When it comes to housing Las Vegas prices had a tremendous run up from the late 1990s onwards when the city was a booming low unemployment Mecca, but since those heady days the economy has been ravaged and the prices of real estate have plummeted. The good news is that they have returned to affordable levels. But let’s put values to one side since they are so variable and consider the different areas that one can choose to live in and the available Las Vegas utilities.
North Las Vegas is a working class area with an unwarranted reputation for high crime levels. Some of the newer developments are very attractive and well worth a look. In the southeastern side of Las Vegas is the master-planned community of Green Valley which is beautifully landscapes and extremely well thought out. Other planned communities are: Spring Valley, Summerlin, Peccole Ranch and Desert Shores.
Home owners associations are more common in Las Vegas than some other parts of the nation and you want to be careful that you understand that whilst the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions keep things looking nice and uniform they also limit your freedoms – a lot of folks from the Mid-West find that they are more comfortable living outside of gated communities in order to avoid these restrictions. You can have liens placed against your property if you do not comply with the HOA.
An alternative to buying is of course renting, but traditionally this tends to be fairly expensive in Las Vegas relative to mortgage repayments. However, following the real estate crash occupancy for rental apartments has dropped to 90%, the available supply is as much as 20,000 units and rent rates have dropped below $1 per square foot. The highest are in the southwest and Green Valley-Henderson area, and the cheapest rents are in the northeast and southeast. When you rent you are usually required to commit to a period of six months or a year, and put down a security deposit in addition the first and last month’s rent. It is not uncommon for newcomers to rent prior to employment and you just need to show a bank statement that assures the landlord that you will be able to meet the rental obligations.
Once you move in you will want to get your Las Vegas utilities set up:
Water is provided by Las Vegas Valley Water District located at 1001 S. Valley View Blvd. Las Vegas, Nev. 89153. To start or transfer residential water service, call the office Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at (702) 870-4194. You can also request service before 3:30 p.m. for same-day service for a $15 fee. You may be required to pay a $150 deposit to activate your water service.
NV Energy is the company to contact for connecting your electricity and they can be reached at (775) 834-4444. You do not require a deposit to activate this service, but if you are renting you will require a letter of reference from your previous electric company.
Southwest Gas Corporation has a very easy online set up service https://ssm.swgas.com/start.php, or you can call Toll Free (877) 860-6020, or vist the customer service office located in the Beltway Business Park, next to Starbucks and Port of Subs: Las Vegas, 6040 Badura Ave, Suite 110, Las Vegas, NV 89118. There is also a customer service office at North Las Vegas, 1374 W. Cheyenne # 107, North Las Vegas, NV 89030.
There are four Nevada assistance programs run by Southwest Gas that you can look into: Deferred Payment Program, Energy Assistance Program (EAP), Energy Share Program, and Nevada Energy Connection. These are designed to help low-income Nevadans with the cost of home energy.
There are also a number of energy efficiency programs that you can take advantage of to lower your bills. Call Southwest Gas for details on: Northern Nevada Low-Income Energy Conservation Program, Energy Start Home Program, Nevada Residential Energy-Efficient Consumer Products Rebate Program, Northern Nevada Furnace Rebate Program, and the Solar Thermal Advantage Rebate (STAR) Program.
Clark County Sanitation handles sewage and can be reached at: 5857 E Flamingo Rd Las Vegas, NV 89122-5507. The phone number is (702) 458-1180.
Trash removal is managed by Republic Services of Southern Nevada. They pick up around twice a week at a cost of less than $50 per quarter. They are located at 770 East Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89104 on phone: 702 735 5151. There is also a recycle center at 333 West Gowan Road, North Las Vegas, NV 89032 that can be reached on 702 399 1112.
For telephone Sprint Central Telephone Company is one option, but these days many people are opting for a bundled internet and phone connection from Cox Communications. Sprint is at 330 South Valley View Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89107 on 702-244-7400, and Cox will happy to sell you TV, internet and phone 24 hours a day at (702) 383-4000.




