June 2022 | Jeff Howard's Las Vegas Area Real Estate blog

Summerlin 4th of July Parade Back in its Full Glory!

The entire Las Vegas Valley is invited to celebrate Independence Day at the 28th Annual Summerlin Council Patriotic Parade, Southern Nevada’s largest and most colorful Fourth of July parade. My family and I get there early to get a front row view every year. If you are attending bring plenty of water and sunscreen for everyone in your group, or even better bring your pop-up shade and stake your claim. Stay safe from the sun and hydrated – that’s our motto.

It should be very exciting since this is the first full-scale parade since the pandemic started in 2020. This year’s parade is going to be bigger and better than ever. There are more than 70 entries, including 25 giant inflatable parade balloons, veteran and military organizations, both patriotic and pop culture-themed floats, performing groups.

This year representation from four local professional sports teams, including the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Aces, Las Vegas Aviators and, new this year, the Las Vegas Raiders — represented by a 30-foot Raiders-branded giant inflatable balloon in the shape of a football.

There is a new float this year, “The Magic of Encanto,” that will join several popular and returning patriotic-themed entries, including “A Salute to the Military,” honoring the service men and women from Nellis and Creech Air Force bases; “America Sings!” featuring the Desert Angels gospel choir; “America Standing Tall” featuring a 15-foot Miss Stars and Stripes towering high above the crowd; “A Very Vegas Birthday” with a special appearance by Elvis; and “Dancing in the Street” by the Contemporary West Dance Theatre ARTSWORK Pro.

Plus other popular performing groups include Danza Del Carrizo Native American performing group, Palo Verde High School Marching Band, Nevada Latino Arts and Culture Association; and The Swing It! Girls. Veterans and military organizations will be represented by the Marine Corps League, American Legion, Forgotten Not Gone and the Southern Nevada Military Vehicle Association.

Returning to the parade this year are fan favorites: “The Fourth Awakens,” featuring the Neon City Garrison Star Wars costuming club; “Mario Karts on Parade,” featuring Mario and Luigi; and “Frozen Fun,” featuring Elsa and Anna.

Over 2,500 people are expected to participate in the parade, plus more than 500 volunteers from dozens of local schools and community groups will assist with parade operations. Over 20,000 cubic feet of helium will be used for 25 giant inflatables.

Returning hosts include Sherry Swensk and Brian Loftus from 8NewsNow and Mercedes and JC from MIX 94.1

The parade is organized by The Summerlin Council, the nonprofit arm of the Summerlin Community Association dedicated to the social, educational and recreational enrichment of residents. The parade is open to the public and with attendance expected to top 50,000 people, I strongly encourage you to arrive early (I know we do).

The parade begins at the corner of Hillpointe Road and Hills Center Drive in The Trails village of Summerlin. Participants travel south toward Village Center Circle, then west on Trailwood Drive. The parade ends near the corner of Trailwood Drive and Spring Gate Lane. For more information on the parade, visit www.summerlinpatrioticparade.com.

Do you have a need for commercial/industrial/retail buildings or land? Are you ready to buy or sell a home? Do you want a guaranteed cash offer? We can help you with all of that… just call us at 702 SELL NOW or click on this link to my website http://www.702SellNow.com

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Ways to Dress Up Your Patio

Patios are magnificently flexible spaces, if not a little boring by themselves. Think of your patio as a three-dimensional canvas that you can literally create anything on that you’d like. Perhaps you’ve just moved into your new home and you’ve got your very first patio, or maybe you’ve had one for a while and just didn’t know what to do with it. You can use this space in whatever way you want from a tiki hot tub paradise to a casual outdoor dining space. Here are some things to think about when you’re trying to dress yours up!

Lights, Camera, Action!

Patios are great, however, at nighttime patio lighting is often lackluster. For patios near the house, many people rely on a single bulb hanging near the back door or think that the lights from the lawn will help light the patio – not really!

Today there are many options for patios. Not only are solar lights affordable and reliable, they’re also amazingly diverse. Want a bit of a beach party mood? Add a whole collection of solar-powered string lights with round bulbs. Looking for something more romantic? Victorian-themed solar wall sconces can evoke a real mood. Add poles to elevate your lighting for even more flexibility in placement.

Fun in the Shade

Of course, the sun is wonderful, but have you tried the shade? The shade is great, especially on a sunny day in Las Vegas when the entire region is just a little too hot and a little too bright. Shades over the patio and lighter shades floating around the patio can also protect dining areas from debris that might fall from nearby trees, making dining outdoors more pleasurable.

Shade sails are easy to install, come in lots of fun colors, and lend a super modern look to all kinds of spaces. If you want something a little more serious and a lot fancier, aluminum pergolas with shade systems can be attached to your patio or home permanently. These often have shades that can be opened or closed to let the sun in – or not – as your heart desires. Some even come with curtains to create a more private space.

