by today’s standards.

Winterizing a RV is not difficult. You just drain the water and pour poisonous RV antifreeze into the tank. I don’t drink any water in our RV tank, just use it for showers and such. Of course we flush the poisonous stuff out when we start camping again, but yeah…that’s the only bad thing about winterizing.

[Teacher Terry]

We only winterized our motor home once. After that my ex husband just left a small oil based space heater on low during the winter. Yes he was lazy and I was worried about it starting a fire but he did that for years.

I moved here 27 years ago for a job and absolutely love everything about it. It’s a very mild 4 seasons climate. A quick drive to the mountains gives you a totally different experience. It’s great for hiking, camping snowshoeing.

[NunnaUrbiz]

Originally Posted by ChrisMT

Reno has that burning man kind of art. Modern spikes and scary looking stuff that I don’t even know what it’s supposed to be. I have no taste in modern spike and graffiti art. It’s probably considered edgy, cool and vibrant by today’s standards..

Yeah, I've heard about the BM vibe. Not really my thing but art is art. Just don't want to be immersed in it like western art in AZ. I always say, "This town doesn't want to be LIKE the 1860s, the town wants it to BE the 1860s."

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry

We only winterized our motor home once. After that my ex husband just left a small oil based space heater on low during the winter. Yes he was lazy and I was worried about it starting a fire but he did that for years.

I moved here 27 years ago for a job and absolutely love everything about it. It’s a very mild 4 seasons climate. A quick drive to the mountains gives you a totally different experience. It’s great for hiking, camping snowshoeing.

Thanks, good to know about the space heater. That's what I do when AZ weather is forecast to drop below 30F for more than a few days. I'm too old for strenuous outdoor activities but how about UNR classes on the cerebral or intellectual topics? I've been a photographer and, for the past 20 years, a print maker specializing in gallery quality fine art prints.

[Teacher Terry]

Besides regular classes UNR has Ollie which is a great program for seniors that offers lectures and speakers from professors which are really interesting. Having moved here from Wisconsin most of our winters are sissy winters. A thick sweater is usually my winter coat. I got rid of my boots.

[NunnaUrbiz]

Thanks again. Never heard of Ollie but not surprising. I live in a deep red rural area where 3 Rs are reedin', ritin' and rodeo. I've been checking real estate n Reno/Sparks but it looks like picking are limited. Not about to pay $500K for a trashed foreclosure.

[Teacher Terry]

3 years ago I sold my 1400 sq ft house totally remodeled for 400k and Zillow says it’s now worth 480 so you won’t have to pay 500k for a dump. I downsized to a small condo.

[MrWillys]

Originally Posted by NunnaUrbiz

Thanks again. Never heard of Ollie but not surprising. I live in a deep red rural area where 3 Rs are reedin', ritin' and rodeo. I've been checking real estate n Reno/Sparks but it looks like picking are limited. Not about to pay $500K for a trashed foreclosure.

You can buy new here for 400k and under. www.lifestylenv.com