Living in Las Vegas

 

 

To see what Max's clients say! (Click above for video) "The observations and recommendations he made to us were in our best interests, not his!" "It was comforting and refreshing to have an individual with the class and integrity, that Max has, leading the way..." Jerry and Tracy Crookston Las Vegas, NV.

Dear Max, When we decided to purchase a property in Las Vegas, the biggest anxiety we had was finding an honest, sincere, and reliable realtor to help us find the property. We must have communicated, through telephone and e-mail, with numerous realtors in Las Vegas area. Finally, we decided to work with you because of your follow up, persistance and patience. You were never pushy pr uneasy towards us and were always nice and professional in responding to our requests. When we came you Vegas, you patiently drove us around and showed us lots of houses and finally found the one we were looking for. You were very professional and concerned about the escrow process and were following up and resolving every little issue that came up during escrow, and through closing. What surprised us was the way you continued helping us and following and responding to our demands and requests after the closing. This was really nice of you to do all the things you did for us. We know that you did net have you do any of the things you did and this was beyond professional and ethical duties expected from a realtor. Max, we are very happy to have known you and will recommend you to anyone who is thinking about buying, or selling real estate in Las Vegas. We have already recommended you to a few people who are thinking to buy real estate in Vegas. Wish you the best and assure you that we will definitely use your services gain and again, should we decide to buy or sell any property in Las Vegas.

 

Las Vegas is one of the most exciting cities in the world. That is why we have 40 million people visit us every year.  Hi I’m Max Schmidt and it’s my pleasure to introduce you to a side of our city that the tourist never sees. Together we are going to explore the side of Las Vegas that only residents of this great city see. If you’re thinking of relocating to Las Vegas, you’re not alone. Nevada is the fastest going State in the Nation and 90% of that growth is in the Las Vegas Valley.  For the past 7 years we have had on an average 6,000 new residents flowing into our City every single month. We are one of the leading job growth cities in the nation. Although we have been having some growing pains, we are up to the challenge and this movement has allowed Las Vegas to redefine itself as “The lifestyle City of the 21st Century.”  We’ll present more on this in a few minutes.

Moving can cause major stress in our lives. But it can be far less stressful if you have someone helping you through this life changing experience.  We are here in Las Vegas positioned to help you make this major life change with as little stress as possible. With our sources from floor coverings to home inspectors we are here to help you find the right neighborhood to fit your lifestyle.  Helping people move to Las Vegas is what I do and I love my work.

I think it is important for you as a client to understand the depth of my experience in real estate and how I am better equipped to meet your goals and needs.

I have always been an entrepreneur. I grew up in a family that owned its own businesses.

During my high school years my father started developing land and I was given an opportunity to work on the projects. This was my first introduction into the world of development as I learned to read blue prints, survey stakes and grades.

In 1977 after graduating high school and attending the University of Utah studying Theatre, Marketing, film and psychology I obtained a real estate license.  I immediately started buying older homes, fixing them up and reselling them. This is where I first learned to research the value of a property and the truth to the old saying “you make money when you buy real estate and you receive that money when you sell it.”
In approximately 1983 my father and I started working in the residential housing industry, I obtained my Brokers license, and through 1995 we erected and sold over 3,000 homes in various areas of the Western United States. I was in charge of much of the day to day operations of the organization including marketing, sales, and held the contractors license for the organization.  In 1995 we sold the operation to a New York Stock Exchange listed Company.

At that time I still had 2 mostly empty developed subdivisions so I went to work building homes on those lots and marketing them.

In 2002 I decided to move to Las Vegas. I could see the opportunity that this great city had to offer and the potential for its future as a major world class city.  I remember spending many months driving around the Las Vegas Valley. Studying where the great neighborhoods.  I studied traffic patterns, expansion plans, real estate values, amenities and neighborhoods.

You as my client are my first priority.  Your goals, your wants, your needs are what are important.
Do you have children in your family? Did you know that kids adjust better to a move if they move during the school year rather than during the break?  By moving during school they are immediately exposed to a large group of kids giving them the best opportunity to choose friends with common interests and personality types.  It also creates structure during a period of change which helps them deal with their new environment.

Perhaps you are moving here for a better opportunity in your work. Did you know that concern over your spouse’s job loss is a major factor in your move?  The unknown factor of what employment opportunities are available to them can be a major concern and increase stress. Let us help you with this by supplying you with opportunities available for your specific chosen profession. This can help smooth the transition and lower your families stress.

We have all kinds of help for you to get acquainted with this wonderful community form lists of churches, clubs, sports and special interests. If you have particular need for it, we’ll get it.

