0
0

Vegas Rental Market Is In Trouble... Saturation Point?


 invite response                
2012 Feb 5, 2:24am   65,417 views  80 comments

by JonSilence   ➕follow (0)   💰tip   ignore  

I bought a 3br/2ba/pool home in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas in Feb of 2011 for $134k, as an investment/rental. The first tenant skipped out after 2 months, stiffing me for $800. Next tenant only wanted a six month lease, but did pay their rent on time. They vacated on Dec. 31, and since then the home has been on the market---over one month at this point---without even ONE rental applicant. I just received the following from my property manager:

"We know you are concerned about how long it is taking to rent your property. We are very concerned as well because we do not want our customers unhappy and just like you we do not make any money on a vacant property...the single family home market has drastically slowed down because of the influx of all the new properties put on by the investors. I have been tracking this for some time now. Listed below are the records showing this trend.

Currently there are 6,614 properties on the market for rent.

-30 days ago in January alone there were 2,799 added and in January only 414 rented.

-60 days ago in December 1,389 properties were added and 969 were rented.

-90 days ago in November 1,019 were added and 479 properties were rented.

-120 days ago in October 591 were added and 2,219 were rented.

-160 days ago in September 396 were added and there were 3,158 properties that rented.

In short, what this means is that we are having much more properties being added (due to investors) every month and fewer properties are being rented
(due to the holiday months)." (end quote)

With the glut of rental properties on the market competing for tenants, we are now seeing rent wars with prices aggressively being dropped. I've had to reduce my asking price by almost $200 with the hope of getting a tenant and am still waiting for one as I go out of pocket to cover my mortgage and other costs for the second month in a row. In less than one year, my property has been on the market three times.

Right now its looking like Vegas is a BUST.

#housing

« First        Comments 23 - 62 of 80       Last »     Search these comments

23   TPB   2012 Feb 6, 5:47am  

Goran_K says

It's the reason why places like beach communities will never be at rental parity.

Yes it will, you'll just have bigger Fleas.

24   Bap33   2012 Feb 6, 6:19am  

1: Lowend rents are way too high due to welfare
2: Midrange rents are way too high due to welfare/Section 8
3: Highend rentals are too high because normal working people have to pay to get away from those found in area 1 and 2, and SlimeBag LL's know it.

End Section 8, and rental prices get in line in a hurry. When the GOP wins in Nov, that means that by Feb HUD will be gone, along with the EPA. And when HUD goes away, Section 8 goes away. LL's better start lobbying for some other type of welfare housing, or get ready for a big taste of reality

25   TPB   2012 Feb 6, 6:30am  

Bap33 says

When the GOP wins in Nov, that means that by Feb HUD will be gone, along with the EPA. And when HUD goes away, Section 8 goes away. LL's better start lobbying for some other type of welfare housing, or get ready for a big taste of reality

Don't count it, don't you watch wrestling? You know they all eat dinner at the same steakhouse at the same table the night before? Sure they like to put on a show, that they are mortal enemies and if your wrestler can win, then... then.. then. What were we talking about?

26   PockyClipsNow   2012 Feb 6, 6:42am  

Bap is dreaming.

Everyone better plan on democrats being in control of the WH for a long time. (obama relected 4sure!).

Thus we can count on S-8/Squatterville/Loan Mods 4 Liars being a major factor in housing market in the US 4eva.

28   bummbull   2012 Feb 6, 6:55am  

This is the reason why I wouldn't want to invest in rental properties. There are so many houses available and more and more will turn into rentals causing more competition. My best friend got started into rental properties in Houston last year. That's a sign for me that too many people are getting involved.

29   GUAB   2012 Feb 6, 7:00am  

Keith Jurow says

This thread about Las Vegas is very interesting because it confirms my strong suspicions about the house rental market. Phoenix is probably even worse. There aren't enough renters to absorb all the house rentals offered by investors.

In good areas homes priced right and in a good location don't sit on the market long (rent wise). Vegas is far different than here.

30   GUAB   2012 Feb 6, 7:06am  

Goran_K says

I don't think Phoenix or Vegas would be great areas to make money renting out properties. Too much inventory, and too much competition. Just because the numbers work out doesn't mean S/D doesn't apply anymore.

