Move to
Las Vegas
on purpose
Most out-of-state buyers tell me the hard part was not finding a house. It was choosing a community. This guide is how I help relocating buyers compare the valley by lifestyle, run the numbers and land somewhere that fits the next chapter.
The reasons
I hear most
From California especially: dramatically more house for the money, no state income tax, sunshine and open space within minutes, and a lower overall cost of living. California equity often buys a Las Vegas home outright or with a much smaller loan.
The move is not right for everyone, and I am not here to talk anyone into it. My job is to help you compare accurately, so the decision you make rests on evidence instead of a brochure.
Looking for the complete guide? Explore my full buyer's relocation guideThe honest comparison starts here
- Housing: more square footage, newer construction and lower prices than most West Coast metros.
- Taxes: Nevada has no state income tax, worth modeling against your California number.
- Location: Red Rock Canyon's scenic drive is roughly 10 to 15 minutes from most of Summerlin, and McCarran is central to the valley.
- Lifestyle: it is a city of master-planned communities, each with its own club, parks and culture. That is the real decision.
Four corners
of the valley
Summerlin
Master-planned · Golf · Views
Villages with their own personalities, from The Vistas to The Ridges, minutes from Red Rock Canyon. Great for families, luxury buyers and 55+ living.
Neighborhood guideLas Vegas
The valley's center
Established neighborhoods, new master plans near Centennial Hills and Skye Canyon, high-rise living downtown and on the Strip corridor.
Neighborhood guideHenderson
Family-friendly · 55+ · Lake views
Green Valley, Anthem, Inspirada and Lake Las Vegas: award-winning parks, strong schools and some of the valley's most popular 55+ communities.
Neighborhood guideNorth Las Vegas
Value · New construction
Newer communities and more home for the money, with its own growing master plans and proximity to the airport via the 215.
Neighborhood guideFive things
to do first
A relocation works best when the trip out is planned like a research project. Here is the order I recommend to every out-of-state buyer.
Read the full article- 01
Get pre-approved for a Nevada purchase
Know your real budget before you look, so the fly-in visits the right neighborhoods, not all of them.
- 02
Name your three must-haves
Community type, lifestyle and commute matter more than countertops. Decide them before you fly.
- 03
Decide what kind of move this is
Retirement, relocation or second home? Each one changes which part of the valley fits.
- 04
Plan a structured research trip
I send homes ahead, then plan a day through the neighborhoods those homes sit in. You buy the block as much as the house.
- 05
Bring your paperwork and questions
Bank statements, tax returns, insurance questions, 55+ community questions. We run the whole picture.
The team around
your transaction
A good agent runs the whole project. My clients work with lenders, inspectors, appraisers and escrow officers I know and trust, and I stay in the middle of the process from the first pre-approval call to the final signature. That is what out-of-state buyers need most: one person who holds the whole picture together.
Lender
Nevada pre-approvals and rate math
Inspector
Thorough, plain-English reports
Appraiser
Independent valuation, on schedule
Escrow
Clean paperwork and honest timelines
Start the
conversation
Tell me where you are coming from, roughly what you are working with and what the next chapter is supposed to look like. I will show you which corners of the valley fit, then we build the plan.
702-683-3362Direct to Sandy
Planning a Las Vegas move?
Taxes: what you
actually pay
Nevada's tax structure is one of the main reasons people relocate here. The headline numbers are simple; the property-tax detail is where my appraisal background comes in.
- No state income tax. Nevada has no state income tax, which changes the math for anyone moving from California or another income-tax state.
- Sales tax: the combined rate in Las Vegas is 8.375%, state plus Clark County local taxes.
- Property taxes: among the lowest in the country. The median effective property tax rate in Clark County is about 0.79% of a home's value, well below the national median of roughly 1.02%. Actual rates vary by district and exemptions, so I verify the exact figure for each property.
Schools and
zoning
Public schools in the valley run through the Clark County School District, and attendance zones are assigned by address. The exact school for a home depends entirely on where it sits, so I verify the zone for every property I show before anyone falls in love with a house.
Notable private schools
The Meadows School
Summerlin · PK-12Ranked the #1 private K-12 school in Nevada by Niche.
8601 Scholar Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89128 · (702) 254-1610
Bishop Gorman High School
Southwest Las VegasA top-ranked Catholic high school.
5959 S Hualapai Way, Las Vegas, NV 89148 · (702) 732-1945
Faith Lutheran Middle & High School
SummerlinPrivate Lutheran middle and high school.
2015 S Hualapai Way, Las Vegas, NV 89117 · (702) 804-4400
The Adelson Educational Campus
Summerlin · PK-12A Jewish day school serving preschool through 12th grade.
9700 Hillpointe Road, Las Vegas, NV 89134 · (702) 255-4500
Lake Mead Christian Academy
HendersonPrivate Christian school in Henderson.
540 E Lake Mead Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89015 · (702) 565-5831
Public magnet and charter options also exist across the valley, so the school picture is not limited to the neighborhood school alone.
Health care: hospitals
and urgent care
The valley's hospital network covers every corner of Las Vegas, Summerlin and Henderson, and urgent care is never far away. Here is the lay of the land.
Major hospitals
UMC
Nevada's only nonprofit Level I trauma center and verified burn center.
1800 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 383-2000
Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center
A major acute-care hospital in Las Vegas.
3186 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 961-5000
Summerlin Hospital Medical Center
The valley's primary hospital for the Summerlin area.
657 N Town Center Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89144
(702) 233-7000
MountainView Hospital
Full-service hospital in Las Vegas.
3100 N Tenaya Way, Las Vegas, NV 89128
(702) 962-5000
Dignity Health St. Rose Dominican
Multiple campuses, including Henderson and the west side.
Siena Campus: 3001 St Rose Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89052
(702) 616-5000
Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center
Hospital in northwest Las Vegas.
6900 N Durango Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89149
(702) 835-9700
Urgent care
UMC Quick Care
Multiple locations across the valley, open daily 8am to 8pm.
- Summerlin: 2031 N Buffalo Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89128 · (702) 383-3750
- Peccole Ranch: 9320 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89117
- Spring Valley: 4180 S Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89103
- Sunset, Henderson: 525 Marks St, Henderson, NV 89014
CareNow Urgent Care
Multiple locations across the valley.
- Sahara & Hualapai: 10030 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89117 · (702) 570-8105
- Charleston & Decatur: 4575 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102 · (702) 877-8777
- Ann & Simmons: 3020 W Ann Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89031 · (702) 701-9501
911 and emergency services, plus the major ERs, are accessible valley-wide, so wherever you land, care is close.
Compare the valley before you commit
One structured conversation beats a dozen weekend flights. Start it before you book the trip.