Las Vegas Real Estate Blog

Where I've been - paralyzed

2008-07-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Last month I came down with a nasty head cold that had been going around the valley. After about a week, I started feeling a lot better and thought I was over it. I woke up one morning feeling like a slept wrong or pinched a nerve in my back. My legs felt like I had worked out too hard and my finger tips were a little numb---like pins and needles. By the next day it got progressively worse. I had trouble walking, standing for any length of time and my dexterity in my hands decreased. My wife called her doctor for an appointment the next day. By the evening we decided that I needed to go to the hospital. I went to UMC and by midnight couldn't stand or move my legs more than a few inches.

My symptoms matched some very unpleasant and fatal diseases and for the first 2 days my diagnosis wasn't set in stone. After a spinal tap, two MRIs, two cat scans and several x-rays, they were able to rule out a lesion, tumor, ALS (known as Lou Gehrig's disease) or MS. I had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, something I had never heard of until I had it. Initially the doctors told me I would probably be hospitalized for at least two weeks and would need several months to recover. The treatment is a five day course of medicine given through an IV. The paralysis finally stopped when it reached my left lung (thankfully I didn't need to be put on a ventilator) on day 4. I was finally able to stand again four days after that and was released on day 10. Currently I'm in out patient rehab for the next several weeks.

To make matters worse, like most Americans I don't have health insurance. My good friends in Arizona set up a fund to help pay my medical bills. (You can get the widget there as well)

Donate to the Charles Richey Fund

Friend, husband and fellow real estate blogger was unexpectedly hospitalized read more

Gary Schmitz of the US real estate directory fame has generously donated all proceeds of his new start up directory Affordable real estate solution for new signups for the month of July. There are so many people to thank that I will be revisiting this topic over the next several months. Thank you all for your support.

Yet another real estate lawsuit

2008-06-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

It seems that there are at least one group of professionals profiting from the real estate slump-----lawyers. The developers of Sullivan Square, a large green high rise project are suing their equity partner, Harcourt Nevada.

Now there is a suit pending against D. R. Horton filed by real estate developer and two other home builders. The suit is alleging breach of contract for failing meet funding obligations for the Park Highlands community in North Las Vegas. The agreement that they are claiming DRHI violated stated that they were to fund 20% of the backbone infrastructure costs via regular monthly payments. The plaintiffs are claiming DRHI is more than $4 million in arears.

Construction of Park Highlands commenced in January of 2007 and despite the lawsuit, the plaintiffs state that the project is going forward.

World Series of Poker 2008

2008-05-30T17:14:00.001-07:00

Today marked the start of the 2008 World Series of Poker. The first event was held today at the Rio Hotel and Casino. The series started at noon with a $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em. Last year's champion, 39 year old Jerry Yang is expected to return to defend his title.

The "Main Event" is July 3 through the 14th, with the final WSOP final table on November 9. The event is free for spectators and it's expected that over 100,000 people will end up watching the event.

Entry fees for the tourney range from $1,000 up to $50,000. WSOP expected over 30,000 players. For complete tournament details and scheduled events, visit worldseriesofpoker.com.

If you are coming into town for tourney and are looking for the best deals, check out Savelv.com. Randi has put together a great list of things to do and where the best deals are in town.

Tragedy at Excalibur

2008-05-13T17:02:00.001-07:00

One of the most horrific things possible has happened at the Excalibur (3850 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109). A new born infant was found dead in a restroom trash can by a hotel employee Sunday night. That's right, on Mother's Day. The umbilical cord was still attached and the body was in a pillow case wrapped up in one of the hotel's gift bags, tossed away like so much trash. What the hell is wrong with people?! There are places in Las Vegas where mothers can drop off their babies, no questions asked. Three were within just a few miles of the Excalibur. They would have found a loving home for the child at no cost to the mother.

Metro is investigating and I'm sure the local news will have more information later today. If you have any information regarding the identity of the parties involved, call crime stoppers at 385-5555. Metro is waiting for an autopsy to see whether the baby boy was alive before being placed in the trash.

If you are pregnant and need help with your child, call the National Baby Help line at 888-510-baby or visit saveabandonedbabies.org.

