[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by strato58

Looks really nice.....but im 2500 miles away....What do the locals say?
A little older community that looks well established....decent size yards and lots of beautiful landscaping....at least thats what I see from here!

Any help is appreciated.

I moved to Las Vegas about two months ago and bought a house in Spanish Trail, off of Tropicana about 5 miles from the Strip, and couldn't be happier. It is a beautiful, lush community, with a very convenient location. Although sfh's run anywhere from $300k to $3 million, you can get a nice townhome for under $200k.

Here are some links about real estate in Spanish Trail and on Spanish Trail in general:

Las Vegas -- Spanish Trail (http://www.homesparadise.com/homes/nevada/las-vegas/spanish-trail/ - broken link)

Spanish Trails-Las Vegas

Spanish Trails Las Vegas

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by MomMom

The monthly HOA fees are high...someone, everyone...has to pay for those guards at the entrances and all the maintenance..maybe even around $400-500 per month, but I might be off by a bit, but not much. I have a friend that has a sfr in there.

Originally Posted by strato58

OK...400 to 500 hoa dues....does that include property tax? If not ill look elsewhere...
thanks all.

Originally Posted by 007 license to sell

HOA's never include property tax's, HOA's usually cover eminence of the common area's and if there is gates or guard gates,pools, tennis courts.
The more amenities you have the higher the HOA.

I live in Spanish Trail, which in turn is divided up into several sub-associations. I pay $225/month to the master association and $225 to my sub-association.

The master association is responsible for community safety (gates, guards, etc.), tennis courts and fitness center, landscaped area outside the perimeter walls, and the main streets within Spanish Trail.

The sub-association is responsible for all landscaping within the sub-association, including the front yards of all the residences (including the sprinkler systems in the front yards). Additionally, the sub-association is responsible for routine maintenance of all exterior surfaces of the townhouses and single family houses within the community, including patching and repainting the stucco and trim, as well as routine roof maintenance (replacing broken or missing tiles, or repairing holes). The exterior of all doors, including the garage door, also are periodically stained or painted by the sub-association.

All in all, I think the HOA fee is money well spent to live in a beautiful community with limited maintenance responsibilities.

[strato58]

Madman....looks absolutely beautiful......thanks for the info.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

I live in Spanish Trail, which in turn is divided up into several sub-associations. I pay $225/month to the master association and $225 to my sub-association.

The master association is responsible for community safety (gates, guards, etc.), tennis courts and fitness center, landscaped area outside the perimeter walls, and the main streets within Spanish Trail.

The sub-association is responsible for all landscaping within the sub-association, including the front yards of all the residences (including the sprinkler systems in the front yards). Additionally, the sub-association is responsible for routine maintenance of all exterior surfaces of the townhouses and single family houses within the community, including patching and repainting the stucco and trim, as well as routine roof maintenance (replacing broken or missing tiles, or repairing holes). The exterior of all doors, including the garage door, also are periodically stained or painted by the sub-association.

All in all, I think the HOA fee is money well spent to live in a beautiful community with limited maintenance responsibilities.

I don't think the sub association are uniform MMB. I have not done anything in ST since the boom so I may remember incorrectly. But I believe the SFR associations varied as to what was covered. I do think all I came across had the front yard included though...a clever ploy to provide a nice uniform look.

The place where the HOA fees get high is on the condo/townhouses. Not a big issue on the SFRs.

[gvc8]

heard there was a rat problem in that area.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by olecapt

I don't think the sub association are uniform MMB. I have not done anything in ST since the boom so I may remember incorrectly. But I believe the SFR associations varied as to what was covered. I do think all I came across had the front yard included though...a clever ploy to provide a nice uniform look.

The place where the HOA fees get high is on the condo/townhouses. Not a big issue on the SFRs.

You're right, the subs are all a little different; I was quoting from mine.

The townhouse communities are a little bit more. If I remember correctly from when we were house-hunting last fall, the TH fees ran $50-$100 per month more. One reason was that the TH communities have their own community swimming pools that are restricted to members of that particular TH community. The other difference was that the HOA fee included insurance for the exterior of the property since the units are connected.

