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Las Vegas, NV Relocation is #1 in US

By
Real Estate Agent with Simply Vegas Real Estate NV. License BS.507

That's according to a national report for 2008 by Relocation.com, and found in a recent article in the Las Vegas Review Journal. Las Vegas ranked as #1 relocation destination in big-city long distance, out-of-state moves. They're predicting it will remain on top again for 2009.

Las Vegas

The only issue I have with the article is the general media's insistence on saying that Las Vegas has 'lost' 10,000 residents in the last year. The county bases it's population estimate using a formula that includes the number of vacancies, which would include the increase from foreclosures. They have also said that because many could have moved in with family or friends, the population decrease may not be as dramatic as this amount. Still, the media seems to want to blast the gloomy figure and side-steps the county's admission that their estimates are just that...estimates.

Jeremy Aguero of local consulting firm Applied Analysis also has been quoted with another potential explanation that also doesn't get much press. He seems to think that it's possible that previous year's estimates may have been high and there isn't any actual population loss. I think we'll have to wait until the actual 2010 census head-count to have a closer idea of what the actual population is.

For the story they also tracked down some of the new Las Vegans to find out their reasons for moving to the valley. Some of them included that they find Las Vegas full of opportunity in spite of the national economic downturn. It even quotes one as saying he feels Las Vegas will be booming again once the economy recovers.

Other reasons include the climate, and our sunny mid January temperatures that have been running in the mid 60's as of late, likely reinforces that thought. They also include the vibrance of Las Vegas and how it compares to other large cities. Another mentions the "sheer volume of activities", that supports what I've recently posted about Las Vegas....the
"there's nothing to do but Gamble" is a myth.

 

If you are interested in relocating to Las Vegas or would like more information on Las Vegas real estate, please email me, Roberta LaRocca, at roberta@search4lasvegashomes.com, or call 702-354-8988. I look forward to hearing from you!
 

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Comments (4)

Anonymous
Bob

With every month of 2008 hearing home sales up this shouldn't be a surprise that Vegas is on top. There have always been a certain amount of transients here and the economy may have bumped that up some. I think Aguero is probably right that the numbers were a little high in earlier years. Cracks me up that the news always has to blast some downer even when this population thing is just a guess and they don't tell that the county says the number can be off.

Jan 20, 2009 07:51 AM
#1
Roberta LaRocca
Simply Vegas Real Estate - Las Vegas, NV
REALTOR®, Broker, Salesperson, NV. Lic BS.507

Bob: Very True. Home sales have been going up through 2008. Hard to pass up the prices, selection, and with the low rates really hard to beat. I have no problem with balanced reporting, and saying that the estimates have gone down is true, but leaving out the reasons or adding unproven comments is intentionally giving a false impression. That hurts consumer confidence and in turn the economy. I guess they don't realize that the faster the economy recovers, the media revenues are sure to follow.

Jan 21, 2009 05:04 PM
Tim Johnson
Relocation.com - Scarsdale, NY

Thanks for writing about our survey. It seems that the very thing that helped create a negative impression of the hard times in Vegas -- the hard-hit housing market -- is something that will actually help it now by attracting people with affordable housing.

Of course, the perception of recovery might lag behind the perception of the hard times, but at least our survey indicates that people still want to move there, current perceptions and media coverage notwithstanding. Thanks again.

 

Feb 05, 2009 12:35 AM
Roberta LaRocca
Simply Vegas Real Estate - Las Vegas, NV
REALTOR®, Broker, Salesperson, NV. Lic BS.507

Tim: Not a problem, I appreciated your survey. With the negativity taking over the headlines it's great to be able to show the positives like this, that are usually taking a back seat and not getting all the attention they deserve. While issues need to be addressed, dwelling on gloom only prolongs the agony by creating a defeatist attitude. Positive mindsets are what will speed our nation's economic recovery.

I think you're right, the demand to live in Las Vegas is still out there. The sunshine and warm weather, the abundant recreational and community event options, and of course the entertainment, of the Strip with a resort vacation break just down the street, are only a few of the many reasons it's been so popular. Numbers of people were being priced out during the boom. With homes so much more affordable and interest rates low, it creates an almost unbelievable Las Vegas home buying opportunity for them, and why 2008 resale home sales have been increasing over the previous year.  

Best to you and thanks for stopping by!

Feb 05, 2009 07:06 AM