Spammed by a former apprentice

2008-05-09T11:12:00.001-07:00

Every year there seems to be at least one former apprentice of the "Don's" that just won't fade back into obscurity. Probably the most famously ridiculous one was Amarosa who just couldn't accept that she was not the greatest thing since sliced bread. For a while she had a website up where you could 'talk' to her for $6.95 a minute. Now there is another former apprentice trying to cash in on their brief brush with fame. Jennifer Wallen has some kind of deal cooking. Jennifer, here's a hint. If you want to appear more legitimate, don't use the same tactics as Nigerians do to collect money. I've been spammed by at least a dozen different email addresses with this message:

Hi! I'm Jennifer Wallen, a local real estate broker and former contestant on Donald Trump's hit television show, "The Apprentice"-- season 4. I have discovered an incredible money-making opportunity so powerful, that it has enabled myself and my husband to retire from our real estate careers! If you're like me, the downturn in the real estate market has affected you financially and you are probably looking for something else to supplement or even replace your income. This life-changing opportunity will do just that.

For more information, call the toll-free number below. We are holding local meetings weekly to explain all of the details. Just leave your contact information and I, or one of my partners, will call you back with the time and location of our next meeting. Don't delay as seating is by reservation only and it tends to fill up quickly... you won't be sorry!
Insane Income Please Call 1 - 888-99B-RICH

That's right, since tune in on weekly meetings and your income worries are over! I've always found that the real money is in holding making money seminars. There is an unsubscribe button included in the email from Insane Income LLC, which I have already used a week ago. What really steams me is that you shouldn't have to go through this crap when your email address has been harvested from your site. If there is anyone out there that has signed up, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts about it. Their marketing has put a bad taste in my mouth.

Win a REW website with IDX

2008-05-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

The Greatest Real Estate Agent in the World contest has come to a close. Team Eric came out on top, beating some very tough competitors. As promised, the contest prize was donated to the Eco Preservation Society of Costa Rica to help raise money and awareness of the plight of the eco system in that area.

The website with core IDX and free lifetime hosting is being raffled off. You can get the full scoop here: http://www.ericonsearch.com/real-estate-webmasters-website-raffle-by-team-eric/

Construction worker found dead at CityCenter

2008-04-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday a construction worker was found dead at the CityCenter project. The man was identified as Mark Wescoat, an electrician from New Jersey working for Fisk Electric. He reported in for work at 6 am and about a half hour later he had fallen to his death from the 27th floor down to the 25th. This is the fifth construction death at CityCenter (last year there were four fatalities). OSHA has been called in to investigate and there has been no comment from MGM Mirage. In the prior cases, OSHA found numerous safety violations. The project has work crews there working around the clock to meet their November 2009 opening date.

Perhaps its time for CityCenter to put the safety of its workers ahead of its time table. Unfortunately, its not uncommon for their to be a death at a large construction site. However, to give you some perspective, only one worker died working on the Eiffel Tower in the late 1800's but 114 workers died during construction of Hoover Dam.

More updates and additions

2008-04-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Trying to keep up several sites at once gets old---fast. If you are a regular subscriber to several blogs, you've noticed blog burnout on at least one of them at some time or another. A friend of mine lives in Spanish Trail (not Spanish Trails) and were talking about foreclosures. Even in his neighborhood he is seeing a few, plus there are quite a few Spanish Trail townhomes up for sale as well, although I didn't notice if there were any short sales mentioned. Not surprising really, since there are quite a few townhomes available for sale right now. Beacon Hill in Mountain's Edge is a perfect example. Normally most large master planned communities include a few townhomes in the mix.

