Question about living in Las Vegas
 

A friend of mine has been offered a job in Vegas. He and his wife are still considering it. Another friend of ours told them that Vegas is a dirty, violent city with a huge gang problem once you leave the strip area.

Is that true or has he been watching too many episodes of cops?

I've been here for 9 years. I've never had an issue with any gangs or anything like that. It just depends on what side of town you move to, like any place.

Summerlin is a nice area. A little more expensive, but you get what you pay for. They should come out and drive around some of the nicer neighborhoods.

they are planning to take a trip down there in the next week or so to check it out. Any areas other than Summerlin that you suggest they check out?

If they like huge tits I'd recommend Robbies neighborhood.

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Love living in Vegas. Like any major city there's good areas and bad areas, Vegas' bad areas are actually pretty easy to avoid. There are a lot of nice communities and neighborhoods.

It's a trap. The only place in Vegas I would consider living in is Red Rock Canyon.

we lived in Anthem which is in Henderson, upscale and very nice

Anthem, Green Valley, Summerlin... there are others. The Southwest area around the 215 has a lot of new development.

Some other people may be able to chime in with other areas. Drive around, check them out... you'll know when the areas you're in are a little lower in quality than the others by the people, the landscaping, and the general "age" of the buildings in the area. Use your gut.

I live right outside of Summerlin in a gated cul de sac. I don't commute either (work from home) so Vegas has been good to me. If you gamble or have a drinking problem, avoid Vegas. If you have to commute and or deal with tourists, you may not like it either.

Sunshine 350 days a year. It's a little too hot for about 4 months out of the year, but A/C is everywhere so you're really only suffering for the minute it takes you to get from where you park your car to the building you're going into.

As with any place, the more expensive the area to live, generally the better off it will be in terms of your neighbors.

Why anyone would live in an oven is beyond me.

Because the 10 months that it isnt an oven, are actually very nice. But I'm glad people think that it is an oven all of the time, it keeps some people from moving here :thumbsup

http://www.lasvegas4us.com/images/zip.jpg

Avoid the green area, the lower part of the blue area, and the upper right part of the purple area.

Red Rock Canyon is a national conservation area, nobody can live there.

I've lived here for several years, this is about right. Even the bad areas aren't like Compton or some shit. The most dangerous thing about Vegas is the heat. And don't be a fucking idiot late at night on the strip, people have been known to get their domes busted but you'll get that anywhere you have a bunch of people determined to have the wildest nights of their lives before they go back home.

Doesn't it get cold and windy there too?

Can blow some lines too. :2 cents:

Windy in the spring and fall. Cold is relative... some people say its cold when its in the 50's, which is normally about the daytime high temperature when it's "cold" here. Others say that isnt cold at all. It will drop below freezing at night for a couple of weeks per year.

Its normal for the daily high and the daily low to have a 20 - 25 degree range.

I have lived in summerlin and southern highlands, both are nicer areas.... my only suggestion is to avoid MLK blvd

I've lived here 11 years, and like any other city, you have good areas/bad areas, good days/bad says...but the heat, you even get "used to"...

I have lived in Las Vegas a couple of times. The answers to the concerns you listed are not too different from, or worse than other western cities.

If they are relocating from Portland, they will find that the cost of living is quite a bit lower in Las Vegas. Especially if they plan to buy a house, although rents are much less there also. Lower gas prices, no state income tax, lower property taxes, etc. They will have sales tax, but that is outweighed by 300 additional days of sun every year compared to Portland. (They have to pay for that sun somehow.)

The biggest adjustment for most is the heat and the dry. It takes some time to adjust, but I prefer it to the NW myself.

Thanks for all the info and the map. I will be passing this on to them.

Yeah, they live here in Portland now which is a pretty expensive city. They say that the weather won't be a big deal and they are looking forward to the sun, but my friend's job will be in construction working as a general foreman for a company so he is going to be outdoors most of the time. It sounds like there are a few months of the year where that might be a little bit of a sweaty bitch.

Just watch all the episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

They all take place in Vegas, and often mention addresses and locations. That way you can work out where all the murders and rapists live, and stay away...

That's why it was so nice. It was so peaceful.

:thumbsup :thumbsup

As with any city its where you live. Its VERY affordable here which is why I left the SoCal area after only a year and half.
I live in the yellow area. 89128.

I would say it depends on where they will be working. You don't want to leave yourself too far of a drive to work. Vegas traffic can suck.

Making the move to Vegas next year. Looking forward to it.:thumbsup

I'm guessing he will be driving to a lot of different job sites. The job will have him running different construction sites for a company. He was worried about traffic in general since it sounds like he will have a lot of commuting ahead of him if he takes the job.

Hmm... I live in 89128. The 89128 are is mostly Desert Shores, which is where I live.

The traffic here isnt bad as long as there isnt major road construction going on. Question is... when is there not major road construction going on? I've lived here almost 10 years and they have been working on Hwy 95 close to where I live the whole time.

Lol it sounds like parts of Portland. I can't remember a time in my life when HWY 84 hasn't been under some kind of construction.

They say "Phoenix is a dry heat so it's okay". Bull fucking shit. I couldn't wait to leave.

I don't care if it's only hot two months of the year. That takes summer from behind fun to being fucking miserable.

I like Phoenix, in the winter. I spend some time there every year.

I live in Vegas and as everyone else said, there certainty some shitty parts but also many very nice areas. I would also add that although the crime rate statistics are high, the violent crime rate is a bit lower than most cities of similar size and violent crime against innocent people is pretty rare. The property crime, auto theft, graffiti, etc rate is pretty high though.

The weather really isn't that bad. It can get downright cold in the wintertime. June and July are pretty brutal for heat but otherwise it's good. You're also a very short drive (20-30min) from the Mt. Charleston area which is usually 30 or 40 degrees cooler in the summer and an awesome place to go up and hike around in. They also have skiing in the winter.

Of course you have the strip and all of that plus you can get tons of big locals discounts on shows, buffets, etc. I take full advantage of the 50% off Rio buffet probably more than I should.

Don't come if you have a gambling problem though. :upsidedow

Tell your mate, if he doesn't take the job I will. I love Vegas and would move there in a heartbeat :thumbsup

LOL. can you operate heavy machinery and run a construction crew? If so he might have a job for you.

:1orglaugh

Haven't done any of that since I was in uni, but willing to give it a crack! :thumbsup