Moving to Vegas from California

Finding a Community in Vegas That Reminds You of Home

Moved to Vegas From California myself. I do find some areas here either remind me of parts of California or they seem to have a similar lifestyle.

When I moved here from San Francisco, the downtown area wasn't what it is today. In today's world, it has a similar vibe to living near San Francisco's Union Square. It's beginning to attract restaurants, bars and businesses. Currently, the residential options are somewhat limited, with only Newport Lofts and SOHO Lofts offering condos that can be purchased within the main walking area of downtown.

The first time I walked into the lobby of one of the towers at Turnberry Place, I couldn't help but feel that you could have picked the building up and sat it down in San Francisco's Knob Hill and it would have fit right in. Of all our high rise buildings, Turnberry Place, Park Towers and Turnberry Towers would easily fit into that prestigious neighborhood. While all three of those communities are prestigous they're not pretentious enough to qualify for Knob Hill's nickname of Snob Hill.

The Martin was completed in 2008 but the investors who now own the building gave it a face lift in 2012. The face lift has transformed the entrance and common areas into the sort of art deco, retro style you find on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. Think Hotel Shangri-La.

Panorama Towers, Veer Towers and even SKY have the sort of contemporary-style lobbies to feel similar to the high-rise condos lining Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood. Lots of glass windows, contemporary kitchens and baths and pool areas that would be found at a W Hotel.

SOHO Lofts, Newport Lofts and Metropolis are three buildings that have the sort of trendy, Bohemian style you would find in downtown L.A., or South of Market in San Francisco. Although, you wouldn't find the pools in most San Francisco buildings.

A recent buyer from L.A. was considering a three-story home in MacDonald Highlands and a single-story home in Southern Highlands. The homes and the neighborhoods are of different styles. He agreed with me when I offered that the MacDonald Highlands three-story home and the houses surrounding it on the hillside were similar to the Hollywood Hills and the home in Southern Highlands and the neighboring homes were more like Beverly Hills. Of course, another recent client felt Southern Highlands reminded her of one of the guard-gated equestrian communities in Newport Beach. While it isn't equestrian, she felt the architecture was very similar.

From the time I've spent in various parts of California, I would say there are other neighborhoods that remind me of some of the most popular parts of California. If you like the Brentwood area of L.A., you may want to see Green Valley Ranch and Summerlin Centre, The Gardens of Summerlin and The Willows of Summerlin. If you live near Montana Avenue or the Third Street promenade in Santa Monica, you might want to check out those same areas. You'll find they have lots of trendy boutiques, restaurants and community activities.

For those who enjoy the Beverly Hills or Bel Aire lifestyle, there are several communities that remind me of those areas. Queensridge and Canyon Gate have homes that are similar to the homes lining Clifton Way and Dayton Way in Beverly Hills.

Spanish Trails is an older golf course community with grounds and homes that remind us of some of our favorite communities in the towns of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and La Quinta. You'll find tall palm trees, grass, lakes in the golf course and beautiful mountain views.

One of the surprising behaviors of home buyers in Las Vegas is they tend to prefer new construction. Most buyers will prefer a home that is less than five years old when they first start looking for their Las Vegas home. While we appreciate new construction, it seems a little strange that parts of the country like San Francisco, Santa Monica and older areas think nothing of buying a home that was built as long ago as the 1920's. We see a lot of beautifully restored homes whenever we go to visit friends in Palm Springs. Rehabbing the older homes in Las Vegas has not caught on as much as it has in California, but we are starting to see it. The housing collapse encouraged investors to pick up foreclosed homes and rehab them. You'll find areas that will remind you of the fashionable rehabbed older home areas in the neighborhoods on either side of the Strip.

For those who are accustomed to living in a home with an incredible view of the ocean, we suggest they consider MacDonald Highlands, Anthem Country Club, the Seven Hills communities that are on Grand Hills Drive, and The Ridges of Summerlin. Seven Hills and Anthem Country Club have a similar atmosphere to residential Tiburon in Northern California. The contemporary style of The Ridges, combined with the views would be more like a Malibu or Newport Beach lifestyle.

Moving to Vegas from Hancock Park, you should take a look at homes in Tournament Hills in Summerlin or to be closer to the Strip, Rancho Circle. Both communities feature beautiful homes that are near shopping and mature landscaping, although the homes in Rancho Circle are considerably older than Tournament Hills.

While Las Vegas doesn't have the equestrian communities that have popped up in Southern California over recent years, those who love to be near their horses should consider the Centennial Hills area. There are still homes on half-acre to an acre or more lots that are zoned equestrian in this area. A new series of equestrian trails also runs along Floyd Lamb State Park that's in this northwestern part of the Valley.

The laid-back style of Sausalito is probably closest to The Lakes and Desert Shores. Both of these are communities that are built around man-made lakes. They both have a village feel as you see residents walking their dogs and jogging through the communities. And at the center, you'll find a couple of cafes, shops, etc.