All over the country, leaves are changing and temperatures are dropping. Fall brings thoughts of warm, cozy nights by the fireplace, drinking hot cider, and sending the kids back to school. The autumn breezes also bring on many more closings for first-time home buyers. How does the season affect your decision to buy or sell?

First-time family homes in demand

Summer tends to bring on a flurry of family home sales. Many families are looking to purchase their first homes during this time in hopes of closing before the school year begins.  These homes go quickly, which means that inventory tends to be short in the fall.

This does not mean that you missed an opportunity if you are looking to sell, though. During the fall, many people are emotionally driven to be in their new homes before the holiday season. It makes sense when you imagine setting up your decorations in your new home and inviting family over show it off. While you face less competition from other sellers, your home will be in high demand by these buyers. Consider both of these factors when deciding when to list your house and as you stage it for potential buyers.

Mild weather means more moving

Henderson homes for sale in the fall are at a particular advantage because our climate in the Las Vegas Valley is milder during this season. While the over 100 summer temperatures may have scared off some movers, the 70’s and 80’s of fall attract them from all over the country.

Prices for homes in Henderson, Nevada saw an upturn in Q3

Last quarter, the average home price in Henderson, Nevada, was $182,331, a 2.85% increase since the previous quarter. This is good news for both sellers and buyers, because inventory is down (which means easier selling) and interest rates are still at all-time lows (which means you’ll save a lot if you’re buying).

Now is the perfect season to move on that home you’ve always dreamed of!

Some employees swear they hear footsteps echo in the halls. Others say they have seen a man in old-fashioned work clothes who disappears when confronted. There are many myths surrounding the Hoover Dam, its workers, and what (or who) they may have left behind. 

According to the dam’s web site, it is a fact that 96 workers died during the construction of the Hoover Dam.  The myth is that workers fell into the vats of wet concrete as it was being poured and disappeared – their bodies being buried in the walls forever. The truth is that, in order for fast-dry concrete to dry evenly, it must be poured shallow. Anything foreign – such as human remains – would cause severe instabilities in the foundation, so they would most likely have dived in after their workmates, if this actually happened. However, if you take a tour of the dam, you will find that the molds were not deep enough for this myth to be true – as the concrete would only come up to your knees. So, no bodies remain as part of the dam itself. 

The body count increases if you include surveyor, J.G. Tierney, who drowned in 1922 while searching for right spot to build the dam. According to Wikipedia, he is sometimes counted as the first to die. Oddly, his son, Patrick W. Tierney, was the last man to die, exactly 13 years later when he fell from one of the completed dam’s intake towers. Now, that is spooky.

Several deaths actually occurred due to pneumonia, though that is up to debate, as some believe that carbon monoxide poisoning was rampant due to the use of gas-powered vehicles in the tunnels.

With over 21,000 workers involved in the construction of such awesome size, it’s no wonder that there were fatalities. Many of the safety features of today had yet to be put in place.

Whether you are into spooks or not, this wonder of the world is worth exploring. If you live in a home in Henderson, Nevada, it’s practically out your back door.

Throughout the month of September in Las Vegas, median home prices climbed to $140,000; that's up 13.5 percent from a year ago, according to the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors.

The housing market seems to have flipped focus from foreclosures to short sales; making short sales the current housing trend.  Short sales have increased to 45 percent of all house sales, leaving foreclosures at a lower 14 percent accountability rate.  Only one year ago, short sales accounted for one-fourth the market while foreclosures took the lead at half.  This flip-flop in housing trends proves to be significant for the current Nevada market.

This year so far there has been a notable 13 percent decrease in the sale of single-family homes, which was a 17.8 percent decrease from one year ago.  Declining housing inventory is accounting for the drop in sales, overall.  Cash buyers are accountable for close to 55 percent of housing transactions; with less homes for sale, housing list prices are increasing.  The average price of a a newly listed home is in the neighborhood of $155,000.  Up $25,000 from one year ago, that is a 19 percent leap upwards.  The townhouse and condo market improved in late September also, bringing the median price for a condo up to $70, 250.  That's a 24 percent increase from one year ago.

(Statistics based on date gathered from the MLS.)

Even though foreclosures have slowed down a bit in the Vegas housing market, the overall forecast for the housing market is bleak; it could take decades to recover from the economic housing crisis.  Even with the assistance of both governmental and corporate help, 59 percent of Las Vegas mortgages are still considered to be underwater.

