Relocating to Las Vegas

Start with the lifestyle, then find the neighborhood

Las Vegas, Henderson, and Summerlin offer very different settings, from older established neighborhoods to resort-style communities and newer master-planned areas. We begin with how you want to live, including commute, space, yard, amenities, and budget, and then build a short list of neighborhoods to explore.

Our area guides are a good place to start reading before we talk. They cover the history, layout, lifestyle, associations, and costs of Summerlin, Henderson, and Las Vegas, with links to guides for individual communities. One thing surprises many newcomers: a Las Vegas mailing address can be inside the City of Las Vegas, in unincorporated Clark County, or in a master-planned community with its own association, and that affects services, taxes, and association costs. We tell you which applies to each address you are considering.

How buying from out of state works

You do not have to be here for every step. Many relocation clients use a combination of video tours, a short visit to see homes in person, and electronic signing:

• Video walk-throughs and detailed photos before you travel
• A focused in-person trip to tour your top choices
• Electronic signatures and escrow and title coordination that can be handled remotely
• Inspections where you receive the full report and photos and we review the findings with you
• A local network of lenders, escrow officers, and inspectors from our Local Resources page

Planning your house-hunting trip

A short, focused trip works best. Before you fly in, we narrow the search by video and photos, line up pre-approval so you can make an offer quickly, and schedule tours so you see the most promising homes and neighborhoods in the fewest days. We also suggest driving the commute and visiting at different times of day, since traffic, noise, and the feel of a street can change.

If you cannot travel, we can tour homes live by video, answer your questions as we walk through, and send photos of the details that matter to you, such as the yard, the street, and the condition of major systems. Since August 17, 2024, agents who use a multiple listing service must have a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home with them, and the rule covers live virtual tours as well as in-person ones. We go over that agreement with you before the first tour, including how compensation works, which is negotiable and not set by law.

What to bring to the table before you visit

A little preparation makes a short trip far more productive:

• A pre-approval letter from a lender, so you can write an offer quickly
• Your list of must-haves and nice-to-haves, ranked
• Your timeline, including when you need to be in the home and when your current lease or sale ends
• Questions about the neighborhoods you are considering

Buying and closing remotely

In Nevada, closings are handled by an escrow and title company, which collects the funds, follows each party's instructions, and records the deed. Escrow commonly runs about 30 days after an accepted offer, and much of it can be handled by email and electronic signature. We stay in touch with escrow, your lender, and the seller's side so you are not chasing paperwork from another time zone.

Your lender must send a Loan Estimate within three business days after you apply, and you must receive your Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing, so build that time into your plans. Ask your escrow officer early whether your signing can be done remotely or whether you will need to sign in front of a notary near you.

Inspections, disclosures, and HOAs when you are not here

When you cannot stand in the home, the paperwork matters even more. For most resale homes the seller must give you a Seller's Real Property Disclosure at least 10 days before the property is conveyed, and the state's guide is clear that it does not replace an inspection. We strongly recommend a full inspection, and we review the report and photos with you. The Nevada Real Estate Division's Residential Disclosure Guide also lists notices buyers may receive, such as lead-based paint information for homes built before 1978, a military activities notice (the military files activity plans in Clark County), and an airport noise notice.

If the home is in a homeowners association, the seller provides a resale package, and you generally have until midnight of the fifth calendar day after receiving it to cancel in writing. Out-of-state buyers sometimes expect HOA rules to look like those where they live, so read it closely. Our articles walk through the key points: Never Skip the Home Inspection, Check the HOA Before You Commit, and Understand the Solar Before Buying the House.

Desert-living details worth knowing

Homes in the desert have their own checklist. Air conditioning age and condition, roof, windows, pool equipment, landscaping and watering rules, and solar systems are all common topics. Many neighborhoods also have HOAs with rules and dues.

Summers are hot. According to the climate figures in our Las Vegas guide, July's average high is about 104.5 degrees, and on average 78 days a year reach 100 degrees. The low humidity makes the heat feel different from humid climates, but cooling costs, shade, and how a home handles the heat belong in your budget and your home search.

Water is another adjustment. Southern Nevada gets most of its water from the Colorado River, and the valley has mandatory seasonal watering schedules and a conservation program that includes rebates for replacing grass with desert-friendly landscaping. The Southern Nevada Water Authority also supports a 600-square-foot surface area limit on new residential pools, which local jurisdictions have adopted. It applies to new pools, not existing ones. Our Las Vegas guide explains the rules, and we help you understand what applies to a specific home.

Taxes, costs, and what to ask

Nevada does not have a state personal income tax, but your tax situation depends on many factors, so talk with a tax professional about how a move affects you. The combined sales tax rate in Clark County is 8.375 percent.

For property taxes, the Clark County Assessor values each property every year and assesses it at 35 percent of its taxable value, and the tax rate depends on the tax district. Nevada limits how fast the bill can rise: the increase is capped at 3 percent a year on an owner's primary residence, and up to 8 percent on residences that are not owner-occupied. The Assessor mails a Tax Cap Abatement Notice to residential owners who buy after July 1, and you can claim the primary residence cap by returning it. Newer communities may also carry special improvement district assessments on the tax bill, so we check each home's actual numbers for you.

We will tell you what we know and point you to the right people for the rest. A lender, a tax professional, and an insurance agent are the three conversations worth having early.

After you close: settling in

Moving is more than a purchase. After closing you will want to set up utilities and update your address. Our Local Resources page lists electricity, water, gas, trash and sewer, and internet providers our clients have used, along with inspectors and home service vendors.

The Nevada DMV says new residents must obtain their driver license and vehicle registration within 30 days. You will need Nevada evidence of insurance, since out-of-state insurance is not accepted, a VIN inspection, your current registration, the odometer reading, and your out-of-state plates, plus an emissions inspection report if one is required. Emissions testing applies to qualifying vehicles based in the Las Vegas Valley and a five-mile buffer around it, and new vehicles are exempt on their first three registrations. Check the DMV's new resident guide for current requirements, and make an appointment.

If you still have a home to sell in your current city, we can talk through timing and coordinate with an agent there so the two transactions work together.