Clark County which contains the Las Vegas Valley now has approximately 2 million residents and is growing.  We rival Paris, France in our diversity of shopping and we are now the dining capital of the world with more top rated chefs than any where else on the planet. Our entertainment options are unsurpassed with wonderfully produced plays, stage productions, comedy, magic acts, concerts, world class clubs and more.  We are a hotbed for conventions on virtually any interest you may have professionally or personally. All this creates a lifestyle that enriches and compliments you and your families’ lifestyles.

Neighborhoods in the Valley are diverse and offer a wide range of prices and amenities. We will work with you to help you understand the layout and major areas within this wonderful valley in an effort to help you choose the area that fits your lifestyle and financial goals.

Before you visit the first step is for us to talk about the kind of home you are interested in. We need to talk about your lifestyle and interests to make sure that we provide what you need in your new home. This conversation is important as this will set the stage as to what we will email you with as prospective properties for you to start evaluating.  Our goal is to find you homes that you have a deep interest in before you visit so that we can spend our valuable time together meeting your needs. We will help you develop your knowledge of our real estate market before you ever set foot in a home. You will have a better understanding of Las Vegas making your time much more productive.
Do you currently have a home to sell in your current community? We can help you find an expert agent in your area.  We understand the business of real estate and can help you meet your goal through supplying you with an agent that is better prepared to sell your home.  If you already have an agent in mind, we can supply you with an agent to compare them with.  When you use a high quality agent it is much more likely that you can sell your home quickly and move in one coordinated step, lowering your stress. This will save you not only hassle but also time and money.

When you are ready to come to Las Vegas please call us so that we can make arrangements to meet you for our “Las Vegas welcome orientation.”  The earlier you schedule with us the better we can serve your needs. We will take you on a tour of our major areas which will include history, traffic patterns, shopping, schools, recreation and neighborhoods.  This will give you a much better idea of the area that will meet your lifestyle needs. If you are in need of financing, but have not yet found a financer we will be happy to introduce you to solid financers who can get you the best rates and terms for your home purchase. As a result of this session you will be ready to go out and find that special home that meets your needs.

Las Vegas is a city of the entrepreneurial spirit you will find thousands of small businesses here. The small shopkeeper is a mainstay of the Las Vegas economy. I know my dry cleaner, baker and the owners of some of my favorite small restaurants. These small shop owners help make Las Vegas a personal experience rather than a corporate environment. The reason why Las Vegas has so many small businesses is that the State has NO corporate or personal income tax. This allows the little guy to compete on a more even playing field with the chain stores.  This does not mean that the chain stores are not in Las Vegas, remember, we are one of the shopping capitals of the world.

The Las Vegas (Spanish for “The Meadows) was originally named for its artesian springs creating a meadow oasis in the Mojave Desert giving rest to weary travelers making their way across this harsh desert landscape on the Mormon San Diego trail.
A town started up in the early 1900’s when the railroad acquired the land and water. By the time the railroad first stopped here there were 700 sold building lots with a small population. In the 1930’s came the Great Depression and Nevada changed its laws to allow gambling to bolster its economy. At the same time the federal government funded a massive project to help develop the Colorado River by funding the Hoover Damn project.  This brought a flood of workers to Las Vegas giving it its first major influx of new growth. 
In 1941 Thomas Hull opened the “El Rancho” which was the first casino in the now famous “Strip.”  This was located on what now is the site of the Fountainblue casino today.
After the end of World War 2, a mobster Bugsy Siegel build the Flamingo Casino and hotel on the strip and invited his star contacts in Hollywood to come to Las Vegas and perform in his show room.  Bugsy’s new venture did not turn a profit soon enough for his mobster backers and thus died of lead poisoning (30 caliber lead poisoning).  The Flamingo was then closed for a short time but then reopened and began to turn a profit. This was the beginning of Las Vegas as a tourist destination, as more people came more casinos were built as is the case even today.
Long gone are the days when the mob controlled the casinos.  Wall Street and lately private equity firms have taken over the Las Vegas Strip. Las Vegas is booming with growth.
But even though we live in the middle of a vast desert we are reaching the limits of our outward spread. Because of National parks, forests, wild life habitat sanctuaries and government reserves that surround us Las Vegas is running out of land.  It is estimated by some experts that the Las Vegas Valley will be out of land in as little as 10 years.
This land problem has helped Las Vegas start to reinvent itself.  Our planners are now changing their views about land use promoting smaller lots and higher density in single family homes.  They are now creating opportunity for mixed use neighborhoods with residential over the top of retail and high and mid-rise condominium opportunities packed with lifestyle amenities.
Las Vegas offers some great recreational opportunities from hiking and climbing in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. To spending an afternoon or week boating on Lake Mead. Nevada has world class fishing, hunting, skiing, 4  wheeling, horseback riding, snow mobile and camping opportunities. And all of these are just short drives from your Las Vegas home.
Within Las Vegas are wonderful community centers with swimming, basket ball, skateboard parks, soccer, tennis, racket ball and a whole selection of team sports to participate in. Parks in Las Vegas are plentiful. Small community parks seem to be everywhere as well as an ever growing list of community trails and bike paths much of which has been funded by federal lands sales that a portion of which is set aside for these improvements.