And to address an earlier comment by MomMom, all the residents are being assessed $3300 to replace the gates and repair the exterior walls. The assessments are being made in 4 equal payments of $825 due in March & September of this year and 2011. (Although the 2011 fees may be rescinded.)

However, while conducting my own due diligence before making my offer on my house, I found out about the assessment and had it written into the contract that the sellers would be responsible for paying the whole thing. Consequently, the $3300 was paid to the HOA by the sellers through escrow when we closed.

[MomMom]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

You're right, the subs are all a little different; I was quoting from mine.

The townhouse communities are a little bit more. If I remember correctly from when we were house-hunting last fall, the TH fees ran $50-$100 per month more. One reason was that the TH communities have their own community swimming pools that are restricted to members of that particular TH community. The other difference was that the HOA fee included insurance for the exterior of the property since the units are connected.

And to address an earlier comment by MomMom, all the residents are being assessed $3300 to replace the gates and repair the exterior walls. The assessments are being made in 4 equal payments of $825 due in March & September of this year and 2011. (Although the 2011 fees may be rescinded.)

However, while conducting my own due diligence before making my offer on my house, I found out about the assessment and had it written into the contract that the sellers would be responsible for paying the whole thing. Consequently, the $3300 was paid to the HOA by the sellers through escrow when we closed.

You a smart Mad Man of Bethesda! LOL..

The special assessement is huge, I know, I've had my friend complain about it often enough...

To the other poster who mentioned a rat problem...that was about 5-6 years ago, there was a tree rat problem at Spanish Trails, but I believe it's been taken care of for quite a while now.

Only "pest" problem I've ever heard about that is a constant problem in there is the ants. But even that goes away with a good pesticide company contract.

I personally think Spanish Trails is lovely!

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by Jhiker10

Spanish Trails only sucks half of all the water usage in Las Vegas but it is definitely a clean and green community, hehehehe.

It's probably just one house that is sucking down all that water, or rather, one compound, the one that belongs to the Sultan of Brunei (or his brother). Take a look at the northeast corner of Durango and Hacienda from a satellite map. They average 50k gallons of water per day - that's three average size swimming pools each day.

Here is an older list of the top residential water users: http://www.lasvegasmercury.com/2003/.../22176178.html

Here is a newer list: NOT A DROP IN THE BUCKET: Top 100 users consume enough water to supply 1,950 homes, but that's only half the story - News - ReviewJournal.com

[Jhiker10]

Originally Posted by MediocreButArrogant

It's probably just one house that is sucking down all that water, or rather, one compound, the one that belongs to the Sultan of Brunei (or his brother). Take a look at the northeast corner of Durango and Hacienda from a satellite map. They average 50k gallons of water per day - that's three average size swimming pools each day.

Here is an older list of the top residential water users: Las Vegas Mercury: <b>Cover Story: Top 100 residential water users</...

Here is a newer list: NOT A DROP IN THE BUCKET: Top 100 users consume enough water to supply 1,950 homes, but that's only half the story - News - ReviewJournal.com

I've been around that area and as a matter of fact I have photos of it on my thread and I also know of the Sultan owning a place there. As far as my comment about water usage, it was a joke and even if Spanish Trails is not sucking up all the water at Lake Mead it is still using lots of water, just look around the area. Grass is now being taken off, at least the last time I drove by the entrance.

It is funny you have to post tables of water usage in Vegas!!! Hahaha! BTW the whole of Las Vegas does not even use all of its yearly alloted water from the Colorad River. It is being stored in Aquifers in AZ.

Off and On the Vegas Strip

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by Jhiker10

As far as my comment about water usage, it was a joke and even if Spanish Trails is not sucking up all the water at Lake Mead it is still using lots of water, just look around the area. Grass is now being taken off, at least the last time I drove by the entrance.

All of the grass is being removed from both entrances on Tropicana. When finished, both gates will have been transformed into complete desert landscapes.

BTW & FWIW, the name of the community is Spanish Trail (singular), not Spanish Trails. Not offered as a criticism or a correction, just as an FYI.