Roll Out the Carpet

Outdoor rugs are increasingly diverse – a must-have item for any patio to accompany and complement outdoor living furniture and tables. These rugs can be heavy-duty, with similar quality to rugs you might choose to have inside your house. A huge range of patterns and colors can help you create the atmosphere you’ve been dreaming of.

Using an outdoor rug can help keep your patio looking cleaner, as well as define specific spaces if your patio is larger and has a few different activity areas. You might color-coordinate one under your patio dining set (beneath your new pergola, of course), and add another to the set of patio furniture near the hot tub to encourage people to stop and have a chat.

Add a Touch of Green

Add lots of potted plants to the different areas of your patio. They can set the mood for and help separate the parts of your patio in a very soothing way. You can tell so much about a space with how potted plants are chosen and the kinds of pots they’re in. Sleek and modern areas might benefit from simple, upright foliage plants in tall, narrow pots. More traditional spaces could go full cottage core with some old wash tubs overflowing with your favorite annuals.

If Your Vision Is Lacking…

Do you need help with creating your own patio Shangri-La? Contact me – Jeff Howard, your realtor for life. I can help you by connecting you with the best patio stagers and you will be so happy with how your patio looks after creating the ambiance you chose for your outdoor living space in the shade.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Las Vegas Sees a Boom in the Commercial Real Estate Market

The commercial real estate industry in Southern Nevada has entered 2022 on an upturn and is still flourishing, despite some headwinds. It’s being fed by the substantial economic growth in the Las Vegas Valley, strong demand along with a development industry that is ablaze with activity.

2 sectors are best positioned to thrive in 2022.

■ The industrial sector remains strong and resilient. There has been a growing demand for space that is outpacing our local supply. Smaller facilities remain in demand, while e-commerce companies are looking to lease or build larger warehouses ranging from 500,000 square feet to 800,000 square feet.

The North Las Vegas market continues to be active, with most projects designed to meet the needs of e-commerce companies, such as Amazon and Fanatics. Other submarkets like Henderson and the area around the airport have attracted very large users like FedEx and Kroger.

On the agenda for 2022, plans include another 18 million square feet of planned industrial space to be built, although most of these projects won’t be finished until 2023 and are already spoken for. Southern Nevada absorbed more than 10 million square feet of industrial space in 2021. According to developers, competition is at unprecedented levels and everyone wants a piece of the industrial market, creating a huge shortage of materials and escalating land prices.

■ The office sector continues its ongoing recovery from COVID-19 and associated lockdowns. Asking rental rates increased to $2.27 on a full-service basis. Office inventory increased by over 93,000 square feet in the fourth quarter of 2021, bringing year-to-date deliveries to over 178,000 square feet.

Southern Nevada had nearly 675,000 square feet of office space under construction at year’s end, the most space under construction since 2014. We also had three quarters of strong net absorption in 2021, with occupancy increasing by 930,000+ square feet this year.

Looking forward, the state of our tourism industry will be a key metric in Southern Nevada’s recovery. This year, the local economy is expected to continue progressing along that road — even with new COVID-19 variants overshadowing the headlines Sothern Nevada has experienced recent population growth, rising gaming revenues and a steady return of tourists enjoying all Las Vegas has to offer. After record-breaking gaming revenue numbers through the end of 2021, industry experts are predicting Las Vegas could see a full recovery by 2023.

Still, Nevada’s recovery has been uneven. For instance, Northern Nevada’s employment numbers have now exceeded pre-pandemic levels, while in Southern Nevada, the same cannot be said. And, while gaming revenues are up, local hotel room occupancy levels are not back to pre-pandemic peaks. Of course, the Las Vegas area was one of the hardest hit in the U.S. because of its heavy reliance on travel and tourism.

Large conventions have begun returning to Las Vegas, however with the omicron surge, some of the larger companies that attend such conventions have switched to online participation; in particular, the insurance and financial sectors.

Additionally, international travelers, who account for up to 20 percent of all Las Vegas visitors in recent years, have been slow to return.

There are likely to be continued challenges with rapidly rising material costs, supply chain issues, inflation, land constraints, omicron and concerns over our water supply. Nonetheless, the commercial real estate sector is expected to continue on an upward trajectory over the next couple of years at least.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Discounts for Las Vegas Seniors (55 and up)

Grocery stores such as Albertson’s and Von’s have a senior discount on the first Wednesday of every month. Whole Foods have seniors’ discounts every day. There are other grocery stores that have one Seniors’ day a month with special savings, so if you shop at a different one than the above, just ask next time you are there and start planning your shopping accordingly.

Many of the buffets in the Las Vegas valley offer a 10 percent discount for seniors – some have dinner discounts and more offer lunchtime deals. Before going check with that particular buffet.