We will get hard probably once the government starts that program to sell off foreclosures as rentals. I don't personally rent out any homes here in the valley, but I know lots of people that do who have had zero issues renting them out. But once those flood of rentals come on the market... everyone renting is going to get bent over as most are used to them getting rented very quickly.

31   Goran_K   2012 Feb 6, 8:10am  

The GOP says

Yes it will, you'll just have bigger Fleas.

Okay whatever that is supposed to mean.

Tell me this, a place like Malibu, or Newport Beach, before this last bubble started, neither of them was at rental parity. Why?

32   golfplan18   2012 Feb 6, 8:56am  

My family owns six rental properties in Las Vegas, and we are in escrow on three more. I have also sold a number of properties to other cashflow investors. I have only had one that was difficult to rent. If a property is priced appropriately, it will rent.

I do like the negative sentiment though. My biggest worry is that too many others will embrace Las Vegas before I finish acquiring all the properties I want for my family. The more people talk down the Las Vegas market, the happier I am.

33   KILLERJANE   2012 Feb 6, 11:00am  

The sky is not falling, population projections from the 2000 census for Vegas 2010 was acurate, it actually exceeded the number. Population will likely continue to grow and thereby improve housing demand, just a matter of time. Why do people freak out?

34   swebb   2012 Feb 6, 11:30am  

KILLERJANE says

Why do people freak out?

Because they are people.

35   kochevnik   2012 Feb 6, 12:14pm  

Well - this is pretty much what I have predicted.

1) Housing crash
2) Foreclosures
3) all the people who lost their houses to foreclosure go and rent houses, except for the millions who cant afford to do that any more and end up as roommates or living in someone's basement - it's called negative household formation
4) all the infestors jump in with both feet because they see an apparent 'shortage' of rentals as rental house prices rise as a result of #3
5) more people lose their jobs - last UE report indicated that the number of people actually employed is the same number of people as in the late '90s (see zerohedge) - even tho the population is more than 10 percent higher. To back this stat up, gasoline consumption just dropped to the same levels as 1996-97 - DO THE MATH

YOU ARE HERE

6) more negative household formation

OR HERE

7) now all the newbie landlords watch their dreams of eternal renters go up in smoke

OR HERE

8 euro collapses
9 banks panic and dump shadow inventory
10 interest rates rise
11 stock market goes to 666 again ... and then right thru it
12 lots more UE and lots more negative household formation - see Yahoo 'Slab City' article

13 houses prices drop another 50+ percent ... and then drop some more. And then some more, And then some more.

BTW - the negative household formation was predicted by the Fourth Turning book in 1997 - the most important and prescient book I have ever read regarding what is going on right now.

36   elliemae   2012 Feb 6, 2:32pm  

There are many, many subdivisions in vegas with crappy little houses crammed onto crappy little lots. People were happy to get anything during the boom, so they didn't care that they were buying near a pig farm (that's grandfathered in and going nowhere) or that the "bad" neighborhoods are now their neighborhood.

Sure, there are some nice places, but many of them wer thrown up so quickly that they're falling apart. With ten feet between the houses, there's not enough room. I don't care what anyone says, it's not a happy place right now.

I see patients in their homes and the mantra is always that they're either fighting foreclosure, in the process of foreclosure or a mod, and don't know where they're going. Jobs are scarce, tips are wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy down and the place is problematic. Perhaps golfplan18 has a different experience, but I see the people attempting to live off of next to nothing and it's heartbreaking.

37   zzyzzx   2012 Feb 7, 12:25am  

JonSilence says

I've had to reduce my asking price by almost $200 with the hope of getting a tenant and am still waiting for one as I go out of pocket to cover my mortgage and other costs for the second month in a row.

How much is the asking price of the rent?

38   zzyzzx   2012 Feb 7, 12:32am  

JonSilence says

Currently there are 6,614 properties on the market for rent.

Does that mean that's the number of unrented ones available to rent?

39   burritos   2012 Feb 7, 12:40am  

Bellingham Bill says

Las Vegas is great. Everyone should overbuild like they did, 2002-2008.

...and could use the savings for more useful stuffs, and leechfuck landlords would be forced to find more productive uses of their capital.

“Nessuna soluzione . . . nessun problema!„

Yeah, like buying rental properties in the Puget Sound area. Having one side of the world border water tends to limit building construction. Help Bellingham Bill's dream of creating a rental paradise near him, invest in WA.

