[Rapp5]

I'm pretty positive there is such a thing as "over researching" something at this point. There's enough info out there to support whatever you WANT your outlook on Vegas and the surrounding suburbs to be. My husband is really wanting to move our family out that way for several reasons namely- better year round weather, no humidity, access to great National Parks, and great entertainment. We have 3 kids and I've heard soooo much conflicting info on schools, neighborhoods, "family friendliness" and the works. I read an article in an online local paper out that way yesterday that talked about the VA hospital having a shortage of doctors, articles about it being hard to get a general doctor's appointment at all, information about crappy schools but then people to quickly say, "they aren't that bad." I've talked to people that are friends of friends that live out there and were kind enough to share their thoughts. The resounding comment is "it is what you make of it."

There are enough things online and supporting data that says the housing mark sucks, sucks, sucks, yet a family member who is looking to buy out that way has been dealing with an agent and keeps hearing that things are being listed in selling within hours/days. My family member had a list of homes he'd seen online that he wanted to get info about and just about all of them have been sold, are pending a sale, or sold in mid-August. The agent said that the inventory is low. Yet, if you read many other bits of info you'd think that things are sitting forever and the market continues to plummet.

SO- what the hell is going on vegas?! lol IS it hard to get a general doctor's appointment? My twins have asthma. That's important to me. ARE the people generally night owls that are *******s (l don't really feel this way but people tend to generalize) or are they just like every other suburbia around the U.S?

We live 30 minutes outside of DC now and I enjoy our little suburb for the most part in the sense that- it's not highly competitive as far as "keeping up with the Jones'" but we're close to a lot of neat stuff to do. The weather generally stinks from humidity and the cost of living is crazy high for what you get. I think we're just ready for a change.

[kimba01]

Make a pro and con list and then do your research based on that. What is most important to you? Yes, the schools are not the greatest, but there are some good ones here. Housing market, I don't know, I hear as many conflicting stories as you do. I don't think anyone knows!

Dr. appts...I just moved here from MI, permanently, two months ago. I have been traveling back and forth for about 4 years. Two weeks ago, I started researching doctors. I used Angie's list. The only problem I had was that a couple of the doctors who had high ratings were not taking new patients. I was able to get appointments with no problem when the drs were accepting new pts. In fact, I have 4 appts next week. 2 for my daughter and 2 for me. I don't know about the quality yet...we'll see. I wasn't always so thrilled with the quality of care in MI either and they have some great well-known medical facilities.

Night owls don't bother me, I don't even notice that unless I am one of them for the night! Or on the Strip, which I am not ever unless we have company. I live in the NW and it is quiet and nice and new. We have many families in our community and lots of parks and activities. My daughter is 18 so I can't say how it is with little ones, but I see them everywhere and it looks the same as anywhere else I have been.

I suggest you come for a couple weeks and check things out. You can only go so far online and listening to others as your needs and level of comfort is not the same as others. Do you have other choices that you are considering? I am assuming since you didn't mention employment that you are all set there?

Good luck!

[Rapp5]

Thanks, Kimba! Do you mind giving me a few exact neighborhoods that you're referring to? That would help out.

I completely agree on the housing market situation- some info would make it seem you may be living in a beautiful home but NO ONE else will be living in the homes on your street. Verses other info would make it seem like this awesome place if you just "find it."

As for employment- my husband and I both work for the government and one of our jobs is a bit flexible as far as location. We agreed we wouldn't move anywhere unless we could transfer or gain government employment. So, that axes the "don't move without a job" situation. But, I do worry about moving to a place that so many are unemployed. I'd imagine that spills over in some degree to other areas in terms of issues and things?

We live in MD now but had been looking into areas of NC. We've spent many long weekends down and while I love, love the style of homes and cost of living- the areas we've looked into just seemed "old." I'd love to find a place that life was a bit less of a rat-race then here...but the areas of NC we checked out seemed a bit TOO slow? I'm not sure how to describe it best. Neat place to visit to get away- maybe not to stay??