Las Vegas is a golfers paradise with people coming from all over the world just to play some of its fabulous courses. For the thrill seeker we have skydiving, rock climbing, caving, shooting the rapids on the Colorado River and more. There is so much to do here and so little time.
If your more of a spectator sportsman we have University of Nevada Las Vegas with wonderful basketball and foot ball programs and some of the best young talent in the country.
We also have world class boxing matches and other contact sports, Nascar, The National Rodeo Finals and much more.

I am often asked by people looking to move here if the summer heat is a problem. The answer to this lies in a couple of key things we need to keep in mind.
1) Las Vegas has VERY low humidity. During the hottest parts of the year our average humidity is below 19% in the afternoons. This lack of humidity allows ones own body systems to vent the excess heat more efficiently through sweat.

2) Las Vegas is air conditioned. During the hottest periods of the year many people are only outside when transferring from their cars to structures and virtually everything is air conditioned.  Unlike the cold weather the heat does not cause pain for arthritis victims and require large amounts of clothing.  We even have an indoor air conditioned amusement park!  A pool can be a great investment in Las Vegas because the weather is warm enough that you can use it for much of the year. I love my pool.

One word of caution about the heat in Las Vegas. It is illegal to leave children or pets in the car without adult supervision.  Temperatures in an unprotected enclosed vehicle in the hottest times of the year can reach 130 degrees in as little as 5 minutes. Las Vegas residents know this and we all watch the news every year with tragic multiple deaths of kids left in their parents cars for just a few minutes.  If you leave your kids in the car, expect to be greeted by a police officer when you return.  All Las Vegas residents are urged to call the police if they see unattended children or animals in a car. The local police and the courts consider this a serious offense.

All of Las Vegas Valley lies within the Clark County School District the 5th largest district in the United States with an estimated 292,000 students. The district is divided into 5 distinct regions with each having its own Regional Superintendent. The district had 55 Exemplary or high achiveving Schools in 2006-07 school year according to compliance with the Federal “No Child Left Behind Act.”
Las Vegas also has many private academies’ for students. Some are provided by religious denotations while others are fee based academic organizations.
Higher education includes both academic and technical schools including UNLV, Community College of Southern Nevada and over 50 other technical educational opportunities from becoming a chef to flying helicopters. Be assured that Las Vegas has an educational opportunity to fit your families’ needs.

Health care is on issue in everyone’s minds today. And Las Vegas is making giant strides to provide not only the latest technology in health care but insuring the future through medical research.  As we all know the leaders in the medical field are also leading the research in medicine and Las Vegas its hand on the pulse of the future of medical research and treatment.  The new Lou Ruvo Brain Institute in Downtown Las Vegas is going to be a national resource for the most current research and treatment of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. Designed by world renowned architect Frank Gehry. This project is in partnership with the University of Nevada School of Medicine under the direction of Dr. Charles Bernick a leader in neurology research and treatment.
The University Medical Center UMC is a hospital operating in the valley with the latest in medical services including transplant facilities. There currently 11 hospitals located in the Las Vegas Valley and many are newer facilities having been built in the last 10 years. Health care in Las Vegas is nothing short of excellent.

Neighborhoods are one of the big considerations that most of my clients have when relocating to Las Vegas. And within that search crime always comes up as a issue. It seems that the TV show “Cops” has made Las Vegas seem like a city of crime.  This is simply not true. Think back to when you watch these crime shows to where you see most of the police calls coming from.  I notice because I live here that most of the police arrests are near the strip. The crime statistics for Las Vegas show it as one of the highest crime cities per resident population in the country. What the statistics don’t tell you is that we have 300,000 to 500,000 visitors in our city per day in a city of only 2 million people. Unfortunately not all these visitors are law abiding citizens and much of the crime is directly attributed to these temporary guests in these limited areas.
Yes Las Vegas is not crime free but if you adjust the figures of our population up in accordance with our unusual tourism population then we rank as one of the safest cities in the country.
Las Vegas offers some wonderful areas for your consideration.  Some of the larger areas are Henderson, Summerlin, Mountains Edge, Anthem, Lake Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Aliante and Green Valley and more. Each of these areas have a unique characteristics which we will discuss during our initial orientation.  Within these areas are a variety of housing options from townhouses to traditional single family homes to High-rise luxury lifestyle condominiums. We offer a variety guard gated impounds to traditional subdivision layouts all to meet your specific lifestyle requirements.  We have a large selection of age restricted neighborhoods as well as family friendly communities with parks and playground equipment for the kids.  What ever your lifestyle Las Vegas has a neighborhood for you.