The Housing Stabilization Roundtable that was hosted by Mayor Carolyn Goodman featured discussions geared toward this particular topic.  The Roundtable event gave local officials and analysts an opportunity to inform about the facts and statistics of the housing crash, and discuss plans on coping with it. 

"It has just been a snowball effect," Mayor Carolyn Goodman claimed.  After watching the the housing crisis unfold and attack Las Vegas in the form of shattered housing, falling property tax revenue and stressed out city services, Goodman goes on to state, "this housing problem has affected every aspect of this city (Las Vegas)".

When it comes to seriously delinquent home loans, Nevada's rate is 12.4 percent, compared to 7.3 percent, which is the overall National rate.  Local banks own close to 13,000 housing units in the Vegas area, and are expected to control the supply (of houses) in the future as well.  The ongoing struggle in the Las Vegas housing market has been overwhelming to attempted efforts made in finding solutions to  housing problems. 

Over the past year, with faltering economic influences and consistent changes in real estate, the housing supply in Las Vegas inevitably shrunk.  This is largely due directly to cash investors who have taken advantage of the changing economic climate by purchasing homes "in bulk", and renting them out to tenants for monthly cash profit. 

According to a report from Zillow.com, list houses that are for sale in Vegas took a 35 percent drop over 2012 (ending in late September).  Lower-end priced houses have had an inventory recession of close to 38 percent this past year.  Houses that are considered to be "middle tier" (as far as pricing goes), have seen an inventory decline of 39 percent, while upper tiered houses have decreased inventory availability by just over 30 percent. 

Nationally, housing inventory has taken a hit by falling close to 19 percent, overall.  A lot of this decrease in housing availability can be accounted for by cash investors from neighboring areas such as Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona who travel to Vegas, purchase homes at a reduced rate, and then rent them out to tenants.  These investors tend to buy in large quantity, homes that have decreased in value recently, in order to turn over the highest possible profit.   

Vacationers and locals alike enjoy visiting the Hoover Dam, which sees nearly 3,000 patrons per day. Those who own homes in Henderson Nevada are just a hop, skip, and jump away from this historical marvel.

Hoover Dam towers at 726 feet, making it the highest concrete arch dam in the US. It has been named one of the seven engineering wonders of America. By damming the portion of the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada, Hoover Dam created the largest man-made reservoir in the entire country, known as Lake Mead. All of the neon on the Las Vegas Strip comes from the electricity generated there.

Hoover Dam was built for both function and fashion, as you can see from the art-deco designs in the towers and spillways. Two winged, bronze statues adorn the Nevada side, and it is legend that rubbing their toes will bring you good luck.

The dam was named after the president due to tradition, but has also been called the “Boulder Canyon Dam.” Boulder City, just past Henderson, was built to house the workers who built the dam. Back in the 1930’s, it was the state’s third-largest city. To this day, you cannot gamble in Boulder City, and it is the only town in Nevada to impose such a prohibition.

Other fun facts:

Workers who built the dam in the 1930’s made between 50 cents and $1.25 per hour.

Many of the workers who climbed and hung from the canyon walls were acrobats recruited from circuses.

There is enough cement in the Hoover Dam to page a 16-foot wide, 8-inch deep strip from New York to San Francisco.

The base of the dam is larger than the Great Pyramid of Cheops. (3)

Visit the government site at http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/ for more information about the workings and tours of Hoover Dam. Next week: do spooks haunt the Hoover Dam?

If the sale of $1million dollar-plus homes is any indicator of an uptick in the current housing market, then the sale of 19 such homes this August is good news to those in the Henderson area. This is an increase of 58% from last year, and great news for both investors and those looking for homes in Henderson, Nevada.

It’s not just the “little” million-dollar homes that are selling, either. Sam Nazarian, CEO of SBE Entertainment (who has promised to rebuild the Sahara casino/hotel) just paid $8.5 million on his 14,000-square-foot home in Summerlin. While this is the most expensive home sold in Las Vegas in over a year, it still sold for far less than its listing price of $18 million.

Still, the inventory of these grand homes has declined – meaning more are owned than on the market – bringing about a bit of positive energy in the hard-hit Las Vegas Valley. Lake Las Vegas, in Henderson, is one of the hottest markets for the beautiful homes. The master-planned estates are just far enough from the city to be quiet and private, but not too far from the fabulous Las Vegas nightlife and all that the Henderson area has to offer in fine dining, arts, and entertainment.

Henderson real estate is about to take off again. Investors have even started some bidding wars. (see “Could Your Home Start a Bidding War?”)  The higher-end homes and the starter homes are the first to go. The mid-range homes are still a bargain, so get ready to buy.

You may or may not be on the market for a several-million dollar estate, but those that buy them are generally upgrading from smaller homes that may be closer to your budget. If you are looking to upgrade, you are in luck. Homes for sale in Henderson Nevada range from cute and cozy to grand and sprawling. You may find the perfect home for your family right now.

We are blessed to live in an area that still has summer-like weather, when so many other states are donning winter coats and even shoveling snow.  True, we have had a hotter than normal season in the greater Las Vegas area, but we still get to enjoy sunshine right up through Halloween. With cooler temperatures this coming week, what do you have planned? 

Homes in Henderson tend to have nice back yards with patios that are perfect for grilling. You can continue your outdoor grilling long after other areas have to haul theirs in for the cold winter weather. Grab some coals and your veggie kabobs or thick steaks and head outside. If you are searching for a new house in Henderson, you will find many are still available that have pools, patios, and sculptured yards.

Even if you are looking for a condo or starter home, Henderson is famous for its beautiful and accessible parks. Leash up your dog and grab your kids for a family picnic in the park. You might meet some of your neighbors there.

If you are not the chef you’d like to be, Henderson offers some world-class BBQ restaurants, such as Famous Dave’s or Lucille’s. With the cooler temps outside, you can feast on their patios and enjoy the blue skies and great eating.

CoreLogic, a private real estate data provider, claims that housing prices are rising throughout the U.S.  Out of 100 cities, a mere 20 have showed declines in price throughout much of 2012 (so far).  Among the state listed with the biggest price increases are Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Hawaii. 

States with the biggest decline in pricing were listed as Illinois, Alabama, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut.  Overall, however, the housing market is rebounding in a big way this year than just five years after the bubble burst. 

Previously owned homes rose to the highest level since May of 2010 just this past August; single-family homes also rose in September the fastest in over two years.  With an increase in spending on single-family homes and the lowest mortgage rates on record in years, home buying is making a come back.

With all this good news, it's important to remember that the housing market does have a long way to go to get back to where it once was.  However, some of the most relevant and important strides have been made in recent months, toward recovery.  Potential buyers are still having a difficult time qualifying for strict lender standards, however.  Buyers are also having to save a bit more now in order to meet larger down payment requirements- something that has fluctuated a bit with all this pricing change. 

Some things are just synonymous with Las Vegas:  casinos and gambling, nightlife, fine entertainment….and, food!  Tasty treats from the most gourmet and upscale, fine-dining establishments on the Strip, to tucked-away neighborhood eateries offering delicious delicacies; Las Vegas is a mecca for foodies. 

Relatedly, both tourists and locals with a sweet-tooth can get excited about the upcoming addition of a 260,000 square-foot project called the Linq which will include cupcake-chain Sprinkles Cupcakes and ice cream (a Los Angeles specialty shop).  Caesars Entertainment has announced the signing of tenants for close to 70% of the Linq space, opening in late 2013.  Residing on the Strip, across from Caesar's Palace on Las Vegas Blvd., Linq is said to also feature a Celtic themed pub (Tilted Kilt), a 16-lane bowling alley and a live performance venue, a Mexican restaurant, and Italian restaurant and a women's clothing and accessory store, as well.  A 550-foot-high Ferris wheel is also set to be erected in 2014.

Caesars Chairman and Chief Executive, Gary Loveman, has said that "…from the beginning…we wanted to have places that are accessible, that aren't so expensive that people can't enjoy them, and also are unique to Las Vegas". 

CoStar Group (a real estate research firm), estimates that Vegas' retail vacancy rate was 11.3% in 2012's third quarter.  The average retail lease rate is $16.41 per square foot per year, which is down from $26.52 in 2007.  The real estate market on the Vegas Strip is different from the surrounding areas of Las Vegas; CoStar's estimates aren't inclusive of malls inside casinos.  This means some of Vegas' most  lucrative retail properties are left out of the equation.