We looked in parts of TX due to having family there. THAT is just another beast in and of itself! Being a family of 5 means driving, not flying, most places. The great part about the east coast is I can get my kids out and about to lots of great stuff within a few hours drive or a day trip. I see that to be the case in NV as well? TX...not so much. I feel like we'd essentially just be "stuck" in TX. I don't mind heat at all but I find the TX landscape to be not my favorite. I spent all my summers in San Antonio growing up. But, I don't know...it just didn't feel like the right "fit" for us. They too have BEAUTIFUL homes that are extremely affordable but we'd really only being moving there for a small part of family that's there and they're older so not sure that's the best reason to move.

However, those same family members are now considering moving to the Vegas suburb. So, it would be nice to be close to that side of the family. My parents are about to retire and are looking to head out to the Vegas suburb as well. They have a friend that has done so and raves about it.

[ScoopLV]

1) It's easy to get a doctor here -- if your insurance is good enough or if you can afford one.

2) The housing market sucks for sellers. Especially those who bought between 2005 and 2007. The $100-150K market is very busy. Banks are holding the inventory, releasing it slowly (probably to prop prices up a little). But if you want to spend more than $500K, you'll find houses that have been sitting for a very long time.

3) Nevada is the bottom of the barrel when it comes to education. And Clark County is the bottom of Nevada's barrel. The only thing the population here really cares about is low taxes. If making our school system world class cost even an extra $100 a year in property taxes, Las Vegans would still vote against it. (Not that we have any choice in the matter. We send our tax money to Carson City, which then distributes it around the state and gives a portion of it back to us.) If education is really important to you, stay where you are or move to New England.

[NLVgal]

It's both like and unlike suburbia everywhere else. It's hard to explain. There is an energy here that is very different from most cities I've lived in or visited, but for the most part, daily life is the same as it would be anyplace else.

I've never had any trouble getting a doctor's appointment, except with certain specialists and a lot of that depends on your insurance.

Some people with asthma find that their symptoms improve here and others find that they worsen. I guess it depends on which types of allergens you are sensitive to.

The housing market is kind of bipolar right now, but I'm sure someone more knowledgeable about that, like LVOC will chime in.

The school system is also kind of bipolar. We have award winning schools and failing schools in the same district. We have an excellent magnet school program here, so that's a great place to start.

I met a lot of really cool people when I was playing co-ed softball. I highly recommend a league as a way to get to know people.

[SportyandMisty]

Compared to DC, Las Vegas will feel like a blue collar town. Not that there is anything wrong with that - it is just different.

I suggest looking into private schools. That gives you a lot more flexibility on where you live.

[momofcrawler]

I haven't found the unemployment rate to be an issue in our lives at all. The friends I have who have advanced degrees and/or have professional-type jobs (not sure the right way to say it...non-minimum wage earners) are working and haven't had a problem.

I have found LV to be a bit "slower" than my life in NY and the SF Bay Area before. The traffic is so much more manageable, people are friendlier, the pace is a bit slower (sometimes too slow for my native East Coast taste). But there's still plenty to do. There is tons to do in LV, within a day's drive and even more for a weekend or long weekend. We've been here 2 years and have barely scratched the surface.

[Rapp5]

SportyandMisty- we were thinking much of the same with the private school thing. My oldest is in private school now and has done really, really well. I do worry about turning over my kids education to politics and the government Call me a conspiracy theorist! The catch will be finding a school that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Where he is now isn't the most expensive, therefore they don't have all the fancy bells and whistles...BUT they offer one hell of an education!

Sports leagues sound like a great idea! I personally love soccer. Does anyone play indoor soccer there? Or is it mostly an outdoor sport?

We were hoping to find a house for less than $300,000(2,800-3,000sq feet) if possible but one that the inside doesn't look like it's straight out of the 80s or early 90s on the inside. And can anyone please explain the fire place and then the cut out hole in the wall immediately next to the fireplace- interior design there?

Glad to hear that people are friendly! That's another conflicting report that I keep stumbling on...I think the biggest draw for ME is the "no snow" or "biting cold" weather as well as the "stuff" to do within a few hours drive. I love mini-road trips and want my boys to see as much as they can. However, we're on a budget so I have to work with what I have!