There are some attractions and shopping that offer discounts for seniors as well. Here are several:

Eiffel Tower Observation Deck at Paris Hotel (55+) tickets for $3 off.

Las Vegas Natural History Museum tickets for $8 for seniors.

Las Vegas Premium Outlets offers senior discounts on Tuesdays (ask at customer service). Select retailers at both outlet malls offer discounts to people aged 55+.

Mob Museum offers a $3 discount for ages 65+

National Atomic Testing Museum (65+) tickets for $18.

Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay (65+) tickets for $2 off.

Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden at Mirage Buy One Get One Free for ages 60+ on Sundays.

Wet’n’Wild Las Vegas Water-park (65+) tickets for $10.

Most rental car companies have senior discounts from 10 to 25%. Look into Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National & Thrifty. They often give a higher discount if you are a member of AARP.

Speaking of AARP, to take advantage of the best offers for seniors no matter where you live, sign up. They have offers from many major nationwide companies for those that have reached 55 plus. Go to www.aarp.org to find a complete listing of the advantages they offer.

Many national restaurant chains offer senior discounts, usually a discount of around 10% off for ages 55+. Here are some of the restaurants have senior discounts in Nevada. They are:
– A&W,
– Applebees,
– Arby’s,
– Bubba Gump Shrimp,
– Burger King,
– Chick-Fil-A,
– Chili’s,
– Dairy Queen,
– Denny’s,
– Dunkin Donuts,
– Einstein Bros. Bagels,
– El Pollo Loco,
– IHOP,
– Jack in the Box,
– Johnny Rockets,
– KFC,
– Long John Silver’s,
– McDonald’s,
– Outback Steakhouse,
– Pizza Hut,
– Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen,
– Rainforest Café,
– Schlotzky’s,
– Sonic,
– Subway,
– Taco Bell,
– Texas de Brazil,
– Wendy’s &
– White Castle.

Do you like to go to the movies? A “Seniors Day” discount is available on designated days, according to Cinemark’s website www.cinemark.com. This discount varies by theater, so check with your local theater box office for details. Also, AARP members can buy Regal ePremiere tickets online for up to 20% off. Those who are members of both AARP and the Regal Crown Club also can save $3 on a popcorn-and-soft-drink combo by showing their membership cards.

Lastly there are some airlines also have discounts for ages 65+. Look into American Airlines (merged with US Airlines), Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

There are other senior discounts out there, so go ahead and just ask the next time you are ready to pay for any goods or services and comment below any you found that I didn’t please!

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Do Plants Help Sell a Home?

Are you thinking of selling your house? There are lots of minor things you can do to increase the likelihood that some prospective buyer is going to make a great offer. Many of the tips you’ll find to improve your home’s appeal focus on things inside the house, ranging from paint colors to furniture and a variety of other little tweaks. Add indoor plants! This will improve the appeal of your home and is often overlooked.

Many people do not put much thought into having plants around their home when prepping for a sale, and this can lead to a missed opportunity. From fixing up your lawn and garden to adding splashes of greenery indoors, or bright colors in pots, there are several ways that you can leverage plants to help sell your home when the time comes. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Increase Your Curb Appeal

While interior staging is important, the outside of your home is the first impression that potential buyers are going to get. There are obviously a few external things that you can do, such as slapping a fresh coat of paint on the front door and cleaning up the windows, however, one of the biggest boosts to your home’s curb appeal comes in the form of improving your front yard.

As soon as you start considering selling your home, it’s time to treat thin areas on your lawn so that everything is lush and green. Weeding flower beds, adding decorative potted plants on the porch or along the walkway, and otherwise sprucing up the look of the outside will go a long way toward capturing the attention of potential buyers.

Bringing in a Touch of Nature

Exterior landscaping is not the only way that plants can help you sell your home. Potted plants, vases with fresh flowers, and even small decorative potted trees or other tall plants can add both color and a sense of freshness to your home that are hard to replicate. It’s the same reason that a lot of grocery stores have fresh flowers near the entrance to the store; when people see plants and flowers, their brains immediately focus on the idea of freshness and life.

If you choose flowers or other plants with pleasant scents, bringing them in can add to the overall freshness of the air without the need for artificial air fresheners or incense. This can let your plants serve double duty, improving the quality of the air while also adding a splash of color and life to your home. Just make sure to avoid plants that produce a lot of pollen or else you may have some cleanup to take care of before potential buyers come for a tour.

Call Some Help if Needed

It’s possible that you won’t really be able to take care of everything you want to do all on your own. Perhaps you have trees on your property that need trimmed or have to have dead limbs removed. Maybe you want to revitalize a flower garden but don’t really have the time. It’s even possible that you’d love to add some floral touches to your home, but aren’t really sure what would go best with your house. It’s okay, we’ve got you covered.

Call me, Jeff Howard, your favorite real estate agent. I would be happy to make a couple of recommendations and connect you with landscaping and trimming pros.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff