Investor Central

Welcome to the premier resource for Las Vegas investors looking to generate wealth through real estate. Whether you already own a property and need management help or you need assistance to get started, you have found the right place.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Las Vegas Home-Price Rise Tops National Rate

According to The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index that was released on Tuesday, Las Vegas home prices have grown 20.6 percent since March of last year. Housing prices have driven up across the country, with Las Vegas home prices growing at almost double the national rate. Ranked number 3 in growth, Las Vegas trails slightly behind Phoenix and San Francisco. As a whole, U.S. home prices have increased by 10.9 percent in March as compared to a year ago (the largest jump since April 2006). The market may be changing, but local buyers are still going strong!

Read more at the article:


Photo: JEFF SCHEID
Source: REVIEWJOURNAL.com

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

These Five Homes Sold in May for How Much?

With the upswing of the Las Vegas housing market, rising values and limited inventory may create a signal of caution to local investors. As an investor trying to grow your portfolio, remember that one of the best ways to manage your investments is to think in a manner of "longer-term" strategy.

Take at look at the recent home sales showcased in this article to get an idea of how various types of homes are currently selling in the local market:
http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2013/may/26/these-five-homes-sold-may-how-much/


Photo: SUN FILE
Source: VEGASINC.com

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Higher Dues for Homeowners at Stake in HOA Legislation

If you live in a community with a homeowners' association or have investments in which you pay HOA dues, you should keep yourself updated on the latest legislation that may affect your payment circumstances. Legislature has begun discussing rulings that could result in higher association dues for homeowners. In general, this decision will determine what associations can and cannot do when homeowners stop paying their dues, and furthermore, how much these associations can collect from proceeds the bank will earn once a foreclosed property has been sold.

The major hurdle in this scenario will be the difficulty of satisfying conflicting interets from multiple parties (investors, property management companies, debt collectors, banks, etc.). According to the article, this case may even find its way to the state Supreme Court if opinions are too conflicted. Regardless, it is likely that the final decision will affect HOA dues so we strongly advise Nevada home investors to pay close attention!

Read more at the article linked below:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/may/23/higher-dues-homeowners-stake-hoa-legislation/#axzz2U2fUPmTl

Source: LASVEGASSUN.com

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Amateur Investors Tap 401(k)s to Buy Homes

Some property investors are willing to take risky measures to fund their investment deals. Many have begun to cash out their 401(k)s or IRAs in order to take advantage of the housing market while it is still considered profitable.

Check out this excerpt from the article:
The decision to take money from your 401(k) is not for everyone... Galaris said amateur investors sometimes spend all their free cash on their purchases and then have to scramble to pay the fees. If the real estate market turns south again, that could leave a lot of investors in dire financial condition for their golden years.
Read more at the following link: http://cnnmon.ie/14In4EB


Photo: THINKSTOCK
Source: MONEY.CNN.com

Monday, May 20, 2013

Lake Las Vegas, Long Viewed as a Bust, is Rebounding

The beautiful Lake Las Vegas is rebounding with local home prices on the upswing. After being on the verge of collapse just a few years ago, foreclosure that had swept through the community is now on its way to becoming a thing of the past. During the first quarter of this year, single-family houses sold at an average of $675,446, up from an average of $484,000 just last year.

Read the article for more details on the restoration of real estate in Lake Las Vegas:
http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2013/may/15/lake-las-vegas-long-viewed-bust-beginning-boom-aga/#/0


Photography: SAM MORRIS
Source: VEGASINC.com

Thursday, May 16, 2013

More and More Million-Dollar Homes Being Snapped up in Las Vegas

The luxury housing market in Las Vegas is starting to heat up with the oncoming summer! If million-dollar home sales continue at their current rate, 2013 will be the best year for Southern Nevada's high-end housing market since the economy bottomed out.

Read more on the story at the following link:
http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2013/may/15/more-and-more-million-dollar-homes-being-snapped-l/


Source: VEGASINC.com

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

5 Tips for Buying in Today’s Seller’s Market

These days, the housing market consists of low inventory, rising prices, bidding wars, and fewer sellers who are willing to negotiate. In this seller's market, buyers must act quickly to get what they want. If you're a buyer who wants to make a catch while homes are still very affordable and interest rates are at record lows, take a look at the following 5 tips on "buying in a seller's market", provided by the official RE/MAX website:
1. Get your financial house in order
2. Get a pre-approval letter
3. Act fast
4. Be prepared to offer your ‘highest and best’
5. Request concessions that are necessary
For an in-depth analysis and details on how to carry out each of these buyer tips, read the sourced article at the link provided below:
Source: REMAX.com

Monday, May 13, 2013

10 Steps to Hire A Qualified Landscape Professional

Why is consistent landscape service important? This guide puts it best:
According to the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), the nation’s premier landscaper association, besides adding to your overall satisfaction and enjoyment of your home, quality landscaping and proper lawn care can increase the value of your home by 15 percent.  Your landscape is one of the first things visitors and prospective buyers [or renters] notice when they see your house. Realtors estimate that 95 percent of home shoppers will not even get out of their car if the house lacks “curb appeal.” You are proud of your home, and you love your landscape. And like many homeowners, you probably like taking care of your own property.  But there are some projects where hiring a qualified professional landscaper makes sense.

If you understand the importance of giving your investment(s) an admirable landscape and want to get started, we recommend reading PLANET's 10 steps for hiring the right landscaper:
http://blog.homes.com/2013/05/10-steps-to-hire-a-qualified-landscape-professional/

Source: BLOG.HOMES.com

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Survey: Nevada leads U.S. in Home Price Gains

It is estimated that the Las Vegas valley market could gain another 35 percent in its median home value over the next year and a half. For a recent publication of insight and statistics on the changing Las Vegas market, read the article at the link provided below.



Source: REVIEWJOURNAL.com

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Builders Hold Lotteries for Eager New Homebuyers

In some parts of the country, builders are holding lotteries to decide who gets to purchase homes in their development. This practice has become especially popular in California, where the demand among homebuyers has proven to be enormous. Although builders are thrilled with the large return of buyers to the market, trying to keep up with this surge in demand by building faster and upping inventory has fallen a bit short.
Although lotteries are not the best solution, especially when considering the buyers who turn out empty-handed, homebuilders feel that using lotteries to prioritize purchase ability is the fairest method for potential buyers. They also believe that buyers themselves prefer the lottery system over competitive bidding wars or trying to be the first in line when a home goes on the market.

Read more at the following link:
http://money.cnn.com/2013/04/30/real_estate/home-lotteries/index.html?section=money_realestate&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fmoney_realestate+%28Real+Estate%29


Source: MONEY.CNN.com

Monday, May 6, 2013

Report: Las Vegas Among Top Spots to ‘Flip’ Homes

For those unaware of this investment technique, to "flip" a home means to quickly sell a newly acquired house for profit. According to the following report from RealtyTrac, the Las Vegas valley is the second best place in the country to flip a home. The statistics reported on this practice are rather overwhelming, with Las Vegas holding a profit percentage that was second highest in the country. Read the following stats quoted directly from the article linked below:
There were 4,341 such sales of single-family homes in the valley last year, down 21 percent from 2011. The average purchase price was $133,198 and the average sales price was $203,945, giving the flippers a 53 percent gross profit  $70,746.
http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2013/may/02/report-las-vegas-among-top-spots-flip-homes/

Source: VEGASINC.com

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Housing Rebound is Facing Obstacle: Too Few Homes

Mortgage rates are near historic lows and just as ordinary Americans are wanting to buy again, the housing shortage is presenting a firm hurdle. When the market collapsed in 2006, the equity that was lost on many homes left homeowners unable or unwilling to sell. Although prices have started to rise again, for most homeowners, it still isn't enough to restore what was lost. Put simply by Stan Humphries, chief economist at real estate information site Zillow, "Every buyer wants to buy at the bottom, but no seller wants to sell at the bottom."

Read more:


Photography: STEVE MARCUS
Source: LASVEGASSUN.com

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Report: Las Vegas Posts Biggest Monthly Home Price Rise

A new report shows Las Vegas had the biggest adjusted monthly home price increase with prices at a 2 percent climb. The report suggests that housing inventory remaining tight with the combination of rising demand has exerted upward pressure on home values. "Home prices continue to show solid increases," said David Blitzer, Chairman of the S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values. "Housing continues to be one of the brighter spots of the economy."
According to data from the National Association of Realtors, there were only 1.93 million previously owned properties on the market last month (the fewest of any March since 2000).

Source: REVIEWJOURNAL.com