Thanks everyone!

[Golfinnova]

Rapp5,

Glad to hear from another Marylander. I'll help you out:

1. The good thing about the weather here is that it is fairly dry so in one way it helps asthmatics; however, it gets windy and with that is a lot of dust. My son isn't ashmatic but every once in a while I have to give him a breathing treatment.

2. No issue getting Dr. Appointments in our experience. Everyone from peds to ER visits have been fine.

3. You shouldn't have any issue with that price range for housing. I would look into the NW where we live, plenty of houses for sale plus close enough to the better schools in CCSD, parks, libraries, YMCA, shopping, 215/95 etc. Look at the 89131 zip code.

4. Don't know which part of Maryland you're from but while CCSD is not on par with the likes of either Montgomery, Howard, Anne Arundel. It's probably more closer to Prince Georges, there are some good schools and some really crappy schools. My twins entered 3rd grade this year and their school is one of the best, really depends on the parents.

I would strongly suggest taking some time especially in July/August here because while we enjoy it with no regrets, there are noticeable changes which include no snow (one decent snowfall in 5 years of living here), desert landscaping (lots of tans, brown with little green), high heat during those months, no major sports teams (miss my Caps/Nats/Terps).

Let me know if you have any questions, you can DM me if you like!

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by Rapp5

Thanks, Kimba! Do you mind giving me a few exact neighborhoods that you're referring to? That would help out.

I completely agree on the housing market situation- some info would make it seem you may be living in a beautiful home but NO ONE else will be living in the homes on your street. Verses other info would make it seem like this awesome place if you just "find it."

As for employment- my husband and I both work for the government and one of our jobs is a bit flexible as far as location. We agreed we wouldn't move anywhere unless we could transfer or gain government employment. So, that axes the "don't move without a job" situation. But, I do worry about moving to a place that so many are unemployed. I'd imagine that spills over in some degree to other areas in terms of issues and things?

We live in MD now but had been looking into areas of NC. We've spent many long weekends down and while I love, love the style of homes and cost of living- the areas we've looked into just seemed "old." I'd love to find a place that life was a bit less of a rat-race then here...but the areas of NC we checked out seemed a bit TOO slow? I'm not sure how to describe it best. Neat place to visit to get away- maybe not to stay??

We looked in parts of TX due to having family there. THAT is just another beast in and of itself! Being a family of 5 means driving, not flying, most places. The great part about the east coast is I can get my kids out and about to lots of great stuff within a few hours drive or a day trip. I see that to be the case in NV as well? TX...not so much. I feel like we'd essentially just be "stuck" in TX. I don't mind heat at all but I find the TX landscape to be not my favorite. I spent all my summers in San Antonio growing up. But, I don't know...it just didn't feel like the right "fit" for us. They too have BEAUTIFUL homes that are extremely affordable but we'd really only being moving there for a small part of family that's there and they're older so not sure that's the best reason to move.

However, those same family members are now considering moving to the Vegas suburb. So, it would be nice to be close to that side of the family. My parents are about to retire and are looking to head out to the Vegas suburb as well. They have a friend that has done so and raves about it.

As a general rule of thumb Las Vegas is very similar to whereever you live now. If you find an area of similar demographics to your present neighborhood it will have similar people schools services etc. The Americam middle class community is pretty standardized. Your schools will be as good as they would be in a similar neighborhood outside Louisville or Rochester or Cleveland. They may not be as good as the best neighborhood in Greenwich or Boston. Then again those are a pretty high demographic.

You can use a private school if you like. And there are some fine ones. But you need not. The better suburban schools are fine. The belief that Doctors and Lawyers and Corporate Executives all lost their bite when they moved to Las Vegas is obviously nonsense. But some here believe it and they believe in the tooth fairy.

The housing market appear to be accelerating rapidly in price. The lower level remain quite contentious with much cash action. The market above $150,000 is relatively normal. It is unfortunately a sellers market but the price levels are still exceptionally low even if going up quickly.