[clevergirl67]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I wonder if Yelp would help the O.P. select a home inspector; does anyone have any experience with that?

I've found that Yelp builds its "best" lists on paid advertising, not real reviews. In fact I don't know many people who actually use Yelp anymore.

I think for something as important as a home inspector, I'd get referrals from real people who've recently bought a home. Maybe start on NextDoor and then vet that person before actually taking their advice. For instance, if you get their name, actually verify on the county tax assessor site whether they really did recently buy a house, then vet the inspector they named. I've found Google has some of the best reviews, although you do have to dig for the longer, more detailed ones.

[moguldreamer]

I've found inspections not to be useful - but mostly because the homes here are built on concrete slabs & hence there is no crawl space under the house where the inspector can look to see important things not visible on a house built on a slab.

Last summer I sold a Pulte home I've owned for my elderly mom & autistic brother in a 55+ community. The buyer's inspector noted a few cosmetic things that were immaterial.

[Rchin2]

Originally Posted by aces777

I would be careful buying a home that was not lived in for at least 5 years.

Also, you have to find an inspector that is honest, because there are lots of hucksters in this town, so be careful on that.

Its a very strange city, my friend. I have been here for 20 years, on and off, and it just a "watch your back", city, very similar to LA or other bigger cities. I am not trying to discourage you, but rather want you to beware of what you are getting into.

Also, make sure you look up your neighbors on the Clark County Assessor page, so learn about them and their background. Even in good neighborhoods, you have some strange people lurking.

Appreciate the reply. Your “watch you back” comment definitely hit me. Are you referring to crime, hate crime, etc. I am in San Francisco so I feel all that. Just wondering if you can elaborate especially since you’ve been there for 20 years. My primary reason for Vegas is the cost. It is considerably less than in SF for basically everything. Property tax, no income tax. The cost of new builds I see are drastically cheaper than what you can get in SF.

[ChrisKLAS]

If you're building new, you really need two inspections:

- a "framing" inspection once all the electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc. is in but before the walls are closed up
- a final inspection

Most items caught on a final inspection are going to be cosmetic. The majority of items that are going to rear their heads years down the road and cost $$$ get buried in the walls once drywall goes up. A framing inspection is also a great time to go in and take as many pictures as you can of every wall in your home; that way, you know where all the studs are, and when you go to hang a TV later, you know you're not drilling into a gas line, etc.

[movin1]

Originally Posted by ChrisKLAS

If you're building new, you really need two inspections:

- a "framing" inspection once all the electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc. is in but before the walls are closed up
- a final inspection

Most items caught on a final inspection are going to be cosmetic. The majority of items that are going to rear their heads years down the road and cost $$$ get buried in the walls once drywall goes up. A framing inspection is also a great time to go in and take as many pictures as you can of every wall in your home; that way, you know where all the studs are, and when you go to hang a TV later, you know you're not drilling into a gas line, etc.

Excellent advice based on my my experience having had three homes built for me.

[moguldreamer]

Originally Posted by Rchin2

Appreciate the reply. Your “watch you back” comment definitely hit me. Are you referring to crime, hate crime, etc. I am in San Francisco so I feel all that. Just wondering if you can elaborate especially since you’ve been there for 20 years. My primary reason for Vegas is the cost. It is considerably less than in SF for basically everything. Property tax, no income tax. The cost of new builds I see are drastically cheaper than what you can get in SF.

We're ex-Silicon Valley people, and we know at least 20 retired couples who have retired from the Bay Area to Las Vegas. We also know 4 who, once here, lasted only a couple years before leaving. One just couldn't stay retired and picked up a CEO gig for a pre-IPO company, relocating to Scottsdale. Another's spouse just couldn't be that far away from grandbabies. Etc.

The general advice for people is to spend a summer here renting before committing, as the heat isn't for everyone. Of course, that may not be feasible for you.

Please note that if you buy & relocate here, you, to avoid CA resident or non-resident income taxes you'll need to ensure you truly break residency with CA. The California Franchise Tax Board has teams of investigators dedicated to looking for people who assert they are residents of a low- or no-income tax state but spend significant time & have substantial economic ties to CA.