40   Hysteresis   2012 Feb 7, 2:08am  

Goran_K says

Tell me this, a place like Malibu, or Newport Beach, before this last bubble started, neither of them was at rental parity. Why?

the idea is to compare the price to rent for malibu from 10 years ago to today's price to rent and see if it's inflated or deflated.
in most bubble areas it's inflated.

if P/R is twice what it was ten years ago then you can assume prices are still bubbly.

41   Goran_K   2012 Feb 7, 2:13am  

I understand that, and I think places like Malibu, Newport, Manhattan, etc will fall further, they have to.

But I always hear the argument that rental parity and median income are important factors to consider. For the prime locations, I think there are other things to consider.

42   Marv   2012 Feb 7, 4:52am  

I bought in the last 18 month 15 houses in the phoenix area. They are all rented out, they get rented within 2 weeks. So the important thing is location and your rent price. Investing in rentals are a GOOD investment in this current market because at the end of the day you have something physical to invest into.Your invesment will not go to nothing like a stock can.
I always see negative comments about purchasing houses, and I am sure that these negative comments are from people who got forclosed on or cant qualify for a mortgage. I encourage investors that you have to do this for the long run, 7-10 years you will be very happy with your investment.

43   Marv   2012 Feb 7, 7:20am  

I am not a realtor, I am an investor, and I can tell you that my cash flow is excellent, may I ask "ContStink Degroots" why are you so bitter? I may can help you to get you some financial advise if you like, clearly we must be on different pages.

44   GUAB   2012 Feb 7, 2:37pm  

Marv says

I bought in the last 18 month 15 houses in the phoenix area. They are all rented out, they get rented within 2 weeks. So the important thing is location and your rent price. Investing in rentals are a GOOD investment in this current market because at the end of the day you have something physical to invest into.Your invesment will not go to nothing like a stock can.

I always see negative comments about purchasing houses, and I am sure that these negative comments are from people who got forclosed on or cant qualify for a mortgage. I encourage investors that you have to do this for the long run, 7-10 years you will be very happy with your investment.

I just bought a house in Scottsdale (not as an investment but as a home I will be in for the next 20-30 years).

Just keep in mind that this government program to dump the foreclosures to the rental market will eventually hurt the rental market here in the valley. Regardless -- Phoenix has a pretty solid growth rate right now in terms of jobs and population. But I don't think it's enough to curb the massive # of homes that will come onto the market.

45   bob2356   2012 Feb 7, 7:08pm  

LASVEGASWINNER says

My rental houses are now spinning off positive cash flow that gives me a nice, tax-free income.

Tax free? That's a neat trick, I have to pay taxes on the income from my rentals. Putting it into a numbered account overseas are we?

46   bob2356   2012 Feb 7, 7:10pm  

ContStinks DeGroot says

Marv says

Investing in rentals are a GOOD investment in this current market

Not at current inflated asking prices they're not. Nothing cashflows at current prices.

Why would you blatantly lie about something so clear?

This is your first and only post so it's self-evident you're a lying realtor.

You lying realtors are losing..... and losing big.

Living in the empty skulls of realtors. Rent-Free.

My properties cash flow at current prices. Where are you looking at?

47   LASVEGASWINNER   2012 Feb 7, 8:21pm  

bob2356 says

LASVEGASWINNER says

My rental houses are now spinning off positive cash flow that gives me a nice, tax-free income.

Tax free? That's a neat trick, I have to pay taxes on the income from my rentals. Putting it into a numbered account overseas are we?

Depreciation of the house plus accelerated depreciation of equipment does the trick, plus I am" forced" for a check up visit to my properties every couple of months, meaning airfare, hotel and meals are part of deductible business expense.

48   zzyzzx   2012 Feb 8, 11:23pm  

Obligatory Hitler video about Las Vegas:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Sv92n4LSAn8&feature=player_embedded

49   bob2356   2012 Feb 9, 12:36am  

LASVEGASWINNER says

bob2356 says

LASVEGASWINNER says

My rental houses are now spinning off positive cash flow that gives me a nice, tax-free income.

Tax free? That's a neat trick, I have to pay taxes on the income from my rentals. Putting it into a numbered account overseas are we?