Home sales are slowly creeping back up again. I think some of that has to do with some of the unheard of deals being offered. For example, Flagstone Manor by Pulte has half acre lots and had the price dropped by 100k in some cases. Other developers are taking it even farther. Manhattan West is offering a couple of very interesting programs. If you are already a home owner and are worried about selling your home in order to buy a condo, the community Guaranteed Sale program guarantees to buy your qualifying existing home if it doesn’t sell within 180 days (of course there are qualifications). Another interesting program is the Downside Price Protection™, which lets you lock in today’s prices and interest rates while reducing the risk that your condo will drop in price. With Downside Price Protection, if the market is lower two years from when you buy your Manhattan West residence, you get a cash refund of the percentage the market is down, up to 10%. There is also a program for investors to cover the mortgage difference if the rent doesn't. In all, there are a total of six programs. I have to admit, it's pretty slick.

Top Five Condo Communities in Las Vegas

2008-03-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

More than 5,000 people a month move to the Las Vegas valley and they all ask some of the same questions. Where are the best schools? Best communities? Condos close to the strip? Homes near UNLV, etc. So I thought I would give my opinion on some of those questions, by putting together this list of what I think are the top five condominium communities in Las Vegas and the reasons why.

Manhattan West - I gave this community top billing because of their innovative floor plan packages (no one else offers anything like them) and great community amenities. Manhattan West also offers unparalleled buyer protection programs. It's a truly unique community, a rarity in Las Vegas.
Sedona Las Vegas - This is a condo conversion, located on Las Vegas Boulevard, just down the street from Mandalay Bay. The community has several pools, spas, racquetball court, tennis court and other resort style amenities.
Sullivan Square - This is a completely green condominium community. It has its own unique architectural style, offering a variety of loft and condominium residences.
Sky Las Vegas - This is the only residential high rise on the Las Vegas strip (at the moment). Sky Las Vegas offers all of the high end amenities you would expect in a luxury condo community.
Desert Shores Villas - This one makes the list on location alone. Another condominium conversion, the condos themselves are the average fare. However, residents go enjoy all of the Desert Shores community amenities. The lakes attract all kinds of wildlife including migrant ducks and swans.

Health crisis in Las Vegas

2008-03-21T15:46:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, several clinics owned by Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada were shut down due to a hepatitis outbreak at their Shadow Lane location. Now it’s come to light that the clinic’s majority owner, Dr Depak Desai has political ties to Nevada governor Jim Gibbons. Dr. Desai served on the governor’s health care transition team before he officially took office in January of last year, which may explain the governor's defense of the clinics early on. Gibbons expressed his concern that Nevadans wouldn’t seek medical help over the media’s “buffoonery.” On the other hand, he asked that three members of the state board of medical examiners to step down that have ties to the hepatitis scare at Clark county endoscopy clinics. One of the three is also the Chief of the Bureau of Licensing and Certification. Gibbons also stated, ”more inspections by more state staffers may not have stopped clinic practices that led to a recent hepatitis outbreak in Las Vegas” last week, despite having fought for a plan for more medical surveyors in 2007. However, he had also stated about their actions "that does constitute a criminal act" and those responsible "must be held accountable." A flip flop of his other statements....

Another Hepatitis case confirmed

The latest case brings the total to 7 confirmed cases of the disease and the first death. James Cromwell passed away due to liver disease secondary to hepatitis C. His wife, Janice has filed a wrongful death suit against Endoscopy Center. As with the other cases, the victim’s blood work never showed hepatitis C before he visited the clinic. Mr. Cromwell had passed away in May of 2006. Mrs. Cromwell also intends to file a police report, hoping murder charges will be brought against the doctor involved.

More cases

Robert Cox may be the next person added to the list of victims. He underwent two procedures at the Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center on Burnham Avenue several years ago. Prior to those procedures, he had never tested positive for hepatitis. Mr. Cox was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2005 and sought additional testing after receiving a letter from his medical provider urging him to do so. Mr. Cox’s test came back positive for hepatitis B as well. The results have been forwarded to the health department for investigation. Mr. Cox said the doctor who performed the procedures was Dr. Vishvinder Sharma, who recently resigned from the State Medical Board on March 7 and was a partner of Dr. Depak Desai.