You should make sure you've done a variety of things to establish residency for tax purposes in your new state, starting with living and documenting your life in your new state for a minimum of 184 days. You cannot, for example, depart CA and spend a year on the road traveling and assert you've broken residency; you must reside in your new state for 184 days. You must do a number of things to "build a case" that your relocation is real and not a sham for tax purposes. For example, you should register to vote and you should re-register your vehicles for start. You should acquire new physicians and dentists and other professionals rather than travel back to CA if possible. You should establish banking and brokerage relationships in your new state - even consider creating and using bank accounts at a state chartered bank such as Nevada State Bank and use ATMs in your new state. Keep records of any time you traveled back to CA and returned to your new state. These may come in handy 2 or 3 years from now if CA comes looking for their unfair share of income taxes.

[moguldreamer]

You will find a substantial cultural difference between San Francisco and greater Las Vegas. Don't underestimate it. Probably the first thing to note is that Las Vegas is very much a "blue collar town." I've heard something like 60% of the active workforce put on a tag each day saying "HI MY NAME IS..." If you've spent your life in a high tech professional workforce environment, you may discover you now live among neighbors who do not have that in common with you. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, and they are good people - but you may discover you just don't have much in common. You may need to spend time once you are here "finding your people," if that makes any sense.

[aces777]

Originally Posted by Rchin2

Appreciate the reply. Your “watch you back” comment definitely hit me. Are you referring to crime, hate crime, etc. I am in San Francisco so I feel all that. Just wondering if you can elaborate especially since you’ve been there for 20 years. My primary reason for Vegas is the cost. It is considerably less than in SF for basically everything. Property tax, no income tax. The cost of new builds I see are drastically cheaper than what you can get in SF.

Well, Vegas is a transient town.

People mostly keep to themselves here, which has advantages. However, I prefer a community that has citizens that "have your back" more. You just won't find that here.

There is not a lot of "hate crime" going on here. And the crime rate, in Vegas, is very low, compared to larger cities.

The cost here is skyrocketed over the last five years, like most major cities. Vegas is not a "value" city anymore. It was in the late 1990s and early 2000s. And, that will not change because the boomers love the weather, the cheesy entertainment (Chris Rock comedy, etc), and the lower taxes.

Compared to San Francisco, Vegas is much better because the Tech World up in N. California has the most pretentious people in the country. Why do you want to be around that? In Vegas, people here are mostly transplants, and are hard working people that just want a piece of the good life. You will get that there, but you will also have to deal with a minority of the population that is mentally ill, which I would say is much higher than other cities. The reason, I think, is the 24/7 drinking options and the immature seniors in this town, that still think they are teens.

[Rchin2]

Originally Posted by moguldreamer

We're ex-Silicon Valley people, and we know at least 20 retired couples who have retired from the Bay Area to Las Vegas. We also know 4 who, once here, lasted only a couple years before leaving. One just couldn't stay retired and picked up a CEO gig for a pre-IPO company, relocating to Scottsdale. Another's spouse just couldn't be that far away from grandbabies. Etc.

The general advice for people is to spend a summer here renting before committing, as the heat isn't for everyone. Of course, that may not be feasible for you.

Please note that if you buy & relocate here, you, to avoid CA resident or non-resident income taxes you'll need to ensure you truly break residency with CA. The California Franchise Tax Board has teams of investigators dedicated to looking for people who assert they are residents of a low- or no-income tax state but spend significant time & have substantial economic ties to CA.

You should make sure you've done a variety of things to establish residency for tax purposes in your new state, starting with living and documenting your life in your new state for a minimum of 184 days. You cannot, for example, depart CA and spend a year on the road traveling and assert you've broken residency; you must reside in your new state for 184 days. You must do a number of things to "build a case" that your relocation is real and not a sham for tax purposes. For example, you should register to vote and you should re-register your vehicles for start. You should acquire new physicians and dentists and other professionals rather than travel back to CA if possible. You should establish banking and brokerage relationships in your new state - even consider creating and using bank accounts at a state chartered bank such as Nevada State Bank and use ATMs in your new state. Keep records of any time you traveled back to CA and returned to your new state. These may come in handy 2 or 3 years from now if CA comes looking for their unfair share of income taxes.

This is great info. Had no idea about this

[moguldreamer]

Originally Posted by Rchin2

This is great info. Had no idea about this

Every year, some Californians buy a condo in Las Vegas and have their mail forwarded to it, assert they are now Residents of Nevada for income tax purposes - but it is really a "sham relocation" and they are caught. The CA Franchise Tax Board will look at, for example, all your banking transactions and all your credit card transactions, as an example, and if they deduce you've spent a lot of time in California, they will disallow your assertion of having broken residence and bill you for CA income taxes. It then is up to you to prove you truly relocated.

There is no "single thing" you must do to break residency. It is building a case and paper trail that your entire economic life is now in Nevada.