Depreciation of the house plus accelerated depreciation of equipment does the trick, plus I am" forced" for a check up visit to my properties every couple of months, meaning airfare, hotel and meals are part of deductible business expense.

BUYERS AGENT LAS VEGAS BANK-OWNED HOMES

What equipment for a rental property? This isn't europe where you can depreciate the chattels on a separate schedule from the building. I don't come anywhere close to offsetting the rental income with depreciation. Sounds like some pretty creative accounting to me.

I don't consider taking thousands of dollars out of the rental income for trips to vegas then deducting 25 cents on the dollar tax free income unless you were going to vegas anyway and are looking to get 25% off.

50   David Cooper   2012 Feb 9, 2:19am  

.
Not every part of your rental property is real estate. You have a host of other pieces of property that aren’t real estate, and those can be depreciated over a much shorter period of time. Plus, there is one provision of the tax law that allows you to deduct a huge portion and possibly the entire cost of some property you would normally depreciate in one year.

Look at the depreciation schedule below taken from Internal Revenue Service instructions.

Refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, carpeting, furniture – 5 years

Land improvements (sidewalks, fences, landscaping shrubbery, septic systems, water pipes) – 15 years

Computers and peripherals – 5 years

Typewriters, adding machines, copiers – 5 years

Automobiles and trucks under 13,000 lbs. – 5 years

Office furniture (desks, chairs, file cabinets, etc.) – 7 years

Residential rental property building – 27.5 years

Non-residential rental property – 39 years

You are allowed by law to separate all of these pieces of property from the value of the building and depreciate them individually on IRS Form 4562. As we will see later, that can make or save you thousands of dollars a year on your taxes

51   FaithInHim   2012 Feb 9, 2:40am  

Johnsilence brought up a topic that no one wants to talk about. Yes, the rental markets are at their saturation point. When jobs decrease, the renter pool decrease because they cant afford to rent or do not have good credit to rent.

Here are some figures you may want to look at to give you a feel of what is going on.

Below is a website of an article from 1975. Its an interesting read because history repeats itself.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19750907&id=nv8jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K2cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7165,2787945

Here is some data on the new construction of single and multifamily units. Keep this in mind, if the rental market is so great, then there should be a jump in units built.

http://www.census.gov/briefrm/esbr/www/esbr020.html

Here is some data on the vacancy rates. Im basing this data on the timeframe that you stated your rental property was vacant. According to table 9, in 2rd quarter of 2011, 3 bedroom vacancies in the West made up 18.6% of the vacancies, and in the 3rd quarter 2011, they increased to 21.1% of the vacancies.

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/hvs/prevqtrs.html

To the crowd that is saying its Johnsilence fault, I have one thing to say: We can all say you should have, could have, would have. But in the end, no one can predict the future. The bible says that gold and silver cankers and money makes wings for itself. So if anyone of you think that your living lofty, your dead wrong. Any investment vehicle can fail. Any savings can dry up. Any crop can fail due to lack of rain. Judge not, lest you be judge.

52   REpro   2012 Feb 9, 6:05am  

When vacancy is high, tenants immediately takes advantage of situation by moving from one fresh clean apartment to another living left unit trashed and unpaid last rent.

“An Era of Abandonment: New York City in the 1970s
and the Use of City-Owned Properties for Affordable
Housing Development.
Although it is hard to believe during today’s thriving
real estate market, New York City faced a surge in
disinvestments and housing abandonment just over
thirty years ago. Significant housing abandonment
began around 1963, and peaked in the 1970s. Between
1970 and 1978, the city’s housing inventory fell by
nearly 320,000 units.3 During those years, dramatic
increases in heating oil prices pushed the overall
operating costs of apartment buildings beyond the
possible rent revenue in certain areas of the city.4 As a
result, many building owners deferred maintenance
and services, leading to physical and financial decline
and, in some cases, the inability to pay property taxes.” Manhattan Borough President
Scott M. Stringer

53   JonSilence   2012 Feb 13, 1:25am  

I am the original poster of this topic. The home is 3br 2ba with a pool, just under 1200 sq ft, near Anasazi & Summerlin Parkway in Summerlin. Last year in Feb of 2011 the home went on the rental market at $1450 and was leased quickly via a prop mgmt company. After being vacant since Jan. 1 of 2012, I've dropped the price to $1290 and still no takers as of this writing.