Nevada clinics not the first

This type of outbreak is nothing new. Back in October of 2002, the New York Times ran a piece about 10 cancer patients that may have contracted Hepatitis C from a Nebraska clinic. The clinic was reusing hypodermic needles. The clinic owner, Dr. Javed fled to Pakistan and was not heard from again. The next month, a survey by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) in Illinois found that 1 in 100 healthcare providers were using the same needle on multiple patients. "There is no excuse for ever reusing a needle or syringe on different patients," said Rodney Lester, CRNA, PhD, president of the 30,000-member AANA. "It is most disturbing that even 1 percent of the healthcare providers surveyed do this, potentially exposing millions of patients each year to needles and/or syringes contaminated with Hepatitis, HIV, or other life-threatening infectious diseases."

So this has been a known issue, well documented and the consquences known. I have a feeling that if other states start inspecting clinics they might find the same practices.

Sources: lasvegasnow.com, msnbc.msn.com, aana.com & New York Times

Metreon Vertical Construction Party

2008-03-17T14:03:00.001-07:00

Amidst all of the recent cancellation of loft and condo projects, several of the projects going forward tend to get overlooked. The Metreon Las Vegas, a mixed use project on the west side is celebrating the vertical construction of the project on March 27th. Sales for the community have already commenced.

The community will offer live/work residential lofts in twin five story towers and class A office space. Commercial tenants include Sammy's Wood Fired Pizza, Fedex Kinko's and Einstein's bagels. Call 702-493-8033 for more information.

Out of this world home up for sale

2008-03-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

ET's retirement home?

This "spaceship" house went up for auction in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.

You would think that it would be a one of kind. Thanks to the popularity of Star Trek, Star Wars and other science fiction over the years, that isn't the only spaceship house out there.

Greetings Earthlings from Pensacola, Florida

Don't have enough cash to buy your own spaceship house? This one is available for rent in Pensacola Florida.

Certainly not in the same league as the Tennessee house, but if you have to live in a spaceship, at least you can start out with something small and work your way up. The top structure is actually a Futuro, set on top of a normal house. The Futuro was designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen back in the late 60's and represents the Utopian design of the era. There are still a few of them around the world (although this is first one that has been added to another structure that I've seen). There was even a film made about them in 1998, titled "Futuro - A New Stance for Tomorrow". For more pictures of Futuros around the country, visit futuro-house.net.

The Spaceship Housing Development

The city of El Paso almost had an entire housing development of spaceship homes. There was going to be a giant lake created behind the homes, but that never happened and the project folded.

Influence of Space Age Architecture

The influence of architects like Matt Suuronen can be see across the US in the most unlikely places. This former restaurant The Gobbler located in Madison,Wisconsin has a distinctly space age design. Sadly, the unique building design was not enough to keep the restaurant open.

The new University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale, Arizona also has a distinctive "spaceship" look.

Crisis in Las Vegas: Doom and Gloom in Sin City

2008-03-05T14:56:00.001-08:00

Deadly poison found in Las Vegas

It has been an "interesting" week here (think the chinese proverb) in Las Vegas to say the least. A highly toxic poison Ricin was found here in the valley. Metro and the FBI are investigating and stated that currently they are treating it as a public safety issue. The poison was discovered in Roger Von Bergendorff's hotel room along with some firearms and an anarchist textbook. Von Bergendorff is still in the hospital, although the cause of his illness hasn't been determined. The FBI have also searched storage units and a relative's house in connection with the investigation. Authorities have confirmed the man was a loner.

Sources: Associated Press, Salt Lake Tribune

Possible Hepatitis Outbreak

If that wasn't bad enough, a series of local clinics were shut down due to a hepatitis outbreak. Talk about feeding the candidates with an example of why health care should be provided by the government. Clinic operators decided to SAVE MONEY by REUSING syringes, single drug doses, etc. People that used the clinic are now being tested for Hepatitis B, C and HIV, because they wanted to save a few bucks.

My neighbor actually went to the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada (located at 700 Shadow Lane) on the orders of his doctor for some tests the day before the outbreak occurred. The total number of clinics shut down is now up to six. Its estimated that as many as 40,000 people could be affected from just the one clinic. The clinic operates under the umbrella of the Gastroenterology Center of Nevada, which has several other clinics (some that have been shut down) across the valley. If you have used their services, its imperative that you get yourself tested. So far, six cases of Hepatitis C have been linked to the Shadow Lane clinic. But my neighbor has been told that they will need to be tested every six months for the rest of their lives.

Five certified registered nurse anesthetists who worked at the Shadow Lane location were asked to voluntary surrender their licenses. All five complied. Local police and county prosecutors have opened a preliminary criminal investigation this past Monday. Even with all these risks being front and center in the news during a recent inspection by the Nevada Health Division found unsafe practices at other clinics around the valley.

Local attorneys have started advertising for clients, you can hear the class action train coming.

The Southern Nevada Health District has set up a hotline. The number is (702)759-4636 (INFO) Call to schedule testing or if you have health questions. This past January the clinic was told to stop reusing syringes when administering drugs.

Sources: Las Vegas Review Journal, KLAS Channel 8

Historical Inter-racial hotel may get a facelift

In other more positive news, the Las Vegas Planning Commission voted to allow the Moulin Rouge restoration go forward, approving the various permits, variances, etc that are needed. Final approval for their application will need to be granted by the city council and that may happen in early April. I seriously doubt that the project will not get it. Its one of the few historic landmarks left, although only the facade and sign survived the arson in 2003. But considering the commitment of the city and Mayor Goodman about the continued revitalization of downtown Las Vegas, its a safe bet that the Moulin Rouge project will be approved. According to the developers, if the project is approved they plan on breaking ground next year and have phase one completed by the end of 2010.

source: city of Las Vegas

Real estate posts and comments

2008-03-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

For whatever reason, I've been receiving a lot of comments on my post about the Greatest real estate agent in the world contest. So where are they you ask? Well, let's just that ads for other real estate sites won't be displayed, unless I add them in my blogroll.

The competition is heating up. I just found another post about the real estate contest here. He has an interesting view on the contest, real estate blogging and ethics.

Candlelight vigil anniversary

2008-02-20T17:04:00.000-08:00

This Friday, February 22nd, there will be a candlelight vigil to remember the thousands of animals that lost their lives at the Lied shelter last year. Please feel free to come down to the shelter and meet the different rescue groups or take a tour of the shelter. Adoptions will be ongoing, so if you are looking for a pet, the shelter is giving tours and adoption counselors will be on hand. The shelter and rescue groups are also looking for volunteer foster homes as well.

The event will be from 6pm to 9pm at 655 N Mojave Road.

Who is the greatest real estate agent in the world?

2008-02-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

Some people put their heads together over at Real Estate Webmasters (REW) and came up with a fun contest: to determine (via google results) who is the Greatest real estate agent in the world. A friend of mine is helping out a friend of his, so I thought I'd help out as well. Please feel free to visit his site and leave a comment, lending him your support. The contest ends on May 1st so I'm sure you'll see some "buzz" on it over the next couple of weeks. The top prize is a nice website from REW, including hosting and idx for life. Not to shabby, and the "price" is completely transferrable. Good luck Eric!

Canine rescue coalition

2008-02-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

A quick kudo to Jocelyn Arter for putting together a rescue group coalition in Las Vegas. With the new management at Lied, there has been a fundamental change in the attitude towards rescue groups in Las Vegas. Before patronizing a pet store and helping to perpetuate puppy mills, check out this huge list of Las Vegas dog rescue groups that Jocelyn has put together. The site is brand new and being updated all of the time, so be sure to check back often.

Gas bills gone wild

2008-02-09T19:48:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas valley residents got a nasty shock last month, in the form of their gas bill. Southwest Gas has been replacing gas meters all over the valley. Ours was replaced on New Year's Eve....just in time for our gas bill to DOUBLE the following month. According to SWG, our usage was the highest ever for the last 2 months. Granted it was an actual winter this year, but we hadn't had the gas fireplace on nor was the heater on the spa used either.

You're not alone

Talking to my neighbors I got the same thing. Their gas bills were twice what they usually were. My wife's nail lady said her bill doubled, and they are gone during the day with the thermostat set in the 60's. She said her bill was still over $300. Has anyone else seen their bills shoot through the roof?