54   JonSilence   2012 Feb 13, 1:38am  

LasVegasWinner: I appreciate your insights from long term experience in LV. When you say "investors are coming from all over the world", I assume you are referring to the influx of those who are buying rental properties, correct? If so, as a result, aren't we now seeing a glut of such properties on the rental market, resulting in competition for renters and price wars to get them? I'm curious: Of all the properties you own in LV, how many are handled by property management companies? What has your track record been with regard to tenants, vacanicies, etc.? I've had my property less than a year, am going on my third tenant, and third month out of pocket. Thus far, not my idea of a good investment.

55   FuckTheMainstreamMedia   2012 Feb 13, 1:53am  

A LOT of people overestimate what their properties will rent or sell for. Its like and emotional block where they can't see what is actually going on. Hence the listings that pop up at bubble prices.

Just recently on another real estate board, a recent purchaser posted about how he could rent out for more than his morgage was. I looked where he bought in LA. The area is miserably over priced. Theres basically no way he could rent out and be cash flow even unless he had put 50% down. I think he believes he could command $3500/mo because his place is nice and well located. Truth is, he gets $2500-2700 on a good day.

I commend Jonsilence for posting this. All I have to add is that due to the low cost nature of Las Vegas, you might take a shave, but it won't be a tremendous shave. I know people that lost EVERYTHING in the stock market. Losing 10-20% happens and really isn't anything to be ashamed of if you decide to sell. Obv you'd lose much less if you're able to rent it relatively soon.

56   zzyzzx   2012 Feb 13, 1:58am  

JonSilence says

I've dropped the price to $1290 and still no takers as of this writing.

Clearly you are still asking for too much money. I wouldn't pay that much to live in the Baltimore-DC area, much less Vegas.

57   toothfairy   2012 Feb 13, 6:05am  

JonSilence says

After being vacant since Jan. 1 of 2012, I've dropped the price to $1290 and still no takers as of this writing.

here's a 3br for only $1k. is it nicer than this?

http://www.trulia.com/rental/3075115183-10677-Windrose-Point-Ave-Las-Vegas-NV-89144

58   JonSilence   2012 Feb 13, 2:36pm  

toothfairy asks:

"here's a 3br for only $1k. is it nicer than this?"

http://www.trulia.com/rental/3075115183-10677-Windrose-Point-Ave-Las-Vegas-NV-89144

Mine has a pool and is in what appears to be a nicer neighborhood. Are those things worth an extra $250 per month? I guess the market will tell me....

59   KILLERJANE   2012 Feb 13, 4:00pm  

After being vacant since Jan. 1 of 2012, I've dropped the price to $1290 and still no takers as of this writing.

3/2 summerlin rent for 895 to 1150. Don't be greedy or foolish.

60   LASVEGASWINNER   2012 Feb 13, 4:50pm  

JonSilence says

LasVegasWinner: I appreciate your insights from long term experience in LV. When you say "investors are coming from all over the world", I assume you are referring to the influx of those who are buying rental properties, correct? If so, as a result, aren't we now seeing a glut of such properties on the rental market, resulting in competition for renters and price wars to get them? I'm curious: Of all the properties you own in LV, how many are handled by property management companies? What has your track record been with regard to tenants, vacanicies, etc.? I've had my property less than a year, am going on my third tenant, and third month out of pocket. Thus far, not my idea of a good investment.

There is a glut in the small 1200-1500 sq ft 3+2, the ones that sell for $60,000 to $90,000, but are not in good areas. Location is the key, as always. Been a rental house landlord since 1994. Everything with property manager. I search for market rent, list i there and then start dropping $25 every week after first 2 weeks.. Average vacancy 45 DAYS

61   Monkeyswing   2012 Feb 13, 4:52pm  

Hey, I live and work in Vegas. A friend of mine just rented a really nice 3/2 in Summerlin with a pool for 1,100/mo. Had plenty to choose from. Good luck!

62   zzyzzx   2012 Feb 13, 11:32pm  

JonSilence says

Mine has a pool and is in what appears to be a nicer neighborhood. Are those things worth an extra $250 per month? I guess the market will tell me....

Seems to me that the market already has.

« First        Comments 23 - 62 of 80       Last »     Search these comments

Please register to comment:

api   best comments   contact   latest images   memes   one year ago   random   suggestions   gaiste