Graft in sin city

2008-01-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

In the local news, this was a brief blip on the radar screen. A "real estate consultant" (aka fixer), Donald Davidson, received a two year sentence in federal prison for attempted bribery.

In addition, Davidson, received a fine of $50,000 and will serve three years after prison on supervised release. His sentence was lighter than the recommendation, in part due to his age (72) and letters seeking leniency from Shelley Berkley (Rep. D) and Federal Public Defender Franny Forsman, who wrote in as a "private citizen". Both pointed out his charitable work, family ties and age....which equals up to what exactly? So why he should get off lightly because he is old? Seems to me that he has probably been doing this for a while. A senior citizen doesn't just get up one day and decide he is going to try to bribe a city councilman that day.

Ulitmately Davidson was convicted in July of 2007 on one charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five charges of wire fraud for attempted bribery of Michael McDonald in 2002. Mr. McDonald was a Las Vegas city councilman at that time.

According to McDonald, he refused Davidson's money. Mr. McDonald was never charged in the case. However, another former county official did testify against him. Erin Kenny, caught in the G-sting scandal, testified that Davidson paid her three grand a month and she voted in favor of a neighborhood casino, plus additional monies after she pushed through a zoning change allowing a pharmacy to be built. Davidson's jury deadlocked on 18 charges relating to charges of bribery of former County Commissioner Kenny. It begs the question as to who else may have been approached by Davidson in the past.

The Wire

Prosecutors had a wiretap recording of Davidson alluding to bribing others for a zoning change. Yet, he received a two year sentence. Of course, if he would have been working in the white house he probably would have just received a pardon.. I guess on this one, Nevadans are going to have to accept whatever justice we can get. Davidson will be turned over to federal authorities by March 28.

Monte Carlo Fire

2008-01-26T13:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had put up a post about the fire on the strip. At the time, details were a bit sketchy, but at around 11 am, a fire broke out on the roof of the Monte Carlo casino (3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S). The fire spread from the roof to a couple of floors down. The hotel was evacuated and guests are being given alternate accommodations at other MGM properties. Guests not situated or had reservations at the Monte Carlo are urged to call 888-395-0776.

According to the firefighters on the scene, it was a three alarm blaze that was extinguished around 12:15 or so. 120 firefighters from Henderson, Las Vegas and Clark County responded to the exterior fire. No one was seriously injured.

Kudos to MGM for announcing that that all Monte Carlo employees will be paid, plus receive health, welfare benefits and tip replacement. Employees can call 702-693-7005 for more information. There is no official word yet on the cause of the fire.

The strip and and surrounding streets have been re-opened as well. Construction continues on neighboring CityCenter.

Compared to past fires on the strip, the property damage was minor. Still, the Monte Carlo is looking at millions in lost revenue, repairs and wage compensation. I doubt the blaze will make anyone cancel their trip to Las Vegas, but it certainly doesn't help your property to be all over the news because of a fire, especially when its a high rise. I'll post more information as it becomes available.

Accident at CityCenter

2008-01-12T21:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday four construction workers were injured when a steel rebar wall fell over. The accident occured around 1 p.m. Friday afternoon (1-11). The 25 foot tall, 150 foot wall was located in the main hotel tower. All four workers were taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.

CityCenter employes roughly 5,000 workers and construction is still underway. Its due to open late next year.

Obama Town Meeting

2008-01-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

The RJ has an article in today's paper stating that Barack Obama is scheduled to meet with the culinary union and there will be a town hall meeting at Del Sol high school. I received a call from Obama campaign staff and received some clarification. According to his staff, the meeting is open to the public, no tickets are required.

The town hall meeting starts at 5 pm at Del Sol high school, located at 3100 E Patrick Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89120 (between Pecos and Eastern). Map

For more information, call 253-2008.

2007 most popular posts

2008-01-05T17:52:00.000-08:00

This is up a little late, but you know how things go at the end of the year. Several of the blogs I read have put up year in review type posts, or a list of the most popular posts according to their readers for the prior year, so I thought it was a good idea and I would do the same. So here is top 10 list of the most popular posts for 2007.

1. Las Vegas to get a FTZ This post pulled the most traffic for last year and quite a few citations. The Union Park development is going full speed ahead.

2. Las Vegas Foreclosures This was post was a no-brainer to make the list, given the state of market across the country. Investors and bargain hunters have been coming out of the wood work hunting for deals.

3. O J Simpson Surprisingly this post didn't make it to number one, but then again there was a ton of media competition. O J will be going back to court this April.

4. Verge Lofts This is the latest entry into the green condo/loft market. Located in downtown Las Vegas, the project broke ground last month and Verge is reporting about 70% or so of the units have been sold.

5. Chester the Molester The predator was brought to the attention of Nye county authorities due to a video tape, showing him molesting a child. A police officer in Henderson making a routine traffic stop caught Styles. He also was listed on America's Most Wanted.

6. Commercial Real Estate in Lake Las Vegas With nothing but the gleeful reporting on local media about the doom and gloom of the real estate market, it was easy to see why this post drew so much attention. Commercial real estate has been going strong in Lake Las Vegas with some properties selling for over listing price.

7. Las Vegas is going Green The topic of going Green and green products is still red hot and with the continued rising prices of fossil fuels, saving energy and money will be a topic that is talked about for years to come.

8. Murano condo fire Murano was a condo community in Silverado Ranch. While under construction, a fire broke out threatening nearby businesses and destroying the community.

9. Another Las Vegas convention While I was at the convention center, I ran into David Caruso. He is starting his own internet media company.

10. Another Vegas Landmark Gone This was the first demolition of the year. The casualty this time was the Stardust. Sadly a piece of history destroyed (the Frontier needed to go). Members of the Rat pack, Elvis and others played there back in the day. Don Rickles closed down the main show room with its last performance.

What's been going on in Las Vegas

2007-12-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

It's hard this time of year with everything going on to keep up on all of my projects. Just to update you all on what has been happening here in Las Vegas, there is plenty of news. Back in October I reported the capture of Chester Styles. This scumbag was back in court today, rejecting a plea offering. I guess he's hoping to make the victim have to testify, along why he would when there is VIDEO of him molesting her is beyond me. May he ROT IN JAIL.

In keeping with the spirit of the holidays, some scumbag is going around local neighbors posing as an employee of the Community Outreach Ministries that operates a local thrift store (zip 89110), selling needed merchandise at prices everyone can afford. The ministry also accepts donated automobiles, and there is where our scumbag comes in. So far its estimated that he has scammed eight cars from caring, giving individuals in the valley. If you are approached by this individual, don't try to apprehend him, simply contact Metro. More importantly, if you have items you wish to donate please contact them directly.

Local residents of the Sundance Village Apartments were forced to evacuate when one of the buildings caught fire earlier this afternoon. The blaze broke out about 2 pm. Thankfully no one was killed and the six residents evacuated have been moved to other vacant apartments in the complex.

In other Las Vegas real estate news, another condo complex has been cancelled, but its not what you think. The full story about the condo cancellation can be found on my other blog.

Another Las Vegas convention

2007-12-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

This past meet I attended Pubcon again at the Las Vegas convention center. Sadly I felt that I learned a lot more last year and heard a lot of the same information. However, I did get to finally meet some people face to face. The person that I wanted to meet the most was Jim Boykin. I've been reading his blog for a while and wanted a chance to pick his brain. I attended a few sessions where he was a guest speaker and over the microphone he sounded exactly like William Peterson from CSI. After the sessions, I was able to talk to him privately and he was gracious enough to give me some pointers.

It was a mixed bag of attendees. I met several people from Europe as well as some people that I had met at last year's conference. I was chatting with my friend Larry Hotz, a Denver Realtor about the changes from last year. We had both switched our web hosting from a large template provider to a more customized solution this year with less than the results we were hoping for. So we were hoping to pick up some good tips at the conference.

One of the things living in Las Vegas, you never know who you'll run into. On the last "official" day of the conference, I ran into David Caruso. He is launching an internet media company and was meeting some people there. He was gracious enough to stop for photos with attendees and was just about the nicest person you could meet. All in all, it was a good convention and I'll probably attend again next year.